I'm glad I decided to practice the basketweave pattern #UndersideCouching before starting to do it on #WilliamMarshall, because this is nowhere near neat enough!

#OpusAnglicanum #PracticeInProgress

I have a decision to make.
I will be buying a spool of Smooth Passing for the #UndersideCouching in #WilliamMarshall and it turns out that there are several shades of gold.
So, do I go dark and orangey or light and creamier?
Hmmm ...
#DecisionsDecisions #PlanningMyWork #DesignersDilemma #OpusAnglicanum #MoreToThinkAbout

Completed first panel of practice for the underside couching.
I'm going to try again, with a different type of silver thread, to see whether it is easier or harder or produces a better result.
#OpusAnglicanum #UndersideCouching #Goldwork #HandEmbroidery #Embroidery #WilliamMarshall

So, an hour's work on this small bit of #UndersideCouching seems to be about five rows.

It's too early to say that I am getting better at it, but I am going to stick with it to finish this small panel, and to have a go at one of the basketweave panels, before I tackle the real thing.

#OpusAnglicanum #Goldwork #WilliamMarshall #Embroidery #HandEmbroidery

I've got all the silk #SplitStitch done on #WilliamMarshall.
I'm really pleased with it - I think the border has turned out just as I want, reminiscent of a medieval Book Of Hours, and the image of William tells just the story I had in mind.
#embroidery #HandEmbroidery
#OpusAnglicanum

I have four people in mind..

#WilliamMarshall 1st Earl of Pembroke, jouster, statesman, guardian of kings, guarantor of Magna Carta.

#Athelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, war leader and peaceweaver, guardian of Athelstan.

#Rahere, jester, minstrel, courtier and monk, founder of St Bartholomew's.

#DameJulianOfNorwich, anchoress, mystic, author of the the first book in English known to be written by a woman.

#MedievalMoversAndShakers

During a pause in stitching #WilliamMarshall, I read an article on Rahere's church and the foundation of his hospital in London, and now I have an idea for a sequence of #OpusAnglicanum panels of #MedievalMoversAndShakers.

This is how an idea gets out of hand!

#DesignersLife

An angled view to see the effects of the different patterns of #SplitStitch on my #OpusAnglicanum #Embroidery celebrating #WilliamMarshall.
It is so intriguing to see the subtle and not-so-subtle differences in effect from a single type of stitch and thread.

I've filled in the first of the crosses!
#WilliamMarshall #OpusAnglicanum #SplitStitch #SilkThread #HandEmbroidery #Embroidery

I've finished the sprigs in William's frame! Just the crosses to do, and then it's on to the #UndersideCouching!
#OpusAnglicanum #WilliamMarshall #WorkInProgress #SplitStitch #SilkThread

Progress on #WilliamMarshall today - most of the third corner sprig is now done. I do think it's going to work!
#OpusAnglicanum #SilkThread #SplitStitch #embroidery #HandEmbroidery

🔊 #NowPlaying on BBCRadio3's #ChoralEvensong

William Marshall, Robert Ashfield, Keith Wright, Ex Corde & Paul Gameson:
🎵 Psalms 87, 96

#WilliamMarshall #RobertAshfield #KeithWright #ExCorde #PaulGameson

Brought to mind by a conversation yesterday, with @alisonkiddle , @christianp , and others...
Another contribution to the #ArtAdventCalendar, this time a #watercolour.
"The tomb effigy of #WilliamMarshall, Temple Church, London.'

🔊 #NowPlaying on BBCRadio3's #ChoralEvensong

William Marshall, Robert Ashfield, Keith Wright, Ex Corde Vocal Ensemble & Paul Gameson:
🎵 Psalms 87, 96

#WilliamMarshall #RobertAshfield #KeithWright #ExCordeVocalEnsemble #PaulGameson

First corner sprigs completed! (I think). There may be a few tweaks when all four are done, and I don't yet know how, or whether, I'm going to fill in the crosses.

As true Opus Anglicanum goes, it's becoming much less so. So it's becoming more "me", I guess. I tend to improvise around a technique, rather than staying between the tramlines, as it were.

#HandEmbroidery #OpusAnglicanum #WilliamMarshall #SilkThread

I've been wrestling with #WilliamMarshall again today. Suddenly I had an idea that involves a lot of messing around with the background, just when I thought I had the design half-baked, at least.
It's done the impossible and turned into dough again. Sigh.
#DesignersLife