Tudor and Stuart Goldwork Master Class – Progress on the Silkwork

I’m still working away at the silkwork on the sampler. It has been so grey and miserable recently that the light has been poor and it has been difficult to make any progress at all.

Some time ago I bought a daylight lamp to use in the evenings or when the natural light is poor. It works well for some projects, but not this one. I think part of the problem is that it glares on both the fabric and the magnifier, and believe me, I’m not going to work this piece without a magnifier!

So I can only work on this when there is good natural light, but not glaring sunshine, of which there has been all too little this summer. I’m also careful not to strain my eyes, so I work maybe two lengths each time I sit down, but no more.

I’m working one motif at a time, and letting it grow from the nearest point at which it approaches a previously finished one. That means I have relatively little counting to do, although sometimes I start a motif somewhere a little odd. The one I am working on at the moment started from the tip of the large leaf. When  I do have to count, I count in fours – that is, the width of one Queen Stitch. I can almost do that by eye, and if I do miscount, it’s easy to double check.

The stitch produces a very pleasing texture on the fabric, and because it is a pulled stitch – at least on this fabric – there is a light and lacy look to it.  If only I had better light I would be enjoying this even more!