Blackwork Coif
In order to improve my skills as an embroider and so that I can make my Jacket...I'll make a blackwork coif
It will be made of fine linen and lined with linen. The design will be done in silks
The pattern was given to me by my Laurel, Countess Catherine. It is based on a historical design by extreme costuming Laurel called Theodora #19
I'll make some bobbin lace to go along the edges
Transferring the pattern
Using a light-box I transferred the main outline and grid of roses onto the linen. This was done with a fabric pen. Took me all day to to just what you see. I'm working out the 4 patterns to use in the diamonds. The original design has birds and I don't like them very much. I'm using the carnation and the fleur like design, I've got a honeysuckle and a pomegranate I'm working on to include.........6.15.10
My laurel liked the idea of making all the center items floral. I've designed them based on extant pieces. Now to copy them onto the linen.
I've also decided to do the stitches with blue silk. This is a period color as well.........6-16-10
I drew out the patterns that I wanted and scaled them to size. Using my light table (made out of a piece of acrylic, 2 chairs and a lamp underneath) I traced out each flower onto the linen.
2 days work to trace the pattern. Now to go and buy the silk (200 yds) that turned into 6 skeins of 12 strand Gloriana (how quaint) from France....6-17-10
I'm thinking of soaking the silk in cold water before I use it. Will ask my Laurel and others what they think of this idea. The coif will be lined, but I will get hot in it and will sweat. I don't want all my hard work to run.
Disaster! I was so worried that the silk would run in water that I didn't even think about the gel pen that I used (Bic 703R Triumph) It runs like mad. 2 days of tracing totally wasted. I'm sad :-(
a scrap of linen and the blue silk. Good thing I decided to use the pen as well. The silk is not bleeding at all. So I thought maybe I didn't let the ink pen dry long enough so I wet a small piece of the coif.
look at the mess, it runs into itself and makes this ugly mess.......6-18-10
So here is the plan. I'll go to kinko's and copy the pattern onto a large format paper. I'll then be able to trace the whole thing onto a new piece of linen. Then I need to find some permenant markers.
So Kinko's folk were no help at all, they could have cared less about me and I was frustrated after waiting 10 minutes to get help, she sends me off to a copier that will only do 11 x 17". My pattern is way larger than that...
Talked to a Laurel in Blackwork (monochrome) and she advised me to be very careful about scale. Balancing the work, so that no one element overshadows the others. She suggested that I do some sample pieces and experiment with what stitches to use where. I spend about 2 hours tracing my pattern on to paper. I'll use the archival pen Micron to transfer the pattern onto another piece of linen........6-20-10
Made up a toile of the coife.
This coif fits me. It's a little big for my model.
Back to the drawing board. I've (with daughter's help) got a grid that is perfectly alined to itself. I'm transfering this grid onto paper and will then use the light box to get it onto a good piece of linen.......8-06-10
Have to work on my documentation for this coif. Made a few changes when I did the re-draw.
I love the carnations, so I put them on first. Then the Honeysuckle then
I didn't like the other element from the pattern much nor the pomegranate..enter peas (maidstone jacket) and another design from the 1632 book, A Schole-House for the Needle by Ricxhard Shorleyker. So all the design elements are based on real embroideries.
I've really changed up from the original pattern, but I like my design better.
I'll get this copied onto large paper ( Kinko's here I come again) then transfer onto the linen. 9-7-10
I'm hitting the books. I need to document why I've made the decisions that I have made. It is important research that I know what I'm doing and why.
In Janet Arnolds Book #4 Patterns of Fashion, there are blackwork coifs and smocks. There are Red blackwork coifs and smocks. There are Blue blackwork smocks...therefore...blue coifs are probable. However, I cannot find any blue coifs in existance at a museum that speaks english. Searched Boston Museum, Met, Chicago. Nada. Wrote to the V & A, they must have one....nope they don't. They wrote back that they did have green. OK, my colors are Tudor Green and White...perfect.
Then I found another green in a forehead cloth at Manchester! Yay, my favoriate museum. Forehead clothes matched coifs, so I have two green silk extant pieces.
I was able to exchange my Gloriana Silk in Blue for Green.
The color is very close.
Headcloth from the Manchester:
There is silver thread and spangles on this pattern, mine will be just the silk thread on linen. Maybe some spangles. I've ordered #18 from Hedgehog Handworks.
12-23-10
On to transfer of the design onto linen. I've been very busy as deputy head of court to Catherine & Jade for their reign from October Crown 2010 to Beltane April 2011. While making her table runner, I did find that I need a much smaller pen. So I purchased the Mircon 005 fine point. This should do the trick. The 01 which is the next size up is too big for 2 threads of DMC. Silk is finer but this is the smallest size they make.
Only a few more days till they step down and my duties to them will be at an end. I've not had hardly any weekend to myself since the start of the reign. If not doing duty to them, then I had family obligations that I had to attend to with the death of my Father in Law.
I hope to get back to this project soon.
I will be teaching blackwork classes at June A & S!! Getting the kits ready now.
4-27-11