A stinky day

But worth it.

 

 

A few more to add to the sale.  Probably more coming.

 

 

 

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As primitive as it gets

 

That's what I think this pouch is, stitched from Notforgotten Farm's Pennsylvania Pillowe design.  It is stained, the linen threads broken from sanding, errors in stitching.  Fully lined and beat up.  This will be one of the items for sale soon.

  

My Simple Life magazine came and there is an article entitled "Keepers of the Flame", about antique wallets worked in the flamestitch as many of Ann's were.  One line brought a chuckle - "The purse of 'IP' was worked in 1773 by a not-too-skilled needlewoman who dealt with her mistakes by ignoring them"! 

 

By the time I got the camera, most of the flock was gone.  There was a little scuffle between the doe and hens, but everyone was able to have a snack.  See how tiny the chick is, to the left of its mom?

 

I have been trying to down the gallon of water daily before my next test (which was supposed to be this week) but I am having so much trouble.  I can't have iced tea, nothing with caffeine, so I am adding MiO flavors (love those little squirters) but still not drinking enough.  Slices of fruit in the water does nothing for me.  I'll keep trying though.

 

Good grief it's Friday and we're getting into the middle of August.  Since the start, evenings have been really chilly, not summer like at all.  Days have been below normal too.  So disappointed in the summer of 2017 which started with the furnace still running in JUNE!!  Damn.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Rant-o-rama

Greetings folks.  Hope you enjoyed seeing Ann's work.  She has quite a collection of wallets, fifteen that I have shared.

 

Our weekend went well, Mark won a 40" SmartTV at the golf outing.  Since we need to replace Carole's old 36", this was great.  Except, she wants a 50", even though this is still larger than she had.  Does this frost my crabass?  You betcha.  I just bought her great grandkids new outfits and shoes for school, (love my Kohl's discounts!) and asked her to have the little guy try on the three pair I brought home for size.  Two fit.  She let them take the shoes home, and two days later he is playing outside in the woods with the new school shoes on.  I told her NOT to give them to him now because I know how irresponsible that family is, but she did anyway and let him keep two of the pairs instead of one.  When I had to give her my much loved car with the understanding she would take care of it, and then see it filthy, parked in the sun with her oak trees' catkins covering it instead of the garage, I could spontaneously combust. You know, I hate to get upset with her because I keep thinking she may be gone one day, but I am so fricking tired of grinding my teeth down to stubs.  So I scream at Mark and he answers with "you know what she is like".  So what are we doing?  Exchanging the 40" to get her the 50", according to my husband.  I am so tired of my family relying on me for everything.  How do you stop a situation that has been ongoing for many years, and how do you disappoint one brother, one sister, one nephew, when they are all you have?  How do you not feel you are failing your parents who helped her before they passed and asked you to continue?  How do you accept the way your gifts are accepted and abused, expected instead of appreciated?  Here's how.  Grow up!  If you can help someone, do it.  Do not expect them to take care of what you buy, it is a gift, and it will be ruined shortly.  It's now theirs, not yours.  If you want to help someone, do it. If you feel obligated instead of generous, get over it.  Help is help.  Do not expect them to be grateful, just feel good that you were able to make someone happy whether they deserve it or not.  If this is continually happening, and you get phone calls all the time asking to look up information online, run an errand, fill out a form, download a manual, fix something, pay for repairs, get groceries, pick up meds, just take a deep breath.  Take comfort in the fact that you are 13 years younger, much smarter, thinner, and cuter than they are.  And buy a good dental plan.

 

So now that that is off my non-existent chest, here's what I made today. 

 

 

 

Cupcakes for the Italian Home's golf league for husband and nephew birthdays.  Last night I cooked a monster cabbage to make halupki and it was in the basement fridge with the cupcake boxes, leaves laid over bowls and mugs so they don't tear.  When I opened the fridge, the smell was powerful but the boxes were only in there for an hour so they should be fine. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's all this crabass has to report today.

I'm going to be selling a few older stitcheries and am getting them ready. 

Nothing else involves a needle.

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Wallets part 2

#4  Amy Mitten adapted her Ann Wade 1772 sampler into a Needleworker's Pocketbook.
Amy's website is https://www.amymitten.com/
Ann Wade's tutorial is https://www.amymitten.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=25_73

This was on online class using 32 count Lambswool linen, Fibers to Dye For silk thread, silk ribbon and silk lining.  Stitches include buttonhole, eyelet, cross, tent and more.

 

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#5  Mary Wright Alsop 1740-1829 is part of the extensive collections of Winterthur Museum and Gardens. All Queen Stitches, worked using 21 hues of silk thread on 32 count linen, glazed dusty rose colored inner cotton lining and silk ribbon

Kit is available from The Examplarery, Joanne Harvey

I think the queen (Rococo) stitch is a time consuming, detail oriented stitch.  It takes longer for me to do a single queen stitch than cross or tent stitches and some may find it hard to get into a rhythm, however, I love this stitch and the look of a wallet comprised entirely of queen.  Here is a look a the construction of a queen stitch - http://www.embroiderersguildvictoria.ca/education/stitch-of-the-month-2/april-2015-queen-stitch/

You can watch an interesting video entitiled "Who's your Daddy?" that features the works of Mary Alsop, toward the end.  The long purses or reticules look stitched, but they are actually knitted with the finest of needles.  Amazing work, one of the beautiful items was worked at age 74.  http://www.winterthur.org/Whos-Your-Daddy

 

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#6  Flame Stitched Man's Wallet, Circa 1770.  This wallet appeared on a 2015 PBS Antiques Roadshow and I adapted and stitched this piece on 36 ct linen using Textile Reproduction (https://www.textilereproductions.com/) vegetable dyed wool thread and linen lining.  Both Bargello and tent stitches were used.

 

 

 

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#7  This is a wallet In Progress.  I'm adapting from the Winterthur Collection using 35 count Wichelt Antique Lambswool and Textile Reproduction vegetable dyed thread.  The entire wallet will be a repetition of 4 rows of green threads and 8 rows of red in various shades.  Finishing is yet to be determined.

Included is a picture of the actual Winterthur wallet.

 

 

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And of course, there is .... the ponies.

 

That's all folks! 

Hope you enjoyed seeing these reproduction needleworks.  

 

Thank you Ann for sharing your work and passion!

 

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Wallets

A note from Ann - A few of my wallets were stitched without a pattern, that I adapted from photos and information.  I use them for my personal use only and don't sell, profit or share any of my drawings.  I just want to be sure all understand that some are my interpretation and reproduction of originals I have seen photos of, and I do them just for the joy of stitching them.

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#1  ​This is my adaptation of a 1730-1780 Winterthur Pocketbook​ bequest of Henry Francis duPont.  I used the pictures/information they show online in their Collections section and transferred it to 28 ct linen.  I hand stitched the entire wallet with tent stitch using Textile Reproductions vegetable dyed wool thread, vegetable dyed linen lining and tape binding.

Tent stitch is a small diagonal stitch that crosses over the intersection of one horizontal (weft) and one vertical (warp) thread of linen or canvas forming a slanted stitch at a 45 degree angle.  This is a look at examples of the tent stitch  ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tent_stitch

​

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#2  This is an unfinished Bargello/flamestitch fragment that I adapted using my stash for completion so the colors aren't too exact.  Wool threads, mostly Paternayan, on 28 ct linen, with a leftover piece of vegetable dyed linen for the lining and a reproduction clasp for closure was used.  A picture of the original piece (Unfinished fragment) is shown below.

 

 

Bargello is a form of needlework utilizing vertical (straight up and down) stitches that move in a series of "steps" up, across and down the fabric to create a repetitive geometric design.  My favorite choice is 4 threads (steps) up and 2 thread (steps) down, repeated (Flamestitch).   If an alteration is made in the stitch length, step length, or number of stitches taken, the design will be altered, creating patterns such as peaks valleys, curves, diamonds, flames, bars, stripes, or latticework.  Tapestry needles are used for Bargello embroidery due to their blunt end and large eye.  The size of the needle will depend on the choice of fabric and thread used.  For cotton or silk threads a #22 or #24 will work if using 2 to 5 strands;, however, a #20-#22 would be better for wool thread since the larger eye will allow the wool to pass through easily.  For Bargello reference, visit Nuts About Needlepoint, Janet Perry.  http://nuts-about-needlepoint.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

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#3  This design, 1810-1820 Florentine Wallet is a reproduction of a pocketbook in the Old Salem Collection of  Old Salem Museums & Gardens.  It is by Cissy Bailey Smith, Gentle Pursuit Designs and is available at  

https://www.gentlepursuitdesigns.com/store

 

 

I completed this Flamestitch wallet on 32 count linen using Needlepoint silk, silk lining, and pewter clasp  and made a small change to the front closure. 

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One more post with more wallets next.

 

 

 

Wallet basics 101

I asked Ann to give us a little insight into the construction of her wallets.

Three layers (stitched piece, stiffening, and lining) appear to have twill tape folded over the edges and hand stitched.  Not all wallets have a divider, some are just one pocket.  Folding the bottom up and closing the sides to form the pocket, folding the top down and attaching a clasp or tie, seems like it is doable.  Sure it is.  Ann not only is an expert at this finishing, she uses appropriate material to create a period reproduction correct in every way.  I may try a very small pocket constructed more like I would for a lined needleroll, certainly nothing close to this caliber.  Sort of a cross between a primitive short needleroll and a wallet.  A needlet.  I'll put that on my list.  Wherever the hell it is.

 

From Ann ...

All of my wallets are hand stitched, both the actual design and the finishing.  Although I have used canvas and soft congress cloth a few times, I prefer Wichelt linen because it is a stiffer linen and, for me, easier to use.  The count I use (28 to 40 count) depends on the design and the size I would like to see in the finished piece.  My wallets are predominantly either Bargello, Queen, or tent stitches.

For my first attempt to stitch a wallet, I purchased a kit so I would receive the pattern and also the instructions/supplies for finishing the wallet.  Be sure that finishing instructions are included in the kit.

For finishing my reproduction wallets, my choices for supplies are the following:

Textile Reproductions, Kathleen B. Smith of Massachusetts
https://www.textilereproductions.com/collections
- Vegetable dyed wool lining
- Vegetable dyed 5/8" wide wool twill tape
Etsy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/TextileReproductions?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Buckram is an open-weave cotton or linen fabric with a resin/starch finish used for interlinings in garments and for stiffening in millinery.  Although available in many weights, for historic wallets, the light or medium weight seems to work best.  It is sometimes available at Hobby Lobby or JoAnn fabrics but in limited weights.  I order mine online at Online Fabric Store.
https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/hsearchresult.aspx/?keyword=buckram%20fabric


Silver or pewter clasps - I use cloak clasps
Patterns of Time
https://www.etsy.com/shop/patternsoftime?ref=l2-shopheader-name&sectionid=13332325&section_id=13332325
Twin Roses Designs
http://twinrosesdesigns.com/Cloak-Clasps-for-Sale.html

To see prior posts of Ann's finished wallets, visit these posts - WELL worth another look!

https://samplers-and-santas.blogspot.com/2014/01/anns-wallets.html

https://samplers-and-santas.blogspot.com/2015/06/anns-finished-wallets.html

John Storrs' wallet 1754

Two posts of Ann's latest wallets, next.

 

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