Wednesday 27 June 2012

Nearly There.

The last two pages finished. The colour is a bit washed out in these photos - the background above is a stronger blue/green than it appears here. I used tiny stitches to tack a torn frayed strip of dark red silk under a piece of gold trimming to the background and then added the main motif which is a rubbing made with Markal Stik on silk then quilted, only here and there, to suggest ageing and distressing then attached it to the muslin background with fine gold buttonhole stitch and partly edged it with a gold trim. Finally I attached the three little gold charms.


The symbols on this page are runes. There are various runic alphabets with differing numbers of characters. One version with 24 characters dates from 150 AD. A later Viking Age version has 16 characters. They were carved on wood and stone memorials and everyday objects as marks of ownership and were used as charms and curses, and for sending messages. I think these come from the earlier version.

I took my alphabet and information from Jan Messent's book 'Celtic, Viking and Anglo-Saxon Embroidery.


I worked it on fine needlepoint canvas painted gold with a sheer fabric over the top. I used blue Danish Flower Thread for the small characters and my own random dyed thread for the larger ones. Three narrow strips of metal cut from a tomato puree tube break up the rows of symbols - the central one is decorated with a row of automatic machine stitch worked with no thread in the needle or bobbin then stitched in place on the canvas. The other two slightly narrower strips are held in place each with a row of cross stitch.

A piece of torn medieval script is on the right and painted heat distressed torn nappy liner on the left. I finished it off with a metal button at each corner.

The pages are now stitched back to back in the right order and ready to be bound. I think I have even worked out how to make the cover and assemble the book. I just hope it works!

10 comments:

Maggi said...

These pages are lovely Heather. The way the dark red silk shows through the gold is really effective, very rich. The canvas with the runes also looks very authentic with the gold paint. Looking forward to seeing the cover.

Ro Bruhn said...

Wow, so much attention to detail Heathr, I love the use of the metal from the tomato paste tube.

Julie said...

Beautiful pages Heather. Your book will be stunning.

Penny said...

Wonderful!

Carol Q said...

Both pages are so lovely Heather. I will never look at a tom. puree tube in the same way again lol. definitely looking forward to seeing it all bound up with the covers.

sharon young said...

Beautiful work as ever, Heather.
I
I hope you won't mind but I've awarded you the Liebster blog award, the details are on my blog http://threadtraveller.blogspot.co.uk/ please don't feel you have to participate, I know you are very busy, but you know how much I admire your blog.
Sorry lost your email address.

All the best
Sharon

Stitchety Grub said...

That top pic is beautiful - luv it!

Barb Cady said...

I am so glad to have found your blog, this book will be amazing, you have done some wonderful work on it. I have always wanted to make my own book of hours, you have inspired me now! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful work. x

WendyK said...

Wonderful work Heather, would love to see it for real. You must have endless patience.

Jackie said...

I haven't been here for a while Heather and I come and find all these beautiful pages. Exquisite. I didn't know which post to comment on but chose this. I also love your photographs of shadowy trellis and eaten leaves.
With the new blogger and the difficulties: if you look along the top of the composing box, there is an icon for adjusting the position of the text. Make sure its set to left. Its a picture with lines either in the centre , left or right. You can always select ctrl and A at the end which highlights the whole blog, and then click left. It will also move all your pictures left so be careful.
Now about thos 'no reply' thing! When you comment I can never reply directly to you and I think I've just found the solution. If you comment on my blog. there is a box below which asks you to choose and identity. If you choose google account I might be able to reply.
Anyway this is a huge reply and thank you for always making lovely comments. They are very much appreciated. x