Some slow progress. I did not like the wussy pale yellow French knots I'd done in the upper right square so I removed them and put in bold red lazy daisy stitches. I'm still not thrilled but happier.
Then I stitched two more squares. I'm not thrilled with the one on the right but it's okay.
I'm still reading my various books. A new one arrived this week on English Embroidery. I'm feeling pretty firmly entrenched in the 17th century right now.
I found a wonderful online embroidery resource at the Folger Shakespeare Library: The Trevelyon Miscellany of 1608. Thomas Trevelyon. This book is amazing and I've just skimmed the surface. It has a wealth of embroidery patterns, geometric designs, illustrations, portraits, alphabets, astrology and astronomy.
I found a wonderful online embroidery resource at the Folger Shakespeare Library: The Trevelyon Miscellany of 1608. Thomas Trevelyon. This book is amazing and I've just skimmed the surface. It has a wealth of embroidery patterns, geometric designs, illustrations, portraits, alphabets, astrology and astronomy.
In particular I love the repeat patterns and the many designs for elaborately embroidered caps, like this one I photographed at the V&A this spring.
