A couple of pictures of the snazzy new canvas bags Shaina is making to protect the embroideries-in-progress. They’re almost done. In the second picture I untucked the frames so you can see them; otherwise you can’t tell what they are.

 

In the background, you can see a reproduction 17^th-century style embroidery frame. That frame was made at least 20 years ago, and the embroidery on it is almost as old. It was going to be a blackwork coif and was started by a first-person interpreter in the English Village probably in the late 1980s. The pattern was transferred to the linen by pricking holes in a paper pattern and pouncing powder, charcoal powder I believe. A small amount of embroidery was done. I’m not sure why it never went any further. Again, we’ve learned a lot about history since then. I’m not sure we’d do the project the same way now. But no one’s ever dismantled the embroidery because it looks so interesting the way it is. I have started thinking about undoing the old one and mounting a new piece of linen with a new pattern, informed by what we’ve learned developing The Jacket. Still just thinking, though.

 

And here’s a link to a sampler-focused blog. MJ has been following the Jacket’s progress and made a link available to her readers. I’m really liking the opportunity to make connections between groups of people who have common interests but might never have met. It’s one of the best parts of this project.