14th century inspired pattern for Surface Couching .1

Did you like the final drawing of the “14th century inspired pattern for surface couching” which I showed you yesterday?

If the answer is yes, then I have a very good message for you. I took the time and turned the final drawing of the “14th century inspired pattern for my next surface couching embroidery project“ into a new pattern PDF for you! …and I also already uploaded it to my page! 😀

Yes, it took a day but as a German saying goes, all good things need time. All the more I am very pleased to present my most recent pattern PDF with a 14th century inspired pattern to you – enjoy! 😀 [emember_protected not_for=4 do_not_show_restricted_msg=1]

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This 14th century inspired framework pattern is based on a lovely framework which I found on an extant altar cloth from the beginning of the 14th century.

Please feel free to download and print out my new “14th century framework pattern” for your own pattern collection. You can find the download link for my new pattern PDF here:

Craft with Racaire – Medieval Inspired Embroidery Patterns

The patterns on this page are sorted by technique and the techniques are in alphabetical order: German Brick Stitch, Klosterstich and Surface Couching. Therefore this new surface couching pattern and its PDF download link can be found at the bottom part of the “medieval inspired embroidery patterns” page.

And now a little bit more background information about my inspiration:

I found a picture of this 14th century altar cloth in one of my most favorite books about medieval embroidery:

“Niedersächsiche Bildstickereien
des Mittelalters”
by Renate Kroos

I am very glad that I found a copy of this rare book from 1970 some years ago. Though it is by far the most expensive book in my collection, I still think that it was worth every cent I spent for it. It is even so precious to me that I didn’t dare to mail this book or to put into one of my moving boxes – I had it in my cabin baggage during my last flight from Europe to the USA. And damn, this book is really heavy but I didn’t want to take any chance. Needless to say – as I am writing this posting – the book and I arrived save at the Nashville airport last year, where my future husband picked me up… *lol*

Though I already own this book for several years, the pattern which inspired me actually never really caught my eye. Well, not until I was looking for an inspiration for a new project… I guess some of you know this problem – you look through a book about a hundred times but it takes a special occasion or a certain project to find this certain one piece with which you then immediately fall in love with it…

But it was quite easy to overlook this pattern as the main eye catcher of this altar cloth is actually a crucifixion scene. Well, I admit it – I am normally not very interested in religious scenes. And what makes it even more difficult is that the altar cloth is worked in the “Opus Teutonicum” (also called “Whitework”) technique which makes it quite difficult to see the details of the embroidery.

It was not easy, but I used the extant embroidered framework of one of the side panels and rearranged it a little bit for a better fit for the fabric size I had in mind – about 20cm x 20cm.

Well, you know – I love to use up even the smallest piece of leftover fabric – especially when it comes to silk fabrics. 🙂 

I hope you like my new 14th century inspired pattern. I will try to at least start working at it before I start with my new Pelican & Knighthood hood project for a good friend… And well, I can easily take this project with me to SCA events – to work at it if I get bored… 😉