Angel Playing a Rebec - Wing Feathers

 

  I started out with one thread in the needle but then decided to use two threads .

Hard to photograph because of the camera flash and the silk being so shiny .

                         Of course , I'm doing proper Angel feathers !  🕊️

    It is still very hot here and I have just today started suffering with hay fever .

 No idea what triggered it ...... so ...sniff.....

                   I am a bit snuffly and have a runny nose  .... 

                  I wish you all a happy weekend . 

                              Yes go and make it a great weekend !

                                 Love and Peace 🕊️

                                       Debbie 💐x

Japanese Silk 🤍

 

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 .

               Only when I had tied the bundles did I then cut it .

             I plaited each bundle and tied the ends .

                            I am not going to be intimidated !   😱

   I cut each bundle the length of ....from my hand to just about my elbow .

So the threads would each be a nice shorter length than I usually use with cotton embroidery threads or my crewel wool . So , from my fingers holding my needle to my elbow . Perfect for me and so that the threads don't get roughed up as it is being pulled through the linen .

So I made up six bundles . One I left unplaited to use straight away . 

                         Making a start on the Angel's wings . 

                                              🌿🤍🌿            

Angel Playing a Rebec Embroidery 🕊️🎶🌿

 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 .

                 O.k.  the thinking has been done . Time to get stitching !

                                       Peace and Love 🕊️🌿

                                                Debbie x

Still Deciding 💛🌿

                        Antique , vintage or new ?   

                                  I can't make up my mind . 

   I really wanted to use these beautiful antique silk threads on something special . 

All wound with such care on to these old calling cards and party invitations .  

         

Pearsall's  .....just so gorgeous and was once considered the best !  I don't think they  make embroidery thread anymore . Maybe just silk thread for chaps who do fly fishing .....not sure  ? I don't have much of Pearsall's silk threads .

Beautiful DevereYarns and gorgeous Piper's Silk ...not sure if I have the right shade of yellow/gold .

Au ver a soie Paris .. I like .....but only have red at the moment ....don't want to buy any more .

So far I have used Silkmill ..... I love it ! Love Love Love it ! 

 If I were to use it , would I have enough ?

 I'm not sure and if I were to run out , the shop has been temporarily closed , so I would not be able to get any more of the same 😔

    Could I mix them all up ?  You wouldn't ...  but I might ... maybe . . . . . 

               Angel wings ......  

                        Angel wings it is !  Lovely Japanese silk thread !

                    I think I'm pretty much settled on my choices now .

                  Now all I need is peace and quiet and lots of time  . 

                                                      🌿🤍🌿

 

Sorting and Choosing Silk Threads 🌿🦋

 

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  ........   🤔

                                                              🌿🦋🌿

🌘 Late Night Stitching 🐻🧸

                                                                    🌿🕊️🌿

Angel Playing a Rebec Embroidery - Hands 🕊️🌿

 

                                                               🌿🕊️🌿

Angel Playing a Rebec Embroidery - face

 I did a bit of research and it seems that there is actually another instrument that is more like the one in the stained glass window fragment and that is a "Rebab ".

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

Angel Playing a Rebec - completed stage one

 

                  

 Yes , I think I am ready to start now ........ 

                                                               ..... well ....... tomorrow !

                                               🌿🕊️🌿

Angel Playing a Rebec - continuing

 

                 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 had hoped to start putting in some colour , but I still have more of it to prepare first .

   And for all those who for some strange reason always ask to see the back .....

                       There you go !

   Is it untidy enough for you ?    It's going to get a whole lot worse ! 

                            

                              You're gonna love it !

         No ...I don't use a hoop .... 

                                         .......but I do use a gold needle !

                              That's all fer today folks 🪡

                                          🌿🕊️🌿

                                          

Angel playing a Rebec

I didn't sleep well last night and apart from washing sheets , watering the vegetable garden and checking everything in the greenhouse was o.k. 

 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 .

              Sitting on the lawn in the shade , a pleasant afternoon .

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 .

             The evening too , was spent stitching away in the summerhouse . 

  I can't wait to throw in some colour !  Maybe tomorrow  💛   

                                              🌿☀️🌿