If you have followed my blackwork embroidery blog, then you probably know that I really enjoy geometric embroidery and counting stitches. However, this means that I have not done the other type of blackwork embroidery that became popular in the later half of the 16th century in England, which is more circular and floral. With this type of embroidery, counting stitches does not always work, especially if the weave of your linen is not even.
An example of the circular blackwork:
While helping to answer an unrelated question, I came across an article from the V&A Museum, which mentioned 'pouncing'. From other embroidery projects that I have seen, one way that I know of these patterns being drawn on to the fabric and traced over with thread was to use disappearing ink. However, I know that that's not a historically accurate solution. So, when this article mentioned 'pouncing', I had never heard of it or 'prick and pounce'.
From my limited research: Pouncing is essentially taking a paper pattern, poking holes in it, placing the paper on top of the fabric, brushing coal dust over the paper, remove the paper and lightly connect the dots with a coal pencil, and then trace over the line with your silk embroidery thread. Supposedly if you make a mistake with the coal dust, it just brushes off of the fabric. This is one of many things that I wish to test out. Luckily, I am married to a blacksmith. So, obtaining coal dust won't be an issue.
So, please forgive for having gone down a rabbit hole of research and placing it all here until after I can test things out for myself (which will probably be sometime after Pennsic).
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