Here are some pictures from Friday. Carolyn, Devon, Jill, Margaret and Tricia spent some time consulting, discussing, debating, as usually happens at the sessions. Get a bunch of people, all of them experts in one or another aspect of historic dress, embroidery, lace, etc, and watch the information bounce around, speculation, comparison of items examined; it’s great. And of course the laptops make the whole process much easier.

Margaret, in the foreground, is finishing a blue sweater for Carolyn’s new grandson, who made his appearance in the world while Carolyn, Margaret and Devon were studying metal lace at the MET on May 9. Congratulations to the new parents and grandparents.

Laura brought a special show & tell treat this time. She made a frog needle holder, modeled on and inspired by a couple of original (16th-17th century?) needlework novelties, one in the V&A, the other, I believe, in the Museum of London.

Is he not adorable? The legs are a large rectangle of detached buttonhole stitch which is then seamed up the back and stuffed. There are wires in the legs so he can be posed. The feet are also needlelace. She braided the drawstring and worked out how to thread it through accordion-style folds so that he would have a plump body when it was closed. She said that was actually one of the trickiest parts of the project.

I realize now I should have put something in the photo for scale, but the whole frog will sit comfortably in the palm of your hand. You put your needle in his pink wool tongue. “Fatal levels of cuteness” indeed.

Sorry no post yesterday, friends. The evening completely got away from me.

This is some of what has been going on though.

Here is Devon, making lace. The lace will really be the crowning glory of this piece, and it is very exciting to me to see it really underway.

Here is Jill, also making lace. Devon is working on the second wing piece and Jill is working on the long piece. The first wing piece is done but not cut off the bobbins. We all decided Carolyn H gets to do that part. The second wing is more than half done. The long piece goes around the whole jacket – hem, up the front, around the neck and collar, down the other front to the hem.

Here is the right front as of today, May 17. This is the piece I worked on. Yes, I got to embroider today, and not just the plain silk, I used some Gilt Sylke Twist today. I did one whole leaf (the third of a smooth-leaved trefoil) one partial leaf, two leaf scridges (itsy bits right up against what will be the seam), and a partial pansy petal (in carnation and isabella GST). Not even partial pansy, partial petal. This pansy is divided by the gusset seam.

It was a good day here. I hope it was a good day for you wherever you are.

Happy Birthday! One year ago today, this community was born. I really didn’t know what to expect, but I jumped into blogging with both feet (and the lifeline of Rich’s help) and found all of you! This year has been more than I could have imagined, and (maybe you’re tired of hearing it but it’s true) the bestest best part has been meeting – online and in person – all of YOU. All of you talented, thoughtful, enthusiastic, generous, just plain wonderful people who are interested in historic embroidery, historic costume, lace, knitting, spinning, and more. Thank you all for coming along and making the ride so enjoyable.

Tomorrow we start the first work session at which we’ll have TWO (two, two, two hahaha!) lace pillows working at once. Not to mention some embroidery. See you.

Look what we got from Susan D in Australia! This is our very first sample received from Australia. I was so excited to see the return address on the package. Thanks, Susan, for sending it back. We’ll use your beautiful work in the exhibit (along with the other samples), so visitors can see the stitches up close, can see the backs, and can appreciate the extent of support and enthusiasm for the jacket project from stitchers all over the world. The returned samples really do contribute to the success of the project. Don’t feel that coming here to embroider is the only way to participate.

Susan sent a lovely note along with her sample. (And the notecard’s cover is a photo of a piece in the Royal School of Needlework’s collection, so that was a treat too!) She said she checks the blog regularly and enjoys the progress photos and the “show & tell” pieces from the embroiderers. She sent two photos of her work to share. With Penny’s help I managed to scan and resize them so I could post; they don’t zoom, though, unfortunately. The worm is Susan’s first attempt at Elizabethan Raised Embroidery. The drawnwork sampler is a work-in-progress “the closest I am ever likely to come to making lace” Susan wrote. I don’t know what you think, but to me this IS lace, not so much close to making lace but actual lace.

This is another work in progress, “Sharon Cohen’s 17th century sampler (with modifications).” Your work is just beautiful.

Thank you so much for sharing these, Susan, and for supporting the jacket work in general. I feel so encouraged. Does anybody remember the children’s book Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel? Mike and his steam shovel, Marianne, work harder and faster when people are watching and encouraging them. I feel like that; this is a long project (!) and sometimes a little encouragement goes a long way. That, and knowing someone will notice if you slack off. . .

Here are more of my needlework challenges.

This is the first try at a wavy line of ceylon stitch. A straight line is OK, but the worms “squiggle”. (Click on “ceylon stitch” for the pdf of the instructions.)

A subsequent (I won’t say how many tries were in between!) attempt yielded this red worm. It’s still a little wonky, but getting better!

Nicole R left this in the comments on “Hooked” from May 24, 2007 about how I got hooked on embroidery:
I came from a family of knitters, quilters, and crocheters too, but I’m the only one so far for whom embroidery is the needlework of choice. But we all know how to do it, and learning it seems to have been a matter of course, because I really don’t remember not knowing how. Until I was about 20, though, it was the other thing I did. I was primarily quilting and making garments then, but I wanted more of a challenge. A friend showed me counted cross stitch, and soon after that, I saw Sharon Cohen’s pieces in Just Cross Stitch and decided to try. JCS used to publish much more challenging pieces then, and I taught myself detached buttonhole, trellis, cutwork, etc. from those illustrations. I’m working to learn crewel now–if I can find the time! Of all the things that have been cut back since we started a family, I miss my stitching time the most.

Thanks for sharing your story, Nicole. Do you remember how you got hooked? Leave a note in the forums (link on upper right of the page).

Carol asked how wide is the frame that the jacket front is on. I’ll have to measure, but for now, the actual width of the embroidered part of the linen is about 16″ wide. Add to that the blank linen on either side, the lacing, and the wooden bars. Long arms helpful. This one may be the widest frame, though; if not it is only an inch or two smaller than the widest one.

Here’s another snapshot of a piece in progress. This is the left (as the wearer sees it) front, and was taken on May 5. The shallow curve at top left is the neckline; the deeper curve at right is the armhole.

The two fronts are the least-favored pieces to work because the frames are so wide. It’s hard to reach around the frames to work on the middle. Still, quite a bit has been done, and hopefully more will be added next weekend.

The other day I decided it was time to branch out beyond the detached buttonhole stitch. I hadn’t worried about the other stitches since there was (and still is) so much buttonhole to do.

Here’s my first try at trellis stitch. I gave up halfway through the shape, hopelessly confused. (If you click on “trellis stitch” it should link you to the directions for it. I hope.)

Here’s my second try. Much better, although it is only one color, not stripes like the butterfly bodies on the jacket, but you have to start somewhere. Next time I’ll try putting in a stripe.

I share these ugly trials with you in the hopes of encouraging anyone who is afraid to try the stitches or afraid to come embroider; a little practice makes a big difference, I’m finding, and one of the objectives of the whole project is to encourage embroiderers to try new techniques (these ones; when the jacket’s done you can try OTHER new techniques). Incidentally, another of the objectives was to increase the embroidery knowledge base of the Colonial Wardrobe Department staff. Check.

Here’s the second installment from Justin. The italics are quotes from Justin’s email.
Some more shots of the bat head on my wheel.

Bat heads were the most common in New England before Minor’s, or the accelerating, head replaced them in the early 19th century to handle the newer, shorter fleeced breeds of sheep which were introduced following the revolution.

The plaited cornhusk bearings for the spindle are made from corn grown last year in the (1627 English) village.

Finally, a shot of yours truly in action. All of these pictures were taken at my house in Scituate, RI.

Thanks for the pictures and explanations, Justin. We’re looking forward to the next chapter.