Category Archives: Accessories

Veil Pins

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I admit it, I’m a bit of a magpie. I love pretty, shiny things. Jewelry, goldwork embroidery, silk, you name it. Some of my favorite gifts and largesse have been veil pins, which feel my shiny addiction nicely.

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A local bead store was going out of business recently, and had a ton of items on super-discount, including some 3″ long stick pins, and some of the ladies in my local clothier’s guild bought a bunch of them to make veil pins for largesse.

I picked up a bunch too, but decided to cut them down a bit, as I feel 3″ is too long. The brass and black pins above are about that long and they stick out too far past the curve of my head when I wear them (I keep meaning to cut them down but I haven’t yet). After an afternoon of picking through my bead collection (Poppet “helped” too) and supergluing my fingers to each other, this was the result:

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Nine sets of veil pins (the first pair were gifts from the clothier’s guild), in various colors and shapes. I like my pins to be in sets of three, so I can pin on top of my head, as well as at either temple. Unfortunately, the bead store is closed now, which is a shame, since all I want to do is MAKE MORE! Luckily, I’ve sourced some more stickpins from Fire Mountain Gems at about $0.17 a pop, so I can indulge my new-found addiction. And make largesse. Sure. Largesse.

Dolly.

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I finally made a dress for Bebe’s (as yet unnamed) doll. I had a scrap of linen that had a border embroidery pattern and it suited this perfectly. I hand stitched the hems and did a buttonhole stitched key-hole neckline. I didn’t want to mess around with a facing that small.

Dress for Bebe's doll.

I ended up taking the dress in a bit at the waist (she was swimming in it), and I made a braided belt to go with it. I also added more strands or yarn at the hairline, and stitched down the hair along the scalp a little bit, so it lays better for the braids. She’s totally adorable now.

And the dress on the (as yet unnamed) doll. I ended up taking in the sides so she wouldn't be swimming in it.

Scattered Embroidery News

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I finished my smocked apron! It’s fantastically beautiful, and I love it. It’s really a perfect low-effort, high-impact object. It’s made of weaver’s cloth and DMC floss, so I’m not overly precious about getting it messy. It only took a yard, so the materials aren’t expensive. I made it in less than a week, working on it in the evenings, so the time investment isn’t very large either. And the smocking was totally easy. I’m seriously considering making some more to give out as largesse.

Finished smocked apron.

I went to the Austin Stitchery Guild’s event, Stitchin’ Happy, with a friend. I got this adorably macabre needle keeper there. I totally want to make my own now; it’s terribly useful.

Picked up a needle keeper at a needlework show on Sunday.

And I started work on a new pretty project. It’s the latest in my attempt to give all the Queens of Ansteorra a pretty cup-cover.

New portable embroidery project.

 

In which, the unexpected happens.

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So, Candlemas happened. Those pretty patterned socks I was knitting? I entered them in our local Baronial Arts and Sciences Champion on Saturday. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the SCA, it’s similar to a county fair crafts competition. Sort of. There are judges who have a rubric for “grading” your project. Each project was judged by two judges (well, mine was judged by three; one alone and two in tandem) and given a score from 1-50.

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I tried not to eavesdrop, but they were there forever! I was trying to get a shot of my display.

Candlemas 2013

Oh, there. That’s better. And below, some of my samples. I thought it would be beneficial to share my swatches and my mistakes, as well as the second stocking in progress.

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So, after the judging happens, all the points are tallied, and averaged, and the winner is the one with the most points.

Candlemas 2013

Which, incidentally, was me.  Here I am, with my Award scroll (which is beautiful, and I’ll post pictures later), and my gift basket (full of period games), and Poppet is holding my lantern (is was Candlemas, after all). The medallion is my signifier of Championship, and the unbelievably huge grin on my face is the result of utter shock. (Picture by Amata)

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Eagle Pouch: Completed

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I know, I know. I promised a run-down of the fox embroidery. But i realized that I have two projects that need to be wrapped up first. The biggest one is the Double-Headed Eagle pouch. This was embroidered as a Christmas present for a friend (and only finished 7 months late). It’s worked in long-and-short stitch, in black DMC cotton floss (three strands at a time), on linen, and outlined in couched DMC silver thread. The eyes are silver beads.

Double Eagle Pouch

Double Eagle Pouch

The loop and drawstring are fingerloop braids (round braid of five loops, I think) done in black and grey pearl cotton. The drawstring goes through seven hand-sewn eyelets on each side, and is separate from the belt loop so you don’t have to fuss with the hanging strap to get into the pouch (I hate that).

Double Eagle Pouch

Double Eagle Pouch

Double Eagle Pouch

The pouch is lined in natural linen for a finished look, and so nothing in there snags on the embroidery back. The sides of the pouch are finished in a looping braid-like finish that I learned from the fantastic Racaire. I’m really proud of how this project turned out. And I can’t wait to see the look on Marc’s face when I give it to him.

Double Eagle Pouch