Item: a goldworked purse
Skills learned: couched goldwork, fingerloop braiding
Materials: some spare green twill, some scrap linen, wool yarn, and a goldwork kit purchased online
First event attended: St. Paddy's Day in July 2021
I have been dreaming of doing some goldwork for a while now. I don't wear much in the way of pretty, shiny things at events, but I do love them with my ridiculous little crow/magpie heart. I have dreams of doing couched goldwork on a hood sometime in the next year or two, out of the same fabric for this purse.
An embroiderer that I admire incredibly, Ann-Juliette Genevieve, posted an opportunity to support her art through the purchase of a basic goldwork pattern kit and I knew I had to jump on it. The pattern is influenced by some motifs that are seen throughout Europe, across several centuries, but most notable Elizabethan. The kit came with a Cricut iron on pattern, some wrapped thread, some purl, some plastic pearl beads, a pretty red and gold ouch, and some smaller red plastic jewels.
I probably should have waited for instructions, but I got a little too gung-ho and decided to wing it. It was a shockingly relaxing project to do, and even though I did stuff wrong, I'm pretty thrilled with the result. I have attached a slideshow below but my basic process was as follows:
Iron on the pattern per Cricut instructions.
Couch down the wrapped threads along the major pattern lines.
Attach the pearl beads at designated points
Surround the pearl beads with purl, also by couching.*
Attach the red ouch and smaller red pieces.
Surround the red ouch with wrapped thread.
Flatline the linen lining onto the fashion fabric using a running stitch.
Fold in half and sew the sides closed with a back stitch.
Iron down the seam allowance on the top edge.
Iron down the drawstring allowance on the top edge
Make the fingerloop braid cords for the drawstring.
Secure the ends of each drawstring and cut holes for them to slide through (see pictures.
Whip down the drawstring channel.
Make the fingerloop braid cord for the strap.
Attach the strap to each top corner.
Make three gold tassels for the bottom and secure in place.
I had SO much fun with this project. I will absolutely be continuing goldwork throughout my A&S. I am much less scared to try some on the hood that will be made of the matching fabric to this purse, though I do still think I'll be sticking with the non-period method for the patterns, at least for my early attempts.