Re:Need help w/Bayeaux Tapestry idea!

[sgiles@vt.edu (Shannon Giles)]

>To: Victoria_Martin@FCW.COM
>From: sgiles@vt.edu (Shannon Giles)
>Subject: Re:Need help w/Bayeaux Tapestry idea!
>Cc: 
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>Dear Joscelyn, 
>        
>        Hello.  My name is Lady Sorcha de Glys and I have done a replica 
embroidery of the feast scene in the Bayeux Tapestry.  I did it for a 
medieval art and architecture class at Virginia Tech two years ago.  The 
replica is accompanied by a research paper defending my techniques.  If you 
would like a copy of it, I would be happy to send it to you and anyone else 
who may be interested in how I did my replica.  I can only offer how I did 
it and my experiences with it.  Even though there are only two stiches in 
the Tapestry itself, there are many other decisions that are up to you.
>
>To answer your questions:
>
>>1. Have you ever seen any embroidery patterns/kits of the Bayeux Tapestry
>>for sale?    
>No, I haven't.  Have you?
>
>>2. Would you buy a pattern and/or kit? Which would you prefer? (All floss
>>and materials supplied in a kit, or just the printed design on fabric?)
>>Assume the price to be less for just the fabric, more for a whole kit.
>I would only buy it if the design was the scene I wanted.  As there are 
1512 figures in the Tapestry, chances of the kit being the right one for me 
are slim.  Since I've found that people's versions of the eight colors are 
all different, I don't think a kit would include the colors.  (Maybe the kit 
could suggest DMC colors to choose from, but it really does depend on the 
photograph they are going by - some are more colorful than others.)
>
>>3. Would you rather it have instructions that emulate the stitching on
>>the Tapestry, or was something easier, like counted cross stitch?
>Are you going to make these kits and sell them or are you looking to do a 
replica?  The stitches it requires can be less complicated than cross-stitch 
and look so much better!  (You did ask for opinions.) See below for research 
on a good figure to go from.
>
>>4. Do you know of any good source material on the style of stitching used
>>on the Tapestry?
>Yes.  I think someone already mentioned it, but David J. Bernstein has a 
great figure (#43) on the two stitches involved on page 79 of his The 
Mystery of the Bayeux Tapestry. (Chicago:  University of Chicago Press, 1986.)
>
>Although GOOD books on the Bayeux Tapestry are hard to find, I would also 
recommend the following:
>        Bruce, John Collingwood, The Bayeux Tapestry, New York:  Dorset 
Press, 1987.
>        MacLagan, Eric, The Bayeux Tapestry, Melbourne:  Penguin Books, 1949.
>        McNulty, J. Bard, The Narrative Art of the Bayeux Tapestry Master, 
New York: AMS                 Press, 1989.
>
>        Lots of Bayeux books pretend to know it all, but when you get one 
that really does (and can document it), you'll be much better off than a lot 
of the pretty picture books out there!
>        You can find a full photograph of the Tapestry in the August 1966 
National Geographic.  It doesn't say much about the construction of it, 
(they cover mostly it's history) but it would be a good place to get your 
scene choices from.
>        My favorite source for Bayeux stuff is currently on loan to the Art 
& Architecture History Dept. at Virginia Tech.  They say I'll have it back 
to me by the end of the semester...  I'll stop by the office and at least 
get it's bibliographic info. for you.
>        If you have any more questions I may be able to answer for you, 
please write back.
>        
>
>