The Map of Amarna is Finished – Part One
Finished Map of Amarna
At last I have finished the Amarna Map!
This has been a very long road. I started work on this panel – itself intended only as the background of a larger piece – before I started this blog. About four years ago, in fact. I am going to write two posts about this, because while I am looking back over my choices, I am also planning the use to which the panel will be put….
Contour Lines
When I first started on it, it was easy to choose reverse herringbone stitch, or shadowwork for the contour lines. When the piece is pressed and mounted the reverse herringbone will create a slight contour effect. Click on the image and enlarge it and you wll see what I mean.
This is one of the primary concerns of my stitch choice – to create an effect that is reminiscent of the item or object being depicted without attempting to show it in a direct fashion.
The choice of back stitch for the main text was easy too. I wanted a simple line to create the text wiithout drawing undue attention to itself, and back stitch is about as unobtrusive as a stitch can be!
Title Text Detail
When it came to the Main title at the top of the panel, I chose split stitch for the second title, because again, I was looking for a plain stitch, with a little more weight than the back stitch, but not too eye-catching. For the main title I picked up one of the stitches from the Tudor and Stuart Masterclass – it’s lovely to find myself using a stitch I’ve learnt recently in a project I first started thinking about over fifteen years ago, when I first read the book that inspired it, “Nefertiti Lived Here“, by Mary Chubb.
This is wonderful! I have an affinity for maps – love to see them spread out before me and imagine myself in whatever place it is. I had never thought of using stitchery for a map. I love the texture you’ve given it.
The map looks great.
I absolutely LOVE it! Congratulations. This has been a long stitch but one I have really enjoyed.
Many congratulations, you must be thrilled to have finished it. I have always liked the colour scheme, it seems just right, and the texture created by your stitch choices. Have you said what size the panel is?
Well done on finishing ….. it looks super!
I love it especially the subtle differences in the shades of threads used and how this is highlighted by the different stitches. Great piece, congratulations.
Congratulations Rachel.It looks great,love your color choice.
oh my goodness!! definitely the end of an era….do you feel a slight sense of loss? I usually do when something that has been part of me for so long is finished.
It looks wonderful, Rachel. Well done indeed.
I love maps – and you know I wanted to see how this would turn out! Gorgeous 😀
It’s lovely – the subtle colours and textures of the stitches are absolutely beautiful.
So lovely that this stage is finished. And it looks great. Now you can move on to giving serious attention to the other panels….!
I haven’t been in Blogs for ages – so I’m a bit late in offering you Congratulations!! You must be really happy 🙂
You know that I think it’s lovely – especially as I’ve seen it in real life, and I know how BIG it is!