Stitching Sundays 5

Having completed (yay!) my first project, I am starting out on my second.  Simple felt leaves (using felt made by me) with embroidered veins/patterns, to hang on the seasonal tree.

I haven't yet got round to cutting them out and sewing them, but here are some of the materials gathered ready.  I am going to add a new stitch to the two I have used up to now (stem stitch and back stitch) - split stitch.
I was watching a fantastic programme on BBC4 last week, which was part of the Fabric of Britain series, where there have also been programmes about the history of knitting and the history of wallpaper.  This week,  the focus was the wonder of English medieval embroidery ( the link is to iplayer) or 'opus anglicanum' (English work), which was renowned throughout Europe as being the best.  The programme showed some beautiful and precious examples of this embroidery, usually used in bishop's robes or other church vestments, and using gold and silver, pearls and jewels too. (It is being repeated tonight at 8.00pm on BBC4 and is well worth a look.)

 This is from a Bishop's cope.

 Here is the whole cope spread out.

Another close up from a cope. 
The programme was fascinating and visited churches and museums in Italy as well as The Royal School of Embroidery where the two stitches which these embroiderers used most - split stitch and underside couching - were demonstrated.  I am excited to be using a stitch which has such a long history.
The end of opus anglicanum came after the Black Death in 1348, where so many people died.  The embroiderers from Europe took over with their stitching designs and they were taken up in England too.  I enjoyed all of this short series and recommend the programmes (if you are able to access them).
(Photos of embroidery from V and A website)

Bishop Bob in situ

 Well, here is Bishop Bob in situ in the college Theatre bar.  It was quite tricky to find a place without too much natural light and with enough floor space to experiment with the distances for the light.  We really wanted a halogen bulb so that the shadow would be really sharp, but the old fashioned one worked pretty well and gave us the shadow that we imagined.  We were very pleased with the end result.  There is also an element of interaction for the people judging/looking at it, as we made a sign inviting them to switch the light on (and remember to switch it off again, of course) and we hope that this will give a surprise element, when the shadow appears on the wall.  All in all, we are pretty pleased with our achievement! 

A view with all the various cards/explanations/ descriptions and the Tate Modern-inspired information on the back wall.

Hello to Bishop Bob

At the University College where I work, the Chaplaincy challenged all the departments to make a Bishop (in the style of a scarecrow) and place them in various locations around college to be viewed on Tuesday.  My colleague, Rachael and I decided to make a small scarecrow Bishop and shine a light on him to project a shadow, as our entry.  Other departments have gone for Bishop Desmond Tutu (in a tutu, naturally) or Harold Bishop (from 'Neighbours') or St Nicholas, who was also a Bishop.  We have devised a Tate Modern inspired description for our installation and have had help from the Maintenance Department who kindly provided the lighting. 

Our Bishop is based on a real person, and we have tried to make him using a medieval image as the inspiration.  Part of the brief was to be frugal and spend no more than ten pounds, but we spent nothing as (due to the fact that Chris and I are hoarders), we had all the materials we needed at home.  Bishop Bob may not look much like a scarecrow, but is in fact made around two pieces of wood, as a traditional scarecrow is.  Rachael made his hat, head and hands and I made his clothes and crozier (shepherd's crook-like staff).  I'll let you know how we get on!