argentlion

To those who have supported me already in this endeavor, you have my eternal gratitude. All of the funds collected are going directly to the completion and display of the finished jacket.

*Please note that this is a private fundraiser. The funds are not going through any SCA group account, no SCA exchequers are involved, and I appreciate everyone's trust in me.

Thank You for Your Donation

A Paradise in Silk and Gold

Fully chronicled on their Embroiderer’s Story blog: http://www.plimoth.org/embroidery-blog
the Colonial Wardrobe Department of Plimoth Plantation, with the help of many volunteers, is re-creating a 17^th century embroidered Stuart ladies jacket. Based on two jackets in the Victoria and Albert Museum, the project has encompassed the creation of the floral embroidery pattern repeat, detailed directions for stitching each motif, recreation of gold and silk threads not made in 400 years, hand-made bobbin lace used as trimming, reviving of old techniques for making gold plated tear-drop spangles, and a custom woven blue silk for the lining.

Your donation will help fund the last stretch of the project.

We had a blast at these four days of embroidery. I started off with the Soie Perle in working the wings on a butterfly on the Left Front Side. Then I moved onto the Borage that needed to be done, and filled in the empty borage petal that was left undone. I spent the rest of the session working in the ceylon stitch on little green bits on the borages and half a pansy, as well as worms both plain and fancy.

The borage that I've done all the work on so far. I decided to leave the trellis stitch in the middle for someone a little more practiced, and spend my time on the ceylon that I do reasonably well.

The back of some embroidery shows how the stitches maximize the more valuable silk and glitter thread on the front and waste little on the back. Since the jacket will be fully lined the back won't be seen when assembled, but the ends need to be secure so they don't work their way out.

My fancy worm that I simply can't get enough of. But then, I've always been a sucker for redheads.

And finally the first fully completed piece of the jacket, the collar. Wendy says this means that 4% of the jacket is entirely complete. baby-steps.

I like seeing the back of the jacket during the different sessions to really be able to track the progress. On that first session I was really beginning to think they were nuts. But now, a year and some change later there is less and less silk embroidery left to be done on the jacket. I know I almost finished out the Gilt Sylke Twist work on the left side, with only a few trefoils and butterfly wings left to do, other than the detached pieces. Soon it will be turned over to the pros for the coiling plaited braid stitch, and we'll be attaching spangles/oes in no time.

Jacket pictorial progress

June '07	October '07	January '08
May '08	September '08