Venetian Mask by Toni Gerdes

I was inspired by the masks of Venice and other countries (including the United States, i.e. New Orleans' Mardi Gras) during their Carnival season. I have seen many of these masks in various books, in movies, and in Venice when I visited there. The Harlequin pattern is one that is used in various ways and the gold threads accent the rich colors I choose. The masks come in many different shapes. This was a hand drawn design in what I think of as a basic mask shape.

I used 3 strands of the Splendor silk for the red, blue, orange and green diamonds of the Harlequin pattern. The diamonds where stitched in a Burden stitch with #4 Kreinik gold braid in #002J for the laid threads. The black eye holes where stitched in basketweave using 2 strands of the Splendor silk. The diamonds were then outlined with #4 Kreinik braid in #002J and couched down with Accentuate gold thread.

To finish my design, I laid 1/16" ribbon by Kreinik in color 002J in rows around the mask and couched it down with the Accentuate gold thread.

I had the finisher mount the mask on a stick; so it looks like a mask you would hold at a ball or party. The finisher added fun beads, ribbons & feathers to complete the festive look.