When we started planning the upcoming embroidery issue of the AntiCraft, I took advantage of my ties to the Society for Creative Anachronism, and signed up for the West Kingdom Needleworkers Guild email list. Through the Needleworkers Guild I met Chris Laning (aka Dame Christian de Holacombe), with whom I am collaborating on a project for your enjoyment. We hope you'll like it!

The other day, a link came through the email list from Maitress Yvianne de Castel d'Avignon, of the kingdom of Aethelmearc (West Virginia and western Pensylvania and New York), sharing a project that that she had recently completed in the "or nue" technique. It's simply amazing:



(It can be dificult to capture the depth of metallic gold in a photograph. One of the progress pictures on Yvianne's web page shows it really well.)

Or nue is done by laying gold thread on the surface of the fabric, then stitching over it with various colors of thread to add color and shading to the image. It's a very time consuming method, but I think the results are well worth the time!

You see, embroidery can be so much more than flowers and bluebirds outlined on the hem of your grandmother's pillowcases. It can be deep and rich, as well. Couldn't you use a little richness stitched into your life?

-Carin-

(I know, two posts in as many days. Who'da thunk it?)

Labels: carin, embroidery, lughnasadh09