I can hardly believe I have not posted for several months.... I will return to the UK trip soon, but I have been very busy organizing for two important trips I will be embarking on in October. The first, is the Jane Austen Society AGM in Montreal, where I will meet a college room mate, fellow intramural hockey team mate, and .....the rest is not open to public comment....so excited! This AGM will be focusing on 'Mansfield Park', published in 1814, and Fanny Price, the heroine. What was my least favorite of Jane Austen's novels (and I very much hate to admit this) has been growing on me, since reading papers on the subject from the volumes of 'Persuasions' publications. Still a very dark story, in which I really can not get past what I consider the incestuous relationship of the main characters. All I can say is, Fanny really needs to get out more, you must be extremely desperate if your cousin starts looking that interesting! A week after returning from the AGM, I will be traveling to Winterthur for the 'Diligent Needle' Symposium and then on to New York for Dr. Tricia Wilson Nguyen's 'East Coast Embroidered Casket Tour'. I viewed a traveling British collection of embroidery in 2002/2003 at the Detroit Institute of Arts while attending an 'Art Appreciation' training session for my children's elementary school. Included were several caskets in stump-work which would knock your socks off. That day I decided, I do not know how, but I need to have my own...period... I remember a discussion about interest in caskets, while attending one of Tricia's embroidery classes. She, of course, was very interested in teaching one, if there was enough interest to support the venture. A few years later she was working out the details, finding cabinet makers, hardware and locksmiths, negotiating contracts and surveying her students interested to sign on to a new class...the rest is history.
Excitement of all excitements my first casket arrived. I could not have just one, both designs have their own character, and this opportunity may never be repeated. The pictured double casket below is the skeleton for my future cabinet which I have designed with a theme of J A's heroine's and the seven virtues. I am a very happy woman! The plan, two heroine's each for the front and back and one each for the two sides and top. Just to follow my train of thought the sides and top are themed Faith, Hope and Charity, the back, Prudence and Fortitude, and last.. the front will be Temperance and Justice. I am also considering 'two ideal men' for inside the doors, just considering at this point, I'm a bit off men......Can you guess the Heroines for each Virtue? Below are pictures..
My secured casket with it's individually packaged historically accurate brass hardware...
The top lid and front doors removed to show compartments which students traditionally finish in paper, silk fabric and velvet.
The drawers removed and a 'secret compartment' shown!
Tomorrow I leave for Montreal and below are a few of the items I completed for the occasion....My Cassandra Austen sampler which I mounted to a silk bag of my own design. The sampler really is very drab, I think the duponi silk with matching embroidered band make it a bit more interesting!
Next, I made several hand embroidered 'pockets' to hold the current Persuasions and a few small books. Mine has a vintage brass button. We will talk button collections at a much later date but, others have vintage pressed glass or Mother of Pearl. I enjoyed making them and I hope I may find a good home to some of them at the AGM.
But what I am very excited to show is my second Regency style dress of which most is hand sewn. I embroidered the ribbon on the cuff and as time allows I will add ribbon to the bottom hem. This is it for now, also note I have my 'Edinburgh Reticule' a class I took in Williamsburg last December with Betsy Morgan. Very enjoyable and the back matches the blue of my dress quite well.
Well time to get some rest! I hope to post again before November...
