Tricia writes:

Before we get lots of questions, I thought I would add a blog about what needles we will use for the goldwork. You can see in this picture a #8 embroidery needle and something called a #10 Japanese needle.

In the 1600’s needle eyes were being made by both stamping and boring. Stamped eyes tend to be long ovals with burrs of metal inside where the two halves of the stamp come together. The bored eyes are drilled out and the eye is left smooth and round or oval shaped. There is more to this – but this is it in a nutshell.

There is some scant evidence from German needlemaking documents that goldwork was being done with egg-eyed needles. I have been working with historians/needle experts in Germany trying to find conclusive evidence for this hypothesis in relation to 16th-17th century English embroidery. Certainly I have found that using a needle of this description is the difference between a good experience and not being able to work with these metal threads at all. We do have evidence that needles that look like this were being made at this time frame.

I discovered this in the late 90’s when I was attending Japanese Embroidery classes (Kurenai-Kai) and had recently been studying a goldwork jacket at the MFA. It hit me that the Japanese handmade needles would be great for taking thick gold threads through the linen. I tried and found it worked great. Before that I had resisted teaching these types of stitches, as it was just too hard with conventional needles.

Artisans using ancient techniques make the Japanese needles. I know of one maker. If anyone out there is familiar with other makers in Japan or other countries, I would be very interested in hearing about them as the supply is sometimes difficult to get in the USA in bulk. There are twelve sizes available from the artisan that supplies Kurenai-Kai. Being hand made, they are also quite expensive – over $10 each. You try never to loose one! I have had the same set now for over 28 years.

Tricia

Today’s pictures are all courtesy of Robbin. (Thanks again, Robbin.) She and her camera captured several events I missed, all of which occurred on Day Three (Thursday, for those of us who are having trouble keeping track…).

First, here’s Laura the Extreme Costumer, in her embroidered jacket, and the rest of her ensemble, working at a frame which I think wouldn’t have been that foreign to a real 16^th or 17^th century embroiderer. Laura and Jennifer flew in to join us for Thursday and Friday. It was a treat to meet them and see their work. On Friday, Laura shared with us some of her sketches of items in the V&A collection – her drawing is as beautiful as her needlework. While waiting for an open embroidery frame (at times on Thursday and Friday we actually had more qualified stitchers than we had frames for them to work at), Jennifer made ties for a forehead cloth out of sewing thread by the fingerloop braiding technique. Another guest, Marilyn, was knitting and conversing about Japanese embroidery techniques. It was like a smorgasbord of fiber arts.

Our next special guest was Shay Pendray, who couldn’t escape being set to work. I came back into the room just as she was leaving the frame, and forgot to ask if she made any stitches? I hope so.

Today I attended the Patuxet Strawberry Thanksgiving at Plimoth Plantation, a really special event. The weather was gorgeous and we had a great time, but it did involve walking from one end of the museum to the other, more than once. And after this busy week, I’m too tired to think. Tomorrow we’ll finish up the story of Session One.