Making Progress on the Hittite Amulet
The Hittite Amulet Progressing
There was a slight, panic-stricken, pause in progress on the Hittite Amulet recently. As you can see, I’ve barely completed a third of him, and I’ve used half of my darkest silk. This is a graver situation than I anticipated, because since I bought the thread – three years ago! – the master dyer at Pearsall’s has died and they have closed the company.
I can leave to your imaginations how I felt when that realisation hit home…
Fortunately, the remaining stock was sold to Tristan Brooks Designs in America, and while it is extremely frustrating to have to have thread dyed in England shipped back to England from the States, the two skeins I bought do seem to match well enough. I’m going to alternate strands from the new skeins with strands from the old, all the same – that should help to make sure any change is gradual.
Close Up On The Amulet
When I was at the Knitting And Stitching Show in Harrogate, I bought an extra skein from Laurelin Specialist Embroidery. The colour is very slightly brighter than the darkest one I am using for the background, but I am hoping that it will help to add a bit of depth and strength to some of the shadows on the Amulet himself.
You can also see in the close-up that I’ve nearly got the rows straight again after their wanderings. Now I know I have to be careful, I hope that the problem won’t arise again.
Oh I can just imagine the horror of realising you were going to run out of thread after all that work. Well done on tracking the supplies down. Hope it will all go smoothly from here on.
Oh dear — I know just what you were going through — there is nothing worse than running out of thread part way through a piece. For me, its bad enough if its just regular floss that I know I can get locally — but when it requires a certain dye lot made only one place oh my… Glad it all resolved itself and you can continue stitching peacefully.
I think I’m getting more relaxed about matching colours since using my own dyes mroe and more, as it’s sometimes unavaoidable, but it is still frustrating.
he looks like and intriguing little chap
and one of these days I will come along to one of thse shows and meet folks
I have just enlarged the photo for a closer look at your stitching – it is so beautifully worked.
I’m glad you were able to get more of your silk. Years ago I ran out of yarn for a very complex designer sweater I was knitting for a customer, and found out is had been discontinued. Fortunately the rep for the company asked in every woolshop he visited on his rounds and managed to secure a ball for me!
Good luck with getting enough matching thread to finish your background. I’ve done a few projects where I’ve had to blend in something because the original thread ran out before the end – the one good thing is that other people notice these slight changes far less than you do yourself.
I’m sorry to hear Pearsall’s have gone out of business. Another fine old thread company lost.
Oh dear – what a horrible realisation.
The stitching is looking fine though!
Oh, gosh – it’s panic stations when something like that happens isn’t it! Thank goodness you tracked it down. I always think that a ‘near match’ is actually worse than anything – throwing up concerns like ‘Can you see the join?’. Scrolling though your previous posts, am loving the Glittering Nightcap – the colours on the fruits are so rich. xCathy
Oh dear – and how sad, I remember Pearsalls from one of my first embroidery ‘sets’, when I was 5 or 6, and thinking how wonderful the thread colours were. I’m very pleased to hear your detective work paid off – I think he’s looking splendid!x
I hope you’ve managed to source enough for the whole piece now! it’s looking fantastic – your rows are so lovely and straight and I really lie the way the silver sparkles through the more sparsely placed stitches in the middle. So effective.
your heart must have been in your mouth thinking you may not be able to replenish the silk…phew!! The close up picture is perfect, it illustrates your skill beautifully
I can’t think of anything worse. It is the stuff of nightmares. So glad you were able to source the threads.
Oh no! I can only imagine how your heart must have sunk. It’s bad enough having to use threads from a different batch, the dye is never exactly the same… but to have the company close as well! I’m glad you managed to find some, even if it was from the US 🙂