Phase III - Venerable Friends with Chrysanthemum

My Phase III project arrived in the post last Saturday. Although I had finished all the stitching on Suehiro, I had a little finishing to do on her before I could remove her from the frame and begin preping Venerable Friends. The lovely design is already printed onto the silk. The Japanese Embroidery Center describe Venerable Friends as the way that we observe the knowledge and experience of our predecessors and associates through their books. Also, our favorite books, those that we read and reread, those that shape our personalities and outlook on life, come to be dear old friends.

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

Also in the package are the reels of flat silk for the embroidery. I’m not sure yet what I think of the colours. I don’t dislike them but they are not colours that I would have chosen myself, mainly because they seem rather dark. The 3 shades of pink for the plum blossoms are beautiful, as is the red for the chrysathemum. The other colours may grow on my but for now, I reserve judgement.

First job is to attach cotton ends to the silk so that it can be mounted in the frame. Then the silk is stretched drum tight on the frame. The cotton ends are trapped between split rods which are rotated to tighten the silk along the warp. The selvedge edges are then laced to the frame to stretch the weft. Once on the frame some elements of the design are outlined using a fine couching cotton and finally I am ready to start the real stitching (hooray).

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

Before I go to Bournemouth next Sunday, I want to get the foundations laid, then I can devote class time to learning new techniques. I did the first of 3 foundations today. This weft foundation in twisted silk will later have a design superimposed over it.

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

Happy Stitching