Willem
Sunday, 22 January 2017 17:06

Queen Elizabeth I, c. 1599

A portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, painted around 1599 in the studio of the English goldsmith and painter, Nicholas Hilliard, shows the British queen in the last years of her life. The portrait was perhaps commissioned by Bess of Hardwick, and is housed in Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire. The painting measures 223.5 x 169 cm.

Sunday, 22 January 2017 14:07

Sir Walter Raleigh

The National Portrait Gallery in London houses a portrait (91.4 x 75 cm) of Sir Walter Raleigh (c. 1554-1618), dated to 1588 and painted by an unknown artist. It shows the famous English sailor and explorer, and also author, courtier and poet, who made various voyages to Middle and South America. He was instrumental in the British colonisation of North America, and was dedicated to the seach for the famous El Dorado.

Sunday, 22 January 2017 13:02

Cashmere Stitch

The (diagonal) Cashmere stitch is a technique that includes groups of three or four straight stitches of varying lengths, worked diagonally and in blocks. Generally the first block starts in the top left or right-hand corner and a row of blocks is continued to the opposite bottom corner. The next row starts at the bottom, next to the first row. 

Sunday, 22 January 2017 12:36

Shahtush

Shahtush is a type of fibre, and the name of the fabric woven from it, that derives from the down hair of the Tibetan antelope (chiru; Pantholops hodgsonii). This animal is now nearly extinct, and hence the collection and processing of shahtush is forbidden in many countries, although the wool's use is known to continue in isolated parts of Kashmir and neighbouring lands.

Sunday, 22 January 2017 12:04

Pashmina

Pashmina is an ultra-fine form of cashmere, and derives from the extreme northwest of the Indian subcontinent. The name is Persian in orgin (pashm, 'wool')).

Sunday, 22 January 2017 11:48

Cashmere

Cashmere is a very fine fibre from the undercoat of the long-haired Kashmir goat (capra hirgus laniger, but currently regarded as a sub-species of the capra aegagrus hircus). It is much softer than normal wool, and it also isolates much better.

Sunday, 22 January 2017 11:37

Camel Hair

Camel hair is shed by Bactrian (two-humped) camels in the spring. It is soft and very light. It is often used for weaving coats and other over garments, and sometimes used together with (sheep) wool.

Sunday, 22 January 2017 11:16

Cable Stitch

A cable stitch is used for smocking and includes two rows of running stitches, whereby the stitches in one row cover the gaps between the stitches in the second row.

Saturday, 21 January 2017 20:00

Cable Chain Stitch

The cable chain stitch is a technique that creates a neat embroidered line of chain. It is formed by a chain stitch followed by another separate chain stitch, after looping the thread around the tip of the needle, creating the 'cable' that combines the stitches.

Saturday, 21 January 2017 19:44

Butterfly Chain Stitch

The butterfly chain stitch is a composite stitch that includes three vertical straight stitches brought together in the middle by a horizontal twisted chain stitch (sometimes worked in a different colour).

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