Future project idea - Etui
I've recently discovered the existence of a organizational accessory called an etui. While they apparently can be made of anything to house anything, there seems to be a tradition of making them specifically for needlework and quite often of needlework.
"An “etui” is a small ornamented case that is used to hold needlework tools (needles, scissors, etc.) The name comes from the old French estui, meaning prison. Etuis come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, renditions… some are shaped like boxes, some are simple needlebooks with slots for scissors and maybe a little pocket for threads." From Needleandthread
They are often really clever little things (whimsy seems to be a really common design goal), but the style I'm most interested in currently initially looks like a simple fabric covered box, but will fall open when the lid is removed to display onion-like layers of pockets, pincushions, and other organizational niceties. I've seen a couple of instruction kits for them, but really they are pretty self evident.
I'm thinking this might be a good way to both explore and organize the different styles of embroidery I'm interested in (I.E. one for gold-work, one for needle-lace, etc, decorated with the style I plan to organize within it). Added bonuses; the project size is sane enough to be used for SCA A&S projects, can be modeled after extant items, and if scaled correctly could be very nice additions to the overall effect of my garb. For serious, how awesome would something like this look hanging off of my belt? (Also: check out the bee needlebook! Want!)
I think I might make a fairly plain one to start as they are pretty cool even without any the added foofery, and that gives me something way nicer to work out of then the zippered makeup bags I have been using. I have a really pretty piece of coppery-brown paisley silk I've been holding on to for a while that should be perfect (it's not a period pattern but it'll look nice).
I plan to do at least one in silk and gold embroidery (freeform, likely floral) and one in needlelace (though in the interests of sanity and ever finishing, I'll do it in drawn thread rather then reticella). While this style is often referred to as a "Victorian etui" both the personal needle case and sewing box certainly have their place in the well researched SCA late period collection of personal effects so given a proper eye to Renaissance style I think I should be OK.
A complete aside, I found this while image searching: 3D goldworked spider, so cute!
"An “etui” is a small ornamented case that is used to hold needlework tools (needles, scissors, etc.) The name comes from the old French estui, meaning prison. Etuis come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, renditions… some are shaped like boxes, some are simple needlebooks with slots for scissors and maybe a little pocket for threads." From Needleandthread
They are often really clever little things (whimsy seems to be a really common design goal), but the style I'm most interested in currently initially looks like a simple fabric covered box, but will fall open when the lid is removed to display onion-like layers of pockets, pincushions, and other organizational niceties. I've seen a couple of instruction kits for them, but really they are pretty self evident.
I'm thinking this might be a good way to both explore and organize the different styles of embroidery I'm interested in (I.E. one for gold-work, one for needle-lace, etc, decorated with the style I plan to organize within it). Added bonuses; the project size is sane enough to be used for SCA A&S projects, can be modeled after extant items, and if scaled correctly could be very nice additions to the overall effect of my garb. For serious, how awesome would something like this look hanging off of my belt? (Also: check out the bee needlebook! Want!)
I think I might make a fairly plain one to start as they are pretty cool even without any the added foofery, and that gives me something way nicer to work out of then the zippered makeup bags I have been using. I have a really pretty piece of coppery-brown paisley silk I've been holding on to for a while that should be perfect (it's not a period pattern but it'll look nice).
I plan to do at least one in silk and gold embroidery (freeform, likely floral) and one in needlelace (though in the interests of sanity and ever finishing, I'll do it in drawn thread rather then reticella). While this style is often referred to as a "Victorian etui" both the personal needle case and sewing box certainly have their place in the well researched SCA late period collection of personal effects so given a proper eye to Renaissance style I think I should be OK.
A complete aside, I found this while image searching: 3D goldworked spider, so cute!
