Available in my ETSY Shop

17th c Beaded Stumpwork

  For those of you who have been asking if I have any leftover kits from my class last year at Bath Textile Summer School in the UK, I have listed one of the few in my ETSY store. Pretty much EVERYTHING you need to make m'Ladye is included in the kit, and the figure shown in the listing, is the exact one that will come with your kit!

Also in time for Valentine's Day, a cute little thread palette~ a hand painted token of Love inspired by a gorgeous 19th c paper Valentine 

How do I Love Thee?

Let me count the ways...

 ~ you can find them both here in my ETSY store.  

Things Never Change

Mr Tipton....

oh my... such a tight fit Mr Tipton ....

me thinks Ye has enjoyed too much merry~making this Christmas...

I hope I dont have to let out his trousers 

New for 2020

Harmony Stumpwork Figures

I have had many requests for figures for the Thistle Threads Harmony casket, and just no time to get my models sculpted, until now. Which is right in time for the starting of the class in January~ the link is above if you are new to it. I had also gotten a special request for a bobbin lace maker, so I drafted a ladye that will exactly fit the central cartouche of the Harmony designs. She is sitting with a lace pillow in her lap.  This particular set as shown is available in my ETSY store currently~ once she is sold I will change the listing to a make to order listing.  

 The figures are all sets of three pieces~ meaning, you will receive the bust, and two hands. Just because I include two hands doesnt mean you must use both. The Stitching Ladye above, depending on how you work her slate frame and what is on it,  may not even need the underneath hand.

Harmony, or Lute Ladye as I affectionately call her, has her fingers sculpted to be holding her lute~ again, due to how one chooses to work their lute and the thickness of the fingerboard, one may choose to trim off her thumb that will set behind it. 

 All three of these sets are available in my ETSY store, just click the link to it in the sidebar to learn more if you are interested. 

Getting There....

~Happy Travels~

  I hope you and yours have a Safe & Happy Holiday this season~ 

I have finished Precious's carriage to allow her safe passage on her own travels...well, as far as it will get until I get my current work finished. 

 I would be lying if I said I enjoyed making this case~ I didnt. It was a total pain, but, finished it is. Hand made from solid hard maple....drove 4 hours one way to pick just the perfect even grain wood so as not to distract from the decoration I had planned for it.  I have studied the period 17th c cases up close and personal, and they are quite thin and flimsy...not made for much actual  'travels' at all. I am always quite amazed they have lasted so long....the ones that have, have done so because they were forgotten in an attic I'm sure. Mine is more robust, made with 1/2" thick sides. I am quite proud at the mechanics of it, it works like the typical flop front 17th cases~ when the front lock is engaged, the lid is lifted up, and at the same time, the front flops forward.

 I had period reproduction hardware made in England and am loving how it looks~ the lifting handles will go on as I finish the paint on the sides. I have all the pen work finished, which, as you can see is my exact casket designs, just a bit larger....and finished the paint on the front so I could attach those huge gorgeous hinges!

  Starting at the top and reading round and round to the bottom, I have included fun facts about Precious and myself...exactly how many hours of work...how many beads....fun things to looks for~ that sort of thing. If she ever gets seperated from her case, it wont take a rocket scientist to know they indeed go together.

  Here you can see how it opens~ I used a favorite German made hand marbled paper for the inside in typical 17th c Dutch pattern. I slapped my label in off center as an ode to the 17th c makers~ (who didnt really put much care into the case~ they just wanted something to get the casket back to the owner and none much else)

 Here is the case next to Precious~ it looks much larger, but really isnt~ there is less than 1/4" room between the embroidery and the case on all sides and top, so a nice snug fit. 

Can you Guess?

What these go to?

I'll give you a hint....the small one is for my flat top casket

Time is Short!

Last call for this years Limited Edition Ornament Kit!

   I have less than a handful of the Ort King ornament kits left~ he will only be available until they run out, or until the last day of this month, whichever comes first!  You can find him in the Diamond K Folk Art blogshop, or in my ETSY store...but he is more expensive in the ETSY store to offset some of the ETSY fees(not all of them!)

 Other than being sick as a dog for the past couple of weeks, 16 days to be exact and Im sick of being sick...but other than that I have been working on Precious's travel case. I have it finished and am now painting .

The 17th c reproduction hardware I had made for it arrived day before last and spent yesterday polishing  up the pieces to match my escutcheon I already had. Once I get the front painted, I can attach the wrap front hinges for the front flop down and it will finally be all together. With the time its taken in ink and paint for the front panel so far, I estimate at least a month to paint each panel...so will work on it between my other projects.....this is the reason I have very few of my painted pieces for myself...just takes too long & I cant afford my own work. 

And in case you are wondering just what I am painting on it....I have enlarged my actual panel embroidery patterns...the originals that I drew on my fabric, and am painting them in blackwork on the case...along with interesting facts about Precious~ who made her, how many hours...how many beads...those sorts of things. Its very 'Folky'.... very me.  What is fun to notice...is how the patterns got changed throughout my stitching...things I added while stitching...things I decided not to stitch....so it is a before in blackwork....and open the case to reveal the 'after' in colour.

This is a huge undertaking for me skills wise, as I am not used to painting in this large of a scale...so very, very challenging for me. All the mistakes show when one works with just one colour....

Flat Top Casket Progress

Precious is Finished!

 Hard to believe she is finished...kind of depressing actually, I really miss working on her every day.....time to start thinking about the next one I guess~ which will be a more traditional double casket...not that this one isnt traditional. By traditional I mean, getting to use my antique silks and silk gimps and plates and all the fun  wonderful 17th c reproduction trims and threads I have been collecting.

It was really hard for me to get a good picture, so I gave up and just took a couple videos~

This first one was particularly frustrating, because she just doesnt look anywhere near how she looks in person. The dim candlelight just makes the marguarite beads of the water and grotto just dance...not to mention the gilt trim...I am more than happy with it, I love it. 

Since I live at the end of a dirt road, off another dirt road...its super dusty in my house so I had an acrylic case made~ the top slides over the fitted base to keep all the dust and whatever else(fingers) out! 

If you think something like this is too much for you to ever finish~ just remember, a little here, a little there, and 5 years later (maybe sooner for you) its done!