Stitches in a Tapestry (Solo)

[Amarhyl]

Timestamp: 28th Summer, 511AV
Location: Syliras - An Elegant Weave
Purpose: Summer Job Thread - Embroidering her tunic
Status: Closed

Working at An Elegant Weave kept Amarhyl very busy. Each day she was picking up new ideas and techniques. Her sewing was slowly improving; just the other week she had managed to make a tunic by herself. Her embroidery was good – she had skill in that before her employment. Seeing the numerous designs on the clothing in the store inspired her, and Amarhyl’s journal was filling up with new designs each day.

It was mid-afternoon when the break in customers came. Navia gave Amarhyl permission to spend some time working on a personal project, provided of course it was to do with tailoring.

Amarhyl headed out into the sewing room and found her bag. She pulled out her journal, embroidery thread and needles and the tunic she had created. Her aim was to embroider a pattern onto the neck of the tunic, but first she needed to draw it.

She had seen a pattern on a dress earlier in the day, and the pattern of flowers appealed to her. Amarhyl tapped her pencil on a blank page in her journal before she started to draw. She first sketched out a few ideas for flowers, selecting her final choice with a circle.

Next, she drew a very light line in the shape of the collar she would be embroidering onto. The flowers were drawn next, three in total, evenly spaced along the faint line. She paused for a moment in thought. A simple line would be the easiest way to join them up, but that was boring. Instead her pencil traced in swirls to connect the flowers together.

A light frown creased he brow as she looked at the pattern. It looked empty – it needed something else. Thoughtfully, she added in another flower, smaller this time. With a nod, she drew a few more till the swirls were interspersed with them. She had her design. Now she just needed to stitch it.

[Amarhyl]

Amarhyl set down her pencil and then threaded her embroidery needle. She would have to take care and ensure that both sides of the collar were even. It probably would not be noticeable if they weren’t, but Amarhyl would know and it would annoy her to no end.

She had lightly traced the pattern onto the tunic before threading her needle, so all she had to do was to not deviate from the lines. Amarhyl started at the top right, aiming to do the swirling part of the pattern first. She began slowly, finding her stride again. It had been a little while since she had done any embroidery; she had mostly been helping on the shop floor for the past couple of weeks. Standing for fittings and taking measurements among other things.

Carefully, she stitched in the swirls, adding little flourishes here and there as she went. She was careful to match her extra additions onto the other side of the neckline too. With the swirls done, she next added in the smaller flowers. They were a little trickier than the swirls, mainly because they were so small and she needed to fill in the petals with thread.

After many chimes of pure concentration she was almost done. The three larger flowers remained. They were easier to do, and they didn’t take Amarhyl long at all. Each petal had a single line down its middle, and these were achieved with two stitches. As an extra, and to use up any spare thread, she decided to add some tiny swirls on the larger flowers.

Her work complete, she set down her needle and held the tunic up. Her embroidery was certainly improving, even Amarhyl could see that herself. Perhaps she may even begin to start working on some of the more complicated patterns for the shop clothing now. She folded the tunic away, and returned her journal, thread and needle to her bag before heading back out onto the shop floor to continue with her actual work. She would show Navia later. Hopefully the woman would have some praise, and maybe even a few tips for the future.

[Templar]

Amarhyl: Drawing: 3 – Embroidery: 4 Lore: Pattern: Flowers and petals. Ledger: -Lost: Simple white tunic. -Gained: Decorated white tunic. Additional notes: … I have to do more manly stuff now! But excellent thread!