2024-09: An embroidered cap
Kategori: Allmänt, Embroidery, Historic Sew Montly 24, Renaissance, Stashbusting
This was my big project of 2024 (or, tbh, of most of 2022, all of 2023 and a bit of 2024) and a project I actually didn't start with any intentions of ever finishing it. Or at least not any realistic ones. For the Renaissance events I take part in, even with a semi-busy camp and Actual Things To Do, there is still a significiant amount of time for "just sitting around an patiently let people take pictures of you, safely knowing you won't ever have to see said pictures". And especially for longer larps, I like to have something to fill quiet moments with. Both because it adds to the immersion, and because I need the quiet moments.
That means that a project ideally:
- is small-ish (luggage is always a challenge anyways)
- can be started and interrupted an infinate number of times (by visitors, a sudden need to rescue an unsupervised toddler from harm*, or in-game action)
- doesn't require counting, lots of thinking or anything else that can't be done while talking
Non-counted embroidery fits the bill. I have been eyeing the amazing stuff in the Burrell Collection ** ever since I went there in 2012 and while I love the waistcoats, it was a bit excessive as a project even for a project where the process was the thing rather than the finished product. A cap, like this one, seemed less daunting.
Ages ago I made a plain white cap (adapted, iirc, from a pattern in Patterns of Fashion) that fits nicely over taped hair, so I made a paper pattern of that and drew the embroidery pattern on that. It was never meant as a copy, so basically I just went along with the fact that these curved lines and inventive designs lend themselves really well to improvisation. I then dove into my fabric stash. Any modern linen I had was far too loose a weave to suit, so in the end I found a less worn corner of an antique linen sheet and used that.*** Finally, I filled in the paper pattern's lines with a thick black pen, put the linen on top and traced it (no additional light needed, which should tell you a lot about the fabric) with a thin, permanent marker. Ink lines seems to have been the thing also back in the day.
The finished pattern drawn on the fabric, with the outline of the cap in basting stitches around it.
As I was short of embroidery silk but have inherited my grandmother's vast stash of mercerised Mouline cotton embroidery yarn I used that. I also decided to only use what threads I already had, not buing any extra yarn but adapting the colours as I went.
And then I embroidered. I started with chain stitches for the "stems" (also because I had lots and lots of the coppery yarn) and then finished one figure at a time in split stich.
I guess a square embroidery frame would have been the thing in period, but I had these small round ones lying around and the ARE easier to transport. I also had more colours available than the original embroiderers, so I mixed the threads only rarely to get extra shades.
I have been working on this at events and occasionally during long phone meetings at work on and off. By sometime in early 2024 and realised I could ACTUALLY finish this, so I went into overdrive in order to not only finish it, but finish it before the last event in some time where I was sure I could use it. Somewhere in the last quarter or the project I head to re-stock from grandma's box and had a bit of a cry as I was ambushed by the box smelling of her and her sewing room. Smell memories are strong (and yes, I very quickly closed the box again to keep it a bit longer).
The finished embroidery, after pressing, with a pencil for scale.
With a project like this, you get favourite parts. Either because they were more fun/less tedious to make and/or because I really liked the final result. So here's a collection of some favourite flowers. None of which are easily found in reality ;)
The original cap is not lined, but I wanted to make sure that the risk of something catching on to the wrong side of the fabric was minimised (and also the top fabric is worn and I wanted something to support it a bit). So I lined it with another piece of linen, added loops in (synthetic, sadly) ribbon as a drawstring casing at the back as well as a tie to secure it in front of the taped hair.
The finished cap, worn over taped hair. Photo by Anna Pettersson.
Another back view, showing more of how the cap sits on my head. Photo by Anna Pettersson.
The details:
What the item is: An embroidered cap
How it fits the challenge: While this is not my first embroidery, it was aaaaages since I did some and this is easily my most ambitious project to date.
Material: Linen, mercerised cotton embroidery yarn.
Pattern: Adapted from Patterns of Fashion and from photos from the Burrell collection
Year: really late 16th/early 17th century
Notions: synthetic satin ribbon
How historically accurate is it? Hand made and the correct shape, the embroidery is not up to 17th century ladies' standard but passing. Some materials changed, so I'd say a very solid 80% or so.
Hours to complete: Please don't ask. I lost track long ago, but I'd say at least 150 hours including pattern construction and A LOT of embroidering.
First worn: June 2024.
Total cost: Next to nothing, since I was working from scraps from other projects. Actual cost in the range of 3 euros. If I had bought everything new I guess I would have ended up in the region of 50 euros and a lot of scraps, a lot more if I had had to buy that quality of linen.
How it fits the challenge: While this is not my first embroidery, it was aaaaages since I did some and this is easily my most ambitious project to date.
Material: Linen, mercerised cotton embroidery yarn.
Pattern: Adapted from Patterns of Fashion and from photos from the Burrell collection
Year: really late 16th/early 17th century
Notions: synthetic satin ribbon
How historically accurate is it? Hand made and the correct shape, the embroidery is not up to 17th century ladies' standard but passing. Some materials changed, so I'd say a very solid 80% or so.
Hours to complete: Please don't ask. I lost track long ago, but I'd say at least 150 hours including pattern construction and A LOT of embroidering.
First worn: June 2024.
Total cost: Next to nothing, since I was working from scraps from other projects. Actual cost in the range of 3 euros. If I had bought everything new I guess I would have ended up in the region of 50 euros and a lot of scraps, a lot more if I had had to buy that quality of linen.
*Saving toddlers normally results in three things: A toddler who has NOT fallen dragging something heavy along in the fall, a surprised and/or scared toddler (since that's a normal reaction to a stranger rushing up to you tbh), and a stink-eye from the parents (who normally don't get what was dangerous either, I mean, when have running out in the path of a galloping horse or climbing heavy but wobbly stuff ever hurt anyone? Right! No need to interfere with THEIR kids, amirite?)
**If you get the chance to go there, go! It's one of those wonderful collections of everything.
***Do as I say and not as I do, children: that could have ended in tears if the worn fabric had ripped half way...
**If you get the chance to go there, go! It's one of those wonderful collections of everything.
***Do as I say and not as I do, children: that could have ended in tears if the worn fabric had ripped half way...
