When Things Come Together

Silk damask with embroidered ducks, Central Asia, 7th–8th century Textiles from the regions along the Silk Road play an important role in the newly furnished permanent exhibition. This red silk was woven in China and embroidered in Central Asia with stylised duck motifs that may be traced back to Persian prototypes, thus documenting the exchange of goods and motifs between east and west. ©Abegg-Stiftung, CH-3132 Riggisberg (photo: Christoph von Viràg)

We've just gotten back from our big Spring show.  Every year we merchant at a regional SCA event called Gulf Wars.  For those who don't know, the Society for Creative Anachronism is an international group that fancifully recreates the Middle Ages and Renaissance.  We set up in a big canvas tent and sell our jewelry and Phillip's carvings.  There are two big arts and crafts exhibits too.  One for people who are really serious and have competed all year - very serious with academic documentation and all.  the other is for the general populace and is more on the order of a nice show-and-tell.  Having done a little digging into the history of tambour I thought I'd put my box in and see who liked it. 

I threw together a notebook of really ancient examples  like this one from Central Asia in the 7th century And a few from Egypt in the 9th and 12th centuries - just to show that this sort of thing has been around for ages. 

Add caption

 

By the 9th century CE it can be found in Egypt, in pieces thought to be imported from Persia or made in Egypt for import to the Persian market.

Base fabric:  linen

Embroidery:  wool & cotton

Stitch – chain stitch

Tissus d'Egypte, Temoins du Monde Arabe VIIIe-XVe siecles, Collection Bouvier, Musée d'art et d'histoire Fribourg, Genève and Institut du monde arabe, Paris. 1993.

 Fig. 175-177 pp. 277-280

Egypt - 12^th Century CE

Base fabric:  linen

Embroidery:  wool & cotton

Stitch – chain stitch with woven stitch backgrounding

Tissus d'Egypte, Temoins du Monde Arabe VIIIe-XVe siecles, Collection Bouvier, Musée d'art et d'histoire Fribourg, Genève and Institut du monde arabe, Paris. 1993.

Fig. 178  p. 281

It was fun and satisfied by academic instinct to justify what I was doing.  And people seemed to like it - a lot.  Since Phillip had made those gorgeous ivory hook handles, I thought it would be nice to sit and do a sort of show and tell to demonstrate what they were for.  I was amazed at the number of people who wanted me to teach them.  So, having a spare hook and frame, I did.  It was delightful.  I bought some rather stiff silk gauze from Carolina Calico and set up my own project so I would have something to work along with them.  Failing any serious ideas as to design, I got out a small wooden hoop (4 inches) and drew a curvy line on the fabric.  It looked sort of like a flower stem so I added a flower on the top.  I had some pretty variegated turquoise thread I just liked a lot.  I made a start just casually.

Then, between one breath and the next, for no real reason at all, my brain and my hands decided "We've got this."  Suddenly it was effortless.  All the struggle and tangles and snags of the box lid project were no longer an issue.  Maybe it was because it wasn't a big deal.  I wasn't all that worried about the outcome, just keeping busy, just playing with the thread.  Maybe my brain had figured it out in my sleep when my conscious self wasn't looking.  Whatever the reason, it fairly danced out of my fingers and in about a day, I had the flower done. A nice show-and-tell for Phillip's fancy handles and a new toy for me.  It was so effortless and so gratifying I decided I just wasn't done yet.  So the next day I added the gold border.  Even though it was cheesy fussy gold thread I'd gotten at the craft store and it was a pain to deal with, it was still such fun.  And now there must be more - more designs with curvy lines - more sparkly gold  - more wonderful colors.