Further Prick & Pounce Tests

[sbuchler]

I just finished another paper for Your Wardrobe Unlock'd the bulk of which was testing different pounce and fixatives to use with the prick and pounce technique when applied to dark fabrics... and now I'm filled with all sorts of ideas for further tests that ought to be done:

Further Pounces to Test (neither of which were really applicable to dark fabrics):

• Lacis' blue transfer powder (what is that stuff made of?)
• Cinnamon

Further Fixatives to Test (most of which weren't applicable to dark fabrics):

• Clover White Marking Pen (available at Berlin Embroidery)
• India ink
• Ink pen
• Mechanical pencil (not useable with current gray fabric...)
• Medieval pigments: Lead white/ceruse (lead carbonate)
• Medieval pigments: Bone white (calcium phosphate)
• Medieval pigments: Chalk white (calcium carbonate)
• Medieval pigments: Gypsum (calcium sulfate hydrate)
• Medieval pigments: Lime white

Other Tests to Do:

• Test Pounces on Velvet (does the adhesion of the pounce to the fabric change significantly?)
• Test Pounces on Satin (ditto)
• Test Fixatives+Embroidery though dry cleaning (do the watercolors blotch? Does the oil and acrylic really not bleed?)

Someday I'll actually finish another embroidery project, not just run tests for them... but I do feel closer to making the cloak for my Maciejowski outfit now that I've done this testing, and I've got the patterns for it all pricked and ready to go! :-) Just need to do the dry cleaning tests and do the further cloak analysis in the manuscript itself (and figure if there are any extant options except half circle cloaks, 'cause I really think that isn't what I'm seeing on the women... the pictures just aren't showing enough fullness...I'm actually starting to hypothesize that there are two styles of cloaks on the women: one that's just a rectangle and one that's shaped somewhat... but it's too early to say, I need more data to back up that assertion.)

Anyway, now that Thanksgiving's done and this paper's done I can get back to talking about 13th century sleeves ;-)