Lady Catherine’s Slipper

Starting the finishing on Lady Catherine's Slipper

Starting the finishing on Lady Catherine’s Slipper

It has taken me a while to finish the embroidery for the Lady Catherine’s Slipper Needlework Nibble. In part this is due to our usual modern complaint of Life in general getting in the way, and in part it is due to my aversion to black. It will look lovely when it’s done, but anything that involves me working with black thread rather than any other colour is always going to be low on the list.  However, now it is done, and I move on to the question of Finishing…

Which means being a brave girl and messing around with glue, close to my careful stitchery and some absolutely gorgeous silk brocade.

Lady Catherine's Slipper

Lady Catherine’s Slipper

Since glue is involved, and has to dry between each stage of the assembly, it took several episodes, spread over a couple of days, but I got there in the end, and I’m very pleased with it.

I photographed it lying across a Limoges enamel bowl belonging to my parents, so that it would show up nicely against against the glossy enamel background.

Close Up of the Slipper

Close Up of the Slipper

The gold thread is a really fine one, and the spidery black tendrils embellishing the black border help it to stand out against the base fabric.

My cord-making skills could use some improvement, I think, as the cord sewn around the edge isn’t entirely even, nor is it as tightly twisted as I would have liked. It is, however, rather better than the one I made for the Glittering Snail, so at least there are signs that Practise is indeed Making Perfect!

14 Comments

  1. Janice says:

    It does look gorgeous photographed against the golden bowl. I’m with you about practical ways to reduce the stress of stepping outside your comfort zone – little steps, spread out over a few days. Anyway, the finished object is lovely. Well done.
    PS. I made cords for a project a few years ago. I found anchoring the threads to the leg of the ironing board and then twisting for 20 minutes or more did it for me.

  2. coral-seas says:

    How delightful! This is one needlework nibble that I don’t have but, as usual, seeing your work makes me want one.

    I really enjoy cord making. Your under twist needs to be tighter than you think.

  3. Lady Fi says:

    Wow – how gorgeous!

  4. Carol R says:

    Oh, that turned out gorgeous! Well done.

  5. Penny says:

    Oh this is heavenly! I don’t usually use black either but once finished it always makes a ‘striking’ design!

  6. Carolyn says:

    That looks delicious.

  7. Your stitching is beautiful (I enlarged the detail photo to have a closer look at it). I’m always nervous when using glue, as I always end up with sticky fingers!

  8. Megan Hodges says:

    Oooh! I think I want to do it, and I think slippers are almost as creepy as the gloves!

  9. susan says:

    Lovely!!

  10. susan says:

    and I meant to say that that brocade is PERFECT~

  11. karen says:

    well black may not be your colour of choice but it fits here beautifully and what a gorgeous pattern

  12. It looks great 🙂 Are you making a second so you can wear them, or is it purely decorative?

  13. Terrie says:

    Gorgeous. Looks antique pretty slipper. I also have the question do you make a pair and is it the adult size?

  14. Anita says:

    Gorgeous! I love black and gold! The brocade is so lovely and it just goes well with the entire design.