One other subject that generated plenty of questions across the goldwork altar cowl venture is how I connected the big semi-precious gemstone to the medallion, the central ornamental piece on the altar cowl.
There are completely different ways in which stones will be connected to goldwork. When contemplating the way to connect a stone, you need to suppose by way of measurement and, particularly, of utilization. In case your piece goes to be framed and barely if ever dealt with, you’ve some wiggle room in how stringent you’re with the attachment of the stone(s). However when you’re creating a chunk that will probably be used, moved, folded, and so forth, it’s a good suggestion to determine a way to verify the stone is tremendous duper safe.
Initially, we had been a faceted stone for this piece, however two issues introduced themselves: 1. a faceted stone of any measurement is generally very deeply minimize on the again – and that was the case with the stones that we had to select from. Their depth made them problematic. 2. Due to their depth, setting them into any {hardware} (jeweler’s setting) would enhance their weight and their top and make stitching them on and dealing them into the embroidery tough and – I believed – moderately ungainly. As a lot as I want a faceted stone for its brilliance, if the stone doesn’t have a flat again – or not less than a really shallow again – it appears awkward on a textile.
The stone of selection was a blue topaz. The sunshine blue of the topaz would stand out on the background, and it simply seemed fabulous with gold and silver. When it was evident that the faceted, deep minimize topazes wouldn’t work as effectively for our functions, we went as a substitute with a flat-backed cabochon.
An area artisan set the stone in a 14k gold bezel tray after which soldered 4 gold half-loops that he hammered as flat as he may onto the perimeters of the tray. The one standards was that the loops would match contained in the 4 design areas of the cross and crown. So although the location of the loops appears somewhat off right here, the location really labored out rather well.
If you have a look at the stone up shut, you possibly can see that it has all of the qualities of a really robust magnifier.
(The crimson little blip within the reflection on the decrease proper facet within the picture above, by the way, is me. I used to be carrying a crimson shirt!)
Not the most effective picture on the planet, however once I first acquired my palms on the stone, I set it down on a chunk of soppy cotton toweling cloth. You’ll be able to see the magnified texture of the cotton behind the stone.
This magnification might be problematic, relying on the bottom cloth.
Since we had been utilizing linen as a floor cloth, the weave of the white linen behind the stone would have been magnified a lot that it might have introduced an undesirable texture to the completed look.
To get rid of that downside, I minimize out and appliquéd a small oval of silk to the realm the place the stone could be connected to the design.
The sleek silk labored fairly effectively behind the stone and it added extra of a reflective high quality, too.
I mounted the stone into place by stitching it on, utilizing a closely waxed heavy silk thread. I sewed by the loops with a beneficiant variety of agency stitches.
Then I sewed on the remainder of the inspiration felt for the grown and cross over the loops.
It’s a little tough to stitch, while you’re avoiding strong steel. I needed to place and regulate stitches based mostly on the place these loops had been, but it surely labored.
This stone has outstanding readability – it’s actually lovely! Earlier than stitching the stone in place, I polished the again of it rigorously to verify there have been no prints on it and no bits of fuzz, thread, wax, or anything.
You’ll be able to see that, in comparison with the encompassing embroidery, the dome of the stone sits moderately excessive.
In this sort of needlework on this sort of venture, the order of labor is necessary.
I wanted to get the stone sewn on in order that I may get the inspiration on in order that I may sew the passing thread on this a part of the cross. The chip work needed to be final, however I couldn’t do the chip work on the crown and cross or on the rays round it till I had completed this passing thread space.
This was positively the worst a part of the venture to sew. It was a fiddly area and I used to be working in opposition to these gold loops sewn below the felt.
However stitching round these loops wasn’t as unhealthy as I believed it might be. It truly is only a matter of manipulating the place you set the needle.
Once I snapped the picture above, there was nonetheless a little bit of clean-up work to do on that space, however I used to be comfortable simply to have the gold down at that time.
I knew I couldn’t have any plunged ends subsequent to the stone. The one place this mattered, as a result of course of the goldwork passing thread, was within the space circled above. So, to verify I wasn’t plunging in that space, I folded the goldwork threads and couched the fold close to the stone.
I’d have finished a steady folding technique on this complete space, in order that I solely needed to plunge a few times, but it surely was simply approach too fiddly, so I plunged the ends of the folded threads the place the gold felt basis met the white basis. And it did get messy in there – but it surely improved as soon as the outlining was all completed.
The final half on the crown was this space of felt within the design, which was all chip work. The chip work was straightforward to work right here, regardless of the onerous gold loop below the felt. It actually didn’t trigger any downside in any respect, so I used to be glad of that.
The chip work took a wee little bit of time! That was plenty of little cuts of shiny examine purl! However I believe the impact was value it. So sparkly!
In order that’s how I sewed on the gemstone. It labored fairly effectively and it wasn’t as horrible to stitch over these gold loops as I believed it was going to be. I actually was somewhat nervous that it wouldn’t work effectively, but it surely’s an method I’d positively use once more. The stone is safe and you’ll’t inform there are loops beneath all the inspiration padding and the gold threads. Win-win.
If I come throughout any additional tricks to share with you on this venture as I filter by my pictures, I’ll positively let you recognize!
For those who’d wish to learn the backstory on this venture, you’ll discover all of the articles about it listed right here within the Goldwork Altar Cowl Index.