Embroidery Question

Some of you will remember the hood project that I began several months ago. I have completed one roundel (of 8). I have the second roundel outlined on the hood itself.
I have finally gotten back to this project. I am finding the large frame that it is on to be very unweildly. I can work with it, as I have a very nice stand. However it is very cumbersome to move the stand in place and out of place when I want to get up. I also recently entered my 7th C Persian sleeves in the Kingdom A&S Competition. One of the comments I received recommended embroidering onto a separate piece of fabric and applying that fabric to the end product to help in placement of the embroidery. I know there is a lot of debate as to whether or not this was a medieval practice or is embroidery was taken off aging garments and then placed on new garments. I think either practice is reasonable. I am concerned about the placement of the roundels if I embroidery directly onto the hood now. As I will be spending literally hundreds of hours on this project, I think I would be absolutely heartbroken if the roundels did not look right on the final project. Then again I'm worried about how applying them as well. I worry how applied roundels might effect the way the hood lies and getting the edges finished well and sewing them on without showing the other fabric.

So I'm looking for advice and other's experience. What have you done in the past, for any kind of garment, what would you recommend?

Thanks for "listening",
Jahanara

Progress!

Today started as a sleepy Sunday, but did not stay that way long. I went downstairs about 1300 and popped in Order of the Phoenix, ok it was already there! During the movie, I enjoyed a nice sugar free swiss mocha and finished three treadling repeats! That means I wove another 6 inches and moved the warp along again! The last week has seen this done twice, so I've woven a foot in the last week. If I keep this up, I'll have an entire yard done by the end of the month. Continuing this same amount of progress, I'll have the two yards I need for this section done by the end of October! I'm really hoping that I can keep this up and get the next section on the loom by the end of this year. I need three sections total. I know this section will take the longest, as once I get this done I should have everything down pat!

But wait there's more, I actually got these six inches done in less than 2 hours. I also hemmed Lady Salonge's cloak, so it is effectively done! I say effectively as I've just embroidered her sun-in-splendour on the back. We've talked about adding her lion on each side at the bottom later. I think we'll probably work on this summer '09 when she doesn't need to be wearing it often!

Finally, I also finished the outline on the second roundel for Odo's hood! I also took the paper pattern off the fabric. I tested a new theory on how to do this. I sparyed the paper down thoroughly, which made getting the paper off go much faster. I think this is a good option for designs that don't have very intricate lines, but I think for many of the other roundels, the dry method will work better. This is due to the fact that the wet paper and silk are difficult to separate in very small areas, such as around the calon cross and the axe heads.

I hope you will all forgive me for not having photos of all this progress, as I've been busy completing stages of projects!

Namaste,
Jahanara

Roundel for Odo's Hood

I'm not far behind Racaire, as I've just finished the first roundel for Odo's Hood! I'm really pleased with how this turned out. I have however, decided to try the next roundel in a much finer silk thread. This one looks fine, however it is not rich enough for the look I am trying to achieve. This hood is intended to be that quiessential medieval status symbol. The other roundels are also much more detailed. I have my doubts as to whether this detail can be achieved with this thread, so I'm moving to a 60/2 silk. This obviously means the embroidery will take longer, but I think the results will be worth it.

This roundel shouldn't be to obviously out of place, as it will be in the back center, and is a symbol of our past, so it seems appropriate that it be less fine and different thread.

I'd appreciate any comments or critiques.
Cheers,
Jahanara

Progress on hood

Although I have focused more on weaving this summer, I managed to get a bit of work done on the hood project. I was not best pleased by the result of this work. However it looks very medieval (read passable) and I have learned a lot about the fabric I am working on and the thread with which I am working. I think on the next roundel, I will use linen to outline and the silk to fill the roundel.

I think the embroidery is well worked, however the cross is not lined up the way it ought to be. Looking back this was a fault with the original outline, not a fault with the technique of putting the outline one the fabric.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or comments. I hope to differentiate between a few of the arms when the background gets filled.

Jahanara

Project Photos

I have the first roundel outline begun! You can see this progress in this photo. As I said in my earlier post the roundels on this hood will tell the story of my husband's SCA career. I am beginning with the very back, as I am working with a new thread and want to work out any glitches before I attempt the designs on the front! Also many of the front, "current", designs are more difficulty so I want to be confident in the technique and and application before attempting those.
You can see the other roundel designs to the right. This is a very poor rendition of these designs, but you get a sense of what they will look like. I am a bit concerned that due to the heraldic nature of these designs and this story, that the hood will look a bit late period, rather than Anglo-Saxon in nature.

I said,previously, that I chose roundels, as you see many roundels in Anglo-Saxon designs. I would appreicate any suggestions that anyone might have to help give these a more Anglo-Saxon feel. I will be using Anglo-Saxon stitches, but I'm not sure this will be enough to bring the design into line with Anglo-Saxon embroidery & designs.
Thanks for all your help and inspiration,

Jahanara