Temair ingen Muiredaich, Counted Embroidery

Name: Temair ingen Muiredaich

Location: Barony Beyond the Mountain

Wiki: https://wiki.eastkingdom.org/wiki/Temair_ingen_Muiredaich

One of the last events I attended before lockdown was the 7th Annual Embroidery Schola in Quintavia. This led to a lockdown journey of embroidery with me attempting many styles. One big “AHA!” moment for me during this time was that not all black work was reversible. Whaaaat??? No really, it’s not all reversible cuffs and collars. No wonder an earlier attempt at blackwork frustrated me so much….In 2021, I saw this course with “counted stitches” and decided to give it a whirl. Blackwork stitches are fabulously easy to do once you understand the order of the stitch placement. There’s a path to figure out and then follow it! What is not fabulously easy is making these lovely stitches fit into odd corners and shapes. We did not spend a lot of time on that in the class and it may show in some areas of the work.

While period blackwork and redwork are generally limited to just black or red (thus the name), learning with other colors helps to separate the stitches (and make a pretty piece). Learning more about blackwork, the stitches (there are so many!) and how to determine the best way to get them onto the fabric was the pursuit of this piece. The spangles hide a bit of the work but add some nice shine so I’ve included a “before spangles” and after.

Link to this piece on my blog:
https://diverseartsdabbler.blogspot.com/2021/02/medieval-horse-rider.html
General link to my blog: https://diverseartsdabbler.blogspot.com/