Harp Song - Winter 2016 - Shire of Glyn Dwfn

A Publication of the Shire of Glyn Dwfn
Winter 2016—A.S. 50
Principality of the Summits—Kingdom of An Tir
The
Embroidery
Issue
Inside this issue:
From The Seneschal
2
Moot Points
2
Oyez! Oyez!
4
Embellishers Guild of An Tir
4
Gilding the Gryphon
5
An Embroidered Seal Bag After the English
Fashion
8
Common Embroidery Stitches
10
The Forgotten Art of Or Nué
12
Experimental Archeology: Needlemaking
13
SCA Permission Forms
14
Coming in the Next Issue
15
Glyn Dwfn Regnum
16
Hello, Glyn Dwfn!
With a new year comes a lot of expiring officer
warrants! In fact, every current officer position
in Glyn Dwfn ends sometime in 2016 (the
earliest being in June).
I would highly encourage any and all paid
members of Glyn Dwfn to consider filling one of
these positions. Becoming a deputy to the
current officer is a great way to get acclimated
to the position. Remember, WE are the shire
and cannot run without the help of all of you!
If you have any questions about being an
officer, or if there is anything I can do for you,
please email me at [email protected].
Thank you all again; you make this Shire an
amazing place to live The Dream!
Piaras mac Toirdhealbhaigh
Art credits:
Cover: The Embroiderer, from Book of Trades, published in 1568.
Image © Trustees of the British Museum and used by permission.
Full-Color Medieval Ornament, Dover Pictura, © 2012
Photos on pp. 5-7 taken by Cat Balough
Glyn Dwfn’s January Moot was held on
Tuesday 1/19/2016 , with 15 folk in
attendance.
Photos on p 8 and 13 taken by Scianna Augustine
The Harp Song is a publication of the Shire of Glyn Dwfn, a branch of
the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. (SCA, Inc.), and is
published as a service to the members of the Shire. The Harp Song
is available free by request from the Chronicler, Scianna Augustine,
at P O Box 774, Shady Cove OR 97539, or via email to
[email protected]. The Harp Song is not a corporate publication
of the SCA, Inc., and it does not delineate SCA, Inc. policies.
Copyright © 2016 Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. For
information on reprinting photographs, articles, or artwork from this
publication, please contact the Chronicler, who will assist you in
contacting the original creator of the piece. Please respect the legal
rights of our contributors.
2
Highlights
Seneschal – All officer positions are coming
open at the top of the year. Every officer needs
a deputy; everyone should have someone
trained to take over. We want to meet our goal
of having all key positions filled. Officers and
potential officers, make sure your membership
is current.
Q4 reports are due on January 30th; the
Principality deadline is changing to the 15th to
The Harp Song—Winter 2016
(Continued on page 3)
(Continued from page 2)
help compile reports for Kingdom. Please have
quarterly reports in by the 10th. We’re working
with Principality to help make reporting easier.
(Hrothric and Laura will work on getting server
space for online reports.)
Exchequer – Not present; report given by
Seneschal. Ended 2015 with a gain of about
$1400 over last year, with all checks cleared and
all deposits made.
Marshal – Weekly Thursday night practices
number about 40 people. We may look at setting
up two different practices, one for rapier and one
for armored combat. Congratulations to Don
Armand, who won Queen’s Rapier
Championship.
Archery – We’re having about 6-12 people
coming out (even in the snow). People have
donated targets, and everyone is having a lot of
fun. Practice is currently scheduled for the 2nd
and 4th Sundays, but there’s discussion of
moving archery to weekly; we think there’s
enough interest to sustain it. Probably this will
be happening in spring; details to follow.
A&S Minister – Some newer members made new
garb for 12th Night. A&S gatherings are every
Monday 6-9pm. We are going to start working on
largesse.
Event Updates:
Hocktide: Contract has been signed by site
owner and is in the mail to us. We will be
hosting the Outrider of the Summits
championship. The Queen has requested 22
scribed invitations be sent her for the event by
2/20.
Samhain 2016: Nicolaa and Anya are interested
in possibly hosting a masquerade ball; they still
need a feastocrat. They want to work on learning
dances beforehand. Taran offered to teach a
leather mask-making class before the event.
Tain Bo 2016/17: Still looking for bids.
Fighting Demo: Jackson County Library System
is looking for performance-style demos in swordfighting, in conjunction with County-wide
reading Shakespeare in March/April. The Shire
is interested, but needs clarification on details
(size of space; dates/times; would Medford
branches comp parking?) Contact Alric for
coordination.
Martial Office Changeover: Iurii is interested in
taking the Marshal position; also there are
3
deputy positions
open (rapier, C&T,
equestrian).
Financial Policy –
Annual Review:
A number of edits
were suggested,
including:
 Balanced budget
wording - “No
budget will be
set that makes
the year’s
administrative non-event expenses exceed
the previous calendar year’s net profit.”
 Add that “Seneschal and Exchequer” must
both be at meeting in order to finalize
financial decisions;
 Add requirements for timely reporting of
event income. “Event reconciliation must be
done within 10 days of the event, with NMS/
deposit due Day 3 and reporting due by Day
10”.
 Add event reconciliation/debrief: “Event
stewards are encouraged to bring all
concerned to a debrief meeting to reconcile
event expenses within 10 days”; Change
event gate policy to state that two people are
required at gate;
 Principality has requested more specific
wording about donations; already implicit in
current policy. Piaras will clarify.
Piaras will put on put the current document on
GoogleDocs with “track changes” on. The
populace is asked to comment and vote at the
next meeting.
Other Business:
Verena reminded about the West Coast Culinary
Symposium in April near Portland ($85 weekend
includes food and crash space).
Their Highnesses need largesse – per Her
Highness, please donate anything you’d like to
receive yourself (excepting liquid, food, and
scented items, which are not desired). Please put
your name and branch on it – at least your
branch and kingdom, if you don’t want to be
personally identified.
March Coronet is now in Adiantum; this will be
a one-day event that will hold Coronet, the
Captain Of Tigers championship, and Moot. No
feast is planned.
The Harp Song—Winter 2016
Congratulations to those members of the Shire who have been recently recognized for their hard
work, skill, and prowess. For the recipients, a joyful noise:
Sabd Halsdottir – Service Grail – ARC (10/3/15)
Laura the Quiet – Service Grail – Samhain (10/24/15)
Aife inghean ui Callieg – Glyn Dwfn Rapier Champion - Samhain (10/24/15)
Milisandia filia Willelmi Filii Roberti – Glyn Dwfn A&S Champion - Samhain (10/24/15)
Piaras mac Toirdhealbhaigh - Captain of Cats (Summits Rapier Champion) – Investiture (12/12/15)
Jay the Silent – Award of Arms - Investiture (12/12/15)
Hanczel von Drakenburg – Silver Berberry - Investiture (12/12/15)
Armand Chavez de Castille – Silver Berberry - Investiture (12/12/15)
Piaras mac Toirdhealbhaigh – Silver Berberry - Investiture (12/12/15)
Florence of Glyn Dwfn – Award of Arms - Investiture (12/12/15)
Serafine of Glyn Dwfn – Martial Grail - Investiture (12/12/15)
Felipa of Fenwald – Jewel of the Summits – Hogmanay (1/2/16)
Iurii Belogorski - Ringtail Cat (Myrtle Holt Rapier Champion) – Hogmanay (1/2/16)
Embellishers Guild of An Tir
The Embellishers Guild of An Tir is dedicated to building skill in all kinds of embellishment-- from
painting, ceramics, repoussé, woodcarving, leather tooling and engraving, to beading, braiding,
weaving trim, and many different styles of embroidery. The group holds meetings, workshops, and
classes at events. Mentoring programs are also available. The Guild newsletter, Embellish!, is
available for free online, and contains Guild information and informative articles on
embellishment of all kinds. Guild membership and meetings are open to everyone, and
there are no membership dues.
The Embellishers Guild features six ranks: Student through Artisan. Advancing through
ranks is accomplished by challenging the rank with a variety of parameters, such as
teaching classes, mentoring other members on acquiring a skill, and presenting finished
and unfinished pieces. The challenges emphasize both depth and breadth of knowledge;
members of advanced ranks have considerable skill in many forms of embellishment.
For those who are interested in embellishment, the Guild is a valuable resource in
articles, classes, and personal instruction. To contact the guild to arrange for
instruction or to find an expert, see the Guild's website, antirembellishers.org. The
website also contains the
straightforward
membership form and
instructions-- are you
ready to embellish?
4
The Harp Song—Winter 2016
Gilding the Gryphon
interior threads rather than silk, there is still a
very small amount of actual gold that is
Goldwork, or metal thread embroidery, like
included to maintain that special shine. While
many kinds of embellishment, is found in a
these changes also make the materials for
variety of forms and cultures. However, as it was goldwork easier to obtain and use, it does not
most highly developed in Asia, it is generally
increase the durability very much and the
considered to have expanded outwards from
techniques used have not changed greatly.
Asian origins, and is considered to be at least
Hence, it is still reserved for special use and care
2000 years old.
on garments.
by Mistress Keterlin von dem Drachen
As one might imagine, the use of gold and other
fine metals was limited by the technology
required to produce the multiple types of thread,
wire and foil as well as the expense or value of
the metal. While the amount of actual gold is
relatively small, the time to produce the types of
materials, combined with the skills required to
work it and the time consumed to lay it down,
and inherent fragility of the end products have
all conspired to restrict its use. In our
historical context, just as with other uses of
gold, we see it most often used in church
vestments, clothing for royalty and nobility,
regalia, and later in military uniform
embellishment.
Today, it is much easier to access the
techniques and materials. While the threads are
now made with plastics and other synthetic
5
Like so many of us, I first encountered metal
thread embroidery through costuming and the
SCA. In my case, the encounter through
costuming predates my introduction to the SCA.
I learned to sew and worked with my younger
sister in the costume industry. For work and fun
one weekend we went to the West Coast
Costume College. Not too surprisingly, it was
very well attended and there was a significant
overlap with SCA folks. Many of the
embellishment classes were taught by SCA folks
I saw all the time. It was a veritable “kid in a
candy store” experience chock full of highlights
and great memories. In particular, there were
two classes that we added to my schedule just
as fillers but turned out to be cornerstones to
build upon.
The Harp Song—Winter 2016
(Continued on page 6)
our experience in the SCA, it’s also important
that we find joy in that learning, and different
Little did I suspect that metal thread embroidery ways to express and integrate what we learn on
and Opus Anglicanum would expand and carry our journeys of discovery. Surprise! Not every
me into so many different projects and uses.
garment will be a slavish reconstruction of an
Opus Anglicanum (“English work”) actually
extant historical artifact.
includes goldwork, but is more about techniques
for fine embroidery that include metal thread.
This project might be considered a curve ball by
The Metal Thread Embroidery or Goldwork class many but is one of those things that, as a
was of course focused on the metal use and
scribe, I run into all the time. It’s what I call a
included some use of silk.
cultural meatball, or the anachronistic part of
what we do. If you balance the
ingredients just right and put
just enough balance and
pressure on it, things will stick
together and come out right. So,
you take a Russ style winter
tunic and passions of the
wearer that include Minoan art.
Like special seasoning, you add
a desire to utilize less well
known images from frescos that
were broken into countless
shards and chunks by the
destructive eruption of a
volcano… And poof! You have Minoan Gryphons
Design rendering in colored pencil
with wings to be included in the embroidery.
(Continued from page 5)
Currently, I am working on a very special project
that is focusing on my Opus Anglicanum
techniques and skills. It’s actually very special
for several reasons. The first and most
important reason is that this is a celebration.
Eight years ago I had cancer and surgery. About
three weeks post op, right when I quit using the
pain medication, I found I had a broken tailbone
as a side effect, most likely from lying on the
surgery table. (So much for not needing pain
medication.) Okay, no big deal, I’d had a broken
tailbone twice before in my life, once from an
auto accident and once from a skiing accident.
Well, long story short: not being so young and
resilient, instead of healing in one year’s time,
it’s taken seven plus. The main point here is
that it is finally healed and for the first time in
eight years, I can sit at my drafting table. Can I
get a floppy Kermit-style Yay?
The second most important reason is that a
daughter of my heart has stepped up as
Princess of the Summits. I am honored to be
allowed to make the embellishments for one of
her outfits and it is right up my alley to boot.
While history and learning are a huge part of
6
I pondered and researched and pondered some
more. I sat at my drafting table, (yay) and
started sketching ideas, tossed some out and
did some more research and pondering. As
usual for me, inspiration struck as I was trying
to sleep one night. Well I know, after all these
years, it’s best to simply give up on sleep and get
up and start drawing or making notes on what I
see in my head.
Mostly, I had planned on doing white on red
spirals, creating more depth with several
different tones of white. But for the Gryphons, I
decided they would be better on a white ground
and then applied to the red. I also had a notion
that I wanted to do some padded work so I
experimented on a scrap of heavy weight fulled
wool. Unfortunately, I quickly found that it was
too fluffy and the floss sank in too deeply. I was
hoping for more of a quilted look so the next
fabric I tested out was a light weight cotton. I
laid down some yarn, cording and wool roving
and started to run a satin stitch over the tops.
Again, it just wasn’t working out the way I
envisioned, and I found the cotton buckled on
The Harp Song—Winter 2016
(Continued on page 7)
(Continued from page 6)
the embroidery frame in spite of the fusible
interfacing.
than the alternative techniques. Control is the
more complex issue.
Off to the store to get a sturdier interfacing
ironed on with stitch witchery. I always back
my embroidery with some sort of Pellon
interfacing to support the fabric and keep it from
stretching and buckling. Somewhere in the
experimenting with fabrics and backing, I had a
new inspiration to highlight the elegant spirals
of the mane, tale and wings with gold thread.
This became the starting point on the third try
and was one of those instant “aha!” moments.
I used DMC gold #284. It’s slightly more yellow
than the German Glimmer #03. As mentioned, I
am using Opus Anglicanum techniques so
rather than couching and laying the gold side by
side, I have used a standard satin stitch which
actually pierces the fabric and runs the thread
through repeatedly. The Pellon back helped
support the lightweight fabric and waxing the
thread with real beeswax helps prevent the
threat from abrading. It’s important to
distinguish that the metallic thread is a two
thread fine twist made product as opposed to
the foil wrapped and pearl threads of multiple
twists. You can bring these through fabric as
well with the aid of beeswax but not repeatedly
as they quickly fray as well as abrade your
fabric. Mostly they pierce the fabric only to start
or finish.
I admit, it’s a bit unusual to do satin stitch
metal thread in this way for two reasons. One is
what would have historically been considered
wasteful use. With the satin stitch the back
looks just like the front with the thread coming
up, traveling
over and down
right next to
the previous
stitch,
running
across the
underside to
come back up
where the
previous stitch
emerged. It’s
much quicker
and more
Commercially available metal thread
controlled
7
Goldwork detail on wing
In using a satin stitch, you are limited to small
areas to be bridged. If you start running stitches
over ¼ inch across, the risk increases that they
can get snagged or the tension can shift and you
find you have one puckering and another
floating loose. At the same time, you want to
avoid stitches that are too short so it’s best to
always work on a diagonal. When dealing with
something like turning corners or worse, a
spiral, you need to gradually change the
direction of your stitch so it continues to flow.
The control to change direction gradually is
harder to maintain with the metal threads. They
are stiffer and don’t hide any mistakes like silk
or cotton floss. The diagonal stitching comes in
especially handy when you get down to the
narrow single thread width of the spiral with a
modified stem stitch.
The remainder of the Gryphon utilizes a variety
of the Opus Anglicanum techniques. There is a
lot of satin stitching in the wings and decorative
motifs. In the body where there are larger spaces
to cover, I switch to split stitch which also
makes it easier to meld the colors used for
shading. In some places I throw in some shading
techniques used in Chinese silk embroidery
paintings and use a single thread of light or dark
to create highlights or shadow. And again, the
hardest part is maintaining a directional flow
and gently shifting the direction of the stitches.
The finished gryphons will be trimmed, turned
under and the turn basted down turning it into
a patch for appliqué. They will then be sewn
onto the red ground fabric and become
armbands on the finished tunic.
The Harp Song—Winter 2016
An embroidered seal bag after the English fashion
By THL Felipa of Fenwald
Many bags I have studied are embroidered or
Many important documents in European history made from patterned fabric; they have
decoration on both sides, and are both sides are
were authenticated with wax seals. Seals
essentially the same with no defined front or
showed each party's stamp of approval, and
functioned as a signature. Wax seals appear in a back. I have tried to replicate this in my bag as
well. Historians believe that most seal bags were
range of forms and sizes, and in shapes from
oval to round to almond. Some were very small— made from scraps. One of the extant bags' fabric
matches the same fabric ordered in bulk for the
about the size of a ring-- to quite large.
English royal household, and bears the arms of
England. There is strong
There were many means to
evidence that this fabric was
attach the seal to the
woven about a century
document. Commonly, wax
before it was made into a
was melted onto tags of cord
seal bag! In keeping with
made from hemp, silk, or
the same style, I too used
strips of parchment. Narrow
scraps from previous
tablet-woven bands were
projects to construct mine.
also employed. Tubular
Only the brown silk floss
tablet-woven and fingerwas purchased for this
braided silk cords attached
project. I even teased out
to seals were similar to other
the metallic thread from bits
cords used on purses, bags,
of leftover trim.
and lacings on garments.
One surviving seal bag from
the medieval era was
constructed from fabric that
may have been part of a
surcote or a cope, but there
is no clear evidence of what
type of item it was. This
bag, which has since been
un-stitched and laid flat, is
appliquéd with the arms of
William de Forts and of his
second wife, Isabel. It
consists of silk appliquéd
The study of seals and seal
onto a silk ground with a
bags can be challenging as
linen lining. Many seal bags
they generally tend to be
are heraldic in motif, which
overlooked by historians.
makes sense to me as one
This may be due to a large
could
tell
at
a
glance
whose seal was contained
percentage belonging in private family
therein.
Appliquéd
onto
my bag are heraldic
collections.
motifs-- squirrels are the arms of the household.
The color scheme is also heraldic in nature, and
My seal bag was created to protect a seal on a
household charter. Its completed size is 14 cm x I have chosen colors that were popular in the
Middle Ages, and shades that were most likely to
14 cm round. A similar seal bag of half-silk
fabric in the Winchester Abbey is also round and be able to be achieved with natural dyes.
measures 13 cm x 13 cm. One of the larger
examples, if sewn back together, would measure The lining and ground fabric is of the same
mustard tabby-woven linen. Most extant seal
24.5 cm x 22 cm!
The seals tend to be fragile
and over the course of time
begin to separate from the
cords and document, so the
seal is often enclosed in a
small cloth bag to protect it.
Some bags were highly
decorated with embroidery;
others were constructed of
patterned silk, while some
are completely plain.
8
The Harp Song—Winter 2016
bags are lined in tabby-woven linen. The wool I
used for the appliquéd squirrel is also a tabby
weave. In the early centuries of the Medieval
Era, twill woven wools were more common
fabrics, giving way in later centuries to more and
more fulled tabby-woven wools. Written sources
from the time strongly imply that the majority of
embroideries, particularly appliqué, were made
of wool— either wholly or partially.
hemp, linen, or silk. In excavations at London
were found strips of precious metals with cores
of linen or silk.
This technique is very common today; in fact, it
is challenging to find metal embroidery thread
that is not constructed in this way. Many now
include synthetic materials and cores, thereby
continuing the tradition of “cheaper and less
pure” materials. The metallic thread I employed
Since appliquéd fabrics are prone to fraying, it is is constructed in the same fashion. The edging
most effective with fulled fabrics, and less so on of the appliqué consists of loose metallic threads
silks, velvets, or tabby-woven linen and wool. I
bunched together and couched down. A different
can attest to the fraying issues with the tabbyapproach was used on the bag edging, where the
woven wool I used for this project; I avoided it by metal threads are made into cords and whipworking very cautiously. I subsequently learned stitched to the bag.
that candle wax has been found on the raw
edges of some pieces, apparently to keep the
When the embroidery was completed, I
fraying in check.
assembled my bag by sewing the ground fabric
and the lining together with whip stitches. I
The first step in the appliqué was to draw out a stitched metallic cord around the outside edges
template for the piece. I then drew the shape of
of the bag. This length of cord also forms the
the bag and the scrolling acorn motif free-hand attachment cord and the tassel. Since my bag
with a graphite pencil. Cenino Cenini discusses has yet to be placed around a wax seal, the top
drawing out cartoons for embroiderers in his
has been left open. It will be stitched together
treatise on painting. There is also at least one
and to the cord that holds the seal. Personal
extant piece of embroidery that still shows part
study of images of bags that are still attached to
of the drawing where the embroidered threads
their original documents lead me to believe that
have worn away!
this is the way it was done historically.
Split stitch is one of the most common stitches
used in this time period. The scrolling acorn
motif is worked entirely in split stitch using a 2ply silk thread. In some areas it has been
doubled for visual weight. The appliqué was
stitched in silk thread with a metallic cord
couched around the edges.
I enjoyed creating a composite reproduction seal
bag designed in the tradition of various extant
pieces, but with my own choice of heraldic motif.
This was my second applique piece, so I had fun
exploring the technique and learning to use
authentic medieval methods and materials. I
really feel that this approach with this project
substantially improved my embroidery skills.
On the continent, thin strips of gilded leather
Working with the silk embroidery floss was a lot
were commonly used to outline the appliqué, but of fun, and kind of addictive!
in England it was more common to use cords of
Resources for further study:
linen, gold, or silk around the edges.
Tillotson, Dr Dianne, “Medieval Writing,” http://
Appliquéd wool or silk, lined in linen, with the
figures outlined with cords and the use of split
stitch for inner detail are all typical
characteristics of English-style appliqué in the
Middle Ages.
The 12th and 13th centuries were marked by
the significant increase of metal in embroidery
and in silk brocades. The cost of such large
quantities of gold, silver, and bronze thread led
to the production of less-pure thread and the
technique of twisting metal around a core of
9
medievalwriting.50megs.com/writing.htm, November,
2014.
Monnas, Lisa and Granger-taylor, Hero, ed., Ancient and
Medieval Textiles, HMSO Publications, London, 1996.
Cennini, Cennino, The Craftsmans Handbook, Transl.
Daniel Tonmpson Jr., Dover Publications, New York,
1960.
Crowfoot, Elisabeth, Pritchard, Francis, and Staniland,
Kay, Textiles and Clothing: Medieval Finds from
Excavations in London, HMSO Publications, London,
1996.
Lorraine, Mistress Catherine, “Appliqué”, The Gull, http://
www.southern-shores.net/gull/articles/
applique.shtml, October 2014.
The Harp Song—Winter 2016
Common Embroidery Stitches
Text by THL Felipa of Fenwald, and art by THL Hroðric of Fenwald
With the following five stitches, one can replicate almost any example of embroidery from
the 12th to 15th centuries, including applique styles, Opus Anglicanum, and what I call the
'outline style.'
Split Stitch is by far the most
common and useful in most
types of Medieval embroidery.
Used to outline areas, as well
as infill. It can make smooth
corners, curves, and spirals.
In Opus Anglicanum
embroidery it was
implemented for faces, hands,
and other areas where subtle
shading or texture is desired.
It can be stitched over satin
stitch very quickly.
Split stitch
Satin Stitch is the second most common stitch
used in the Middle Ages. It was used mostly for
infill, and often used for both subtle and bold
shading effects.
Satin stitch
Stem Stitch was often employed for vines or stems on plant motifs. It is best used on gently
curving designs.
It's a fairly quick
stitch once you
get the feel for it.
Stem stitch
10
The Harp Song—Winter 2016
Couching is more commonly used
for borders of applique, but was also
used for raised or textural areas.
The process involves laying a thin
cord or bundle of metallic or silk
thread (though wool or linen could
also work) and whip stitching it to
the base fabric. Gilded strips of
leather were used instead of cord in
France.
Couching
Flat Couching is a technique of laying flat strips of metal and tacking or couching it down.
It is most often seen as a metallic background, especially in ecclesiastical works.
Flat couching
11
The Harp Song—Winter 2016
The forgotten art of Or Nué
By Mistress Melisande de Frayne
There are many beautiful pieces of needlework
that have survived from the medieval times to
inspire needleworkers in these current Middle
Ages. Many of us are familiar with such
techniques as Opus Angelicum, blackwork, and
couching, but there is a stunning embroidery
technique that, to the best of my knowledge, is
little known and little used within the Society for
Creative Anachronism. The technique is known
as Or Nué, meaning “shaded gold”, developed
during the 13th
in the
Surviving payment century
Netherlands.
The technique
records show that
quickly spread
from its point of
an altar frontal
origin to
worked in 1271 for France,
and
Westminster Abbey England,
Belgium.
took four women
three and three
quarters years to
produce.
The extant
pieces of Or
Nué are
primarily
ecclesiastical
works. This
does not mean
that Or Nué
was used only for religious purposes; it may
simply be that the church took better care of
its embroidered pieces, and used them less often
than items created for secular use, and thus
more ecclesiastical pieces survive.
On the other hand, as the technique
necessitated the use of an extensive amount of
gold thread and silk couching threads, it would
have been costly to produce. Only the wealthy
could afford to produce, or commission, such
work.
took four women three and three quarters years
to produce!
Before embroidering, a cartoon (drawing) would
have been rendered, either by an artist or the
embroiderer, on medium to heavy weight linen.
It was not uncommon during the Middle Ages for
an artist to be paid to render a cartoon, while
embroiderers were then paid to produce the
work. The edges of the linen would have been
stitched or finished with melted wax to prevent
fraying. The piece would then have been
attached by threads or nails to a wooden
embroidery frame to keep the fabric taut while it
was worked.
The technique is based on a common technique
used during the period: surface couching.
However, unlike most surface couching, it is
worked starting from the bottom of the piece to
the top, one row at a time. Two parallel strands
of gold thread are laid in place, then crosswise
threads of colored silk thread, following the
colored pattern of the cartoon, are couched over
the gold. Each row is laid on top of the last row
completed.
Stitches are placed closer together in areas to be
shaded more deeply, and farther apart in areas
to be lightly shaded. The gold becomes a solid
background surface, with the design created by
the variation of tiny couching stitches used to
hold the gold thread flat. The spacing or
closeness of these stitches allowed the gold to
shimmer through occasionally, which gives a
stunning, mosaic effect.
The best way to work with this technique is to
have several needles threaded, each with its own
color, so that you can use them as you reach
each area to be worked in that color. Once you
have completed using a particular color of
thread, the thread can then be pulled to the
front of the piece and secured until used in the
next row of stitching.
In addition, the technique, while not difficult,
took an exceptionally long period of time to
In Or Nué, curves tend to be more squared off
produce, and was likely to have been the work of than in other types of needlework. However,
more than one skilled embroiderer. In fact,
when a finished piece is viewed from a distance,
surviving payment records show that an altar
even as little as a few feet away, as it would
frontal worked in 1271 for Westminster Abbey
likely be during a church service, the square
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The Harp Song—Winter 2016
edges are muted. The gold, when picking up light, even candlelight, shines gloriously.
The use of Or Nué as a technique can only be documented for approximately 100-150 years. This
may be because the technique is costly and time-consuming to produce. It may be due to the
development of quicker and easier techniques, such as satin stitching. Whatever the reason for
the “loss” of this art, I encourage needleworkers in these current Middle Ages to try the technique.
The uniqueness of the technique will draw attention, but the striking effects of a finished piece will
give any embroiderer great satisfaction.
Resources for further study:
Medieval Craftsmen: Embroiderers. Kay Staniland, University of Toronto Press, 1991.
Historical Needlework Resources website. Images and information regarding Or Nué embroidery found at http://
www.medieval.webcon.net.au/
Medieval Renaissance Embroidery website. Discussion article on Or Nué technique found on the World Wide Web at
http://www.advancenet.net/~jscole/ornue.html
Erica Wilson’s Embroidery Book, Erica Wilson, Scribner, April 1973.
All That Glitters, by Lady Christian de Holacombe, The West Kingdom Needleworkers Guild Newsletter, Filum Aureum,
Spring 2001.
Article: Goldwork: Metal Thread Embroidery in Medieval Style. Bannthegn Alianora da Lyshåret, the Countess Golden
Dragon, July 2003.
Experimental Archeology:
Needlemaking
by THL Hrothric of Fenwald
An Iron Age ring fort was excavated at Eketorp, Sweden, in 1968.
Among the many dwellings in the fort was House 013, a storage shed
that had been converted to additional living and working space. There
were signs of habitation and remains of textile production
implements, including signs of a warp-weighted loom. Among the
remains were found two whetstones, and one of these has what is
described as a furrow “for producing bone needles.”
As a maker of bone needles, I was thrilled to hear of a tool for
producing bone needles, although it wasn't quite clear to me how this
one works. So I made one, and tried it.
Unfortunately, I was unable to secure additional information (like the
size of the groove and whetstone, why they think it was used to make
bone needles, whether any similar needlemakers have been found
elsewhere, etc.) as the primary publications are in Swedish and not
available through any of my sources. As a result, my experiment is
not conclusive—it's possible that the groove was made incorrectly, or
that I used the wrong type of stone, or any of many other
uncontrolled variables. However, I had hoped that the needle would
roll in the groove to get an evenly-round surface, and I don't think
that will work. I don't see that the groove is beneficial beyond just a
flat whetstone for making needles, and I would suggest that the
groove is an artifact of making needles, rather than purpose-built for making needles.
What do you think? Is this designed to make bone needles? Discussions with specialists also
suggested the idea of this being a casting mold for metal needles, which might just be the next
experiment!
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The Harp Song—Winter 2016
Contributors Wanted!
The Harp Song documents the pastimes, interests, and pursuits of the populace of Glyn Dwfn
and the Principality of the Summits. Contributors are always wanted and appreciated. Please
consider submitting articles, artwork, and/or photographs. Send inquiries to the Chronicler,
Mistress Sionnach, at [email protected]. Please include the appropriate permission forms.
14
The Harp Song—Winter 2016
Coming in the Spring Issue:
Our focus will be on Archery and Thrown Weapons, including

How to Make and Fletch Your Own Arrows

15
Introduction to the Atlat’l
The Harp Song—Winter 2016
Seneschal – Piaras mac Toirdhealbhaigh
Exchequer - Milisandia filia Willelmi Filii Roberti
Marshal - Hanczel von Drakenburg
Archery Deputy – Hroðric of Fenwald
A&S Minister – Taran mac Tarl’a
Webminister – Laura the Quiet
Herald – Seraphin of Glyn Dwfn
Chatelain – Alric of Angleheim
Chronicler – Aoibheall an Sionnach
Scribe – Felipa of Fenwald
Shire Moot—Third Tuesday of the month, 7:15pm at the
Central Point Library
Fighter Practice—Weekly on Thursdays from 6pm-9pm,
Stevenson Union at SOU (Ashland)
Archery Practice—2nd and 4th Sundays, 1pm-Dark,
Fenwald Farm (Shady Cove)
Arts and Sciences Night—Weekly on Mondays, 6pm-9pm,
Lady Taran's Shop (Central Point)
Scribal Sundays—First Sundays, 3pm-9pm, Fenwald Farm
(Shady Cove)
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The Harp Song—Winter 2016