Tension -- in stitching that is

I am a self professed thread control freak -- a tension-holic when it comes to all forms of fiber work. This does not mean that I am tight with my work, but rather I want the thread to be controlled. I want it to be in its spot and not wobbly. I want it to stay in place and do its job. For some needlework or fiber work this means letting up on the thread and in other applications it means pulling like crazy on the thread -- and everything in between.

I have also realized that I don't feel comfortable with a technique until I find the right way to control the tension. This may include needing to adjust each time I do the technique; as the materials used will have some affect on the need for the amount of tension/control.

I am not a perfectionist. I will not frog my work until it is "right". I will frog if absolutely required and I will spend some time futzing with it until I am okay with the outcome. I admire those who have the perfectionist gene, but I accept that it is not in me.

That all said -- I have been spending my time doing lots of Temari. I started last year with an introduction class and then tried to play a bit on my own. Then I discovered that Barbara Suess was giving online classes through Shining Needle Society and an EGA Correspondence Course (GCC).



My first one is the cream with gold, red, and green lines. Then I attempted the green ball from Temarikai.com. I returned and finished the green ball recently after the Morning Glory class. The other cream ball is called Mitsubishi (4 diamonds) and that was my 2nd workshop with the same teacher as the first class. Then having learned a complex 8 division (yes there is a whole new language to learn too) I did the black rainbow ball using a color wheel.

Color -- OMG there is so much to learn about color when doing Temari! I am finally finding that I really need to resort to a color wheel and understand about tints, etc. Up to now I've just used my fairly refined color sense. I guess no more short cuts.


This is Barbara Suess's online class - Morning Glory. Learned lots and had fun so signed up for Echo Star as well. More on that soon.



This is the GCC course. I will be shipping my balls to Barbara Suess for evaluation next week. It was an interesting learning experience. All 3 balls were 25 - 25.1 cm in diameter. I was REAL careful on doing the divides, but you would be surprised how much off something is even at 1-2 mm difference (big sigh!). Of course I can see the errors, but most people will not so I am supposed to give myself a break on this :)

Am using the Temari to break up all the administration and other work that I do for EGA. Wrapping balls is almost meditative. The stitching is creative and helps create a "good space" which is important thinking time.

Now back to "work". Will take time to go to a class on Or Nue with Lucy Barter from the Royal School of Needlework this weekend. Then next week will do some cooking for the holidays. I'm bringing dessert so have pulled out my family recipe for Pecan Pie. It is from a distant relative's grandmother who was from Louisiana. Yummy!

Have a great holiday and may all your tension be in your stitching!

Running Fast - So What is New?

When last we left our intrepid embroiderer she was off to Pittsburgh for the EGA National Seminar. It was hard leaving, but it was good to be away and not see Pete in everything.

First came 4 days of Board meetings and Finance Committee. We work hard both with pre-meeting materials to digest and at the meetings themselves. There was lots to work through, but I think we have a workable plan to move forward.

Caped off the end of this part with a dinner with Rissa Peace Root, editor of CQ Online and her husband. Fun to finally meet people that one only corresponds with online. We have plans ... (insert evil laugh)... be afraid, very afraid.

Took time on Sunday to go to the Phipps Conservatory. It was a good place to go clear the head and just enjoy nature. They have a lot of Chihuly glass and were also having a Frabel exhibition of glass. Loved seeing it all - lots of eye candy and stitching ideas too.

Then plunged into my 4 day class with Jonalene Gutwein - 17th C whitework sampler. The 6-10 hour prework was really 30-40 so didn't get to do everything. Did learn some good hints and tricks. Did get to just spend time with ladies stitching and making new friends. All good!

Wednesday headed over to the Frick Center. I really wanted to see the house so we did the house tour - a snapshot of the turn of the last century including a player symphonic which they turned on for us. Way cool! It made for a nice half day outing.

I had been asked to do the Invocation for the closing banquet. I have been very vocal about not using words that people find offensive -- not so much the words but when put together are Christian. In a banquet of 400-1000 people, some people aren't and even the most liberal Christian wording can be offensive to those not of the persuasion. Instead, I gave thanks, hopefully in words that no one found offensive although some found it missing and wondered a bit when I finished. Now to find something interesting for the Invocation at 2010. This also meant we sat at the head table. Glad I decided to take the conservative dress up cloths and Will had brought his beautiful blue blazer,dark gray slacks, Italian silk tie, and conservative blue shirt. He was looking yummy as he helped pass out the 2010 invitational goodies.

We returned to hit the ground running to do the 1000 Hands Quilt at the booth for the Pacific International Quilt Festival. Immediately followed by my only opportunity to take a full day of professional training. Which was followed the following weekend by the Inter Kingdom Needlework Symposium at which I taught what was supposed to be a 4 hour Reticella workshop. The workshop (8 students) was going well when I found out that they moved the Kingdom Officers meeting up 1.5 hours. We ran through the remaining info and with the permission of the students, cut about an hour off the class (grump).

Then dived headlong into preparing for this weekend's Region meetion. This includes the Finance Committee meeting, a Board meeting, a Friday night workshop, and then the Saturday meetings. Of course I am teaching the Friday night workshop - Artist Trading Cards (stitched). We are planning on doing something with ATCs at 2010 -- stay tuned!

I decided I needed some fun so I signed up for a Temari Ball class called Mitsubishi - Diamonds. Below is a picture of the 3 balls from Barbara Suess's online Morning Glory class, the first ball I made and my Mitsubishi ball. I have signed up for Barbara Suess's next online class Morning Star and her Correspondence Class through EGA. The projects are such that I can do them in pieces. I actually find winding the balls a good mid-day relaxation.

Pete

Rest in Peace
1994/5-Sept 28, 2009

Learning Something New & Book!

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to take a short class on darning samplers. My local Sampler Guild has members do a brief class for some of the programs. This time the lady talked about her time in school, in Germany, and learning needlework as part of her school curriculum. She also talked about pattern darning and referenced my article from the West Kingdom Needleworkers Guild Website - http://wkneedle.bayrose.org/index.html. She even made me stand and talk for a couple minutes (grin).

The speaker and another lady brought darning samplers to show. One was from the 1800's and a couple from early 1900's. It was very interesting to see the stitching up close. The objective, of course, was to mimic the various weaves of fabric that they would encounter and need to fix. What was of key interest was the way slack was added both historically and on the more modern pieces - strategically placed pins at each end to go over. It was an "aha" moment.

Then we proceeded to do a straight darning piece (on right in picture). For learning purposes we had 25 count and flower thread. I finished the sample when I came home and of course my curiosity had been aroused about other patterns. I went searching through my library. You would think that with all the books I own, much less the web at my finger tips I could find instructions on mending darning. 1 book - The DMC Complete Encyclopedia of Needlework - had information. From it I saw how to do the twill darning - on the left of the picture. It also has various patterns for other weaves that I may try.

Purchased The DMC Complete Encyclopedia of Needlework a number of years ago - so the prior version of the large size one. This one is truly reprints of all the articles that DMC put out in various forms over the years; and not very good prints due to the age of the pieces. However, I have never not found information on a technique in this book. It may not be the easiest to understand, but it is truly complete and has a key place in a well rounded library.

Pearl Sticken - Gollar Done!

Whew! Spent the last couple weeks putting the final finishing touches on the gollar and developing a section for our website showing all the Pearl Sticken projects with research notes (visit http://www.bayrose.org click on the Pearl Embroidery link). The gollar has been quite the labor of love as you will see.

I have known for quite awhile that I can't just recreate something. I can't do someone else's pattern or project. If I am going to do needlework, it needs to be a creative experience for me. Once I got past the hurdle of re-creating the gollar in the portrait, the project worked for me.

For the most part, I kept the elements of the portrait gollar. The key difference is that I changed the lower wide band from geometric to one that was a floral. It is my Poppy gollar. As a member of the Order of the Golden Poppy, I can wear a wreath of poppies - this is mine :)

The gollar is heavy, but the weight distributes well enough to wear comfortably. It fits me better than the mannequin and I can do up the center hooks to "close" it as shown in the portrait.

It will have its first official outing this weekend at Purgatorio. I will take pics to post then. It is all about the setting and I'll have on the right outfit to show case the gollar.

Hope you enjoy the eye candy.

Temari

Toward the end of last year, I had the opportunity to take a workshop class on very beginning temari. The ball on the right is the result. And I was hooked! Bought rice hulls and began looking at temarikai.com and several books. Even began making balls for decorating.

Then this spring Shining Needle Society announced an online course with Barbara Seuss (www.japanesetemari.com). The instructions and pics were online and it came with a kit of materials for making the class ball and 2 companion balls. Finally finished the class ball (ball on left). GREAT class! The project really walks you through lots of the beginning designs and concepts. I will do the challenge pieces - eventually - when time permits.

I have also signed up for the EGA Correspondence Course with Barb. It was last months online group course (your group is all the people who sign up with you online and the group fee is waived). The instruction folder has arrived. Let the wrapping begin!

Small Wins

At the West An Tir War over July 4th weekend I took a class in patterned knitting from Christian . I have knitted a bit as a child and a few years ago picked it back up. I don't do a lot, but have been trying to advance my skills with small steps and classes. Christian agreed that I could do the intermediate patterns so here is the result.

It still needs to have the different yarn ends worked in, the drawstring braided and put in, the handle woven and attached, and the tassels put on the bottom BUT the knitting is done! I'm addicted! It was lots of fun and quite transportable. I could do small portions at a time, which with my current schedule is very important.

Lessons learned with this project:
- when casting on go over 2 sets of needles - the ones you are using and another which is removed but makes for a bigger stitch to start
- small balls of yarn work well - use a half hitch to hold the ball so not too much is running around. Using this method, I could and did have 5 different yarns running around the bag. It also allowed me to let them untwist/tangle as needed.
- how to do a simple bind off
- how to do a 3 needle bind off -- the instructions, photos and video from knittinghelp.com were great! Having started with the enlarged stitches, it was easy to insert the needles into the starting stitches and do the bind off for the bottom.

Knitting will not take over my life, but I am a fiber geek and letting myself play with fiber makes me happy.

More Books I Like and Use

When I was at Makers Faire, Rachel Hobson, of Craftzine, told me about her favorite book: The Stitches of Creative Embroidery by Jacqueline Enthoven, ISBN 0-442-11087-1. After a quick look, I hauled out my Iphone and placed an online order for it (fortunately the Faire had open wifi for easy access). The book arrived a few days later and I've been enjoying the book ever since (just a bit late on blogging about it).

This is one of those books that if you could only take 1 book which one would you take -- this one! Jacqueline has over 200 stitch diagrams, but to me that is not what makes this book valuable. It has a bit about how to use the stitch and how it was used historically; including pictures not just diagrams. While she does look at stitches in families, she is one of the few that I think successfully makes the case of how each stitch relates and builds on the prior stitch. She also shows via diagrams how groups of the stitch might relate or how different sets of stitches might work. The only real draw back of this book is the lack of color in the pictures of the historical items, but with museums putting more of their stuff online, this is not a serious issue since she does site sources.

Catching Up Again

the last 4 weeks in short or why I was a ghost at A&S -- can be found on my LJ blog -
http://broider-barones.livejournal.com/

more soon

San Mateo Area Chapter - EGA at the Maker Faire, wins a Judges Choice Award and is featured on Craftzine

Here is the link to the article in Craft-zine last weekend

Here is our article for the San Mateo Area Chapter newsletter with link to pictures:

San Mateo Area Chapter EGA went to the Bay Area Maker Faire 2009 this past weekend - May 30-31, 2009. Our outreach education project was the 1000 Hands Quilt. Over the weekend we had approximately 100 people stop by the booth and stitch on the quilt blocks.

My co-booth coordinator, Julie McAuliffe and I developed the idea of the 1000 Hands Quilt as a way to reach out to the public and encourage participation. The idea of a cooperative stitching project is not new; think back to prior generations and the quilting bee. This take on the concept was to create 24 crazy quilt blocks and then encourage people to stop by the booth and decorate them. Many thanks to the members of the San Mateo Area Chapter - EGA, the staff of Always Quilting, and the patrons of Always Quilting who donated the majority of the materials -- fabric, lace and ribbon bits, buttons, bead soup, threads and more. Thanks too to the people who came to work at our booth -- Julie McAuliffe, Catherine McCausland, Judy O'Brien, Pat Funke, and Sue Hans.

Over the weekend about 100 people stopped by the booth for 5 - 30 minutes to add a bit to the blocks. Rarely were our stitching stations empty. We had children and adults of all ages and ethnicities. We had beginning stitchers to experienced needleworkers. After all anyone can stitch on a bead or button and for some this was their first time. Many were, also, excited about the concept of a cooperative needlework effort.

On Saturday Rachel Hobson, of Craft Magazine stopped by to stitch on the quilt. On Sunday she came by to give us an Editor's Choice Award.

Only 8 of the quilt blocks received some decoration. We have 16 more to go. We also have 400 more people to go. This project will be continued through out the next year and make appearances at meetings, the county faire, and other venues. We hope to have the quilt completed by the next Maker Faire in May 2010 so it can be displayed before being auctioned off.

Photos of the booth, some of the participants and the blocks as they are so far are available for viewing at my album.

Robin Berry, Co-Coordinator

SMAC-EGA goes to the Maker Faire and receives an Editor's Choice Award

San Mateo Area Chapter EGA went to the Bay Area Maker Faire 2009 this past weekend - May 30-31, 2009. Our outreach education project was the 1000 Hands Quilt. Over the weekend we had approximately 100 people stop by the booth and stitch on the quilt blocks.

My co-booth coordinator, Julie McAuliffe and I developed the idea of the 1000 Hands Quilt as a way to reach out to the public and encourage participation. The idea of a cooperative stitching project is not new; think back to prior generations and the quilting bee. This take on the concept was to create 24 crazy quilt blocks and then encourage people to stop by the booth and decorate them. Many thanks to the members of the San Mateo Area Chapter - EGA, the staff of Always Quilting, and the patrons of Always Quilting who donated the majority of the materials -- fabric, lace and ribbon bits, buttons, bead soup, threads and more. Thanks too to the people who came to work at our booth -- Julie McAuliffe, Catherine McCausland, Judy O'Brien, Pat Funke, and Sue Hans.

Over the weekend about 100 people stopped by the booth for 5 - 30 minutes to add a bit to the blocks. Rarely were our stitching stations empty. We had children and adults of all ages and ethnicities. We had beginning stitchers to experienced needleworkers. After all anyone can stitch on a bead or button and for some this was their first time. Many were, also, excited about the concept of a cooperative needlework effort.

On Saturday Rachel Hobson, of Craft Magazine stopped by to stitch on the quilt. On Sunday she came by to give us an Editor's Choice Award.

Only 8 of the quilt blocks received some decoration. We have 16 more to go. We also have 400 more people to go. This project will be continued through out the next year and make appearances at meetings, the county faire, and other venues. We hope to have the quilt completed by the next Maker Faire in May 2010 so it can be displayed before being auctioned off.

Photos of the booth, some of the participants and the blocks as they are so far are available for viewing at http://picasaweb.google.com/bayrose.robin/EGA_MakerFaire_2009?feat=directlink.

Makers Faire - The 1000 Hands Quilt

Tomorrow is the set up for the Makers Faire. If you are not familiar the Makers Faire (makerfaire.com)it is one of the largest - if not the largest DIY festival. They promote anything that people make. This year the theme is Remaking America -- as in reuse of stuff. It should be interesting.

The local EGA chapter is taking a booth. Another lady and I are the event coordinators = we work the whole time. Thursday is set up. Fri am and midday are bus loads of kids. Friday afternoon is a maker to maker time. Sat is 10-8 and Sun 10-6. Long days ahead.

We are doing a crazy quilt from scrapes and donated items. I cut the pieces for 24 blocks and the other lady is sewing them. We will put 4 at a time on stretcher bars and encourage people to stop and take a stitch or 2. We are calling the project, the 1000 hands quilt. Who knows. They expect 65,000-80,000 people through the doors. Yes I think it is VERY important that EGA have a booth there.

The other lady is one of the owners of the quilt shop where we meet. She has put together kumihimo foam "circles" with information about her shop and our guild. There was a lot of donated yarn from the boutique so we are expecting to hand out about a 1000 with simple 7 strand - over 2 braids.

It will be crazy. It will be fun. It will be tiring, but hey why not.

Goldwork - Plimoth Jacket and More

I have been meaning to post about last weekend's class for a week. Sometimes time runs too fast.

The class was a 2 day class with Tricia Wilson Nguyen , sponsored by the Bay Area Sampler Guild, held at Needle in a Haystack. In theory the class was about a 17th C sampler and we spent 2 days learning 17 different goldwork stitches. However, it was soooooo much more.

Tricia is a fabulous teacher. Her handouts are clear. Her demonstration of stitches clear. Her patience - let us say she has a lot of patience. I first took a class of hers at Sampler Gathering, many years ago. Her scientific background shows through in her interest in getting into the technical details of what makes something work; whether it is the needle, the thread, the path the thread takes, etc. Unfortunately, she only teaches a few times a year, something about family and regular working job. The good news is that she is looking to find new avenues of teaching -- books, web classes, etc.

The sampler , which I will never do, is based on an actual sampler in her possession. She has worked hard on determining how many of these esoteric stitches were done. In many cases the results of the historic stitches were similar, but different from piece to piece. There are multiple plaited braids and "simple" braids. Fun!!!!!

For class we were using a faux version of the #4 passing thread which Bill Barnes of Golden Threads makes for the Plimoth Project. Yes I was able to get a spool of the gilt with silk core as well and will hoard it for the right project. It was surprising to see how well the #4 actually "sews". Yes it breaks and has other issues, but it really makes a difference. We have #370/5 in our kits as well, but while they work, I find them too fine and lacking in metal. I tend to use the 2% gold "superfine" passing when I need to go small for the metal content. Metal makes a BIG difference - faux or otherwise.

As we stitched Tricia told us the history of the Plimoth jacket project and the decisions that were made as the jacket progressed. I better understand the compromises that were made, knowing the process that they went through. I may have made other choices, but I understand. I also really APPRECIATE the fact that we are getting some wonderful threads as a result of the project.

Tricia also brought 2 pieces of the project with her. We were offered the opportunity to sew on either a jacket part or the forehead cloth. We could also just be a spangler. I opted to just sew on a few spangles, but then I love spangles having now sewn on a couple hundred on my own projects. The jacket will reside in the Museum of Boston and a list of the workers, including the spanglers, will be included in the files of the Museum. It would be stretching it to say, my work will hang in a museum, but it will be the literal truth :). Yes I have pictures for a later post.

More soon including pictures of the class work.

PS you can purchase the threads through Tricia's website and support the project or through a couple of the stores around - Needle in a Haystack or Hedgehog Handworks.

Books I Like and Use

No list of books would be complete without Metal Thread Embroidery: Tools, Materials and Techniques by Jane Lemon. It comes in hardback and soft cover; published by Batsford. As some of you have guessed by now I love goldwork! It is all Linn Skinner's fault :)

While most of you know me as a historical embroiderer, I love experimenting with threads and in particular metal threads in modern and historical ways. I have taken classes from Linn, Michelle Roberts, and at the RSN when it was at Perry (now 2x a year 30 minutes away from me but I haven't had time - yet!). However, there is so much more to know and understand. Looking at something historical -- what am I really seeing? Looking at something I did, but I want more depth or detail? The book I go back to for basics, for inspiration, for understanding of the how/technique is Jane Lemon's. I learn more every time I pick up and look at this book.

Books I Like and Use

First apologies. I had planned to do a book a month and here it is nearly the end of 2 months since the last post.

When I need to look at a stitch or how a stitch is worked I tend to look in a particular book first -- Mrs. Archibald Christie's Samplers and Stitches. It has been republished many times and is easily available for less than $25. First published in 1920, it has over 240 diagrams and pictures of stitches. Each stitch has a how to diagram and many have a how to use diagram as well. For each stitch she discusses how it was used historically and if there are specific patterns that it works well with, those are mentioned and diagramed as well. It is my "go to" book for stitches.

The one problem I find with the book, is that the stitches are set out in families. If I don't know what family a stitch is in, then I hope that the Index will help me find the stitch. Mostly this works, but I have spent a bit of time searching. Still, when I found the stitch in another book, I still go back and look it up in Christie.

Time Sure Does Fly Fast

It seems that I have done nothing but run fast during the last month. First the EGA Board Meeting. Spun during the meeting since there was lots going on. You can find EGA now on LJ and soon on Facebook. We are looking at doing You Tube and Podcasts too -- we are entering the 21st C. Hurrah!!!!

Then 2010 meetings -- EGA's National Seminar is in San Francisco in 2010. The official seminar is Labor Day through Fri but we will have lots of things happening starting on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend - Sept 4/5 plus 6-10. Save your $$. The class list is -- well let us just say that there are so many wonderful classes that I am going to find a hard time choosing.

Then March Crown. Did manage to get my service project finished in time. I can't show pics because it is a secret until Beltane. Of course I used silk. Of course I used metal thread :)

Aside from the cold wind it was a nice event. The meeting went well. The class on Demystifying Needles and Threads went okay. At least everyone at some point had the clue light go on -- I'll take it. The Arachne's Web meeting was small but then lace is not everyone's thing. Needleworkers and Arachne's Web are cohosting the A&S pavilion at June Crown and I am taking point on this. I have 2 assistants too!

On the needlework front - finally figured out how to do the Swarovski Bead Ball fobs. The instructions I had received were not clear, but finally with some help from looking at a completed one and a online video - I made mine.


Off now to do taxes - blech! I do have a book sitting here for the "book review blog". Hope I can get to it later this week.

Running Fast Again

Here is the pic from the Art Guild newsletter. Guess I need to remake W's and my chains as they look a bit worn :)

Last weekend was all about metal. Went to W's Mom's in Paso Robles to teach at her Art Guild. She had seen some of my Viking Chain Weaving and had gotten all excited. Most of the ladies in the group are jewelers to some degree. We had 13 for the workshop. Some got it fast and some slower. We did a bracelet in single and some did a double. Those on the really fast track tried the wired bead. My MIL brought in her glass bead "rejects" for accent beads and wiring.

This week is all about fiber. Set up the EGA booth at Stitches West and worked the booth last night. Sigh - also shopped - all the fibers yummy!!!!!!! Will work the booth on Sunday too. Meanwhile wove a narrow (1") braid to hang my name tag for the EGA National Board meeting next weekend. My chapter did a program on Sashiko embroidery. There is preprinted Sashiko so picked some up on my way to the booth yesterday so I have something mindless to work on during the 4 days of meetings.

Meanwhile I want to try my hand at knitting a hat. I've done slippers, scarves, and in the round so... Can't wait to start. Need to finish my service needlework first :(

Medieval Garden

The Met has a blog about Medieval Gardens. Entries include information on plants, what they were used for or represented, the medieval calendar of planting, etc.

http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/

Many of the entries have pics of the plants displayed in Books of Hours, tapestries and embroideries, as well as the physical plants themselves. Plan to spend some time browsing.

Books I Like and Use - Introduction to a New Series of Columns

Some people, like SharonB, have great bounds of energy and post fabulous stuff. They also do great needlework. I am finding that with so much of my energy going to administration, I stitch a lot less. I still do crafts and some embroidery, but less. Hence I have less to blog about. I have decided that I can still offer items of interest to the needlework world by doing a series of columns on books. These will be interspersed with my more limited blogging about crafts, ega, etc.

I think one of the the key things any embroiderer, historic or otherwise focused, needs is a good library. It need not be deep, but it needs some key ingredients. This series will try to focus on books that I like and use. Hopefully this will spur some of you to increase your library and/or help you spend your money wisely.

I will try to comment on and provide the following:
-Full name and source information on book
-Summary of book content
-How and when I use the book
-What level of ability will get the most use out of the book

This in now way is designed to replace the West Kingdom Needleworkers Annotated Booklist which can be found here . The annotated list is over 200 books and is designed as a quick reference.

With that introduction, I would like to start with a book that is so useful to me as a historical embroiderer that it sits beside my desk.
A Pictorial History of Embroidery
Schuette, Marie and Müller-Christensen, Sigrid
Frederick A. Praeger, New York, 1964
Over the years it has been reprinted with several different titles and in several different languages. It is currently available for around $200 for the Thames Hudson/Art of Embroidery version. This is the lowest I have seen it in some time.

It is divided into 3 sections. The first is techniques and materials. The second is a history of European needlework from early middle ages through the early 20th C. The third section is a catalog with around 500 pictures, mostly black and white, and details about each piece. The descriptions are not exhaustive, but do provide lots of insight into the construction of each piece. It is one of those books that you read parts of again and again. The pictures reveal more and more with each viewing. The more I learn, the more I return to this book for further insight.

It is not a book for the beginning embroiderer nor for the someone who is not willing to do indepth research. This book is a beginning, a middle, but not the end for research into historical embroidery.

Museum Time

While I might want 25 hours in a day, I'm not sure I have the energy for such. We have been trying to get to all the museum happenings before they move on.

Asian Art - Treasures of Afghanistan -- one forgets just how much of a cross road it was during Greek and Roman times. The exhibit wasn't large, but it was exquisite. The glittery bits were fascinating. 4 groups were laid out in the way they were found in the tombs. As many of the smaller pieces were sewn onto the garb, this gave a sense of how the glitz was distributed over the clothing and person during life. The gold was very fine/thinly pounded out and made into fine beads. Hint: the "Tudor" rose is hundreds of years older than we think of it.

San Jose Tech Museum - DaVinci Exhibit
The first part was mechanisms from engineers that predated DaVinci or ones that he studied. Most had to do with lifting items or moving water. DaVinci's models were more studies of how things worked -- for example the use of ball bearing. The models were done in wood with appropriate metal bits and then in all metal. They were in no way to scale. Many Will recognized and could say "they use that on..." a cross bow for example. The last section was more about DaVinci and how he "saw" his world. Since we really forget that when we re-enact that we are doing it with modern perceptions, this was, for me, the best part.

Getty - Tres Riches Book of Hours
O-M-G --- repeat ad infinitum! Nothing we do today comes close! The key is knowing when to layer the pigments and metals as well as the shear volume of bits. We don't really understand their world and how to portray it. They, on the other hand, were incredible innovators. Came out with brain full and eyes fuzzy. Got the DVD, but the magnification is not what I would have liked (sigh).