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Embroidered
Textiles
Before
the 11th century clothing remained very much the same in style,
(imagine that!), plain, loose, largely undecorated. ( A
king’s standard was 8-9 yards long down to a knight’s 4 yards. That
translates into a lot of embroidery, (and to be fair, paint.) These devices were
recognized and understood by the men/soldiers, who rarely could read, serving
under them. Banners, with crests or other symbols embroidered on them, were held
high so the mud-and-blood-covered soldiers could tell whom to follow into
battle. Also embroidered were horse
trappings, fancy jupons, (an embroidered garment worn over the armor, which was
later used at the funeral and interment, then donated to the church), quilted
undershirts for comfort inside those portable ovens, and even dog collars were
embroidered in letters of silver and gold. We
can be certain that the members of the ecclesiastical arena were tapping their
feet, none too patiently, waiting for women to ply the needle for them.
And the ladies were only too happy to bloody their fingers for atonement
for all the ills they’d brought to mankind.
Harrumph.
This English work, or Opus Anglicanum, was breathtakingly lovely and never since equaled
(possibly due to the many major plagues, especially the Black Death of 1348,
which ripped through Embroidery
was practiced in all royal households and in those of the highest families in
society. The point seems to have
been to impress each other (and their subjects) with their wealth (wealth =
power). So clothing was heavily and
impressively embroidered. A
sumptuary law (1364) forbade the wearing of embroidery of any kind unless an
annual income of no less than 200 pounds was earned. Jewels
were used in embroidery, but in order to wear them, one had to earn over 400
marks a year. Richard II didn’t
seem to care, and after his death, the jewels were removed and his servants
allowed to “inherit”. Alms bags,
or pockets, were heavily embroidered, and carried money, jewels and “some
relics”. (Rings? State seal?) In
the 16th century Henry VIII had his own ideas as to style, and his
portraits display a man in love with pomp, heavily embroidered fabrics, feathers
and jewels. Pattern books were
published which greatly aided the richer women in their search for repeatable
patterns for furnishings, cushions, bed covers, cupboard cloths, table carpets,
chair and stool covers, hand towels, sheets, jackets. Holbein
paintings attest to the lovely blackwork being done on smocks, sleeves and
shifts. Beautiful embroidery was
done on shoes and slippers and something called sweet bags, portable potpourri
sachets. Bathing seems to have been
an annual event at best for many, so sweet bags were necessary in close
quarters, like church. Queen
Elizabeth I was a great admirer of embroidery and kept her women at it. Domestic
embroidery was all the rage, whereas the work done before then had been done
professionally. Much of the
embroidery done in the Queen’s time and later periods were done by amateurs
and was very hard to tell from professional work!
The records for the first charter for the Broderers’ We
have a great source of information on embroidery done in the 17th
century by the list of gifts given to Queen Elizabeth I.
Slippers, hankies, gowns, covered cases, mantles, hats, cloaks, hose,
belts, even embroidered covered buttons, tunics, scarves, sleeves (which were
removable, charming idea!), collars, linen caps, occasional mittens and gloves,
sweet bags, which were tied with gilt ties, strings, and tassels, hangings that
surrounded her when she met with visitors were opulent and impressive, too. The
17th century saw the early Stuart and Commonwealth eras where crewel
work became very popular with the new source of ideas coming from the merchants
returning from the Women’s
accessories were embroidered, such as those little purses, gloves with the large
cuffs or gauntlets had plenty of room, coifs, and shawls, as well as their court
clothing, horse trappings, ceremonial heraldic costumes, masques, coifs, and
costumes for pageants, (fancy plays depicting historical dramas and bible
stories). Many
things were embroidered for the home such as table carpets, cushion covers, wall
hangings and especially the bed coverings, valances, curtains and drapes…all
done by both professional and amateur. Many
small items could be purchased from amateur embroiderers in the open market as
gifts. The
most famous amateur was, arguably, Mary Queen of Scots, whose collection of
lovely embroidery now resides at Hardwick Hall.
Her embroidery consisted of mainly tent stitch and cross stitch.
She embroidered many “slips” which were later added to large pieces
of fabric and used for bed clothing and wall hangings.
She was constantly seen with a needle in her hand.
(Goodness, she was imprisoned for 19 years.) Lots of bed hangings,
cushion covers, and clothing gifts are attributed to her, but those bearing her
cipher are certainly hers. Flowers
and their colors were symbolic and she used them to display her sense of wit and
sense of justice in the gifts she gave, embroidering flowers and animals in silk
threads. Men’s
clothing was much fancier than the ladies’, another sign of wealth and power,
where women were rarely seen out of their castles.
Bibs, capes, vests, shirts and sleeves, ruffs (those ridiculously large
fluted or pleated and starched collars), and pockets.
Women wore embroidered stomachers, petticoats, shirts, sleeves, shawls,
and took time to embroider pin cushions and lots of other sewing tools, (!)
cushions, hangers of daggers and small swords.
No clothing was wasted. When
used up the rags could made into paper. Upholstery
fabric was embroidered and used on “stuffed” or padded furniture instead of
the removable cushions. What a
treat! Bed hangings were worked in
color worsteds on light colored twill in the second quarter of the century.
New designs showed a large tree or several branches arising from a mound
of earth, some with animals romping through the scene. “Jacobean”
is a current term used to distinguish a heavy style in design, done with wool
yarns on a heavy twill fabric. While
this was by no means the only style of embroidery being done during the reign of
James I, it was distinctive enough, in someone’s opinion, to merit its own
name. The style was distinctly
oriental in flavor, due to the merchant trade of the East India Co.
These decorative panels were hung as tapestries and privacy screens, not
so much for insulation, since smaller homes became fashionable.
Those castles were notoriously cold and drafty. Lots
of pin cushions, scissor cases, scent-bellows, sachets, measuring tape holders,
and needle cases were embroidered at this time.
Embroidery boxes, jewelry boxes, mirrors with huge/wide frames, and the
huge embroidered needlework caskets were done in stumpwork, taking years to
complete, and were then sent to be finished professionally. Samplers
exist from this period, though not many, and very few were signed and dated.
They were usually done on linen, with couched knotted thread and cross
stitch being the predominating stitches used.
They were maybe only 7” wide and as long as the weaver chose to weave
the fabric, used mainly as practice pieces and reference.
The 18th century “saw more useful embroideries instead of
merely decorative and amusing.” Such as an embroidered card table.
J
Bedcovers were embroidered and quilted, jackets, and clothing, usually in
silk threads. Lingerie was
beautifully embroidered and worn under very sheer white fabrics.
Upholstery was done on canvas, pole screens embroidered in landscapes,
which protected people from drafts, fine smaller ones were done to keep candles
from going out, folding screens were used for privacy in large rooms for those
who still entertained in the bedroom, and were also used as tapestries on walls.
Lovely whitework was done in Couture
houses not only sewed and embroidered gowns for their clients but made up
miniatures for small dolls. These
doll clothes were distributed as “patterns” and could be copied! Tons
of embroidery was done in the 19th century.
World’s
Fairs and large exhibitions designed to bring cultures closer together provided
unending ideas from lands far and near. I
doubt few embroiderers went home without an idea or two, not to mention supplies
for their projects, like a saddle blanket for a rocking horse.
The
20th century saw the Today,
cross stitch seems to still be the most popular and talked about form of
embroidery being done today, but anything goes. Items embroidered today are:
baby items, bibs, burp cloths, booties, sipper cup inserts, diaper bags, special
outfits. House items, coasters, doilies, computer covers, mouse houses, phone
homes, jar lids, video covers, draft stoppers, door stops (brick covers) tissue
covers, clothes hangers, CD cases, wall switch covers, kitchen items like tea
cozies, napkin rings, kitchen towels, napkins, table cloths, placemats, aprons
and pot holders. Armchair caddies,
draft stoppers, trivets, scissor sheaths, pin cushions, a needle roll, and I
don’t know what that is, head bands, clock faces, earrings and brooches,
picture frames, Halloween costumes, Christmas stockings and ornaments,
cards, afghans, valentines, waste basket covers, chessboards, shadow box
linings, garden signs, quilt labels, key fobs, glass cases, teddy bears, dolls,
their clothing and their doll house furnishings.
So much work made so many gifts…I wish I had kept a record when I
began. I do now, and will shortly
have a cover for *that* book, which will be embroidered most personally!
J
Bibliography Amor, Shelagh. Crewel
Embroidery A Practical Guide. Sally Milner Publishing Pty Ltd.2002.
(Originally used for EGA Jacobean Crewelwork class) © Judith Ritter of Whiteworks Christening Gowns 2003. |
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