Today Josephus day tripped to Cynagua/Mists War (as he is RMIC) and I stayed home. Since I was up at 6AM I figured that I would work on my web site. I posted the two paternosters I made to my Projects page on my web site. Now I will relax on the couch and start back to work on the two haversacks that I need to finish. I can always work on the other Or Nue sample piece in between; not to mention two scrolls that I need to finish painting.

Of the 15 projects needed by January, I am now down to 13...LOL. Yes, they will all be completed and ready for delivery at that time. Have I ever mentioned that I love to keep busy??

• Haversack-Ducal promissory


• paternoster-Colorado


• paternoster-Sir Gemini


• finish Byzantine tunic trim


• commission – pillow cover


• commission – smocked apron


• haversack – finish device


• service project 1


• service project 2


• goldwork butterfly


• aprons – smocked & blackwork


• Or Nué – leaf & chalice


• 2 scrolls – AOA & LOM

Feeling better

YEAH!!! I can see clearly again! Since I was sick over the weekend, my vision has been extremely blurry for most of each day. This was frustrating for me, as I could not do much of anything on the computer, reading was a complete impossibility, and watching TV did not help either. But, today my vision is back so, hopefully, I can get some things done today (but not over do anything yet).

Read more after cut ( apron, Nikki, needle book )

Today I started working on a smocked, linen apron, thanks to the help (and idea) of Eowyna. She made one and it gave me the idea of trying my hand at smocking again (my first attempt, many years ago, was not that great and I said I would never do smocking again).

With no directions for the initial beginning steps, I made a few small, trial pieces, but still had problems. Needless to say, I kept trying and I think I got the technique down pretty well now.

Here is a photo of the smocking closed and the gathering threads removed.



Here is a photo of the smocking open.

I now have E'tai'n's haversack completed and ready for delivery this weekend (I used blanket stitch for the strap and flap, herringbone stitch for the seams and hand stitches the lining). She is just expecting it to be plain sewn and usable; she does not know that I have completed all the seam emblishments. I hope that she will be pleased with it (if she decides she wants a Celtic/Norse design on the flap, I can add this upon her return from GWW).

Things done so far today...
breakfast & shower
dog 1/2 groomed (another 3 hours worth to go)
more stitches to haversack
1 load laundry done

To Do List
sweep floors
cut out coif
cut out "fighter" pants
finish Kingdom project
sew 2nd havesack
work on smocked apron
make award molds

Since I am done with a coupe projects, I can now start on the others. My mold goop will be here (hopefully) by Wednesday, so I cannot work on the awards until then. I have the two haversacks, aprons and coif cut out and they are all ready to sew.

• 2 napkins (for prize tourney)– Oct. 13th


• 35 Principality awards – Crown/Coronet (ordered mold supplies)


• 20 Principality awards – Crown/Coronet (ordered mold supplies)


• 5 blk swans embroidered – Oct. 21st


• Kingdom project – 12th Night (3/4 completed)


• Haversack – 12th Night (got design okayed, got pieces cut out)


• 100 site tokens – January (ordered mold supplies)


• FINISH Byzantine tunic (3/4 completed)


• 2 aprons -- 1 smocked & 1 blackwork


• Commissioned paternoster (rosary)-- Dec (1/2 completed)


• linen coif


• Haversack – bag by Crown -- can finish embroidery after GWW (barter project)

Finally got my sewing machine back from the repair shop, after three trips; 1- picked up machine, got home, NO power cord, 2- drove back and after 4 cords presented, none of them were mine, 3- had to drive back home and bring machine with me. Again, 4 more power cords were presented to me, none of them mine. They did fit, but I wanted MY power cord. Finally, he did find my correct cord; apparently it was places in a different location than he keeps extra power cords. Next month I hope to take my second sewing machine in for repair, and then I will have two working sewing machines again.

I had to sit down and refigure my Projects list, yet again… *S* (which means my personal items get put on the back burner again). This time it contains projects that have a due date (for Kingdom, Principality & one promissory)….

• 2 napkins – Oct. 13th


• 35 Principality awards – Crown/Coronet


• 20 Principality awards – Crown/Coronet


• 10 blk swans embroidered – Oct. 21st


• Kingdom project – 12th Night


• Haversack – 12th Night


• 100 site tokens – January


• FINISH Byzantine tunic


• 2 aprons -- 1 smocked & 1 blackwork


• (Added) Commissioned paternoster (rosary)-- Dec

Thank goodness I work well under pressure… Not to mention writting up handouts for five classes that I plan to teach.

Second time in ten years I am feeling burned out with my embroidery. I have five main embroidery projects that I am working on…..
1) 10 black swans for Princess guards favors (four completed- due by Crown)
2) Kingdom project (due by 12th Night – ¾ completed)
3) Viking apron dress (adding spacer to make it larger)
4) Trim on tunic dress (3/4 complete w/embroidery – then need to add pearls)
5) Silk wreath project (was asked to get as much as I could completed by Crown)

And a couple projects that are not embroidery….
6) Casting 35 Cynagua awards (by end of October)
7) Making 300 site tokens (due by January)
8) Finishing up my new silk parasol (still need to order the beaded trim) (am making my own glass beads to add as decoration on top)

I know my limits (yeah, right) and my sewing abilities, so I do know that I will get the two main projects (#1 & #2) complete by due dates. (I do well under pressure…*S*) The Viking apron dress can be put on hold for a while longer, but the tunic dress I would like to wear at Crown. As for the last three projects (#6, #7 & #8), are “fillers” (can be done as a break in between embroidering) but will be completed by their perspective due dates; they can also be completed over one weekend - when I can get a free weekend).

What I really need to start doing is “prioritize” my embroidery projects (for me, that is easier said than done). Kingdom & Principality projects are always put first, my personal projects I end up putting on hold (a lot), and I do like to make items for gifts to other people (hence putting things on hold more often). And I do try to have non-embroidery projects so as to have a break from sewing…. *S*.

(I know a few people (and Laurels) who have the same feeling on this issue as I do; I am just more vocal about it. I do multiple projects because “I want to and enjoy it” not because I “have to”. I even have a barter in progress; he knows what I want but has not told me what he wants as yet; which means more sewing for me (I think).)

As if I do not have enough projects to keep me busy (if there were 10 of me, I still wonder if I could get everything completed), I have added a couple more projects on my over-flowing plate....

1) am going to make an apron with smocking at the top (thanks to Eowyna)
2) am going to make an apron with blackwork across the front
3) have now started planning Embroidery classes to be held at my home the 2nd Monday of each moth.

This week I worked on the A&S banner. It is almost half completed. Seems like it is taking me forever, but I must remember needle point does take time. I finished 7 regular bottle cap pin cushions (for showing off at present), 2 crowns, 4 laurel-type leaves, and 3 that are "special" gifts. I am hoping to deliver these small gifts tomorrow at Investiture, we shall see.

I still need to make hubby his tunic and pants, add trim pattern to my tunic dress, make my hood & mantle. I decided to make both items, as it will not hurt having them at events later this fall, plus they will be easy to complete. I was going to embroider on a cranberry colored wool piece to make a Viking square cloak, but might hold off on this as I am order, yet more wool later this month. Then I can applique a design on the center of the square cloak.

Isn't this how it always works? I order wool for a specific piece, then by the time it gets here, I figure something else to make with it. This is one reason I usually hate ordering material and then waiting for it's arrival. I much prefer to plan something, go and buy the required material from a local store, bringing it home and then start on my project. Oh well, at least I am getting a good stash of wool and linen. Now I just hope that Tristan will get a silk co-op started soon.

I still need to start working on another Kingdom Project. My brain must be getting over-loaded and short circuiting, as I completely forgot about this project, until I received an email reminder...*S* I have 6 months to complete it, so will get it done sooner than time allowed. Plus I need to finish my Royal project (which is 3/4 completed already). I love it when I can get Kingdom projects completed a head of time.

Took a break from regular embroidery and made a couple more unique (at least I think they are) pin cushions.

Some of the pin cushions are made for a "special" reason, or person, and I might not make duplicates of them. This one is for Princess Aeschine, since her reign theme was "BEES"

Just finished 3 leaf pin cushions. I tried to get them to resemble laurel leaves. Might give these to a couple Laurels I know. Think the next ones I will use a brighter green thread so that the veins will stand out more.

My pattern for my inkle belt is giving me some problems today, so I decided to put it aside for a while and started to work on a new project -- a pin cushion made from pop bottle caps.

Instead of trying a simple pattern I choose to make a more complex one -- a crown. I already have plans for this one, so I am glad that it turned out better than I expected. It measures 1 1/2" tall by 1 1/4" wide.

Got up late today, 9:30am. It is already 95 degrees and suppose to hit 103 (too hot to do anything outside). Think I will close off the living room, turn on AC and embroider more on napkin project. Am almost dome with them; about a quarter of each left; should complete them by tonight. (Sometimes I feel that I have a needle permanently attached to my fingers...LOL) Then I can start on my yellow inkle belt. Busy, busy, busy!! First, I am going to jump in a cool shower to cool down a bit.

Since taking office as Cynagua’s A&S Minister, and reading through the Cynaguan A&S Handbook, I found out that no one has replaced a few missing regalia items; a baldric and banner.

I decided to work on replacing these items during my office. I made myself a personal belt favor; this I can wear at other events showing that I am an A&S officer (plus, I can add this to my other office favors after I step down). Last night I completed the A&S baldric. Both of these are on a gold & white linen background and have an embroidered roundel of the A&S badge (Azure, a candle enflamed within an arch stooped argent). Although the belt favor has three brass bells sewn onto the bottom (I love bells).

The banner is going to take a while to complete; thanks to my not thinking it out properly. I decided to make it approximately 18”X20” in size. I am doing it in needlepoint on 12ct canvas. I have the candle & arch outlined in black (these I will fill in last as it will be all white and will be done in tent stitch) and I am now in the process of filling in the blue background. I started to do the background in tent stitch, but after completing a 5”X6” section, I decided to tear it all out (the blue) and redo it using brick stitch. Going over four background threads will make it go faster and will give it a nice textured look.

All in all, I think it will be nice, for future A&S Ministers, to have the regalia items complete.

Over the weekend I attended the Kingdom A&S, as I also had a pouch for a competition "A Decorated Bag or Pouch".  This was the pouch I did using the intarsia method  (the design is cut out of the fabric and a contrasting piece of fabric inserted into the gap).  This was the first time that I tried this method and was a tad worried about doing it.  It came out far better than what I expected, not to mention that it was a gift (my part of a barter) for a friend.  Since she dresses in Elizabethan, I wanted to make her something that would go with her lovely costuming and this pouch would work!  I took 1st place in the competition!!

The pouch is based on a 13^th century Seal Bag from the Reign of Edward I.  To personalize it, I changed it a bit on the back side by adding her initials in split stitch (in Mary Queen of Scot's style).  It came out lovely and took FIRST place in the competition!!  And Marsaili was very pleased with her new pouch.  She was actually speechless when she first say it (if you knew Marsaili, she is hardly ever speechlees)..*S*.