Oh, I also haven't mentioned my main references:
Jacqueline Enthoven, "The Stitches of Creative Embroidery" (Reinhold Publishing Corp. 1968)
- a vast array of stitches, including unusual ones like Breton stitch, and many suggestions for use; diagrams are decent but basic, well-supplemented by written explanation.
Grete Petersen and Elsie Svennas, "Handbook of Stitches" (Van Nostrand Reinhold 1970)
- really great diagrams, no written directions. This small format book is my favorite for taking along if I imagine I will need diagrams. The left-hand page has the diagrams, and the facing page an embroidered sampler with all the stitches in use - labeled so you can tell what they are.
(Years back I figure out that I'm a diagram person, not a photo person - I wondered why I unhesitatingly bought some bookbinding books, while others didn't appeal even if they had nice things in them. Diagrams vs. photographs.)
In German, herringbone stitch is Hexenstich. I'm a bit rusty on my cases, and had to peruse the dictionary in order to decide that is feminine plural genitive, i.e. "witches' stitch." (Nice examples at Handarbeitswelt, which I discovered while testing that my recollection of "Hexenstich" was correct.)
Still having trouble with the photography, but here it is.
The stitch is kind of witchy magical, looking like that on the front, and like this on the back:
* twill: not good if you are still stubbornly trying to do even stitching without marking anything. I worked the top four rows, then started at the bottom and worked up. For the purple and green bit I drew pencil lines with a ruler, band that helped. I also drew the fish outline. (I had to do a fish, for the herringbone stitch. I hoped it would look sort of fossilized, but it looks more grilled.)
As a bonus, today I looked through the stacks of little drawings (even a few watercolors and collages) that I did back in 2006. There are 365 of them, one for every day. Kim told me about some "one piece of art a day" challenge (catch-up days allowed) and I *did* it. I'm pondering what to do with them so they are more accessible - I don't think I'd looked at them since I finished them. There are several pretty good things in there...one thing I learned in art school: if you make a LOT of stuff, you will also make some good stuff. The main thing is to make stuff.
And a completely unrelated thing - my bellydance veil arrived today! I ordered it from A'kai Silks and it is gorgeous. (Of course, someday I want to make my own, but I am learning to be sensible. Now is not the time.) The first one went astray in the mail, and she had to make a replacement - and included a scarf with it! I can't wait to try it out in class. I started classes back in January, and recently I feel like I'm beginning to be somewhat coordinated. It's fun. If I can figure out how to take a picture that does justice to the luscious colors of the silks, I'll post one.
6 comments:
Well, you've got bookbinding books...why not make an interesting book of your 365 pages. More interesting than a Japanese stab binding....
Btw, you asked to friend my FB ElmsleyRose Recipes account. I haven't said Yes, purely coz I don't think you want a pile of FODMAP food intolerance food recipes :-)
hee hee! I couldn't tell the difference - I don't know how much progress I'll make figuring FB out. I was excited to see someone I recognized and then realized wait, I think I just bugged her again.
Serious food intolerances must be hard - it's bad enough trying to avoid dairy (tho I'm sure that's on your bad list) and nuts (not allergies, thankfully).
Bookbinding - yup. I was discussing it with Kim yesterday. The main issue with just mounting them (they are definitely too small to even consider Japanese binding) is that I wrote on the backs of some of them. Kim pointed out that there might be some useful scrapbooking ingredients that I could adapt. My first thought had been something like mini portfolios sewn into a cover, but that still leaves loose things to be handled.
"I hoped it would look sort of fossilized, but it looks more grilled."
That's an excellent piece of description. Also a rather nice fish. :)
"...one thing I learned in art school: if you make a LOT of stuff, you will also make some good stuff. The main thing is to make stuff."
YES. A million times yes.
I dye scarves occasionally. I buy the pre-made ones from Dharma. Fun! Come visit: I have a couple of blanks, I think.
I haven't done any dancing since my favorite teacher stopped teaching due to injury. I'm seriously hampered by not liking tribal: all the troupes and teachers in the area work in that style.
I'm on facebook, as is Nick. He used his SCA name. Or rather, I have an account, but hardly ever use it. He uses his a lot. A pile of former Nahrunites are also there, if you haven't found them yet but want to.
No "Bugging" involved :-)
FB drives everyone nutty. Judicious use of the Help feature is advised. (Under the Home pulldown, upper right hand corner).
Small, and some written on both sides....hmmmm, not a clue, I'm afraid. Um, edge them and then sew (with an interesting insertion hem) to make bigger pages and then work from there?
Post a Comment