Free Stuff
from
Appleton Studios
Needlework/Cross Stitch Charts
We've been creating
and uploading small (3" x 3") needlework charts of heraldic charges that
can be downloaded or printed out and which you can then work yourself
for nearly eleven years now. Along with each chart is the pattern
information, the floss color descriptions and numbers (though there is
no obligation to follow these color recommendations slavishly. You may
prefer to select different tints or colors, as indeed sometimes our own
needlework artist has when working from these charts).
To view or download any of these charts, simply click on the hyperlinked
name.
The needlework
chart for May is a specialized tool used by animal husbandmen, a
turning
cratch. A turning cratch is a movable rack or crib, to
hold fodder for feeding beasts out of doors. It can be found as
a charge in the arms of Lamminger in Siebmacher's Wappenbuch
von 1605.
Our needlework chart for April was a medieval symbol of modesty and chastity, an elephant. This elephant is based on the canting arms of the Grafs von Helfenstein, c.1340 [Zürich Wappenrolle, no. 79].
The needlework chart
for March was an object of myth and legend, a golden fleece.
Some historians think it had a basis in fact, as a way of
panning for gold in shallow rivers. A fleece was affixed to the
bottom of the stream with rocks, and then the sand, etc. from
upstream stirred up and washed over the fleece. Gold, being
heavier, got caught in the fleece, which was dried and then the
gold combed out.
Our
needlework chart for February was a woodworking tool used by
carpenters, cabinetmakers, and others for smoothing wood, a drawknife. A drawknife is found
in the arms of von Schaben (Siebmacher's Wappenbuch, 1605,
p. 139).
The free
needlework chart for January was a forestry implement,
found in Continental heraldry, a fer-à-loup, from
the French fer à loup, “wolf iron”. In French
blazons, it may also be called a hameçon à loup;
in German blazons, a wulfsangel; English texts
call it a “wolf-claw” or “wolf-trap”. It is found in
the arms of vom Stain, no. 203 in the Zurich
Wappenrolle, ca. 1340.
Our free
needlework chart for December was a flag-like charge, borne
on a lance or pole, a banner.
The needlework
chart for November was a rare maritime charge, a ship's rudder.
Our
needlework chart for October was a weapon often found used in sieges;
it is also found in the loosely canting arms of Bertie, a battering ram. (Why do I suddenly
have that old song, "Somebody's Knockin'", running through my head
right now?)
The needlework chart for September was another fishing-related charge, similar to last month's, but different, an eel-fork.
Our needlework chart for August was a fishing-related charge, shaped rather like a trident head, an eel spear. It is sometimes called a salmon spear, and may be shown in heraldry with a fish transfixed on its tines. Eel spears appear in Guillim's A Display of Heraldrie, 4th ed. (1660) on p. 316, in the arms of Stratele (Stratley): Sable a chevron between three eel spears argent.
The
needlework chart for July was a "heavenly" charge, sometimes
called a "hairy star", but better known to us as a comet.
Our
needlework chart for June was a old tool still found in a
similar configuration today, a hammer.
It is sometimes blazoned as a "martel" for canting purposes.
(Think of Charles "the Hammer", Charles Martel.) The hammer here
is modeled from that found in the arms of Martel, in the Gelre
armorial, f. 48v. (1370-1414).
We also sell packages that include each year's charts of these charges we have done (at this point, sixteen years in all). Or you can purchase a CD-ROM with 192 charts of these heraldic charges in .pdf format. More information on these sets, including a list of the charges contained in them, can be found here.
Other needlework charts available for sale, and information on contacting us about creating customized needlework charts for you, can also be found on our Needlework page here.
Our latest big project, an American Heraldry Collection, has finally been "completed" (as if any collection of heraldry can really be said to be complete), and has been uploaded to this website in two versions. Each version is in a .zip file, each with a Word document (containing some background information on the collection as well as a bibliography and key to sources) and an Excel spreadsheet (with arms and crests, with their related surnames and the sources of the arms). The .docx and .xlsx files can be downloaded here; and the .doc and .xls files can be downloaded here.
You can download a copy of our free sampler screensaver, which contains images from our specialty heraldry-themed screensavers. Additional information about our screensavers for the PC can be found on our Heraldic Arts for the Computer page.
We have a sampler of our PowerPoint educational programs in heraldry available for download here, which contains brief excerpts from each of the programs presently available. More information about our computer-based heraldic educational programs can be found on our Heraldic Arts for the Computer page.
Questions? Comments? Compliments? Complaints? Suggestions for improvement? Or just want to share your successes (or difficulties) with our "free stuff"? Write, call, or e-mail us at the address, telephone number, or e-mail addresses here.