Paired celtic knotwork for embroidering as bands - to make belts, ribbons, edging etc. By doubling up the basic unit in both directions (but integrating the pair with some additional crossing points), 2 separate strand colours can be used and linked at the end of the strip (see accompanying project photo) to run back down the other way. Continuity of the unending strand was important in many knotwork designs.
Back at the start of the 80s here, the local Tolkien Society was formed alongside a kind of viking appreciation society - running joint outings and costumed parties. The original Fantasy Role-Playing Games (such as D&D) had just taken off and there were Live Action Role-Playing events and historical re-enactment groups too. So there was a big resurgence in the old arts and crafts - from decorative embroidery all the way to weaponsmithing! There was a certain amount of figure-painting involved too ...
The 42 inch fabric widths are somewhat skimpy for a belt but, if you continue the design into the unprinted selvage border, you'll get up to the fabric widths I used for belts myself (smallest being about 44 inches). Otherwise you can join two strips - much as you'd have to do for a conventional tie. The linen-cotton canvas would be a good belt material and the sateen should make an excellent ribbon. I used a double thickness, ie a tube, of my fabric strips. But some people might want to use a different backing fabric altogether.
I embroidered my bands (and other items) by hand. The ones featured in project photograph were done in chain-stitch. So I really did have the chains going over and under each other in 3D. (This was over a carefully hand-drawn pattern, temporarily marked on the front of the fabric, not using the rear as recommended by Spoonflower).
However, I've also seen machine stitching of discontinuous areas like this. The trick is to float just one thread from where the notional strand disappears, under the one which is crossing it, to the place where it re-emerges. If you're on your first colour, this single thread will be covered by the second colour later anyway. With the second colour, as long as you are using enough cross-wise stitches to form the knotwork strand, the single floating thread will simply disappear in the mass of the others.
Other colours, stylings, sizes and orientations are available on request and you can even ask for a combination of several designs together.
See also:
• more celtic knotwork
• celtic leprechaun designs
• design index
Back at the start of the 80s here, the local Tolkien Society was formed alongside a kind of viking appreciation society - running joint outings and costumed parties. The original Fantasy Role-Playing Games (such as D&D) had just taken off and there were Live Action Role-Playing events and historical re-enactment groups too. So there was a big resurgence in the old arts and crafts - from decorative embroidery all the way to weaponsmithing! There was a certain amount of figure-painting involved too ...
The 42 inch fabric widths are somewhat skimpy for a belt but, if you continue the design into the unprinted selvage border, you'll get up to the fabric widths I used for belts myself (smallest being about 44 inches). Otherwise you can join two strips - much as you'd have to do for a conventional tie. The linen-cotton canvas would be a good belt material and the sateen should make an excellent ribbon. I used a double thickness, ie a tube, of my fabric strips. But some people might want to use a different backing fabric altogether.
I embroidered my bands (and other items) by hand. The ones featured in project photograph were done in chain-stitch. So I really did have the chains going over and under each other in 3D. (This was over a carefully hand-drawn pattern, temporarily marked on the front of the fabric, not using the rear as recommended by Spoonflower).
However, I've also seen machine stitching of discontinuous areas like this. The trick is to float just one thread from where the notional strand disappears, under the one which is crossing it, to the place where it re-emerges. If you're on your first colour, this single thread will be covered by the second colour later anyway. With the second colour, as long as you are using enough cross-wise stitches to form the knotwork strand, the single floating thread will simply disappear in the mass of the others.
Other colours, stylings, sizes and orientations are available on request and you can even ask for a combination of several designs together.
See also:
• more celtic knotwork
• celtic leprechaun designs
• design index
