I believe this was my first finished piece of SCA embroidery, and coincidentally is also my worst. If ever another “Now and Then” display is done of embroiderer’s work, this is definitely my “Then” entry. Shortly after I joined the SCA, Lady Katherine de Langelei offered to make me a set of clothes when she learned I had nothing warm to wear for the upcoming cold camping season. So a bunch of us took a daytrip to Stone Mountain and Daughter in Berkeley and very luckily found some amazing linen and wools for a cloak, overtunic and undertunic in the upstairs bargain room. Katherine suggested I embroider some cuffs to attach to the linen undertunic, and since the outfit had a Celtic theme (sort of), what did I do but head online and find a cross-stitch pattern for some Celtic knotwork.

Sigh. Yes, I’ve come a long way from these humble beginnings. This is still in the time when I was taking baby steps out of my pre-SCA cross-stitch comfort zone. I was just thrilled to have garb made for me that I could decorate with my own work. I found a pattern for a simple band of knotwork and executed it on the “goose turd green” clothing linen in cross-stitch with dark green DMC cotton thread. I returned the pieces to Kathy and she attached them to the tunic, and I couldn’t have been happier to show it all off.

Looking back, it was a good start, albeit not anything remotely resembling what was period (not only were cotton and cross-stitch not used in the area at the time, but I have yet to see proof that the knotwork made famous by illumination was used to decorate clothing). The stitch isn’t even done correctly – the top half of each cross changes angles from cross to cross, instead of remaining the same direction across the pattern. I remember being so proud and showing it to other embroiderers who, looking back, were far too kind in their praise of my work. It is a piece I am slightly embarrassed by, but which still holds a dear place in my heart.

The picture on this page was taken by myself on 9/21/06.