Colcha Scarf

I have been obsessed over the last few months with New Mexico Colcha Embroidery, something I had not heard of seven months ago.

It began with an article in the March/April issue of Piecework Magazine. I noticed that the diagram of Colcha stitch looked a lot like Bokhara stitch, which we had been identifying and practising at the Ethnic Embroidery Study Group of the Embroiderers' Guild of SA. I began to read more, ordered all the books referenced in the Piecework article,  ordered wool from churro sheep, the kit from Piecework and talked endlessly about what I was discovering.

Because I had no way of seeing original colcha pieces, I decided to try my hand. I chose an open-weave scarf I had purchased to embroider and some traditional motifs from Wroth, William (ed) Weaving & Colcha from the Hispanic Southwest, Ancient City Press, Santa Fe, 1985

The first one, an eagle, I marked on the black scarf using a chalk pencil.

I used Appleton's wool, which I could source easily and chose colours close to the traditional. The result was quite pleasing.
















On the other end of the scarf, I used Solvi. It isn't my preferred method - I don't much like the feel of the barrier between my hand and the work - but it worked a bit better than the chalk for a slightly more complex pattern.

In the meantime, my enthusiasm had caught on and I agreed to run a workshop for the Ethnic Embroidery Studies Group on our final 2017 meeting last Wednesday. It went really well and I will post a report in a few days’ time.

I have summarised my research in a paper. I will  provide a link when I write up the workshop.

I have had considerable help in my researches from Esther Vigil in Albuquerque New Mexico. Her two books and her encouragement have been invaluable.

This has been a wonderful journey of discovery - I'll share a bit more in my next post. - before Christmas.

Progress on Owl

 I  have made some progress with my silk fantasy owl.  This is the piece on silk for the Embroiderers Guild 50th Anniversay Exhibition this year. I am posting this away from home from my iPad - so can't control the photo sizes.

From where I was when I last posted on this project, I moved to the area below the breast feathers and tried out the Bokara stitch I learned with Alison Snepp in 2011 then used in the chair project. Once again, this stitch served me well.

I also admit to its addictive hold over me, once I get going with it. I extended it. I also used satin stitch and open chain stitch to try to keep the rows of feathers in the outline drawing.

Using variegated silk thread both helped and hindered the effect I was after. While it got me variation within the band, it gave me rigid divisions between the bands vertically. I had to go back and alleviate this by blending with single colour thread. There is still a bit to do - and a couple of places to unpick.

I had originally intended to leave the breast in open fly stitch, but then filled it in. It really IS like colouring in with thread - try a bit, see how it looks, then add a bit more from the pallet.

It is coming along. I have the tail feathers and irises to go, as well as a bit of blending - best done in daylight.

Twelfth Skyros Man and Chair Finish

 

The twelfth man is finished, along with his two flower motifs. I stitched the smaller sections in darning stitch and the two large bits - his pants and top - in Bokhara. 

 

Here is the final panel washed, ironed

 

 

 

 

 

and pinned in place on the chair cover, ready for stitching in place.

 

It is awkward stitching it on my sewing machine. A long-arm or  industrial machine would be easier, especially around the front of the arms.  

However, I managed. I'm glad I decided to buy a cover for the chair and stitch to that, rather than hand-stitching the linen to the chair itself by hand. While that may have given a tighter fit, being able to take this off to launder or repair gives a level of comfort.

It isn't an easy object to photograph, but here are a couple of shots of the finished chair in situ.

 

 

I still have quite a bit of thread left, somewhat to my surprise. Bokhara stitch should use more thread than running stitch and I thought I might need to buy more, but I have plenty left for a small back cushion, or other projects.

 

 

I'm so pleased with this project. I was enchanted when I saw it as a director's chair in Inspirations 78, and I have finished the adaptation to an armchair before Inspirations 80 has arrived.

 

Thanks to all my family and friends for encouragement along the way.

 

Now to sit and stitch in my chair!
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Earlier posts on this chair can be found at
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/men-of-skyros-preparation.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/men-of-skyros-stitching-begins.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/men-of-skyros-original-darning-man.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/men-of-skyros-bokhara-man.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/men-of-skyros-lattice-man.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/bokhara-coat-man.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/men-of-skyros-panel-one.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/men-of-skyros-chair-panel-one.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/skyros-man-6.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/skyros-man-7.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/skyros-man-8.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/second-skyros-panel-finished.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/skyros-man-9.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/skyros-man-10.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/skyros-chair-eleventh-man.html
http://jillian-alwaysstitching.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/skyros-chair-cushion.html




 

 

 

Skyros Chair: the eleventh man

I have taken the last panel of my Skyros Men out of my floor stand and oval hoop for the last two men and four remaining small motifs.

I worked the two remaining bird motifs with the panel in my hand rather than in the hoop.




I then mounted the panel in a sitting frame This gives me a bit more flexibility in when and where I stitch it.

I had to leave the attached calico side panels on to fit the end man in the hoop- so I worked him first. Thus the eleventh man stitched is the twelfth man in the panel.

Now that he is finished, I can remove the calico side panels and fit the one remaining figure, with his two associated flower motifs, securely into the 12 inch hoop to complete the panel.





The end is now well in sight and reach.

Skyros Man 10

I haven't entirely neglected my Skyros Men. Circumstances over the last weeks have meant I've found less  time to sit at the large frame in which my last panel is mounted. I've been away a bit and needing projects I can carry with me, or work in other parts of the house.

I have, however, managed to sit and complete bits of the tenth man on and off over the last few weeks.

This weekend I made a concerted effort to work on the large areas - choosing once again to use my favourite Bokhara stitch. It gives good coverage and I enjoy it. As I have said before, it is a stitch used in the Mediterranean around the time of these figures and has the same sloping effect as the running stitch off-set by one thread in each row.

Admittedly, Bokhara is more a Turkish influence - but there was Turkish influence on Skyros. I am playing the role of an embroiderer from other parts of the Ottoman Empire engaged to work on Skyros and intent on saving time and remaining motivated!








The Tenth Man is now finished. Two to go - plus a few stray birds and flowers!

Skyros Man 9

I traced up my third chair panel of Skyros Men as soon as I finished the second one. By careful manipulation, I managed to get all four men following the slope of the arm of the chair without putting them very far across the grain of the linen.

I then added the edges and mounted it into my oval frame. This time, however, I tried the oval frame in my all-purpose floor stand, rather than in the stand that came with the oval hoop.

I have had some difficulty with the clamps on this general stand but my friend Alan Bevan made some adjustments and adaptations for me. This is the first chance I have had to try it out since he made them, and I am hoping it will give me more flexibility than the stand that came with the oval hoop.

The general stand is rather better suited to roller frames that have straight sides, but I managed to arrange the hoop in the stand using the clamps on the top of the oval where the curve is minimal.



 


So far it has worked well. It allows me to have the work at a more upright angle to my body. The original stand puts the work between 90 degrees and about 75 degrees to your body. This allows me more like 60-45 degrees.




I am working, as before, largely in darning stitch, but using Bokhara on his pantaloons.




I am also working up a scheme for the cushion of the chair - but more on that later!

Here he is finished.

Skyros Man 8

I have the scent of a finish for my second Skyros panel, so made good progress on the eighth Skyros man. Again, he is worked with the grain at a slant and again, I used Bokhara stitch (fast becoming my favourite ever stitch!) on his jacket.





As you see, I am also making progress on the small surrounding motifs.


Here he is, finished, and in context. A few motifs to finish and the panel can be stitched into the chair!

Skyros Man 7

The seventh Skyros Man was the first of the men to be stitched not on the straight grain of the linen, but slightly on a slant. In order to fit the 12 men around the curve of my chair, the two men closest to the front on either side need to be positioned at a slight angle -  across the fabric grain. This is not a problem for the design but makes it slightly awkward to stitch. I decided to work the jacket in Bokhara stitch - which worked well. I also like the way the darning stitch on the trousers came out when worked an angle.






 
 
 


I wasn't sure how the cream silk floss would look in the jacket, but it came up well, especially once the edges were outlined. The jacket has a lovely sheen and texture.




Here he is in context - motifs and one more man to finish this second panel.

Skyros Man 6

The sixth Skyros man is to the right of the fifth - another one of the flower-holding ones.

Again, I worked his pantaloons in Bokhara stitch. The variegation in the blue silk thread gives a nice effect.




I went for red lips on this one - the pattern calls for gold. The lip shape I ended up with is a bit duckbill-like, but is fine at the distance it will be seen.

Because I like to use up the thread in my needle before moving to a new colour, I have a few bits of the next man done by the time I get there - I like that.

Two more men, plus motifs, to finish this panel.

Skyros Man No. 5

Yes, I have been progressing my Skyros Men in the daylight hours, with the fifth man now finished. I need to take frequent breaks to rest my eyes, but have done large parts in the intended darning stitch.







I went for Bokhara stitch on his pantaloons - to give myself a break from darning stitch, to get texture and to get sheen.
While the main threads in this project are Gumnut silks, the two golds are DMC perle thread, and I  like the result.

I added an ear when I outlined the face, correcting a slight fatness in the shape of his face!

Now I'm rolling on the second panel.

Bokhara Coat Man

The last of the four Men of Skiros in this first block for my chair is wearing a long coat. I have used Bokhara stitch for the coat, to give it texture and also because it is a faster stitch for such a large space. I used Bokhara on his boots as well - seemed more sturdy for boots!

The rest of this man is in darning stitch, as the designer intended.

I got so carried away with the long runs of couching that I forgot to leave space for his belt - so stitched it over the top.



Now I have the four men finished for this centre panel of the chair, I have only four small motifs to do and I can think about stitching the panel on to the chair cover.

I am away for the next ten days holidaying on Kangaroo Island with family. The hoop is too large to take, so the rest will need to wait. I have plenty of stitching to do, but may not have Internet access to post.

Men of Skyros: Lattice Man

I am very happy so far with my Bokhara and Darning Men of Skyros, but thought I'd try a lattice on the pantaloons of the third of the men.

It was relatively easy to put in the first row of threads. I put the lines two threads apart - easier to see than the single thread of the original mending stitch. The even-weave linen helped.

Similarly, there is plenty of guidance to place the horizontal row.

Couching down the thread intersections, is however, a bit trickier. Here I have only couched down the top tips and the lower left - but developed a bit of a curve in the latter. By working two threads apart for the original rows, I gave myself a bit of a challenge in couching in small spaces.




From a distance, he looks as if he is wearing gingham, or checks. It will be quite a hard-wearing stitch, and worth the experiment, but it isn't a stitch I am going to use again on this project now I have the darning stitch under control.

I have applied the darning stitch to the rest of Lattice Man - with my magnifiers I can work a proper running stitch!

We had a couple of sunny Winter days while I was working on him. I took my hoop into the sunny extension and worked in the natural light. Jim took a photo.

Here's Lattice Man finished, and, below, the three men so far.