wallhanging project

Racaire's wallhanging project finished :)

2009-09-22T17:13:00.002+02:00

DSC03501
Ursprünglich hochgeladen von racaire

the wallhanging got its own place – now it is hanging at one wall in the living room (as far away from the sun light as possible)

You can find the complete progress of the wallhanging > here <

some new progress - embroidery finished :)

2009-05-17T21:56:00.003+02:00

DSC07880 Ursprünglich hochgeladen von racaire

...more pictures available >here<

Some new progress :)

2009-05-10T01:54:00.002+02:00

DSC07821
Ursprünglich hochgeladen von racaire

...next & last step concerning the embroidery: black outlines :)

Some new progress :)

2009-05-01T17:41:00.003+02:00

...more pictures available >here<

progress

2009-01-07T16:24:00.003+01:00

Hey all! I haven't posted much, but I have been embroidering. I'm not going as fast as Racaire, but I do promise you, I am still very much on the project :-)

Wallhanging project - unrolled

2008-11-09T01:50:00.002+01:00

DSC04003
Ursprünglich hochgeladen von racaire

10th window finished

2008-11-09T01:15:00.000+01:00

10th window finished
Ursprünglich hochgeladen von racaire

some new progress :)

2008-08-03T16:29:00.001+02:00

...and here the progress of the 9th window :)

some new progress :)

2008-07-14T22:10:00.000+02:00

...and again some new progress concerning the wallhanging :)

...some new progress :)

2008-04-12T13:20:00.004+02:00

From time to time I try to work at least a little at the wallhanging besides my other projects and recently I started a new roundel - this roundel shows the virgin with the unicorn :)

(...and I also worked a little at the border at the bottom :)

...some new progress :)

2008-01-15T22:17:00.000+01:00

... and again some new progress concerning the wallhanging :)

...some extra extra time...

2007-12-21T14:04:00.000+01:00

Dear gentle readers, due to the second embroidery challenge
- the "Something to keep you warm..." Project -
and because I will soon start to participate in this challenge/project with my "Anya's (Laurel) Cloak" project, I am afraid that my wallhanging project will need some extra extra time until it is finished - therefore I ask for your understanding and I hope that my wallhanging will be finished within the next year :)
Yis
Racaire

new window finished

2007-12-17T23:03:00.000+01:00

...again a new window of my wallhanging finished...

A&S display at University

2007-11-21T01:24:00.001+01:00

uni-2007069
Ursprünglich hochgeladen von racaire

The first time that our wallhangings are displayed together at the same time :)

A quick word

2007-11-19T14:10:00.000+01:00

No pics for you this time, I'm afraid! I just wanted to say that at University I got to see Racaire's wallhanging in person for the first time ever (and she got to see how lazy I'd been on mine :-) ). It is absolutely incredible,and the pictures on the blog don't do it justice. Beautiful!
Well done Racaire!!!!
Anya

Wallhanging unrolled :)

2007-11-05T23:42:00.000+01:00

...and again one picture of the Wallhanging unrolled :)

new window finished

2007-09-27T23:58:00.001+02:00

...again a new window of my wallhanging finished...

anya's progress: the tunic

2007-09-04T10:30:00.000+02:00

Ok, so here's my progress...the saffron dyed thread is actually much more orange than these pictures show. I'm not sure how to fix it. Anyhow, the tunic is done in the same stitch as the blue bit. You can see in the close ups that there are alot of places that need touching up, as these threads are so fine its hard to make them sit anywhere! i'll do that later, though, as I've had enough of looking at yellow for the moment :-) next I'll be doing more of the armor.

progress (anya)

2007-08-27T21:06:00.000+02:00

Hi everyone!
Just to let you know that I haven't disappeared! I don't have a digital camera so I haven't been able to take pictures of the progress I've made. The skirt part is finished (with saffron dyed silk) and the lower rim of the armor is finished...I'll post pictures as soon as possible!
Anya

...some extra time...

2007-08-19T11:28:00.000+02:00

Dear gentle readers of our wallhanging blog,

Anya and I decided to take some extra time because of the big size of our wallhanging projects, other projects that have to be finished and normal life,work,...

We will keep you informed about our progress and hope that you enjoy visiting our blog.

Yis
Anya & Racaire

Wallhanging unrolled :)

2007-07-29T16:09:00.000+02:00

...and here again one picture of the Wallhanging unrolled (this time a photo with a measuring tape to show the seize of the project) :)

Wallhanging unrolled :)

2007-06-17T21:54:00.000+02:00

...and here one picture of the Wallhanging unrolled :)

...you can find photos of the progress of my wallhanging (between my postings in the wallhanging project blog) in my private embroidery blog...

Anya's progress two

2007-05-17T13:48:00.000+02:00

Here's a close up of the bottom of the armor...

And another sideways picture of the cape and tunic bottom...

And what it looks like so far.

I've got a pot of weld soaking right now so I can do the first dye to make green. Overdye will be with logwood.

I hate to admit it, but I don't think I'm going to be done on time!

anya's progress

2007-05-17T13:34:00.000+02:00

I've been dying some more silk with saffron.

I've also been spooling thread for *days*..

Here's a sideways picture of the cape and tunic bottom.

Finally! (Anya)

2007-04-23T19:42:00.000+02:00

Hi all! I know it's been far to long, but things got busy and I don't have a digital camera. The embroidery has been going really, really slowly between dying the threads and embroidering with super fine floss, so it doesn't look like much, but I seriously have been working on it bit by bit almost every day. Sorry about the picture quality, I'm not good with digital cameras... Anyhow, here's what I have to show for myself so far... Oh, and the sky looks a bit unevenly covered because it's stretched. When the fabric is loose, all the threads fall into place and fill the empty bits.

...some new progress

2007-03-05T21:04:00.001+01:00

..you can find photos of the progress of my wallhanging
(between my postings in the wallhanging project blog)
in my private embroidery blog...

Wallhanging unrolled :)

2007-01-30T20:30:00.000+01:00

I unrolled the wallhanging because I had to draw new outlines for the changeover to the next two windows and this are the photos I made for you... :)

...now I hope you can imagine the story of the first two windows of the lower row - the story of Vergil and the daughter of imperator Augustus - in the first window he trys to win her love and in the second window he ends up as a hocussed lover in a basket *lol* - the tapestry is called "Weiberlisten" I think I a good translation for this is: 'womans tricks' :)

...you can find photos of the progress of my wallhanging (between my postings in the wallhanging project blog) in my private embroidery blog...

my embroidery progress

2006-12-17T16:16:00.000+01:00

There is not very much time left besides my new job and if I don't fall asleep as soon as my bottom hits the couch I try to work at the wallhanging - therefore there is only a little progress.

my embroidery progress

2006-11-27T19:52:00.000+01:00

...I worked up another skein yesterday - a black skein (= 25m).

my embroidery progress

2006-11-07T00:56:00.000+01:00

At the start of this project I wasn't sure how and especially if the colours would fit together (and when I started with the embroidery, I was really very afraid that the colours I chose for this wallhanging were to dark)...

...I think the colours look very beautiful in this combination :)

2006-10-27T01:21:00.000+02:00

...and I am still working at the second 'window'... :)

my embroidery progress

2006-10-23T00:58:00.000+02:00

...I am still working at the second 'window'... :)

my embroidery progress

2006-10-05T00:15:00.000+02:00

...I am still working at the second 'window'...

my embroidery progress

2006-10-01T23:46:00.000+02:00

...I am still working at the second 'window'...

used colours for the second window:
> the lady in the window:
0906 golden brown - hair
1515 light beech green- dress
0101 white - skin
> the lord outside the tower (Vergil) will get:
1417 gold - dress
0310 madder red - coat
> the outline of the tower:
1405 yellow - bricks
(the pinnacle will get 0310 madder red)

...all threads are from Renaissance Dyeing...

my embroidery progress

2006-09-25T00:46:00.000+02:00

...now I am working at the second 'window' and another 25m (0907 mid brown) are worked up...

used colours for the second window:
> bricks of the tower:
0906 golden brown
0907 mid brown
> pinnacle of the tower:
0900 ivory
> same background like 'window' 1 (1006 blue)

... all threads are from Renaissance Dyeing...

my embroidery progress

2006-09-19T01:45:00.000+02:00

...the 'yellow borders' got their black outlines...

my embroidery progress

2006-09-12T01:20:00.000+02:00

...the 'roses' got their red outlines...

my embroidery progress

2006-09-08T01:50:00.000+02:00

...a big part of the left border is finished now... :)

my embroidery progress

2006-09-05T02:21:00.000+02:00

I worked up my beech green skein (25 m) today :)

my embroidery progress

2006-08-30T15:44:00.000+02:00

I decided to take 1307 Light Rose Madder (from Renaissance Dyeing) for the outer border with the white roses and already worked up my skein (25 m) of this colour.

I hope I will get my ordered hank (250 m) soon by mail. :)

finally an update and photots

2006-08-27T10:42:00.000+02:00

Well, here the pictures finally are. the second one looks a bit wobbly cause the fabric wasn't lying flat on the ground, and i don't have time right now to take another picture! the fabric creases on the legs were embroidered in split stitch, with thread dyed with indigo and fustic (not by me), and all the gold outlining and filling is couched.

my embroidery progress

2006-08-24T14:27:00.000+02:00

blog progress

2006-08-22T23:20:00.000+02:00

Hi!
No, I haven't disappeared! Started a Chinese course and had a garb workshop so I've been really busy these past few weeks... Hopefully I'll get to posting some photos of my progress this weekend.
Anybody have a cheap source for kermes in Germany?
Anya

my embroidery progress

2006-08-22T23:14:00.000+02:00

...for Laren

2006-08-18T11:58:00.000+02:00

I ordered my wool at Renaissance Dyeing (see 'Skeins & Hanks' for colours) in France - and I use following colours:

0310 Madder Red (dress of Samson and the background of the windows)
0101 White
1006 Blue (for the background inside the windows)
0906 Golden Brown (for the lion)
1405 Yellow (for the borders)
1417 Gold (Samsons hair)
0907 Mid Brown (darker than golden brown - not used yet)
0503 Black
1515 Light Beech Green (Samsons leg)
1510 Beech Green (leaves)

1307 Light Rose Madder & 0304 Pale Pink - background of the outer border/ no decision made yet

my new order arrived today:
more 0906 Golden Brown, 0503 Black and 1405 Yellow :)
for the claws of the lion (, the beard of aristoteles, the dress of Phyllis, ...): 1901 Light Grey, 1902 Grey, 0901 Cream, 0900 Ivory - no decision made yet
and 0904 Light Brown for the mane of the lion

my embroidery progress

2006-08-18T02:17:00.000+02:00

my embroidery progress

2006-08-15T01:07:00.000+02:00

I have to admit that there havn't been many other things I have done besides embroidery the last days because I was and still am really fascinated by the project.

At the beginning I was really afraid that the blue and red was to dark and that I have chosen the wrong colours - but the longer I am working at the wallhanging the more I like the colours I have chosen for my wallhanging.

At the moment I am still not sure what kind of pink (background) and green (leaves) I will use for the outer border but I am sure that I will make my decision soon.

...and I ordered more wool for my project :)

2006-08-15T01:06:00.000+02:00

Detail

2006-08-15T01:05:00.000+02:00

Detail

first progress of my wallhanging

2006-08-10T00:46:00.000+02:00

I was thinking all the time about the design for my wallhanging and sometimes it was really difficult for me to fall asleep - the only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted to take the Malterer-tapestry as an example for my design.
For the development of my design and to get a better view on the original tapestry and its design I read the text of my new book "Mittelalterliche Textilien" about the Malterer-tapestry.
After I had read the text I rejected my first decisions to buy a bigger frame and to make 3 rows (everyone with 3 'windows') because the following fact:
the Malterer-Teppich contains 4 pairs of windows which belong together because of the story the picture tell
example: Samson fighting against the lion and Dalila cuttin Samsons hair
- therefore I made the new decision that I will take my 60 cm rolling-frame and that I will make 'only' 2 rows (that's 1 row more than the original Malterer-tapestry) and that I won't divide the windows that belong together.

My wonderful wool arrived on monday. I spent my afternoon in several shops in town (Mariahilferstraße and 1.Bezirk) searching for a pen with which I could do my design directly on the fabric and I bought 2 pens - 1 Aqua Trickmarker and 1 iron-on pattern pen (for emergency if the Aqua Trickmarker wouldn't work at the fabric). I worked the whole monday evening to develope my design direct on the fabric with the Aqua Trickmarcker.

I took a 1:3 ratio for the "border:inner field" ratio like it is described in th text about the original tapesty - 7 cm for the border and 21 cm for the inner field - it is easy to work with 7 cm and this size leaves enough free space at the bottom and the top of the fabric.
The original tapestry is 66 cm high and has only one row (source: Wikipedia) - my tapestry is about 56 cm high with two rows. Having a look at a close up picture of the tapestry I guess that my wool from renaissance dyeing is much finer than the original woll.

...and everyone who knows me, knows that I couldn't resist to make some stitches after the development of the design :)

embroidery progress

2006-08-08T11:37:00.000+02:00

Hi all!
Here are some pictures showing my progress so far. the bands on the legs are satin stitch, the saffron thread is couched, as is the gold thread. The stitches I'm not familiar with will come later in the background and the halo.

I'll post the stitch documentation later...
Anya

Update

2006-08-05T15:40:00.000+02:00

Today I got an eMail from Renaissance Dyeing - my wool is on its way! :D
I am really looking forward to work with this wool and to see the colours of the 'wool-samples' (the 25m Hanks) I ordered to make a decision for the next order.

...because my embroidery frame - there are three possibilities:
a) I buy a bigger one
b) I make a wallhanging with the size 60 x 60 cm
c) I make a wallhanging with the size Y x 60 cm or 60 x Y cm (Y = I don't know)
...I really don't know but I prefer a) at the moment because I would like to make a wallhanging bigger than 60x60 and it should have a rectangular shape - maybe 65x65, 70x70, 75x75 or 80x80...

...because my design - I made some decisions (but no layout till now):
I will use the colour composition of the malterer-tapestry and I like the border very much. I want to make 3 rows each with 3 "windows". I want to do some of the szenes of the malterer-tapestry and maybe rebuild one particular szene of the manesse for the main "window" in the middle of the wallhanging. Every window will get a small border and I have to choose a pattern for the filling between the "windows" in the main part (maybe a white rose inspired by the roses of the tristan tapestry?) - I think I will take the original filling of the malterer-tapestry for the places between the "windows" and the outer border... I think the main difficulty will be to get the distances and sizes right - because I want to reproduce the main impression of the malterer tapestry...

...and I really worry what kind of pencil shall I buy/use for the layout at the fabric - would my beloved Edding be visible on the white fabric through the wool? (I am afraid that it will be visible through the wool but I need a long lasting, good visible and thin marker)

Update

2006-08-04T11:00:00.000+02:00

Update wool:
2 days ago I ordered some wool (250 m white, 250 m red and 250 m blue Wool and 25 m of black and 2 different colours of yellow, green and brown) and now I am waiting for my wool. :)

Update frame:
I bought a new 'rolling frame' with a width of 60 cm after Midsummer Coronation and now I am thinking about buying a bigger one for this project - but I am not sure yet.

Update books:
I got an answer from Kloster Lüne in Germany and I will order:
-Bildstickereien des Mittelalters in Kloster Lüne 8,50 €
-Kloster Lüne-Textilmuseum im Evangelischen Damenstift 3,00 €.

sandalwood skin tone

2006-08-03T21:54:00.000+02:00

It worked!
Here is the silk I will use for the skin areas. The silk was mordanted in cream of tartar and alum. The sandalwood was prepared by soaking it in water, gin (alcohol) and dishsoap and let sit for three days. the silk was then put in and the sandalwood was heated for a few minutes and it turned exactly the color I wanted!

I used unspun silk, because in medieval Russian embroideries unspun embroidery floss was used specifically for skin areas, as it reflects the light differently and adds a realistic touch to it. Source for using unspun silk for this: "Ancient Russian Ecclesiastical Embroideries", Eugenia Tolmachoff,
http://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/articles/nb47_emb.pdf

Sandalwood has a long history of use as a dyestuff in China and India. As far as Western Europe is concerned, it was recorded in the 14th century as a dye good (for trading) in the archives of Francesco di Datini, as well as in the Plictho of Gioventura Rosetti (written in 1548) (Historic Dyes Series No. 3, Medieval Textile Dyeing. John Edmonds). We also find it mentioned in legal texts in the year 1419, when a dyer was deprived of his civil rights for life for mixing his saffron with sandalwood and selling it as pure! (Ciba Review 1: Medieval DyeingBasle, September 1937. URL: http://www.elizabethancostume.net/cibas/ciba1.html )
In the 15th century, the Bolognese Manuscript "De Tintis ad Tingendum Pellum", also lists a recipe which mixes sandalwood and madder to make a red leather dye ("Medieval and Renaissance Treatises on the Arts of Painting: Original Texts with English Translations", Merrifield, Mary P.)

I'll add the recipe and the source later...
Anya

metallic threads

2006-08-03T19:40:00.000+02:00

No, I'm not making them myself :-)

I searched and asked and couldn't find anyone who could tell me where I could buy silk thread with real gold and silver (not that I could afford it anyhow :-) ), but I'm trying to get thread that looks as close to the real stuff as possible. This is what I found.
There are essentially four kinds of gold thread found in medieval textiles:

"1. Thin gold or silver wire is woven into cloth (very rare)
2. Thin sheets of gold or silver are cut into very narrow strips called lamellae and spun around a silk or fine linen thread called the core. The lamellae can also be of gilded silver strip as with the threads from the Judendorf excavation[...]
3.Gilt membrane strip. Very fine gold sheets are beaten on to an animal membrane, cut into lamellae (strips) as before and wound on to a core of silk. The durability of this beaten gold is limited so that well-preserved threads now scarcely exist
4. Gilt leather strip or gilt paper strip. These are narrow strips of gilded leather or paper produced by the same method as the gilt membrane strips but used in a cloth as a flat strip, not on a wound core"

From Microprobe Analysis of Gilded Silver Threads from Mediaeval Textiles, Ernst Hoke and Ingeborg Petrascheck-Heim. Found in "Studies in Conservation, 22 (1977). Pp. 49-62

There were two main sources of gilded thread in the Middle Ages: Asia and Western Europe. The main difference is that the Asian threads contained a significantly higher percentage of pure gold and silver, while the Western threads have high contents of aluminium, silicon, lead, iron and chlorine. The difference is so high that the origins of the threads can be determined by analysing the purity of the gold and silver on the core. (for source see above)

In addition to silk, linen, leather and paper, gilded threads with an animal hair core have also been found (for example the ones found in the cathedral of Roskilde, Denmark and dated to 1200-1300). It has been determined that the animal hair is most probably horse hair (which is a logical choice), and that the origin of the threads was probably Western Europe. The earliest known metal threads with an animal hair core is from an early 8th century embroidery, and, while certainly not common, have been found in later times as well.
Source:
Metal Thread with Animal-Hair Core, Irene Skals. From "Studies in Conservation, 36 (1991). Pp. 240-242.

All these threads would have been accessible to embroiderers in Novgorod at the time via the trade routes that passed through, as well as a Russia-made gold thread called skanny, which is type number two listed above, silk spun with gold. It was fine enough to pull through thin material, which made it especially useful.
From Ancient Russian Ecclesiastical Embroideries, Eugenia Tolmachoff. For link see saffron post.

I have chosen two kinds of gold and two kinds of silver threads. Based on photographs of extant metal embroidery threads (a good deal of which are Rus in origin) and trips to various museums, I chose the above threads as similar to what would have been the second type of gold thread listed above. The other thread I am using is much finer and is the closest to the third type of metal embroidery thread listed above. I'd scan it but it's on a spool, so it'll have to wait until I get ahold of a digital camera :-)
Right now I've got some silk thread soaking in sandalwood that will hopefully give me a nice skin tone, so keep your fingers crossed!

Anya

Saffron dyed silk

2006-07-31T23:46:00.000+02:00

Well, I found it and here it is... It is much brighter in real life, but, just like with the blue thread, my scanner can only do so much :-)

This is silk thread dyed with saffron over an alum mordant. The mordant isn't really neccessary as saffron mordants itself, but it does brighten things up a bit.
Saffron was one of the most expensive dyes of the Middle Ages (as well as of the Roman and Greek world). It was imported, inter alia, by the knights of the cross, and the main saffron market was located in Basel. One medieval dye source to mention it as a dyestuff is the Plicthio, written in 1548. It is also listed in the archives of Francesco di Datini in the 14th century as a trade good.
In the Middle ages it was often mixed with safflower and turmeric to stretch it and keep the costs down.

Russian embroiderers would have had access to saffron dyed silks from both Byzantium and the Hanseatic merchants of Germany (for some interesting trade law, see here: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1229novgorod-germans.html ) .
Most of the silk thread found in Russian embroideries up to the 16th century was imported from China, Persia and Western Europe. As stated above, Novgorod specifically traded with the Hanse, and purchases of silk thread from this time have been recorded. from Ancient Russian Ecclesiastical Embroideries, Eugenia Tolmachoff http://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/articles/nb47_emb.pdf. For more info see the other posts with the various dyed silks.

In my opinion, the tunic of the archangel was definately dyed with saffron...it has such a distinctive color, and was expensive enough to use beside all of the gold and silver embroidery. As far as I know, no published analysis of the dyes used in this icon exist, so its down to logical guess work :-)

The recipe below is from the 1600's, but it is a standard, simple recipe:

"First your silk must be boiled until white and dried, then take a kettle with water, and when it is warm, throw your saffron in it and let it boil for a little while, then dye in it as long as it is still warm and you will take for each pound of silk three 'loot' of saffron". From the Haarlem manuscript, found in "The Colourful Past"

This is exactly what I did, with the addition of alumnating the thread first.

The other information on saffron comes from the books I listed below...

Anya

my book arrived...

2006-07-26T22:02:00.000+02:00

The book

Mittelalterliche Textilien
aus Kloster Adelhausen
im Augustinermuseum Freiberg
(Jutta Eißengarthen)

arrived!
:D

Maybe you remember my posting from the 13th of July:
"... Some time ago I tried to get something about the Maltererteppich and wrote an eMail to the Augustinermuseum Freiburg but got no response and therefore I just made a telephon call to the museum yesterday and ordered the textile catalogue of the museum for about 10€ + mail charges. I hope this catalogue contains good pictures of the Maltererteppich and I will get it soon - I just don't have an idea what I really ordered but a 'blind' order for about 10€ is not a really big risk...."

The mail charges from Germany to Austria cost me 5Euro but I think the book is by all means worth the 15Euros I will pay for it in total - 83 interesting pages with many text (in German) about woven tapestries (Drachen-Papageien-Teppich, Marien-Teppich, Rosa-Mystica-Teppich, Wildleute-Teppich, Drei Kissenplatten, Rabenborte, Wirkerei mit Granatapfelmuster) and some embroidery (Wappenteppich, Malterer-Teppich, Samt-Streifen mit Löwen, Totenteppich, Seidenstickerei-Borte & -Überhang).

The best way to order this book: CALL THEM! :)
(I wrote an eMail longer time ago but they never answered but I got the book some days after ordering it by telephone)

At the moment I am thinking about the design of my tapestry - I am thinking about something like the Malterer-Teppich (see the pictures below) but I am not really sure. I hope a good idea will strike me while I am working at my tablecloth.

Malterer-Teppich I

2006-07-26T21:37:00.000+02:00

Malterer-Teppich II

2006-07-26T21:35:00.000+02:00

first try...

2006-07-22T16:50:00.000+02:00

...my first try to work the Klosterstich (Kloster= cloister, stich= stitch) with the 'Krüwellwolle' (many thanks to Tentakulum.de for this wool samples):

I used 1thread of the brown wool (about 60 cm) and 1thread of the green wool (about 65 cm - a total of 125 cm):

left photo: Detail/surface of the Klosterstich (cloister stitch)
right photo: Detail/back side of the Klosterstich

...hmmmm - I think I will have to order many many meters of this wool...

another update

2006-07-21T15:01:00.000+02:00

I have also just ordered some metallic gold and silver thread from tentakulum (garn gallerie)...can't wait to get it!
I have started with satin stitch in the cross bands on the boots. The original looks to be all in split stitch and couching, but I intend to use stitches that were found on other Russian embroideries at that time too. I don't want to make an exact copy stitch-wise, but rather something that would have been possible and done at that time. It keeps it more interesting for me :-) The design and pattern will be identical, though.
I've bought a few dvds to watch and keep me interested through the embroidery too...it's too hot to do anything else right now!!!! (that and search for my saffron dyed silk thread. I put it somewhere 'safe' when I moved and now I can't find it!!!!)

More pictures soon!
Anya

Wool Samples arrived

2006-07-21T03:42:00.000+02:00

The samples of the 'Krüwellwolle' from Garn Galerie/Tentakulum arrived today.

Next step - I need some answers for the following questions:

- what colours are available?
- mail charges for Austria?
- how will this wool behave while doing the 'Klosterstich' technique?
- will I get the textile catalogue from the GNM and will it contain good pictures of the wallhangings?
- will I get the pictures from the museum in Regensburg I asked for?
- is the embroidery frame (that I bought some days after the midsummer coronation in finland) big enough for this project or do I have to buy a bigger one?
...

...but it is a really good feeling to have the wool samples in the hand and the possibility to work with them...

Update :)

2006-07-17T12:24:00.000+02:00

I am back from Hunting Season (once again a really beautiful event) and here are some updates and news:

1) The 'Garn Galerie' answered my eMail prompt and promised to send me some 'Krüwellwolle' soon (many thanks to Anya for this hint!). I am really nosy how the wool will behave while working with it because this project will be for me the first time working/ embroidering with real wool.

2) I got an answer from the historical museum in Regensburg that they will have a look through their material.

(detail of the tapestry -->

<-- the tapestry 'Teppich mit Minneszenen in Medaillons')

I hope I will get some pictures of the 'Teppichs mit Minneszenen in Medaillons' (a carpet with love scene in lockets) - a tapestry done in Klosterstich.

Hint: if you visit the historical museum in Regensburg look out for the small book "Museum der Stadt Regensburg - Bildteppiche".

(see photo on the right -->)

In January they sold it for 1€ - 68pages, just only some photos and text about one embroidered tapestry (Teppichs mit Minneszenen in Medaillons) and some photos and text about woven tapestry.

3) I hope the textile catalogue of the GNM (Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg) will arrive soon.

4) for Anna:
As far as I remember the details of my eMail-discussion with Laren for my 'Refilsaum' (Bayeux) class handout - the main differences between Klosterstich and Refilsaum (Bayeux-stitch) are:

Klosterstich

(translated: cloister stitch) is a 'selfcouching' technique, filling the whole fabric with embroidery. The embroidery consists only of 2 layers: I call them 'basic' and 'couching (while going back)'.

As far as I know now this technique was primary used in the 14th - 16th century in the german region for wallhangings or bankhangings (->Maltererteppich).
....and as far as I have seen till now at the photos the outlines had been worked in only one colour (black).

Refilsaum
(.../'Bayeux-stitch' /laid and couched work) embroidery consists of 3 layers: I call them 'basic', 'holding' and 'couching'.

This technique was used for a longer space of time (11th century+).
Expect the Bayeux tapestry (France) you can find beautiful embroidery examples of this technique in Iceland where the technique was called 'Refilsaum' as far as I know.

...and there are 3 kinds of use of this technique (only embroidering the motives, or only the background, or embroidering the whole fabric).

My handout for Refilsaum
Photodocumentation Refilsaum
Photodocumentation Refilsaum & round shapes

Outlining in progress

2006-07-15T11:50:00.000+02:00

Finished outlining the first boot and the grass today. For the two reds I used silk dyed with brazilwood (not dyed by me...I want to use up what I have before I dye some more), and for the grass outline I used a green dyed with weld and iron (also not by me...my greens are still in progress). In the original a metallic gold thread was used for the details on the boots. I am going to substitute that with a non metallic gold colored thread dyed with oak bark and alum and bright red (see above) to keep the costs of the project a bit lower. I think it even looks better. I definately will use metallic threads for the other parts, though. The red outlines are all done in split stitch. The gold is couched.
anya

wow! and threads

2006-07-13T14:36:00.000+02:00

Racaire, you are even crazier than I am!!!! That will be really beautiful!
Here is some of the thread that I put into the logwood dye. The thread is actually alot brighter and bluer in real life, but that's what you get when you buy the cheap scanner :-) The light purple is linen and the triangle thing is wool, just to give you a comparison (I dyed a bunch of other stuff too).
Will definately need a ton more blue thread, but what I have should do me for now :-) . Logwood did originally come from the Americas, but it was common enough in Elizabethan London that Elizabeth I had it banned in 1567, because many dyer's were substituting their woad with logwood and selling it for woad. This was a problem as logwood is not as colorfast as woad (but I don't plan on putting my wallhanging in the washing machine). I chose to use it because I had a bunch already at home. In my mind if the English could get it from the Spanish, then it wouldn't have been a big deal for the Rus' (espeicially in either Novgorod or Kiev, both major trade hubs) to either import the dye or the dyed threads, and it was being traded at the time the wall hanging was made. Granted it wasn't *that* common yet at the beginning of the 16th century, but if Elizabeth is banning it, I'll bet that it was common enough :-)
The recipe I used is from the Haarlem Manuscript, a 17th century Dutch manuscript which lists historical dyestuffs and recipes.
"Blue
For dyeing blue, at first (you have) to alumnate. Tae clean water with a one third part of bran water, and take for four yards of cloth 3/4 pounds of alum, or for five yards of cloth, let this boil together for one hour, then take it out, let it hang for one night, rinse it well

To dye First of all take clean water, then take 1 1/4 pounds of blue wood from the province [logwood] and let it boil for one and a half hours, then add half an ounce of potash, spanish green half a loot and half a bucket of cold water, mix it well, then put your cloth in, let it stay there until it boils well and take it out. Aour have to leave the blue wood in the bath during dyeing IsN. [Haarlem manuscript 90/l/2]" (from the colourful past)

I altered the recipe a bit. I didn't add the bran to the mordant and I didnt add the spanish green to the dye bath, and I still got a beautiful color...

For info on logwood see "The Colourful Past: Origins, Chemistry and Identification of Natural Dyestuffs" by Judith H. Hofenk de Graaff, "Historic Dyes Series No. 3: Medieval Textile Dyeing" by John Edmonds and "Handbuch der Naturfarbstoffe" by H. Schweppe. Same for the weld.

For the yellow sleeves and skirt I will use some silk thread that I dyed earlier with saffron...i'll post a picture later.
Anya

update

2006-07-13T13:52:00.000+02:00

Ok, I have no handwoven linen and no selfdyed silk - but I hope my wallhanging will get interesting too :D

I just finished the pouch for hunting season (prize for the archery competiton) and now I have time for some research and the first work for this project. :D
Here are some of my information suppliers:

_ ~ * ~ _

I ordered the photomap and the booklet from the Kloster (cloister) Wienhausen about the Tristan tapestry in August 2005. booklet & photomap:
Band III - Pia Wilhelm - Die Bildteppiche (booklet in German) - 4.- €
Bildmappe (photomap) - Tristan Wandteppich mit 12 Farbreproduktionen und einer Einführung - 5,- €
Contact - Kloster Wienhausen

_ ~ * ~ _

Some time ago I tried to get something about the Maltererteppich and wrote an eMail to the Augustinermuseum Freiburg but got no response and therefore I just made a telephon call to the museum yesterday and ordered the textile catalogue of the museum for about 10€ + mail charges. I hope this catalogue contains good pictures of the Maltererteppich and I will get it soon - I just don't have an idea what I really ordered but a 'blind' order for about 10€ is not a really big risk.

_ ~ * ~ _

Photos of the "Weiberlisten" tapestry (Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg) would be wonderful too - maybe I should call this museum too or write an eMail to the Drachenwald Mailinglist and hope that someone has photos of this tapestry...
Update 15:45: I wrote an eMail-request to the GNM

_ ~ * ~ _

Addition:
...on monday I will have to visit my favourite thread-shop. I would like to do the wallhanging in Klosterstich-technique with wool because thats more authentic (ups - bad 'A' word - bad girl!! ;) and I could cover the fabric faster than with the thin threads I use at the moment - interesting questions will be: how many colours does the shop of the different wools have and how do the wools behave when I use them doing the Klosterstich technique - I think I will have to buy some different wool threads and just try it...

...and what will I do?

2006-07-12T21:40:00.000+02:00

...and what will I do?

I am thinking about doing a wallhanging in the 'Klosterstich' technique like the Tristan, Prophet, the mirror of mankind salvation or the Maltererteppich embroidery.

dyeing the threads and getting started

2006-07-12T17:44:00.000+02:00

Dyed the blue silk thread for the background today using Logwood with alum and potash as mordants. ..dyed my kitchen and my hands (and my floor) blue too!
I also put some weld in to soak so I can dye the green soon too.

As for the embroidery, it is on handwoven linen. I have already drawn the design in chalk and started embroidering the outlines...
anya

Russian Embroidered Icon

2006-07-11T21:41:00.000+02:00

Hi!
Here it is

The Archangel Michael,

embroidered icon. The picture is of the original that I will recreate.

It was made in Novgorod in the last half of the 15th century or the beginning

of the 16th.  it is on a linen background with gold, silver and silk embroidery.

it is 154 x 76 centimeters.

Anya