The Scarlet Thread

The Ros Tapestry

2021-03-17T10:38:00.001-04:00

Although it appears to be appliqué from afar, it is actually wool thread on linen,

The Ros Tapestry – a fascinating part of Ireland’s Ancient East story.

From Inspiration to Fruition

2018-09-06T18:34:00.001-04:00

That Spring [1992] I was able to participate in a pilot class slated for that Fall’s EGA National Seminar taught by Katherine Colwell, “Drawing and Design for Embroidery.” I was very impressed by her teaching skills and especially her techniques. Up until then I had ideas and dreams of “art” swirling around in my head, but no means to express them. I had even given up thoughts of finishing my art degree at university. Her methods opened my eyes to ways of using pattern and value to express suggestions of ideas instead of minute detail.

All of a sudden, everywhere I looked, I saw possibilities! And pattern and value could be expressed best, I thought, by using Blackwork techniques–even using reverse or negative values–white threads on black grounds.

While looking through an anthropology journal I spied a photo of a Welsh lake in which a possible crannog was located. Now crannogs were known from Ireland at the time [1989 Antiquity, 63, pp. 675-681] but not Wales.

The reason the crannog caught my eye was that I had just seen that morning a stand of trees on a knoll that suggested to me the outline of the trees on the crannog. I was needing an idea for an entry in the National Advanced Study Group (NASG) which would later became EGA’s Fiber Forum [1992] and I was consumed with using Blackwork stitches to interpret negative space as a means of creating an art piece.

I had no idea what kind of trees covered the crumbling remains of buildings that once stood there, but I could see that they were rounded and low to the ground. Out in the country was a stand of trees growing close together and eaten from the underside by cattle in the field–I could only get within 3/4 mile as it stood on a hill deep in the pasture. By squinting at the tree mass, I picked out patterns of branches growing together, as opposed to separating branches and leaves. By drawing an outline around each group, I could assign a different Blackwork stitch to express the mass patterns.

When I drew the detail from the photo, I realized I had to do major refining and elimination of detail. I then zeroed in on the crannog and drew just a suggestion of hills and foreground. I knew the detail in stitching the background would be too heavy–so I chose to use various black nettings and layer them to achieve the depth in the background.

I chose a mat circle to finish the picture and drew a line within upon which I stitched a line of machine stitches to anchor the nets at the edges outside.

Next I traced a set of tree patterns and placed this over the nettings and used a red thread to stitch outlines of the Blackwork patterns to delineate the branch groups. I pulled away the tracing paper and filled in the red outlines with my chosen stitches–this in turn held down the nettings.

To achieve even more depth, I added a few black stitches to the tops of the ridges of some of the background hills. I also used a liquid embroidery pen to paint in some depth. The reflection in the water was made by using a reverse tracing of the tree patterns and placing it under the linen and painting to suggest the reflection.

The only straight line in the piece is the dock. I wanted all other lines and patterns to be rounded and “shrouded” in the mist of antiquity.

Layers of nettings, a few stitches and some traces of fabric paint later and here is the result. Llangorse Crannog by Carolyn Smith Vasquez, my name at the time.

EGA's Fiber Forum 2019 Entry

2018-09-02T18:49:00.000-04:00

Pod of Promise was found hanging at eye level from a vine growing in a tree–all of its companions had opened and dispersed their promises in the wind–it alone retained its future.

Twiggy was the only item found on a wind-swept patch of sand dune, but when interpreted in stitches I can imagine the tree from which it came in all its gnarliness.

Artist’s Statement: Each small item, one of nature’s castaways–a twig, seed/pod, flower or insect can inspire a miniature portrait or thread panting to be used as an inclusion within a wood box’s bezel-set opener knob or box top itself.

More Josephine for my Simon Quilt

2015-01-27T18:42:00.000-05:00

Wonderfully wrapped bundles of Josephine by French General just received from the Loopy Ewe for my Simon quilt's stash. The little packages were almost too pretty to untie. Their prices are reasonable and their selection is great--highly recommended.

Simon - a quilt from Petra Prins

2015-01-14T16:52:00.000-05:00

I have been gathering fabric, mostly Josephine by Moda's French General, to make a Simon quilt [1775-1800] as reproduced by Petra Prins in her lovely book, Promenade in a Dutch Garden.

Since the original quilt is only 62" x 76", I have added 2 rows of hour glass blocks to each side and top and bottom, to better fit my bed.
I first scanned the quilt diagram x2 and cut and taped in new rows and scanned and reprinted. I now have a model from which to begin my quilt.

Original

New size.

BTW: the lovely pink, red and white stripe you see at the top of the box is what I will use for sashing borders.

Disappearing Nine-Patch Table Runner

2014-12-14T23:21:00.000-05:00

A house warming gift for a new arrival to the village--a disappearing 9-patch table runner using golds and browns from my fabric stash.

Dear Jane Quilt Using Moda's French GeneralFabrics

2014-09-05T21:36:00.000-04:00

I have found a blogger who is using French General fabrics to make a Dear Jane quilt. I thought I wouldn't fall under Jane's spell, but I won't be able to resist …

Hexagons …

2014-08-30T16:11:00.002-04:00

My thanks to Hilda, Every Stitch, for information on hexagons and links to other blogs with superlative details on hexagons: Collector With a Needle and Faeries and Fibres. Be sure and scroll down the pages as more articles are listed at the end of each.

Ramoneur (sooty) Brown

2014-07-08T10:14:00.000-04:00

Ramoneur, chimney sweep or sooty brown, was a popular color for 18thC patchwork. It can be found today in French General's Josephine old brown.

Jane Pizar Marriage Quilt Date?

2014-04-17T10:25:00.000-04:00

I have fallen in love with patchwork, specifically 18thC European patchwork. For some reason, I always remembering thinking that patchwork was only American. How wrong I was! Barbara Brackman, Quilt Historian, has a wonderful post on the Jane Pizar wedding quilt, and I believe like Brackman, that it dates to the end of the 18th Century. The only problem I see is it will cost a fortune to acquire all the snippets of fabrics to reproduce such a beauty! But I am well on my way …

Cutting Hourglass Blocks From Strips

2014-04-05T22:50:00.000-04:00

My thanks to Vicki's Fabric Creations for sharing a chart on how to cut hourglass blocks from strips. I am gathering strips, charms, fat quarters and yardage to make a Dutch-inspired quilt. I will be using Fons&Porter's Half and Quarter Ruler as I am concerned in getting the most from my limited fabric stash. Part of the charm of this quilt is its scrappy quality. Chintz design is «Virginia» from Windham Fabrics.

Hussifs

2012-03-11T16:01:00.005-04:00

I just received my paper of handmade, tinned brass pins from At the Eastern Door. Now I can stock the several hussifs I am making for my various workbaskets and pockets.

A Needleworker's Pincushion

2012-02-15T23:03:00.004-05:00

From Chardin's 18thC painting - a pincushion for the table made from Rouenneries scraps from French General fabrics. The top of the pincushion is stuffed with wool threads for ease in adding pins--the bottom is stuffed with buckwheat hulls for stability.

Quilt for Gigi's Baby Shower

2011-11-05T13:10:00.004-04:00

Here is my take on Moda Bakeshop's Shabby Spring rag baby quilt by Sew Dang Cute Crafts. I used fabrics from 3 Sisters Aviary and Howard Marcus' Collections for a Cause - Legacy.
I highly recommend trimming any dangling threads before washing to get the shabby effect. I also chose to bind the quilt, instead of having shabby-raggy edges. I think it will keep the edges cleaner. I used almost 4 jelly roll strips of Aviary to bind the quilt.

Frogs for Sarah

2011-05-05T18:01:00.005-04:00

Happy Mother's Day, Sarah--here's an addition to your frog collection--a biscornu pincushion designed by Casey Buonaugurio Designs with beaded scissors fob to match and a bourse in which to wrap it.

Dorset Thread Buttons

2011-04-13T11:35:00.006-04:00

Two linen shirts made for two petit garçons including handmade Dorset thread buttons.
These buttons show at the collar of the shirt with lace jabot and cuffs worn with a banyan in Liotard's painting.

Bits of Ribbon

2011-04-12T14:19:00.004-04:00

Bits of ribbon, used to attach brooches of loved ones, often worn in pairs. Here is pictorial documentation from the 18thC by Jean Liotard, 1760.

April Fish

2011-04-01T13:20:00.004-04:00

April 1st, in France, is a day to give gifts and express friendship. This is an old tradition, seen hidden in painted lines on a gift box from the 18thC.

A Cache for Furbelows

2011-03-25T12:44:00.001-04:00

18thC paintings show blue ribbon-edged boxes seemingly expressly made to store and protect furbelows and trimmings for gowns, caps and hats. Here is my version, covered before edging with a few scraps of wallpaper saved from my dining room in the house with the pink door on Kootenai in Boise.

Petite Pochette - Little Pocket

2011-01-31T22:31:00.004-05:00

A little stitcher's pocket to hold my thread bobbins and a couple of needles to stitch a current project--a petite pochette tutorial is found on Mon Aiguille's site. Thank you, Véro--your instructions were excellent. Here is a slideshow on how to twist cord for tying the pocket closed.

Jellyroll Sewing Machine Cover

2011-01-23T16:38:00.004-05:00

Here is my interpretation of a Moda Bakeshop Recipe designed by Margot Languedoc, Jelly Roll Cover Up. Margot sewed her strips together before sandwiching them to the backing and batting and then quilting. I laid out my backing face down, then batting [actually fleece], and finally the 2 1/2 inch strips were sewn together with a 1/4 inch seam, beginning at the top of the bottom strip and flipping up each strip and pressing before sewing down the next strip. This results in a each piece being quilted down as I went. All I did to finish the cover up was to insert two top curved end pieces wrong sides together. The ends were bound first, then the bottom edge. This cover up is for my Singer 201-2 in an oak Lotus treadle cabinet. I have another one to make for my elna Carina SU-66, which is made to fit into a cabinet right next to my Singer. It has a push button to lift the machine up to disclose the free arm--so it sits flush with the cabinet surface most of the time. The fold out covers to the two machine cabinets stand open all of the time. The end of one holds my White Super Lock 534W-2 Serger [it will need a cover, too], and the other surface allows me to spread out my sewing projects.

Doubling Yourself for Sewing, Fitting & Pattern Drafting

2011-01-21T11:28:00.000-05:00

Make yourself a duct tape double upon which to drape and fit clothing and patterns. If you are sewing for the 18thC, you would wear your stays or corset under the T-shirt prior to wrapping. Lace up the back and draw your chemise throat/collar line on the duct tape double and you would be ready to either draft patterns or drape yards of fabric into your own robes.

Another method is the Moulage as taught by Ecole Guerre-Lavigne, using measuring and sewing of a muslin «second skin», which could also be stuffed and placed around a dressform foundation to make your own pattern-drafting-fitting mannequin.

SALexandre - Outlines

2011-01-19T14:28:00.005-05:00

One thread of floss over one thread of ground (linen) is really small. I had thought to be able to stitch quickly--it will take longer than I thought to finish even one panel. But the results will be worth it. Hints: make sure tapestry needle is of a similar size to thread--too large a needle will result in distorting the linen.

SALexandre - Layout of Stitching Panels

2011-01-17T00:36:00.001-05:00

I have used pins to mark every ten threads 126 stitches high. There are 10 threads surrounding each panel on the top and bottom and outer sides and 20 threads between each panel. I have used a pulled thread at the top to mark what may be a cutting line. Once the panels are stitched, I can use the top section above the pulled thread to stitch the smaller inner pieces of embroidery. I have also hand-overcast the edges of the linen to keep it from fraying. I will not be using a hoop and will roll the linen over my needleroll to keep creases from marring my work.

Preparing Variegated Thread for Stitching

2011-01-16T18:44:00.008-05:00

Prior to beginning to stitch on my SALexandre stitcher's wallet/housewife, I am preparing my thread by winding my skein of DMC#99 variegated floss around a yardstick. This divides the floss from light to dark. I will cut the 36 inch lengths into 18 inch lengths and put them into 2 floss bags marked light to medium and medium to dark. Then no matter where I am within the design when I run out of thread, I can select the appropriate intensity of floss to begin stitching right where I left off with no wasting of thread. This technique of preparing variegated thread is found in Variegated Samplers, Leaflet #1617, a Craftways publication, edited by Karen Strauss.