Photos from last weekend

Last weekend was pretty quiet. Wintry weather hit our area and it was chilly, dark and damp. I had some nice quiet time Saturday morning to finally finish my sample piece for the Plimoth 17th Century jacket embroidery project. It was quite a challenge for me but I really enjoyed it. I don't feel competent with any of the stitches, but I do have a better understanding of them. Now I can make my bee!

I haven't yet sent this off to Plimoth, but will. I'm too late to stitch on the jacket, but the notes say they will display some of these sample pieces in the final exhibit. So I've made up my label and have it ready, but just can't quite part with it yet.

I believe you can still obtain these kits. They're well worth it--you get great instructions and materials plus the chance to help out a wonderful cause.

You can help them even more...their blog just announced they are taking orders for the new Janet Arnold book, Patterns of Fashion 4: The cut and construction of linen shirts, smocks, neckwear, headwear and accessories for men and women c.1540-1660. I have one of her other books and it's really interesting. I think the items in this one are even more interesting. (To order, you can access the mail order gift shop through the website at www.plimoth.org You can also contact the retail department directly at 1-800-262-9356 X 8204 or X 8332 Nicole Hallahan is in charge of retail mail order and you can reach her at nhallahan@plimoth.org)

Sunday, at the antique show, I found a few goodies besides my needlework booklets. First, I found the photo of this charmer holding his apple. He looks so serious! I really like these pictures of children. I know it's more from having to be still so long for the photo, but, still, I find their serious little faces charming. I've been thinking about what other objects I might be able to place in his hand. Now, if only there was more time in a day so I could do everything I want to do.

In a holiday mood, I purchased these loose garland beads. I had a notion to add them to holiday decorations of some sort (no plans as yet).

And last, I couldn't pass up this hand embroidered kitchen set from the 60s or 70s.

It will be perfect for the next bridal shower I attend (not that I have any in the offing, but you never know). The set comprises two of these pot holders, two towels, an apron and a toaster cover. All with the red trim and charming embroidery. The other pieces have a vaguely chicken or rooster motif. They look unused. It was a bargain and I couldn't pass it up.

What I've been doing lately

Not much, really. Here's the partially complete sampler from Plimoth. It's so-so, imho. It's been a real learning experience, I can say that. And I'm really pleased with each bit I complete. The instructions are amazing--clear and detailed. They are by Tricia Wilson Nguyen.

I've learned how to rip out each of the stitches, which is kind of my gauge for having learned something--if you can rip it, then you know it. I have the round circle on the right to fill in and two wings on the bottom to do. I may still rip that braid stitch out again and have another go. It's as curvey and uneven as my spine! (lower right) It's waiting for the weekend and quiet time.

This piece is the beginning of a Hardanger piece my EGA chapter will be teaching for Indiana State Day in a couple of years. I'm one of many testing out the pattern. Of course, I'm not using the color or size of linen specified--I had 24 count pale gray linen in my stash and didn't have 28 count beige linen.

I'm also not using some of the recommended fibers. And I've already begun changing where some minor elements are placed because I disagree with the designer (who is a good friend of mine). For me this is part of the process of testing directions--I hope my friend agrees!

I did something similar with the last State Day project we did about ten years ago. It was a pulled thread sampler. I finally did a model on the recommended linen with the recommended fibers but looking at it closely recently I realized I made a number of changes in color placement and added a couple of elements. I just can't leave it alone. The first piece I did testing this long-ago design used totally different materials and I made a lot of changes.

It's fun now that I'm stitching--I spent an entire evening basting the guidelines! None of this hard work showed up in the photo. I learned long ago to use a basting thread close to the color of the fabric--too much contrast and it can be hard to get rid of all traces of the basting when you remove it.

My tip for Hardanger--watch the back. For some reason it is much easier to see where your stitches are--and whey they go astray--when you look the back. This is especially true with buttonhole stitches--it's much easier to see what's what without the buttonhole edging in the way.

I won't be showing this again as we want to keep it a surprise, at least for now that's the plan. Web in an Autumn Garden is the name and if you're in an Indiana EGA chapter, watch for our announcements.

Saturday we went to a local gallery, Tallgrass, in Park Forest, IL. They have a very nice show of landscapes called This Good Earth. While there we bought a small oil and encaustic painting and a watercolor and encaustic miniscreen. The artist is Jenny Learner and you can see more of her very interesting work here.

On Sunday we went to a British car show out near Palos. Old and new, big and little cars made in the United Kingdom. Our friends brought a Hillman Imp. MGs, Triumphs, Jaguars and Rolls Royces. It was pretty cool but I'm not big into the car thing (a nice stroll on a sunny day is the appeal for me). But I did spot this lovely crazing and rust on a car in a "before" display for a restoration company.

Giveaway!

This weekend we visited the Michigan City Zoo. Actually, it’s the Washington Park Zoo but we’ve always called it Michigan City. Partly because I work near a Washington Park in Chicago (no zoo but room for confusion), and partly just because it’s what it seems to be known as by everyone local. It’s a lovely, small zoo, build during the depression by the WPA. It’s recently undergone some renovation that improved it. If you’re near Northwest Indiana, it’s well worth a visit. (It’s just around the corner from the Lubeznik Gallery and the outlet mall.)

The zoo is built right on the hills next to Lake Michigan—we sat for a while on a shady bench and I took this photo. If you look closely, near the center you can see the tiger pacing in his cage.

I spent some down time working on my sample piece for Plimoth, for the 17th century jacket recreation project. I don't think I can get there to stitch but thought it would be fun to try the sample and learn the techniques. I have been nervous about doing it…those spaces are really tiny and the thread is thick! (soie perlee) I had some quiet time in the morning today and was able to do a sample of reverse chain stitch and a detached buttonhole stitch. I may not get back to it until I have another peaceful weekend morning. But I do feel more confident and competent now, having gotten underway.

I’ve also been making pincushions. When we visited Erica’s a couple of weeks ago, I bought a stack of 5” squares of Moda fabric (Portugal by April Cornell). Erica’s had dozens of packages of fabric like this and it was really hard to pick just one. The squares are one each of each design and colorway in the series.

I’ve decided to give away one of the pincushions—this biscornu. Please leave a comment between now and next Monday (September 1) and I will draw one name to receive the pincushion. I’ve wanted to do a giveaway for a while now and this pincushion seemed perfect. The seams are overstitched with Portuguese knotted stem stitch.

I also did a little work on this month’s TIF challenge. I hope to have more to report later this week.

elephant hat

My husband brought home this hat for me to look at; it belongs to a friend. I just love it. I believe it was made in India and it doesn't look to be that old.

If anyone knows anything about this type of item, I'd love to know more.

What intrigued me most is the thread. I've been following along on the Plimoth Plantation blog about their recreation of a 17th Century embroidered jacket. They talked about matching the thread from their original model, where a fine wire was twisted with the silk. Take a look at this thread---it's cotton twisted with a fine wire.

I assume it's for the same reason it was used in the 17th century, to add sparkle and catch the light. The spangles are also handmade. And it looks like some bits of hardware, almost, are used for larger, dimensional spangles.

I found the historical connection amazing.