Early and Late period Cup covers

So, I’ve been a little silent lately. It wasn’t on purpose, I’ve just been working on a lot of stuff lately, and it’s sometimes hard for me to balance the things I like to do (this blog) and the things I’ve committed to doing (the things I’m going to be posting about this week). It’s not you, it’s me. Or rather, my non-existant time-management skills.

We had a big to-do this weekend. It was an SCA event called Queen’s champion. The rapier fighters (guys who fight with light metal swords, all Princess Bride style, instead of big rattan swords, in roughly the style of Braveheart) get together and compete to be the one who fights for the Queen’s honor during her reign. There’s a King’s champion, too, but they’re the rattan fighters, and don’t feature in this story. Usually, all that happens at a QC event is the fighting, but this time, they held an Arts and Sciences competition as well. The items that were put in would then be donated to the basket of gifts that the Royals hand out as largess during their reign.

I made two embroidered cup covers. Although they’re not strictly period, they’re a nice visual touch that can conceal a soda can, and keep bugs and leaves out of one’s drink. I made one early period, based on Anglo-Saxon brooches.

Anglo-Saxon Cup cover Anglo-Saxon Cup cover Anglo-Saxon Cup cover Anglo-Saxon Cup cover

The other one is a later period design, with an Tudor Rose and an Ansteorran star, and the shading created by the use of blackwork fill patterns. I think they came out nicely. I’ve got one more cup cover, a ton of calligraphy, and pictures of the actual event coming up this week. And then, hopefully, we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled blogging. Blackwork Rose and Star cup cover
Blackwork Rose and Star cup cover Blackwork Rose and Star cup cover Blackwork Rose and Star cup cover

Finally!

I finished the embroidery on Edmund’s Anglo Saxon Tunic. Finally. I’m very pleased with how well it turned out.

Finished Tunic

Doesn’t that look nice? There are some parts where the blue line is a little lost in the sea of fill stitching, but I think it’s okay on the whole.

Tunic Keyhole

I finished the neck embroidery and decided that something was missing. So I did some quick decorative stitches around the cuffs too. The blue is stem stitch, the ecru is a chain stitch (with 3 strands instead of 6), and the yellow and red is a tied herringbone stitch. Not sure if it’s period, but it’s pretty.

Tunic Cuff

Don’t worry, this will be the last post that this tunic gets. Until I manage to get a picture of Edmund in it, of course. And lest you all think that I’m shirking my embroidering now, I’ve got another project in the works already: a “butt-flag” favor with Afonlyn Shire’s device.

Afonlyn Favor

Anglo-Saxon Tunic

A while ago, I made an Anglo-Saxon-ish tunic for Nick.  It’s a relatively easy thing to make, and an easy thing to throw on for a last minute event. The problem I have with most T-tunics is that they look plain and hastily thrown together.  So, in an attempt to avoid that, I decided to embroider the neckline of his shirt.I picked a design that I’ve seen on all sorts of Anglo-Saxon brooches.

Embroidered Collar

Since I decided to do the embroidery after I’d sewn the tunic together (after the facing, even!) it’s been a bit of rough going in spots. The embroidery is pretty stiff and holds the slit in the neck up pretty well. Before, it had a tendency to widen a lot.

Embroidered Collar, Close Up

Sorry for the washed-out photos; I took them on my phone.  They show the general shape of the embroidery and the curve of the stitched pretty well, though. I’m a bit further on with the yellow than these pictures show. The whole front slit is embroidered and I’m one or two sections around. I’m hoping to get it finished fairly soon; I have other things what need working on.