Mi Contra Fa

Wisigard Vitta because reasons

So let's say I wanted to make a vitta a la the 6th cen. one worn by Wisigard:

And let's say I wanted to use my primary charge in place of the garnet there - I originally drew it as a 16-point star, but the heralds made it into a compass star, so it's usually drawn with eight points.  I can get an all-gold 16-pointer or a 5-pointer with a garnet:

  

 

 

 

 

 

Would it be my fault if it ended up looking something like

 

Embroidering a Pearl with pearls

My Pelican, Meisterin Johanna von Sudeborn, was made a Companion of the Pearl at Storvik Novice Tournament yesterday, for her excellence in researching clothing across the SCA's period, and for her skill in teaching others the art of tailoring.  Lord Richard Wyn provided the medallion, so I wanted to make something else to give to her in honor of the occasion. 

That's the order badge, embroidered in wool I spun myself on my hand spindles.  The white is Wensleydale; the brown in Romney, a gift from Lady Sabina who attends our SENEA meetings; the blue is indigo-dyed Leicester Longwool from Colonial Williamsburg. (They did the dyeing, not me.)  It's all stem stitch with woolen singles.

The pearls are real, although freshwater.  The final product actually had eight more, in between the ones shown. Each pearl is secured to the linen ground with white silk floss.  For every one:

• Three stitches secure the thread. They represent what brings us to the start of a project: Inspiration, Imagination, and Preparation.
• The silk thread passes through the pearl bead three times.  Each one of these represents the qualities of an Atlantian Pearl: Excellence in Art, Excellence in Scholarship, and Generosity of Knowledge.
• Three more stitches then secure the bead.  These are the things that ground us and keep us moving forward: Diligence, Persistence, and Passion.

Inspired by the Maaseik and Oseberg embroideries.