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26
Aug
2010
Drachenwald – we have dragons ;) – Klosterstich / dragon fun project – Embroidery & Calligraphy
Some of you may ask what embroidery has to do with calligraphy – but sometimes you can also find letters, words and whole texts/stories on tapestries,… following a typical style of its time… 
…and I decided to embroider “We have Dragons” – and that’s a kind of calligraphy – just with thread and needle instead of ink and embroidered…
Sounds difficult? maybe, but it is rather easy if you dare to try it (and have enough letters to get a feeling of the style you want to copy
First I took a look at the letters which were available for me and I was very happy because the Tristan tapestry has many of them…
I could find all letters besides the “W” but I just followed the style for the “V” and doubled it for the “W” (after taking a look at the available “M” and “N” and finding a style similarity with the “V”).
I also took a look at the spacing between the letters and the spacing between the words and what connected or separated them – that’s how I found the lovely + crosses + …because this crosses don’t appear as regular separators (sometimes a small ring was used, sometimes just emtpy space) I decided to ‘just’ use them for the start and the end as a additional decoration
…and not to forget this small extra tiny bits at the base or top of some letters… this small bits really are the additional spice of your embroidered calligraphy
Then I wrote down the words – ca. the height which I wanted to achieve in the end – on 3 small stripes of paper/ one word on each stripe and arranged them underneath the embroidery to get a feeling which distance between the letters and at the beginning and end could work well…
As soon as I found a nice distance between the words I connected the stripes with a glue stripe
Finally I pinned the stripe with the words, just leaving some space for the embroidery, to the fabric and started to copy the words with a pencil on the fabric – still playing a little bit with the space – and started embroidering…
While embroidering I made the decision to alter the distance and shape of some of the words – maybe some of you can see the difference between the paper stripe, the drawing with the pencil and the final embroidery – but small differences between the outlines at the fabric and the final embroidery are period 
For example the “A” , “R” and the “S” – I tried to copy the angles and the small extras as exact as possible
…and now I am working to fill the background with yellow wool…
I think that’s the first time that I embroider the “outlines” before I start working at the background – normally I fill the background first and then start with the outlines…
22
Aug
2010
Drachenwald – we have dragons ;) – some project ideas :)
…my mind started working at this project again – imagination is the key and a good collection of photos of medieval purses helps also a little 
I found a painted picture with a trapezoidal purse with “Fransen” (fringes) at the bottom – see the Manesse Liederhandschrift ‘Herr Dietmar von Ast’, the purse on the right – and therefore I am thinking about to add some colored fringes at the bottom like the one found at the bottom of the book pouch on display at the Schloss Gottorf and which technique I described here: …my opinion on the stitches to create this trim… Raca’s 5cents
btw. with the help of Master Giano, who found the book “Webereien und Stickereien des Mittelalters”
– I could support my guess of this technique (page 116 – “Z 30. Fransen.”)
You can find this kind of colored fringes also as a border decoration for big Klosterstich wallhangings (Teppich: Die Wurzel Jesse, Kloster Lüne, dated 1503, vollendet 1505), Klosterstich “Banklaken” (Banklaken des heiligen Bartholomäus, Kloster Lüne, dated 1492), even for woven “Banklaken” (Pelikan-Banklaken, Kloster Lüne, 1500), cross-stitch “Fürleger” (Kloster Lüne, about 1500) …take a look into the small booklet Bildstickereien des Mittelalters in Kloster Lüne. Die bibliophilen Taschenbücher
a very small but also a great book!
I also think about adding a yellow border of yellow wool or silk and to embroider “Drachenwald” – above the embroidery section – and “We have Dragons” underneath the embroidery section… and also to add some small pearl embroidery at the border because I found a photo of a pouch with lovley small pearl (maybe glass bead) embroidery looking like small blossoms…
soooooo many ideas… soon you will see which of this ideas I will realise
18
Aug
2010
Drachenwald – we have dragons ;) – Klosterstich / dragon fun project – 98 hours :)
wooohooo – embroidery progress of 98 hours!!!
…as you can see I decided to use white and other colors for the outlines instead the black outlines of the original tapestry (and I also changed the color of some sections) …
…and yesterday I also changed the shape of the embroidered section because I decided to do a “round-top trapezoidal aumônière” – yeah, I had to add a small piece of fabric at the left side to make it possible, but I fell in love with this idea and it took me about 14 hours to add the embroidery on the left…
The round-top trapezoidal aumônières I found till now aren’t worked in Klosterstich but many of the lovely Klosterstich wallhangings were destroyed because they just cut them and used them for something different… For this project I just pretend that I cut a piece out of a Tristan wallhanging and rework it into a round-top trapezoidal aumônière for me…
…through the years I have seen so many pouches with many different kinds of embroidery or just using very nice patterned fabric, that I think that maybe, even if it wasn’t very common, there is a small chance that someone also used a small part of a wallhanging to turn it into a purse or pouch…
…a very nice bag for my 14th century garb project (and easier to make than a self supporting cotehardie…
12
Aug
2010
Drachenwald – we have dragons ;) – Klosterstich / dragon fun project – 75hours :)
…and finally some Klosterstich embroidery – I found some time to continue my ‘dragon fun project’
new status: ca. 75 hours
wool: Renaissance Dyeing
21
Jul
2010
interesting links – pouch with gold and silk embroidery :)
Zafania posted photos of her lovely pouch with gold and silk embroidery at the Historic Embroidery group at LJ:
Pouch with gold and silk embroidery
Very lovely!
20
Jul
2010
Drachenwald – we have dragons ;) – Klosterstich / dragon fun project – 43hours :)
My last days were rather busy – visiting some friends for cake and coffee, BBQ with other friends, driving a MINI (car) for the first time,…
*lol* but I still managed to make some further progress – new status: ca. 43 hours
wool: Renaissance Dyeing
btw. I changed the color of two sections
11
Jul
2010
Drachenwald – we have dragons ;) – Klosterstich / dragon fun project .1 :)
…and again some progress concerning my lovely little dragon – the work of about 13.5 hours
I again use the lovely threads from ‘Renaissance Dyeing’ for this embroidery – it’s my favourite wool for Klosterstich – starting this fun project I realised that I unfortunately ran out of my favourite blue & red color but nevertheless I decided to use another very bright red wool from R.D. and to order my favourite blue and red color to complete my color range for further projects – Renaissance Dyeing handled my order very fast and my new blue and red hanks already arrived including some samples of other colors – thanks Andie!!! – and now I have enough blue wool for the background
You may ask why I am ordering 250 m hanks – the answer is quite easy – 25m are rather nice for special colors and rather small sections but I order basic colors like red, yellow, blue and white only in 250m hanks because I am sure that I will need them und use them up
…btw. this here are my Renaissance Dyeing threads – the ‘basic’ color range I am working with including the new order, but most of this threads are still “leftovers” of my Weiberlisten Wallhanging …and if you don’t find the color you are looking for at the Renaissance Dyeing website – just contact Andie, maybe she has some threads with special colors hidden in her ‘treasury chest’ like the special green wool for the grass hills of my Weiberlisten Wallhanging *sigh* yeah, that’s customer service
4
Jul
2010
Drachenwald – we have dragons ;) – Klosterstich / dragon fun project :)
Finally I decided that I need another embroidery ‘fun’ project after the embroidery for Anya’s Laurel Cloak – a ‘fun’ project which doesn’t involve any kind of pearls or beads or ‘gold thread’ to recover from the project and to get inspired for my next projects… I really need some new inspiration…
When I started my research for my ‘Weiberlisten’/'Malterer’ Wallhanging Project, the Tristan Wallhanging from the Kloster Wienhausen in Germany was the first wallhanging worked in Klosterstich which I found. I was very happy when I got the big size picture map which I ordered via the telephone directly at the cloister Wienhausen… and I immediately fell in love with this cute dragon – several times I wanted to copy this dragon and to embroider it but for some reasons I wasn’t pleased with my outlines and didn’t continue with the embroidery… until some days ago when I finally decided to embroider it…
…btw. that’s the progress of about 5hours…
…and if you would like to get to know more about the story of “Tristan and Isolde” follow the link to Wikipedia: “Tristan and Iseult”
23
Jun
2010
interesting link – girdle books & medieval bookbinding :)
I know that some of you are interested into girdle books and/or medieval bookbinding and because I recently found a very interesting and nice blog I want to share this link with you:
11
Jun
2010
Kiriel rocks! Pouch Detail!!!! :) – I think ‘Long Arm Cross Stitch’ won :)
bullep1090164, ursprünglich hochgeladen von kiriel
Kiriel also checked the information given by the museum and provides following info for us:
“Looking at the museum notes which I photographed at the time, unfortunately it says only “objets provenant du chateau de monsalvan“. The other objects in the case date from the 1490s to the 1550s. Sorry… that is all I have.”
Kiriel, thank you very much for sharing this great photo!
In my opinion “Long Arm Cross Stitch” won!
Ok, having a very close look at this photo for several minutes, comparing the structure and how the several lines of embroidery look like with the photos and information provided from the West Kingdom Needleworkers Guild concerning the ‘Long Arm Cross Stitch’ (http://wkneedle.bayrose.org/Articles/cross_stitch.html) and having a look at the damaged parts – see the b/w photo “Close-up showing stitch density and varying directions.” – I think “Long Arm Cross Stitch” could be the winner concerning the embroidery technique.
Btw. you can find a very good description of this technique at the West Kingdom Needleworkers Guild: http://wkneedle.bayrose.org/Articles/cross_stitch_patterns.html
Many thanks to the West Kingdom Needleworkers Guild! …and to Machteld for posting this links at her last posting
…btw. she has a very nice food blog: “The Papillon Pantry” http://thepapillonpantry.blogspot.com/
…and last but not least two useful links to groups at Flickr:
- Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Jewelry http://www.flickr.com/groups/787432@N22/
- Textile History http://www.flickr.com/groups/textilehistory/
Kiriel, you rock!!!!!
11
Jun
2010
Kiriel’s amazing “Textiles” folder on flickr! – addition: guess the embroidery stitches II
Addition to my posting “Kiriel’s amazing “Textiles” folder on flickr! – addition: guess the embroidery stitches” concerning the third possible stitch:
I finally looked up the name for this stitch my book from the Bavarian National Museum gives me:
“Stielstich jeweils in zwei Reihen diagonal gegeneinander gesetzt, so daß die Wirkung der des Kettstiches gleichkommt”
-> I would translate it with: stem stitch worked in two rows diagonally put against each other, achieving an effect of chain stitch
see Meisterwerke mittelalterlicher Textilkunst aus dem Bayerischen Nationalmuseum – Antependium “Die Anbetung der Hl. Drei Könige” – page 54+
…and here the part of the posting I am referring too, to give you a fast overview of what I mean:
The Stitch used for an embroidery on display at the ‘Bayrisches Nationalmuseum’ – worked similar like a Satin Stitch – one row worked in one direction, the next one mirrored – this stitch looks very similar to chain stitch
…btw. I attended two embroidery workshops at the bawarian national museum and the lady who hold the workshop pointed out that it definitly isn’t worked in chain stitch and I really can support it – yeah, authors of embroidery books can make mistakes and that’s one…
…and here the photos of this embroidery, including a detail photo:
…it – the blue embroidery – really looks like chain stitch, doesn’t it? …but it isn’t chain stitch!
…btw. Machteld also posted an additional posting to this theme with some interesting pictures: Heraldic pouches continued
She also posted photos of the “Manesse pouch” she reproduced (if you remember my posting about the Manesse catalogue and the pouch: new book – Codex Manesse …lovely hairnets and alms pouch inside
Unfortunately it’s not possible to see if the pouch is worked in chain stitch, long arm cross stitch or “stem stitch worked in two rows diagonally put against each other, achieving an effect of chain stitch”… *sigh* – this are the stitches I would guess so far (including “versetzter gobelinstich”)
10
Jun
2010
Kiriel’s amazing “Textiles” folder on flickr! – addition: guess the embroidery stitches
Addition to my “Kiriel’s amazing “Textiles” folder on flickr! ” posting:
Machteld from “Medieval Silkwork” just posted an addition to my posting:
14th century heraldic pouches: what type of stitch is this?
…and she included some photos of similar pouches she found at the Bildindex – you should really check her posting, if you are interested in this kind of pouches…
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Btw. my ideas – without a detail photo of the stitch – so far:
- Long Arm Cross Stitch (like used at parts of the Gösser Ornat – on display here at the MAK)
- The Stitch like used for the pouch – see photo at the right & my posting “new book – Codex Manesse …lovely hairnets and alms pouch inside “, also used for the Gösser Ornat – sorry, don’t remember the German name for this stitch…
- The Stitch used for an embroidery on display at the ‘Bayrisches Nationalmuseum’ – worked similar like a Satin Stitch – one row worked in one direction, the next one mirrored – this stitch looks very similar to chain stitch
…btw. I attended two embroidery workshops at the bawarian national museum and the lady who hold the workshop pointed out that it definitly isn’t worked in chain stitch and I really can support it – yeah, authors of embroidery books can make mistakes and that’s one…
…and here the photos of this embroidery, including a detail photo:
…it – the blue embroidery – really looks like chain stitch, doesn’t it? …but it isn’t chain stitch!
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
I hope I will get more information about the pouch – I especially love the small raised embroidered bars inbetween the embroidery to separate the coat of arms sections, the small birds and the border embroidery… *megasigh*
10
Jun
2010
Kiriel’s amazing “Textiles” folder on flickr! :)
Petit Point bag, ursprünglich hochgeladen von kiriel
Here one of Kiriels lovely photos in her Flickr “Textiles” folder - amazing!
I love this bag! …and there are many more lovely pics to discover
Kiriel, thank you very much for sharing! Love your photos!
Kiriel, thank you very much for sharing! Love your photos!
…btw. this would be a great project, what do you think Tristan?
Therefore:
If someone of you has further information about this bag, please share it wit me! Pleasssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
If someone of you has further information about this bag, please share it wit me! Pleasssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
28
Mai
2010
New books – “Gotische Bildteppiche”
Recently I found this lovely little book (ca. 12 x 19 cm) at the second-hand books shelf of one of my favourite bookshops:
Gotische Bildteppiche
by Hans Lang, Parkland Verlag Stuttgart – ISBN 3-88059-156-3, German language
This small book is about the woven 15th century tapestries of the “Das Historische Museum zu Basel” – according to the information given concerning this book at amazon.de
, it is from the year 1980 and unfortunately I couldn’t find an information about this woven tapestries at the website of the museum.
Tafel I – “Edelknecht mit Fabelwesen” (Ausschnitt / detail) – 2nd quarter 15th century
Tafel II – “Edelfräulein mit Fabelwesen” - detail of the tapestry “Teppich mit sechs Fabeltieren”
Tafel III – “Liebespaar propft ein Bäumchen mit Treue” – detail of the tapestry “Baumgarten der Liebe” – 2nd quarter 15th century
Tafel IV – “Dame windet ihrem Liebhaber einen Kranz” – detail of the tapestry “Liebesgarten” – 1460-1470 (see photo unterneath)
Tafel V – “Liebespaar beim Schachspiel” – detail of the tapestry “Liebesgarten (see photo unterneath)
Tafel VI – “Liebespaar beim Kartenspiel” – detail of the tapestry “Liebesgarten
Tafel VII – “Phyllis reitet auf Aristoteles” – detail of the tapestry “Weibermacht – Teppich” – about 1470 (see photo unterneath)
Tafel VIII – “Abschied Herzog Heinrichs von Braunschweig” – detail of “Legende Herzog Heinrichs des Löwen von Braunschweig” – 3rd quarter 15th century
Tafel IX – “Jungfrau mit zwei Fabeltieren” – detail of the tapestry “Fabeltier-Teppich mit Liebespaar” , about 1480
Tafel X – “Einhorn und Hirsch” – detail of the tapestry “Teppich mit symbolischen Fabeltieren in Blumenranken” – about 1480
Tafel XI – “Papagei” – detail of the tapestry “Teppich mit Fabeltieren in Blumenranken”
Tafel XII – “Noli me tangere – Einzug Jesu in Jerusalem” – detail of the tapestry “Klingental-Teppich” – about 1480
Tafel XIII – “König Artus und Karl der Große” – detail of “Folge der neun Helden” – about 1490
Tafel XIV – “Junker mit Wildweibchen” – detail of the tapestry “Falkenjagd” – about 1490
Tafel XVI – “Zelt mit kartenspielendem Liebespaar” – detail of “Liebesgarten mit Minnezelt” – about 1490
Tafel XVII – “Gastmahl des reichen Mannes” – detail of the “Gleichnis des reichen Mannes und des armen Lazarus” – about 1500 (see photo unterneath)
Tafel XVIII – “Vertreibung des armen Lazarus” – detail of the “Lazarus-Teppich”
Tafel XIX – “Tod des Reichen und Streit der Erben” – detail of the “Lazarus-Teppich”
Tafel XIX – “Tod des Reichen und Streit der Erben” – detail of the “Lazarus-Teppich”
…and here a detail of Tafel XV “Wildmann mit Edelfräulein” showing two pouches – for my friend Tristan and his Taschen blog
…a rather small book and just a few pages but with many lovely pictures – please consider that the colors on the photos can differ from the colors of the original tapestries on display at the museum and that normally the colors also lost some of their brilliance during the centuries… but I love old tapestries -as a great inspiration for embroidery projects and as an inspiration for dresses, … (for example the “Minnezelt” of Tafel XVI is very lovely!)
…btw. the book is available for € 0,01 / € 0,48 / € 0,49 /… at amazon.de
22
Mai
2010
4th item for my artfire shop… 13th century German Brick Stitch pouch :)
Finally I managed to take some nice photos of my 13th century German Brick Stitch pouch in day light (and some additional ones of my small pouch with 14th centruy German Brick Stitch) and therefore I also added my 13th century German Brick Stitch pouch to my artfire.com studio – “Racaire’s embroidery & needlework“
…completely embroidered and sewn by hand…
…it took me about 250 hours to embroider and finish this pouch.
Details:
- For more information please follow this link: German Brick Stitch Pouch 2
- Height: ca. 27.5 cm / Width: ca. 22.0 cm
- Embroidery:
- German Brick Stitch (13th century pattern)
- border: ‘Finishing the seams of 14th/15th century pouches’ along the border of the embroidery - Working time: 250 hours
- Pattern inspiration: Tristans ‘German Brick Stitch’ pattern – “13th century brick stitch pattern, revised version”
- Used fabrics: linen and cotton/linen blend
- Embroidery & Cord thread: Lana Grossa – Basics, “Lauflänge ca. 115m, 100% Baumwolle gasiert, mercerisiert” (Cotton – can be washed in the washing machine: delicates / 30°C / no tumble-dryer, can be ironed)
- Cord technique: “1. A Broad Lace of 5 Loops” based on the instruction in the book: TAK V BOWES DEPARTED – A 15th Century Braiding Manual Examined
…and here are the new (daylight) photos of my 14th century pouch:
