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 . . .

18th Century waistcoat - sampling . . .

couching and stem stitch . . .

using metallic thread

In May 2014 - I will be teaching for the Royal School of Needlework in Williamsburg, Virginia.  I will be teaching three workshops, and this one is the longest - 6 days of teaching and creativity!  This will be a waistcoat front, inspired by 18th Century design, and so far - I am just sampling to see what works.

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 six . . .

Pearl purl outline . . .

. . . all around the edge

The Pearl purl, is used to edge the final piece, which is couched into place and cut to fit the shape.  Nearly finished . . .

Logo - part five . . .

Bright check purl chip work

Centre complete!

The centre of this logo is worked with Gilt Bright check purl chip work, where the purl thread is cut into tiny little pieces and individually threaded on like a bead, and sewn on to the centre surface.  All the pieces are so small and compacted together, that it gives a very shiny sparkly appearance.

I worked this technique into the evening when the light was starting to fade, hence the mood of these images . . .   

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.

Logo - part three . . .

soft string padding complete ready for the gold cut work

gold cut work - gilt smooth purl; gilt bright check purl, at an angle
worked with a No.10 crewel embroidery needle

gold cut work from the top!

So, here you can see how I do the cut work.  I don't start right at the end, but a little way in, or the centre to get a good angle on the cut work.  These gold or gilt purls are spirals of wire, which bend, and enable the needle and thread to pass through the middle.  I can work this technique quite quickly now with the years of experience I have behind me, although it can be a tricky technique, because these purl threads can fracture and damage easily.

The actual size of this silk and gold cross is about 1½ inches wide, so the images are quite magnified!