Finishing The Skeps

I do complicate my life, don’t I!

It’s fortunate that the silk is so fine, and the ramie canvas base fabric is also fine, even though it’s sturdy. Those “strapping” elements on the skep are stitched through two layers of fabric and a further two layers of silk embroidery, and yet I needed neither a sharp nor even a needle-puller.

I think that they work beautifully, however. The blends of creams and browns and fawns presents the sense of greyed thatch that I associate with bee skeps, and the canted “horizontal” stitching on each tier is on just enough of an angle to suggest twisted straw.

Finally, the “strapping” interrupts the stitching on each tier, changing the texture, and the light reflectance, bringing, I hope, some variation and liveliness to the scene.

And so, here we are, ready for me to add the gold underside couching. Unlike William, who was, I think, simpler, I feel some elements of Aethelflaed may need adjustment and rebalancing once the gold is in place. But we know that that’s part of the way I work, and even if I feel I should be more prepared, each time I am pushing beyond what I can easily envisage.

If I’m honest, I’m astonished that I get so much of these pieces right before stitching them!

There will be frames for both borders once the gold is in – probably one of the reds of Aethelflaed’s dress – and reins for the horse.

Oh, and a circlet for her head. I might use some crimson twist for that.