Note About Embroidery Samples

I am keeping notes for each embroidery sample in the same format as I kept for my Goldwork samples from last Fall. The format is:

Sample #__
Description
Materials
Notes- anything I want to remember from the sample. This includes anything I found difficult or did not expect while executing the sample, any ideas for other samples I got while completing the currant sample, the details that worked and did not work about the sample, etc.

I am going to try to keep track of my time for each sample as well though I forgot to do this on the first few samples. Also, I have been trying to keep track of how much of each material I have been using (as best I can) for each sample.

Mixed Orange Blossoms

Materials: listed in clockwise order
Flower A: Silk organza, silver bright check #6, silver lined Japanese drop glass bead, 5mm Swarovski white pearl
Flower B: Alençon lace, silver bright check #6, silver lined Japanese drop glass bead, 5mm Swarovski white pearl
Flower C: 100% silk velvet, silver smooth purl #6, silver lined Japanese drop glass bead, 5mm Swarovski white pearl
Flower D: Point D'Esprit, silver bright check #6, silver lined Japanese drop glass bead, 5mm Swarovski white pearl
Flower E: Chantilly lace, silver smooth purl #6, silver lined Japanese drop glass bead, 5mm Swarovski white pearl

Velvet Orange Blossom Excess Appliqué on Chantilly Lace

Materials: 100% silk velvet, Chantilly lace, silver smooth purl #6, 4mm clear round Swarovski crystal, 3mm Swarovski white pearl

Velvet Orange Blossom Appliqué on Alençon Lace

Materials: 100% silk velvet, Alençon lace, silver smooth purl #6, Toho frosted silver lined crystal Japanese seed bead #11, silver lined Japanese drop glass bead, 3mm Swarovski white pearl

Glass Bead, Lacey Lamb, and Silver Cutwork Blackwork Chart

Materials: Toho frosted silver lined crystal Japanese seed bead #11, Lacey Lamb wool yarn, silver smooth purl #6, double faced silk satin
Notes: Top to Bottom: the same 3 patterns are executed in each column. Left to Right: Glass beads with silver cutwork, Lacey Lamb with glass beads, Lacey Lamb with silver cutwork.

Embroidery Samples

Experimenting with Blackwork patterns using natural wool thread, silver threads, and beads.

The larger square is set up as follows: top to bottom- darker patterns moving to lighter at the bottom, left column is only wool threads, middle is wool mixed with silver threads, and right column is only silver threads. For the lighter to darker movement, I chose traditional blackwork patterns that were deconstructions and mutations of each other. As you move towards the darker patterns, all elements of the previous block are repeated and new elements added.

My Client

Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan

For my final project, I have chosen to create 2 wedding gowns inspired by the life of Consuelo Vanderbilt. Consuelo married twice--first, to the Duke of Marlborough and second, to Lt. Col. Jacques Balsan. Her marriage to the Duke was one of convenience. Her mother wanted her daughter to be part of the British aristocracy and the Duke needed massive sums of money to maintain Blenheim Palace. Neither the Duke nor Consuelo loved each other. The wedding was like non other that New York had seen before in its size, expense, and publicity.

Her second marriage was one of love. Consuelo had met Jacques at her first bal blanc in Paris during the spring of 1894. Allegedly, Jacques went home that night and told his mother he was going to marry Consuelo. It was not until 1921 that they married.