Dreams of Amarna – The Antelope Panel
Antelope Carving – Photo copyright The Egypt Exploration Society
When I finished the Hittite Amulet, I didn’t have another piece ready to go, but feeling a little jaded with metal threads, I didn’t want to move straight back to the Tudor Rose… So I went rummaging in the wonderful selection of photographs that the Egypt Exploration Society allowed me to have copies of to use as reference, and found a photograph of a small piece of stone, carved with part of a frieze of antelope.
AntelopeFrieze
I transferred the design onto some handpainted silk using the prick-and-pounce method, and went over the lines with a pencil, then framed it up over a calico backing, picked out a skein of hand-dyed twelve strand silk and thought about stitches.
In the end I decided that what had attracted me to the photograph was the simplicity of the lines against the slightly uneven texture of the stone, and so I should make my version absolutely simple too.
Antelope Close Up
With that in mind, all the lines will be in reverse chain stitch, worked as small and as evenly as I can manage without using a magnifier, for all the lines. Reverse chain stitch is so much easier than ordinary chain stitch when the fabric is in a frame!
I am thinking of using Hungarian Braided Chain, which I worked on the Crane Pot, for the edge, but I am also considering the possibility of not stitching a frame at all, but instead stretching the silk over a piece of skirtex cut to the shape of the stone.
This is a real contrast with the Glittering Nightcap – very simple and very “minimal”. Almost like a palate cleanser after a heavy meal!
Very impressed with your choice of treatment. The random silk and the slubbed fabric gives it just the right amount of variation without being overly distracting. Is that a Stef Francis silk thread? I’m very fond of those subtle sludgy colour-mixes.
What a beautiful choice for a stitchery. Its going to be so beautiful and I love that you’ve kept it in the subdued colors of the original drawing.
i had to look up reverse chain stitch. turns out i’ve done it but didn’t remember. love what you’re doing here. i have something similar in my pile of ufos with cave paintings….wonder where that is.
Beautiful delicate stitching. I don’t think I have done reverse chain stitch – I shall have to consult my book.
The choice of silk for your piece is not what I would have chosen but it is perfect. I have never considered stone and silk as being alike but they are, they both have a similar textural appearance. As for using reverse chain, that is a winner.
you are certainly doing justice to the simple lines…..I am looking forward to watching this one develop…
I agree with everyone else – the handpainted silk is perfect for representing the stone. Definitely a palette cleanser after all your detailed stitchery of late!
This piece is so elegant. The 12 stranded silk thread is perfect – I wonder how many strands you are using? I love using this thread: the colours are so subtle. Can’t wait to see the antelopes progress.