The Baba Yaga Reliquary Bag

 I have recently decided to pull out a project that was put aside over a year ago that very much needed to see completion. After 40 hours of stitching for the main front panel, I figured it deserved that much at least. The crucial part was the dangling feet which has been a bit of a daunting task. It's in my mind but can I pull it off? The bag itself will be very small to hold a tiny mortar and pestle. So the work is quite tiny and small details were not saved as well as I had first hoped.

I hand drew out the hut and Baba Yaga in her iconic mortar and pestle.  Then began the outline for later fill in. This was worked on a fine linen in cotton DMC embroidery thread. I very much would like to start working in silk thread in the future. But I still lack the confidence (and honestly, the funds) to tackle that. I am getting closer to reaching that goal. At least I hope so. 

I filled in with split stitch and klosterstitch on the bottom for the grass and soil. I did experience some warping especially on the bottom but this did improve once removed from the frame.

 I did choose to do a more structured couching for the top band to better support the eyelets and cording. 

I have already attached the silk lining to the panels and added eyelets for future cording. I also left a small gap at the bottom so that I can insert the feet when I do finally complete them. Then I can (hopefully) stitch it all together and add any trim and cording.

Please note: This is really just a fun project I am doing to hone my skills and practice bag construction. I do not intend to put this out other than for display as it is not constructed with accurate materials or methods. The back is...not my best work. Knowing it would be concealed I did not do as I should have in weaving in carefully. But still looks much better than past works! That should count for something, no?

2023 Projects

 

The following is a list of projects worked on in 2023. Some are still works in progress and will be detailed in future posts with more details.

Bottle Cap Pincushions

These were part of a Dirty Dozen gift basket competition where the challenge was to make a dozen items to be donated as largesse.  I had a blast making these sweet little pincushions out of bottle caps with fun colors and some colorful stitching.

 

 

 

Columbine Witches Hat

These cute knit hats seem to be all the rage this year but I just had to make mine more personalized. Columbine flowers and fairy ferns were crocheted out of sock yarn and stitched on to a lucet vine to make this hat really stand out in a crowd.
 

Early Period Slavic Overdress (In progress)

A raw silk over dress with detailed embroidered neckline, sleeves, and border. To date I have completed the neckline and sleeve embroidery and attached them to the garment. Trim still needs to be made and applied. As well as hemming and preparing for the detailed border pattern.

Baba Yaga Reliquary Bag (In Progress)

A small bag that will hold a mortar and pestle. The type that Baba Yaga rides around in to cast her spells. Split stitch in cotton on linen with a silk lining. The feet will be stitched  and hung from the bottom for her iconic chicken foot hut.

Introduction : Past Projects

I have been dabbling in the medieval arts for almost 20 years. I say dabbling as many attempts were just that. Fumbling with finding a comfort zone and a niche that I fit in with some wiggle room. I still consider myself somewhat of a dabbler. If not more educated and willing to branch out into new techniques and materials.

I do very much love to embroider. I have been stitching since I was 5 when my grandmother bought me a small cross stitch project and I instantly fell in love. It's meditative, even if sometimes frustrating. I jumped into it and still have decades of bad habits I am working to break. The back of my work only somewhat resembles a traffic jam now. With more time it will surely improve. Hopefully. 

Here I will display some of my past endeavors. Wins and misses. This is what I can comb together over the years. And excuse some of the clumsiness. I am still very much an amateur. And I hope to at least break through into a higher tier at some point. 

 

Split Stitch Foxes - 2020

This was my pandemic project. An exercise in patience and shading using only split stitch as a coloring book. It kept me busy! Cotton embroidery floss on evenweave linen.

Split Stitch Cup Cover - 2014

This was my first journey into split stitch as a fill in stitch. And it became an obsession thereafter. This also became a class I have taught multiple times that results in a small easily worked project with a very handy purpose to show off your work. Embroidery cotton on linen.

 

Klosterstitch Pouch - 2014

Made for a competition, I chose to experiment with a rarely used stitch type. Laid and couched with random angled stitches. I did not use the wool used typically for this method and instead used cotton embroidery floss as the wool was cost prohibitive for me. Linen ground fabric.

Blackwork "Spike" Seahorse - 2012

Blackwork that was made into a pouch for a gift basket. Single ply silk, cotton embroidery floss on linen ground fabric. 

 

I have more 'mundane' projects under my belt. Such as knitting and crochet. Many (MANY) cross stitched works. I am going to keep this blog slimmed down for now unless there is a call for my other projects. I always keep three in hand because I like to overdo it. But balance is key. If you want to see more of anything let me know. I do have closer pics of most unless it was given as a prize or added to a gift basket.