A Koala Visitor

 

Look who's back! It is winter here, and the roaring of koalas and possums fills the air at night.

Small Embroidered Pocket

Here is something that I have  been working on, on and off, for a while. It is a small pocket which can be used as part of my group's static A&S display for demos.

The main stitches are chain, split, double running and seeding stitch. All the motifs are taken from sixteenth century modelbuchs.

The next step is to make it up. I have some red bias binding that might be a nice decorative highlight.

Trading Cards - Red Dragon with Shoes

 Most of my scribing time over the last couple of years has been taken up with paperwork and communication. I've found it hard to get back into the swing of award scrolls and have certainly noticed a drop in skills and confidence.

One way that I am trying to combat this is by working on small projects which are 'just for fun'.

Here is a trading card that I completed. The dragon's little shoes tickled my fancy!

 The card is worked in Winsor and Newton Gouache.

I've had a lot of trouble identifying which manuscript this fellow is from, so please comment below if you know! Thanks.

 

Another Book To Hide A Phone In

Recently I was lucky enough to have a friend gift me their old phone - I'm excited thinking about the better quality photos I can take. It did mean, though, that I needed a new book to hide it in for SCA events.

One of the hardest parts about making the book cover is finding a book that you are willing to cut up. It also needsto have no visible title, author name etc.

You might remember the last one of these I made: http://broidermebethan.blogspot.com/2019/09/a-book-to-hide-phone-in.html

I changed the process this time, based on what I learned last time. I added the metal corners to the book first, and used a piece of felt under the prongs of the pliers to reduce damage to the metal. I used a craft knife to cut each page individually.

I also changed how I glued the pages. Initially I tried a glue stick, but it was not strong enough so I changed to white craft clue. I watered it down more than last time I made one of these, and used a bit less so that the book didn't get quite so saturated with glue. I used E6000 glue to stick the phone cover into the hole.

I used gold gouache to paint the edges of the pages gold.

I did remove several pages completely because the built up glue adds thickness. Sticking the pages down also distorts the pages as well. It is important to start from the back when gluing the pages down, and to pull them quite tight until they stick. I left the front pages free. 

I cut the hole at the back for the camera lens a bit larger than the holes because I found with the last book that the overhang caused some shadowing on my pictures.

Using less glue meant that the book dried much faster than the last time. I was able to use the book to hide my phone at the last event, and it worked very well.