Talented papersmith Rob Ryan has produced an exclusive skirt design for Clothkits. It's a little out of my league, at £46.00, but I might add one of the £25 tiles from Rob Ryan's Etsy shop to my birthday list, along with his gorgeous book This Is For You.
Knitted Elizabeth I doll in progress, next to the 'Pelican Portrait' of Elizabeth I, c1574
When my M.E. forced me to jack my job in, my beloved colleagues at 24 Hour Museum threw me a party and presented me with my very own spoof homepage, which included personalised links to (made-up, sadly) sites such as BuildABaptistBoyfriend.com and KnitYourOwnTudor.com. It's the latter which has spurred me into action!
Using Jean Greenhowe's Pedlar Doll as a base, along with the wig from her Cinderella doll, I have started to create a likeness of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I - in knitting. (It's already been done but I wanted to have a go myself.)
For inspiration, I consulted my gorgeous glossy catalogue from the Elizabeth I exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in 2003.
I'm concentrating on two portraits in particular, both from the 1570s and both depicting the Queen wearing deep red - Nicholas Hilliard's 'Pelican Portrait' of Elizabeth I, c1574, which is in the collection of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, and the 'Plimpton Sieve Portrait' of 1579, by George Gower.
I'm also looking at portraits of Elizabeth I in the National Portrait Gallery's collection, concentrating on those from the 1570s, and researching fashion in hairstyles and clothing in the 1570s.
As you can see she's taking shape. Now for the fun part - beading, braiding and embroidery-a-go-go!
See also:
ElizabethI.org.uk: Elizabeth I - Appearance
Elizabethan Geek: Elizabethan Costume Review
Extreme Costuming: Two Elizabethan Hairstyles
Elizabethan-Era.org.uk: Elizabethan Hairstyles
themakeupgallery: Queen Elizabeth I
Semptress: Elizabethan Costuming
ElizabethanCostume.net: Elizabethan Hairnets, Cauls & Muffin Caps
Swatch portraits (c) www.purlbee.com
This is a great idea from the Purl Bee - frame favourite pieces of fabric with embroidery hoops and hang 'em on the wall. I've seen fabric framed before in picture frames but this is a more interesting way of doing it and is dead simple - just follow their free online tutorial.
There's even a Swatch Portraits group on Flickr.
Still from The Golden Age (c) Working Title
I am SO looking forward to the release of
Cate Blanchett is my favourite Elizabeth on film, perfectly capturing the wit, intelligence, strength and vulnerability of Elizabeth I. (Anne Marie Duff coming a close second - Cate does have the advantage of already looking like the Elizabeth we know from portraits).
The Golden Age isn't out till November, so am trying to sate my cravings by watching the trailer, rewatching Elizabeth and flicking through production shots on Working Title's website.
Still and production shot from The Golden Age (c) Working Title
Bierbergen Oedelum Black (c) Ian Hundley, 2006
| Ian Hundley is a Brooklyn-based artist who transforms maps into amazing large-scale quilts. Watch this video from Cool Hunting, where they meet with Ian to discuss his inspirations and capture his process. |  |
Gothic embroidery by Gina Barrett (c) www.vam.ac.uk
Tucked away on the V&A Museum's Gothic microsite, there's this great embroidery tutorial, by designer, illustrator and expert textile worker Gina Barrett. There are also pop-up animations of couching, split stitch and satin stitch.
Artwork by Karen Storr (c) www.ciota.ac.uk
Loving this technicolour shed by Karen Storr, entirely covered in cuddly toys (spotted in an's degree show round-up) - I bet that involved a few trawls round the charity shops!
Karen's an MA Fine Art student at Cumbria Institute of the Arts AND a DJ.
Monochrome Circles, 2006 (c) Jessica Preston
These folded forms by Jessica Preston look amazing. They remind me of the pinched fabric tsumami kanzashi flowers worn as hair ornaments in Japan.
You can buy her creations as sculptures, brooches (which would also look stunning in your hair) or photo greetings cards.
A great day out today has really lifted my spirits. Good company, a change of scene, some culture, some shopping and some good food have done me the world of good.
Sarah, the Blonde and I went up to the Big Smoke to see the Kylie show at the V&A. I'd already seen it but it's free and they wanted to go so I didn't mind seeing it again at all. Lunch at the V&A wasn't cheap but at least the £7 sarnie the Blonde and I bought to share for economy reasons turned out to be huge and delicious.
Then we snuggled on a Surrealist sofa in the foyer...
Then off to Tottenham Court Road to lose myself in the wonders of Paperchase, and on to Oxford Street Topshop so Blonde could enlarge her sock collection and drool at anything with skulls on. I picked up a couple of David Shrigley cards for my wall - this one cos I've always loved it and this one to make me smile in the face of necessary medication. And, one trip to Schuh later, the Blonde had happy feet.
We headed over to Wardour Street (having warned Sarah about the loos) for lovely Thai food, but stopped off first at Soho Square so I could see Kirsty MacColl's memorial bench - every other time I've looked for it the place has been too crowded, so it was lovely to find it and have my picture taken sitting on it.
After dinner there was an unplanned stop for a crepe before getting the bus back to Victoria, very very full and completely knackered... but happy.
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