Monday, November 18, 2013

Orangework!

Orangework with &Stitches!

There's been some fantastic non-black-blackwork in the &Stitches Flickr group! I've decided to work up some orangework because it's a color I very rarely use, but these autumnal, pumpkiny colors are just delicious.

I once had a chance to take some close-up photos of actual Elizabethan blackwork and transcribed those fill patterns for my own entertainment, so I'm using those to fill my blocks. Blackwork fill patterns came in the full range of difficulty: some are nothing more than parallel lines of running stitch, some are complex repeating patterns built up of layers of interlocking shapes. My favorites are the ones that are a little simpler - patterns that can work almost as a solid fill pattern in an embroidery, but on closer inspection are actually made of delicate little elements. I'm using an evenweave fabric, two strands of floss, and making my elements quite large, comparatively. But those Elizabethans worked in such teeny-tiny scale, at least half what I am, it's amazing that they could see what they were doing!

Are you stitching with us? Please share in the &Stitches Flickr group. We'd love to see it!

4 comments:

  1. I love this -- it looks so cheerful and happy :)

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  2. Orange is my favourite colour! It looks beautiful. I've never really embroidered more of a knitting girl myself.

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  3. This is beautiful. I love the color orange.

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  4. Thanks so much, all! You should try some orange-(or another color)-work yourself - it's really fun and addictive!

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