My Projects

The Embroidery pattern draft

Here is the pattern I have drafted for the hose.

Embroidery Pattern

Embroidery Pattern

The Dilema? I think this draft is relatively true to the original. It’s not professionally embroidered. I keep fighting the urge to clean it up, making it more symetrical than the original. (I’ve already done that a tidbit.) So, ideas? Shall I get out the ruler and set of curves? Should I make one each or the two different flower styles on the top/bottom edges and copy them all the way across so they all the same? (They don’t on the original)

Lace on Hold

Well, the lace is on hold for now. I’ve determined that I need a different pillow. The Roll pillow that I borrowed is made of straw. Problem 1 – It’s hard to stick in the pins and they keep bending. Problem 2  – The pins aren’t securely held by the straw and when I tension my lace, they pull free. So, I’m going to pick up the lace again after Christmas, hopefully with a new pillow. The project is NOT on hold. For now, I’m switching to the embroidery. Once I’m done transferring the pattern, I’ll post a pic here.

I LOVE Internet videos!

I learned something new today! Have I mentioned that I’m a beginning bobbin lacer? Silk is slippery on the bobbins and while I’ve practiced with silk, it’s been a heavier weight and twist which while still slippery, is not nearly as slippery as the stuff I’m trying to use now. It took me an hour to do half an inch because the bobbins kept unravelling every time I touched them. Knowing there had to be a better way, I did some googling and found a myspace video that demonstrated some different hitch techniques that work well with silk. Ta-da and wah-lah, peace on my bobbin lace pillow.

The Thread Arrived, Project Begun

Well, the thread arrived last week and I’m very disappointed that it’s not what I wanted. I don’t know if I orderred the wrong size or they just sent the wrong thing. What they sent was a flat silk, not a twist and it was extremely fine. If you embroider, it’s like soie platte. Anyway, I sampled it and it works up beautifully, but it’s extremely fine. So, now what? I’m still trying to decide whether or not to order more thread in the heavier weight I wanted. In the meantime, I’ve decided to do a section of the lace in the lighter weight thread. I only got about half an inch done tonight, but I’ve worked out some of the kinks and it’s going faster now.

Documentation

I’m still anxiously awaiting the threads from England. In the meantime, I’ve been working on the documentation. My three main sources so far are Patterns of Fashion #4, Queen Elizabeth’s Wardrobe Unlock’d and the Tudor Tailor. I have some other minor resources on history of dress accessories and history of underclothing that I’m considering using. I’ve also come across some nice links online that I thought I’d pass along. These are both modern reproductions like the one I am doing and they have included their research. (I think the stocking pattern in my flickr photos may be from here. Since it was sent to me by a friend, I’m not 100% sure, but it looks the same.)

            http://www.faucet.net/costume/research/hose.html

            http://alina.wasteofbandwidth.info/Chalice.html

Another great link is to the german hosiery museum: http://www.german-hosiery-museum.de/hosiery-museum.htm. This has an extensive history of hose, even though you have to sort of piece it together by clicking on the virtual exhibit rooms.

I’m hosting an embroidery and lace tea party this weekend and I hope to work on the pattern for the embroidery so I can post it here soon!

Bobbin Lace Pattern

 The Patterns of Fashion #4 has a line drawn sample in the back and I used that as the basis for my pattern.

Bobbin Lace Pattern for the Hose and Drawers

Bobbin Lace Pattern for the Hose and Drawers

I have lovingly come to call this pattern: Teddy Bears in Tee Pee’s…. Can you see it?

Teddy bears?

Teddy bears?

Obviously, I’ve had this pattern drawn out for some time since I started making samples a couple months back. Tonight I redrew the pattern and highlighted it in 4 colors to make the process easier to follow. (no these are not the colors of the soon to arrive threads) I’ve got the pattern pinned to the pillow now and am anxiously awaiting the threads. I received a shipping confirmation yesterday so they should arrive soon!

Pattern highlighted in color

Pattern highlighted in color

Ready to start!

Ready to start!

Bobbin Lace Threads

I ordered the silk I want from Devere Yarns. The bobbin lace for this piece will be a four color lace, two of the “colors” being gold and silver metallic. I opted to use a metallic Lurex wrapped silk floss for the metallics rather than use sterling silver and 2% gold threads which are available on the market and not entirely out of my price range. So why not go for the good stuff? Real silver and gold threads will tarnish and since I plan to wear this item of costume and I imagine that at some point it will be crumpled up in the bottom of a tub at Gulf Wars and subjected to objectionable conditions, I thought it best not to use the real threads. These lurex wrapped silk threads are the threads that Devere says are ideal for lace making so I’m giving them a try in this project.

Lady Aislinge has graciously allowed me to borrow her roll pillow to try out for continuous yardage. I have a cookie pillow so all of my lace work has been about 6 inches long and done. This will be my first experience with doing yardage, which I am very excited about. 

Elizabethan Drawers

This is the style of Drawers I plan to do. The embroidery and bobbin lace will be identical to the Hose I’m currently working on. Presently, I have them patterned and cut out and ready to assemble. I plan to hand-sew these.

16th C. Women's Drawers, England

16th C. Women's Drawers, England

16th C. Elizabethan Hose

My current project is a matching pair of Elizabethan Hose and Drawers, embroidered and trimmed in bobbin lace. This picture appears in the Patterns of Fashion #4. I HIGHLY recommend this book because it contains oodles of drool-worthy color photographs with mind-boggling details, AND patterns and details in the back critical for attempting a reproduction!
16th C. Stockings, England

16th C. Stockings, England

In the months of August/Sept. I tried several variations of silk/metallic threads and worked on developing both the embroidery and bobbin lace patterns. I made 4 actual samples of the bobbin lace pattern in different threads to see which weight of thread would work best for the project.  In total I spent about 15 – 20 hours on this part of the process.
These are just a couple of the samples I did.

These are just a couple of the samples I did.

Now that the thread is selected and the patterns are ready to go, the actual project begins.

I’ve decided to do the hose first, my original goal was to have the hose completely done by December 5th (Magna Faire) to be entered in the regional Arts & Sciences competition. However, it took me much longer than I planned to figure out how to do the bobbin lace pattern and I’ve had to adjust my plan. At the very least I hope to have some yardage of the bobbin lace done to enter by December 5th.  The next regional  A&S competition is on February 6th and hopefully they will be done by then! (Fingers crossed)