The EmbroideressWednesday, May 02, 2007
Use of Space
I was looking at some plates from Trevelyon's great book and they brought up some thoughts of use of space in design. It seems to me that use of design motifs that crowd the available space and use gobs and gobs of materials (particularly rich/expensive materials) says much more about a statement of wealth than about design aesthetics.
Blackwork designs go from the very spare to the crowded as the ages passed. Crewelwork in England tended to be very thread heavy, but when many of the designs moved to America where materials were more scarce, they became more spare, more wide spaced more delicate.
Early crazy quilts, although full of Victorian excess did not approach the amount of embellishment we work onto examples today.
Question -- is more, more or is less, more? I tend to try to find a middle ground when designing and try not to put every stitch I know, every design I can think of into one work, but that is a personal preference, isn't it?
Blackwork designs go from the very spare to the crowded as the ages passed. Crewelwork in England tended to be very thread heavy, but when many of the designs moved to America where materials were more scarce, they became more spare, more wide spaced more delicate.
Early crazy quilts, although full of Victorian excess did not approach the amount of embellishment we work onto examples today.
Question -- is more, more or is less, more? I tend to try to find a middle ground when designing and try not to put every stitch I know, every design I can think of into one work, but that is a personal preference, isn't it?
Labels: Needlework Design
Comments:
OK. Give. Where did you see Trevylon's Great Book! I've seen some pages out of it -- it was an article in (racking brain for name ... Burlington Magazine maybe?) Anyway ... I know that the Folger is talking about printing the whole thing. Has it been done?
Linn,
Like with most things, it really depends on what it's for. And what one's expectations are. For me, the biggest "mistake" I see people making with Blackwork shirts for the SCA is not having enough blackwork, too much which space. But for other projects, its the space that makes it!!
Cheers,
Jane
Like with most things, it really depends on what it's for. And what one's expectations are. For me, the biggest "mistake" I see people making with Blackwork shirts for the SCA is not having enough blackwork, too much which space. But for other projects, its the space that makes it!!
Cheers,
Jane
There are two Trevylon's Miscellanies or Great Books. The Folger owns one, one is in a private collection. The Walpole Society (41st volume) has an article by Nevinson about them and some of the plates from both of them. The Folger has published a facsimile copy of their Trevylon. I've seen some of the original pages during an exhibit at the Folger, have used the facsimile in a library and own a copy of the Walpole article.
The Walpole Article. That's the one that I have. So the facsimile has been published. I bet it's right pricey! I'll go check here in a minute.
Thanks!
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