It is absolutely beautiful and I sat just looking at it for a very long time .
Hard not to be intimidated by it ....but I took the plunge and decided to pull it gently apart into six bundles and loosely tie it in the middle of each bundle .
I plaited each bundle and tied the ends .
I have also decided to use black DMC 310 cotton embroidery thread for the black lead caming and framing lines of the stained glass window .
It should work as it will be slightly duller than the shine of the surrounding silk .
Having said that DMC embroidery cotton threads do have a slight sheen to them .
Peace and Love 🕊️🌿
Debbie x
Antique , vintage or new ?
I can't make up my mind .
All wound with such care on to these old calling cards and party invitations .
Au ver a soie Paris .. I like .....but only have red at the moment ....don't want to buy any more .
Deciding which silk thread to use . New . Vintage . Antique .
I'd really like to use the antique threads , but I'm not sure if I have enough .
Just thinking about it ........ 🤔
🌿🦋🌿
The fourteenth century Rebab has two rosettes and is more like this shape . It also has three strings and played with a bow .
The Rebec also has three strings but is smaller and more pear shaped and only one rosette .
A Rebab is fourteenth century , so possibly making the stained glass window fragment even earlier .
However ! There are hundreds of stringed instruments across the middle east and well ...everywhere really !
Anyway ....
I have almost finished embroidering the Angel's face .
It is very hot here today , they say it will be the hottest day of this heatwave . It will still be hot over the weekend and maybe thunderstorms next week .
I am finding it very uncomfortable , especially at night trying to sleep in this heat .
Love and Peace 🕊️
Debbie 💐x
Yes , I think I am ready to start now ........
..... well ....... tomorrow !
🌿🕊️🌿
Another fiercely hot day right from the crack of dawn !
I spent the morning sitting in the summerhouse continuing with my embroidery .
It is a very interesting instrument , the rebec . A little bit lute ,a little bit mandolin , a little bit violin . Pear shaped , rounded back .....only three strings ! Can be played with the bow , up on the shoulder under the chin or resting on the lap .
In the stained glass window fragment , it appears to have two rosettes , the openings over the sound box part of the instrument . I am sure that it would probably only have one rosette and the one at the bottom would be where the strings were attached . The three strings are shown but no nuts at the top and they just disappear at the bottom . I am wondering how well the artist actually knew the instrument or maybe they didn't want to put too much detail into the picture .
Maybe back in the fifteenth century there was such a thing as a rebec with two rosettes . Anyway I am embroidering it as it is on the stained glass window ....with two rosettes .
The Angel appears to be left handed ......or maybe the glass is back to front .
I gave myself a more restful day with more time for myself .
Still thinking about which threads to use .
A part of me wants to stitch it in crewel wool ... hmmm... but I have decided , I'm going to use silk .
It's just a matter of deciding which....anyway , I still have plenty of time to decide .
To begin with , I am just going to go over all my sketching lines with some plain black ordinary sewing cotton .
Once I have done that , I will be able to roll it up and take it out on our travels .
Pop it into my bag and I can just do a little now and then , here and there .
Presently, I am simply embroidering over the preliminary sketch and deciding which silk threads to use . Mostly shades of ivory and yellow and black .
I have some antique silk threads tucked away which I might use .
So I found out that this is a fragment of a stained glass window , made during the first half of the fifteenth century . It was sold to the V&A Museum from a gentleman by the name of George Oakes of Stamford Lincolnshire . It seems they don't know which church or chapel it comes from .
I agreed to not use it for any commercial reason and I have named the source etc. The Ceramics collection in the V&A Museum .
This item is part of the museum's ""Order an Object Service" you make a list of items you wish to see , then book an appointment to go and view .
I've been so busy in my vegetable garden , so please forgive that I have not done much more .
I will try and find more time to sit and stitch now that most of the work has been done in the garden .
Did I just say that most of the work has been done in the garden ? !!!
Peace and Love 🕊️
Debbie 💐x
