Metallic thread stem stitch complete . . .

Stem stitch in metallic thread - now complete - fairly temperamental and challenging, BUT liking the result!

18th Century waistcoat continued . . .

metallic thread stem stitch

silk shading and with metallic thread!

Hello!  I am back, with more development on my 6-day workshop for Williamsburg, Virginia.  After a lot of trial and tribulation on colour, I think I am happy with the results so far.

Lots more to do . . .

18th century waistcoat design and planning . . .

the design

the colours - possibly!

Here is the design, on a damask woven furniture fabric.  I want to create sumptuous, luxurious, richness - or that is my aim, anyway!  

Techniques to be explored are silk shading, gold work couching, surface stitching, button making, etc . . .

Logo - final . . .

Final result

Another viewing point!

And this is it - complete!

Very soon, I will be blogging about my teaching for Williamsburg, which I am teaching on behalf of the Royal School of Needlework this May . . .

Logo - part four . . .

Starting the Pearl purl from the centre bottom

Encase the thread around the Pearl purl, and make sure it clicks in between the beads on the Pearl purl

Circle complete - meeting both ends - head on

Pearl purl thread is used mainly for outlining and the finishing of gold work.  Outlining is normally applied after most parts of the design have been worked, but in the case of the centre, where I will be filling it with chip work, the outline is applied first, and then the centre can be filled.

I used No.1 Gilt Pearl purl, and started the circle from the bottom middle - a good tip if ever working lettering.  However, this logo of mine, is symmetrical, and therefore does not have a top or bottom as such.

crewel work continues . . .

fishbone and stem stitch

so far . . .

more detail

As I continued to work this symmetrical design - I disciplined myself to work both sides in unison as I did not want the right to be too different from the left - or vice versa. 

symmetrical design . . .

progress so far

My working frame showing the symmetrical design, trying to balance every stitch on both the left and right hand sides.  It is really easy to have seeding on one side worked closer together or bigger than the other.  Difficult . . .

© 2012 Nicola Jarvis Studio

A section of Nicola's design from which I am working from and The Unbroken Thread blog ~ see Kathy's progress too . . .