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The Tree of Life Cloak, August 2005 |
The Tree of Life Cloak had innocent enough beginnings, and has since taken on a life of its own. It started out as a
simple garment for Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) camping events. I have been a member of this medieval re-enactment group since 1990. Besides being a fun project,
it's yet another way I am pursuing my interest in historic textiles.
I had initially turned blue-grey wool blend burlap-like curtain into a rough cloak to withstand the outdoor conditions. The
cloak did its job admirably, but I quickly felt it needed a little ornamentation. Identifying with the Celtic love of
colour and design as I do, I thought the neutral tones could use a little brightening up. My needleworking fingers quickly
began to itch at the thought of all this empty 10-hole/inch evenweave material. Just like the Celts, who couldn't leave a
space undecorated, I set out to embellish it. Soon, a touch of colour here, a zoomorph there, and I quickly had visions of
filling the entire space with glorious Celtic colour. It has since grown into a 10-year undertaking.
It has never been proven the Celts decorated their clothing with the designs for which they are famous. You'll see their
work in stone carvings, jewelry and their amazing illuminated pages. This project is a "manuscript cloak", with the design
elements inspired by images found in some of the better known Irish documents and bibles. Many of the elements are based on
images seen in the Book of Kells, a 1,200-year-old illuminated Bible.
Dogs, birds, lions, and eagles are combined to reflect the Celtic love of colour, as well as their sense of humour. I
was inspired by a fourth-century B.C. bronze wine flagon discovered in Basse-Yutz, France, (in the northeast corner,
near the Luxembourg border) a well-known Celtic jug artifact to use the dog-in-the-henhouse theme. The jug lid and handle,
with its three dogs stalking an unsuspecting duck, is pictured below.
In the first year of sewing, I embroidered a pale blue band of knotwork halfway down the front edges. Soon, this was
not enough. Wanting it to stand out more clearly, I filled in the background with a darker blue.
Next came the dragon's heads at the end of the knotwork, and the small knotwork blocks around the neckline. The two large
eagles in the centre back followed, after which came the two small birds on the left in the middle portions. St. John's eagle
was next on the list, with the lions at the bottom of the front opening hot on its heels. Shadow dogs now course along the
bottom hem of this seven-foot long cloak, and will weave in and out of the base of the Tree of Life when it's complete. The
only human in the mix to date is the hunter on horseback. While important to the overall scene, he must be sought among
the rich menagerie of creatures that surround him, symbolic of his being only part of the great Circle of Life.
The patterns are largely from the Dover books Celtic Charted Designs by Co Spinhoven and Celtic Animals Charted Designs
by Ina Kliffen. For the textile historians in the crowd, the Saint John's eagle is the most documentable design to date. The
colours are as true to the ink version as I could get them.
2008 marks the tenth year of sewing on this project. My plan is to saturate the cloak with zoomorphic designs. The
rest will be vining to create an all-over Tree of Life scene with all sorts of pleasant surprises hidden among its branches.
The tree was begun in the first days of January, 2006. It will extend up the back as it grows.
A knotwork bird pattern is the latest element to join the crowd in Feb 2008, this time at knee level on the left front
edge. A pair of interwoven hippocampi will be added to match on the right edge.
I estimate there to be room for 500,000 total stitches on this cloak. Approximately 86,000 stitches have
been done so far. It will be lined and have a fur collar when I'm finished.
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This dog is in the centre back, about calf height. Completed October 04 |
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Dog and hare, of the neon variety |
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The Tree of Life design was planted during the first week of January, 2005 |
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The Tree of Life, one year later (January 06) |
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The right side of the Tree of Life (January 2006) |
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Full cloak, July 2006 |
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Bottom edge detail, July 2006 |
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Celtic cloak with Tree of Life well underway, July 2007 |
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FAQs
* I am using tapestry wool in tent stitch on the wool blend background. The cloak is about seven feet long.
*Each zoomorphic element takes approx. one month of leisurely sewing. There are 3 more such designs
I would like to add. This is the tenth year in the decade I predicted it would take to create this cloak.
*There are an estimated 540 hours invested in the cloak so far.
*No, it's not for sale.
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Design elements
Celtic eagles
Saint John's eagle
Lion
Birds
Original knotwork with dragon head
One of a pair of Celtic birds
(in the bottom corners)
One of four shadow dogs on bottom edge
Knotwork dog in bottom edge centre back
This design, added in June/03,
is level with my left knee
Knotwork dogs, completed Feb 04, on right side, level with lion
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Whirlibirds, one of two such designs at hip level. This one completed July 04 |
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