Monday 23 June 2008

Coronation is Coming!

Greetings,

Coronation is coming and I am eager to see everyone's projects. I hope many of you will be taking part in the A&S display and competition and will be around for the meeting of the Dragon's Embroiderer's Guild meeting being held at 2pm on Saturday.

For myself, this weekend I managed to finish off the Painted banners that will decorate the Feast Hall on Saturday. They depict the larger groups of Drachenwald - Insulae Draconis, Nordmark, Styringheim, Aarnimetsa and Knights Crossing. These banners were achieved using the collective skill of the fine members of Thamesreach whose virtuosity with the paint brush will be unveiled at Coronation!

Looking forward to seeing many of you there.

Yours in Service,
Melisende

Sunday 8 June 2008

Jahanara's Challenge Item

I am of course accepting this challenge. To complete the challenge, I will be creating a second set of Viceregal Cloaks. These cloaks will be made in wool and lined in Linen. These will provide a warm option when the current cloaks are a bit too thin. The current cloaks are very pretty, but many Viceregals have found that they do not provide enough insulation on some of our more chilly ID nights.

I hope everyone in the group will take up this, our first challenge, and make something to show their fidelity to our celestial Crown Principality.

Yours in Service,
Jahanara

Cloak progress

Greetings unto the list. I do not believe I have posted here before, so here's a short introduction (although many of you know me). I am Baroness Siubhan inghean Fhearghuis. I reside in the shire of Flintheath where my fibre interests include tablet and rigid heddle weaving, and more recently embroidery. I do tend to dabble in other things like spinning, dyeing and kumihimo but there is just not enough time in a day to do all that I'd like.

One of my current projects is to add embroidery to a cloak for my husband.
Here is where it currently stands. I had projected the design onto the cloak with Jahanarabanu's assistance. The chalk I traced the design with wasn't going to last long on the wool, so I did a quick running stitch in cheap sewing thread to make the design more permanent. You can see that in the picture as the red stitching. The yellow outlining is done in 2/12 silk using a chain stitch. The original plan was to fill the design with red 2/12 silk but we are back to debating whether or not to fill the design.




Here is Lutr wearing the cloak to show where the design crosses to the front of the cloak for the two serpent/dragon heads. I plan to do the eyes in blue silk to make them stand out a bit.
The heads look a bit crooked here, but that is just because the cloak was put on slightly crooked.

Overall I'm very happy with how it is turning out. I don't think I'd use this silk again for this size or kind of project. I wanted to use silk to get that nice sheen that silk has, but just from carrying this around and him wearing it a few times, the silk has gotten quite fuzzy. It will look fine when finished, but won't have the look I was going for.

Thursday 5 June 2008

Greetings Fellow artisans!

It is my pleasure in the capacity of Person-in-charge of the ID Fibre Arts interest group, to issue a challenge under the auspices of the ID MoAS Jahanarabanu who has identified an extreme need within our glorious Crown Principality:

REGALIA

I am sure that we do not wish to seem like poor relations when compared to our Cousins of Nordmark, or Aarnimetsa or any of the other fine Baronies and Shires that make up the Kingdom of Drachenwald. If we are agreed on the point that we wish to deck our Viceregal Couple in glory, then this is a challenge to all Fibre artisans, sewing circles and A&S communities within the borders of Insulae Draconis.

Make spiffy stuff for court! Think on the works achieved by past Royal Embroiderers and seamstresses, tailors and weavers, spinners and dyers and how they wrought wonders that we gasp at today. If you see something that you think is missing, then talk to your fibre-fellows and let us know the worthy projects that you have decided to embark upon.

Already identified requirements:
- Large ID banners to suspend behind the Viceregal thrones
- A fighting tunic for the Viceroy (simple and durable as it will get bashed around alot!)

Remember, 15-year Coronation is coming up and it is taking place in our fair lands. For many guests this will be the first time they will be visiting our CP and I think we can all agree that we wish to make a good impression.

If you don't fancy regalia then make tokens for handing out to deserving people, or prizes for A&S projects. If this does not appeal, then make something ID-related for your own personal use, that shows your loyalty and pride in your CP. The possibilities are endless and the projects do not have to be of incredible complexity, nor do you have to be Laurel-level to make something of value. Do not forget, not only are you performing a service, but this is also a chance for other people to see the good work that you do and an opportunity for you to learn from and by inspired by others. Please also check the A&S class list for Coronation on the website.

Let our Viceroy & Vicereine go forth knowing that their subjects feel pride in them and that the artisans of ID are skilled and many!

Yours in Service,

Melisende Fitzwalter