Aquile finished with tassels

I've been slowly working on tassels for the Aquile mat, using an adapted version of one by Rita Maria Faleri in Inspirations 103.

The body of the tassel consists of 20 strands knotted at each end with 3 bundles of 4 knots, so 12 knots per strand and 240 knots per tassel.

I decided to make the head of the knot from a bundle of left-over linen covered in needlelace. I considered a bead, but decided to stay with the softness of the linen and cotton.

These are not difficult to make, but require fine motor skills.

The initial one was good enough for me to keep going.

After two I had to stop for a while, due to an operation on my right index finger to remove a myxoid cyst. For about ten days, while I could manage some tasks, and some stitching, using my thumb and middle finger, knots proved too difficult. I have recovered enough in the last two days to tie the requisite 480 knots,  216 while on desk duty at the Guild, and 264 at home. Not that I was counting!

I’m not sorry to have finished, and I won’t be making any more for a while!

I also made the two extra needle lace heads, and attached them 

so the cushion front is now fully converted.

It joins the earlier two mats, or, more likely, throw-overs to cover food.

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I have fabric left for another two, but won't be working them any time soon. These three will now go into the upcoming Guild 60th Anniversary Exhibition. 

While I like them, their use is limited, and I'm into useful!

Punto Umbro mat finish

I did finish the Punto Umbro mat from Christine Bishop's Embroiderers' Guild Class - the post has been delayed by my preoccupation with my two BATB classes. This was such an enjoyable project that I don't want to lose recording the finish.

As it was counted thread work, the finish involved, unsurprisingly, much counting of threads and tacking - to mark the boundaries of the work, to create a hem and then to decorate and edge that hem - all in logical sequence. The perfect geometry of the process is part of the satisfaction.

There was a row of drawn thread work and then an outer edge complete with picots.

I decided to use mine under a shallow pale green  glass for floating a flower. I love the mottling of the shadows on the linen.

Punto Umbro

I am interrupting my account of my beading adventures to record my experience of last weekend. when I spent a fantastic two days attending Christine Bishop's Punto Umbro class at the Embroiderers' Guild. It was an energetic and friendly group, including quite a few country members who had come down for the class.

Christine had designed a mat - about 30cm square - that requires five stitches for the embroidery, two of which were likely to be familiar, and a couple more for the hem, once again demonstrating her ability to design a project to fit the time and capacity of her class. It was a challenge but possible to learn the stitches and complete much of the work in the two days.                                                                                                                                                                                       My first challenge was to get my Palestrina stitch sitting with the knots in the centre of my line, not to one side like railway tracks.

I eventually got the rhythm. I then had to work to get coverage I wanted on the 'elephant tusk' arms. My spacing needs some work.

I really loved working the needlelace bits - which is where we got to at the end of Saturday. Some of the country members were planning to enjoy a night socialising. I was by now hooked - and couldn't wait to bunker down to complete most of the outline that night. 

On Sundaywe began on the curly bits. I really enjoyed this stitch and the challenge of getting the mirror images right. It was so satisfying to see the pattern take shape.

While it wasn't finished at the end of the two-day class, it was very well advanced. We had also been through the steps for blocking the finished piece and practiced the stitch to finish the mat edge. I was highly motivated to finish it and went home to work on the last curls.

I did just that, finishing over the next 36 hours before I left for a few days in Canberra. 

I was able to block the piece the night before I left so I can finish the edging on my return. I tightened the piece just before I left. It was looking very smooth, promising a nice straight edge without ironing.

It's been a most satisfying and enjoyable little project - achievable, lots of learning, great company and an elegant product to reflect the experience.