Hortulus & Next Design

I didn't get as much done on Hortulus as I had hoped this last weekend, but the piece is progressing and I'm very happy to see it is looking like the woodblock type of effect I was after.

Though it also has started to remind me of something else, a stained glass window. So I did some reading about medieval stained glass and found this quote from Angela Wainwright's book on Medieval Cross Stitch Samplers. 'Subject wise, the 13th century window became highly narrative...As the design of the window shape became wider and deeper, these figures were often surrounded by geometric shapes and/or intricate, foliage-based borders."

The next design I will be introducing and starting to stitch after Hortulus is complete, is One May Night.

I'm in the process of picking out fabric and floss for it and I'm really looking forward to seeing this one growing before me. When I begin the piece it will go up for sale, so if you want a free copy now is the time to request it.

Patterns and Modelbuchs

Band 6 was slightly delayed this weekend, due to my spending stitching time online having a fascinating time discovering 'Modelbuchs'. Here is an introduction from the first site I want to recommend - Patterns and Modelbuchs

"The 16th Century saw a proliferation of pattern books or modelbuchs aimed at the domestic embroiderer as well as the professional craftsman. In addition to pattern books designed specifically for artisans, many other books were used by the domestic embroiderer as a source of embroidery designs."

This site has some extensive links for both original works and more modern reproductions of some fabulous patterns. I also spent a good deal of time at bibliOdyssey
Here you'll find links to original pattern books in European libraries that you can download for free.

How fabulous is it that we can see and download books of patterns from the early 1500s? I'm more enthused than ever to try and bring some of these images to new designs, combining motifs from different centuries to express the vision I have for cross stitch designs.

Next post, Band 6, I promise!