Rocking the Box

Today was one of those days where if it wasn't creative in some way, it wasn't happening.  I put together the bulk of a new dress I am working on for an event coming up.  Then I turned my attention to a box I purchased back in late November.  I had purchased it with the intention of painting it for my needlepoint sundries.

I had been lacking proper inspiration of a 12th century style to begin, much less complete, this box.  But today I finally painted the top. Not too shabby. Eventually I will gold leaf around the characters.

But, I need to work out what I will do with the rest.





If anyone is curious about the depictions, since these things most always tell a story, this is the wooing of Ali by Turstin.  Turstin's shield bears the mark of the Company of the Mountain.  So he comes from the cold lands of the north, thick with ice and snow.  It is why he dresses so warmly.  He has come to Ali's home, where there are always flowers.  But she finds his gift of a single gilly flower sweet and is willing to accept it from him.

Trapunto, Take Two

Gospel of Henry the Lion

It's been a rough kind of work day.  The kind of day where once I am home, I need to forget about the real world and indulge my habits of sewing, research, and helping others along that path.

 

Yes. I intend to add more educational things and not just show off what I have been working on.  I still intend to do that too.  After several years of researching and watching what others were doing I feel more confident now sharing what I do.  We all get there in our own time.

 

Alors, onto the project of the week, or rather a few weeks ago.

If you remember this project, I have a variation of the kind.  This is a linen under dress with a trapunto neck and embroidered cuffs.  The sleeves were made extra long to give them a gathered effect at the wrists.  Historically the under dress, or shifts, or chemise was linen and white color.  We know from various bits of illuminations, such as above, and references in literature.  Marie de France is one example of a 12th century author whose vivid descriptions of linen depicted it as "snowy" or "white as a meadow flower."  I am going the color route, just to keep things interesting for me.

I based the whole of the dress on a piece of statuary from the Chartes.  You can see the curve of the neck, a single button at the top,

 and then the structure of the cuff, more of a decorated band.



There's Some Changes Going on Here!

Unknown Artist. The Most Holy Mother of God.
Duomo di Cefalù, Sicily mid-12th century

Well, some of you regular visitors to the blog may notice a more fluid and organized format change.  Up until now I was doing all my blog by an app on my cell phone.  I was without a working laptop, but my darling husband has told me to use his until my own technological impairment is fixed.

So tonight I went through and fixed the layouts, removing some images just for the flow, and reworking some of the text.  I am quite pleased with the outcome and plan on making the most of this lovely tool in loan to me by my beloved.

I have a new dress that I am working on that I plan on sharing along with the image that provided the most inspiration.  And the other under garment stuff will be showing up soon.  I still have to conquer that and rewrite my research regarding undergarments since it has been lost to the data demon of the great laptop crash of 2013.