Date: March 2013
I'm back on the casket stumpwork trail and have needed to buy a supply of size 28 tapestry needles so that I could progress the casket needlecase a bit faster. The sharp needles that I've been using catch on the 36 count linen and slow me down. Tapestry needles have a blunt end and this makes it easier to slip it into the tiny little hole in between the linen weave. I use a magnifier and light when I stitch and am impressed whenever I hear of anyone who does this stitching without magnification. I ordered the needles from oz stitch and they arrived promptly and I got going.
Towards the end of this stitching episode on the casket needlecase, I receive notification from Amy Mitten that my Mermaid kit is dispatched, March 2013. There's quite a story to this mermaid mirror. By November 2012, I had been in the Cabinets of Curiosity course for about 8 months and had received my first kit, and gotten excited, and started this Casket Needlecase project in lieu of my actual casket. Through my reading on the forum and in the lesson materials, I had settled on my design and it would include a mermaid. They were very common on 17C caskets and I liked the playfulness of the water, the imagery, the grotto, the little precious stones that the girls added to their embroideries. Also, a big fan of swimming, but that's another story.
Anyway, back to the mermaid mirror story, in January 2012, the Needleprint blog announced a competition to design an embroidered mirror. The prize pool was generous. From the blog...
Many of you know that Needleprint was founded with 3 aims to: open up the world of needlework, by making images of needlework more accessible; conserve needlework collections for generations to come; and promote needlework. So today, I have great pleasure in announcing this major Needleprint needlework competition that will have a first prize of £500 (or dollar, euro, yen equivalent). The objective is to design and stitch a cover for a handheld mirror - the sort of mirror you might pop in a handbag.
In September 2012, they announced the finalists. And the standard was breathtaking. I could not be a judge (and not just because I was busy and they didn't ask me). Thankfully, an appropriate panel was established, because I wouldn't have wanted to choose from the talented entries. Perhaps if it was my profession I could but from my suburban pew, they all look pretty marvellous.
Anyway, 1st November 2012 and the winners were announced. Such beautiful work - and - Amy Mitten, who is also in the Cabinets of Curiosity course, won with her Mermaid mirror. We went a bit nuts in the forum chatting about how wonderful it was. Amy then offered it as a kit and class on her website. A few of us were even emailing her before she posted it for offer. Emailing in a loving supportive way, not like some hungry paparazzi hunting down a celebrity.
I opted to have the Mermaid kit sent by cheaper, slower post from Canada as I was aware that this would sit in the cupboard waiting, waiting. Others in the class got started straight away when their kits arrived and I got to enjoy their progress vicariously, for another day. It really is an amazing embroidery project and so appropriate for us casketeers. In the meantime, I'm going to lounge around and pretend to stitch. Channeling this guy below.
Previous Posts
Lion door finished (needs lion though) (February 2103)
Summer Progress on the Casket Needlecase (January 2013)
Starting the Casket Needlecase (December 2012)