Photos from display

Finally!! I have the photos that I took at the display.

The over all display

This is the nearly finished gauntlet glove. There are still things that needs to be touched up hence the reason I didn't sew it together. I couldn't see doing that and having to take it apart. I thought it would be better to let everyone know I knew it wasn't right than letting the image develop that I thought it was right. I thought the red silk pillow was a good contrast with the gauntlet, but it needs to be made into a real pillow.

The spangles and some of the design work patterns as well as one of the boxes with the supplies, purl/bullion, pearls and metal threads.

The second gauntlet, still in progress, with the bobbinlace in the foreground

The pattern pieces for the gloves. I need to thank Harldr for the barter of the leather to make the gloves.

This is the section of the display that has the perfume things. I included some of the raw ingredients, cloves, cinnamon and roses as well as the base scents without the rosewater and the test sample of the leather. This was an interesting part of the display, since I was given the opportunity to let people experience the discovery of the way that the perfumes developed with the addition of the rosewater.

Next step

The next project has been born! Or should I say, the first couple of ideas have been bubbling around in my head. There's a painting that I want to do, and another that calls for it's own blog. I have I don't know how many motifs and techniques from the gloves examples that I am interested in doing, but didn't want to do another pair or ten of gauntlet gloves. I do need a needlebook, perfect size for sample motif and techniques, but there are so many... They would make lovely gifts, so I'm picking techniques, drawing up designs and putting together a packet that I can share the project with. Check out the new blog Alexandria's needlebook

The first display is done

The display is over, and yes, it is only the first display. In a month there is another display, so the gloves will be put out for that. Beyond that? Time will tell.

I managed to get the first gauntlet sewn together, with the backing of linen. Didn't get enough bobbin lace finished to put on the gauntlet, and the glove didn't get quite finished. I had machine sewn it, and in the turning it was a pain. In fact, it didn't fully turn, the tips of two fingers were knots. The stitch was stressed and gaps developed. I know that I will have to take the glove apart and resew it, probably by hand.

I also went back to the perfume samples. I went ahead and added the oil to the jasmine mix and tested two more samples. I found that once the oil was put to the leather on top of the rosewater, that the jasmine became my favorite, it pulled together all the scents.

I did take pictures and will post as soon as I dig out the camera. To give you an idea of the layout, I had the unfinished gauntlet in frame on an easel to the left rear, move to the center/right center was a middle level support with the glove pieces. The right rear corner was a stack pedestal with the nearly finished gauntlet, wrist ruff and glove. One the front row of the table started with the bolster pillow with the bobbin lace, next the sewing basket and supplies and the spangles. On the right front I had slipped one of the round lids under the table cloth, creating a slight raised area for the perfume stuff. There were the whole cloves, cinnamon sticks and roses around the cruet with rose water, two jars of perfume oils and perfumed leather samples. I did have my turned bobbins there as well. I did feel like it was a complete display, though I would have rather had at least one completed glove, rather than the cobbled thing I had.

Therefore, my first goal in the next month is to complete that glove/gauntlet. I'd like to finish the second one as well, but won't be devastated if it doesn't come together. To tonight, after spending most of the day sleeping I'm ready to pull out the lace and work on that, so I can get the lace down for the gloves.

A change in the project

Well, it's a change in the deadline, rather than a change in the project. I am just not going to finish the second gauntlet in time for this weekend's display, so I've opted to completely finish one glove/gauntlet, and have the other in progress, maybe "pieces" to show the process. I am spending this afternoon on the documentation, getting that all together, and tonight I'll be playing with bobbins.

Tomorrow I'll do lace and sew the gloves together - which I also made the decision to go ahead and machine sew. I have consider this carefully, and bottom line, since these are intended to be fencing gloves - even if for only select tourneys, then the construction has to be secure. I'm not so sure that my hand sewing is up to that at this point. It will also be a major time saver, since I know that it takes most of one evening to sew one glove together by hand, and that's not taking care to make the stitches small and neat.

I feel a lot less stressed for this choice, so I guess it's the right one.

Now to Work!

Lucky find!

Just a quick note, I went looking about, not digging too deep, and found four spools of the braid I needed. So I don't have to go buy anything!! Savings of money and time!!! Now off to work on the purl because the couching is all done!! Yay!!!

It's crunch time!!!

I have less than a week to the event and a lot is left to be done. I have done a lot of ground work on all the bits and it's going to be a matter of pulling it together. That means that this weekend is going to be some very late nights (if I sleep at all).
last night I did manage to get most of the couching done, and I've been back at it this morning. That's when I ran out of the braid before I finished the ovals around the roses and a few other little spots. I'm going to press on with the purl, and pearls tonight and tomorrow when I go to work for a few hours, I'll stop by Michael's and pick up some more braid (with coupon!) to finish that.
Now that my lunch break is over, I am ready to start on the purl. It's tonight's goal to finish that, and hopefully, it will only be pearls tomorrow.

I also need to get the gloves together and the lace and I haven't been able to get to the bobbins...

I need to get the docs done, and the plan is to work on those at lunch time during the week and everything else in the evenings.