Hand Embroidery Design Framed Up
Hand Embroidery Design Framed Up
Hand Embroidery Design Framed Up:
Yesterday, I showed you the framing of my next hand embroidery project. It is the Ecclesiastical Embroidery design for the Pulpit fall for the new Easter Set. The Ecclesiastical Embroidery design features a cross in the center of a circle. The bars on the cross have detailed floral motifs. At the center of the cross is a Chi-Rho with an Alpha and Omega on either side in a modified quatrefoil design. There are some lovely lilies in the corners between the bars of the cross.
Adaptations in Ecclesiastical Embroidery
This is a design that came from an old embroidery book that is no longer in print. A few things have been changed from the original design. For instance, the original design had a detailed floral and scroll border with German words around the edge of the circle. That needed to be simplified. The floral designs, although drawn right now in the center of each crossbar, maybe next to disappear. Why one might ask? This piece, when finished will be placed on a lovely and expensive Ecclesiastical fabric in a brocade.
All of the floral details in the cross bars, while very lovely, would have a lot of open space surrounding them. That space needs to either be filled with background stitches or converted to something else. Leaving the space open with the linen showing is not an option. And, I’m not sure I have the skill (and time) yet to manage all of that background between the flowers and swirls.
So if the flowers go – what next? Well, this set is part of the Easter Ecclesiastical Vestment and Frontal set. This set will be used during one of the highest festival seasons of the church year. So, what could be more appropriate than the use of goldwork embroidery threads for high festival church holidays? The thought struck me that gold threads worked on the cross bars could be quite stunning. Now, do I mix gold threads, do a basket-weave effect, or what? I am open to suggestions and could use help and advice on this. Guess it is time to pull out the gold workbooks and look at techniques.
It’s also a good thing that there is some extra space in the corners of the frame. I think I will try out a few things to see how they look. It will be helpful to check color options, too.
It is nice to have this hand Embroidery Design Framed Up, except for basting threads to keep layers together and a protective cover. Maybe that can be done this evening. Better get started.
Thank you for reading and following along.
Solo Dei Gloria
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Aragon Liturgical Tapestry Fabric in Red Lurex
Framing Steps Part 2 Advent
Framing Steps
New Embroidery Frames Mean New Projects
Technical Difficulties and Framing Dilemmas
A Simple Design Framed Up
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On Background – I know you already have the linen marked, but one way to deal with the background dilemma would be to do the embroidery on silk or velvet ground, in a color that either closely matches or strongly contrasts with your brocade. I’m assuming the brocade is either white or gold – Blue would be a lovely background, as would rose.
I love the chi rho and alpha-omega set in the quatrefoil. That motif would be nice embroidered on the ends of a stole.
I assume you will eventually appliqué this piece onto the brocade for the pulpit fall. I hope you will have time to write here about that process. I’ve never seen it done, and I am anxious to learn how to do it.
Hi Cynthia,
Yes, on the background, I thought about using a silk or brocade on the linen, like Mary Corbet did on her Mission Rose piece. I have a lovely piece of Winchester Brocade in ivory which would be different from the actual brocade that will be used as the base fabric for the frontal and pulpit fall. I may still redo this and use that brocade. I also have a soft cream dupioni which would be lovely. I am almost tempted to frame up a second version and see which I like better. It would be fun to see one stitched with the flowers and one without.
I really like the Chi Rho as well. It is a wonderful design which would be great on a stole. I do have one other design that I may end up using on the stole ends though. It came from a Monastery that I volunteer at. It features a cross, some scroll work, and the four Evangelists. It is really a special design. I hope to share that soon.
Yes, when this piece is finished, it will be appliqued on to the brocade, and I will be sure to post on that process.
Thanks so much for following along.