I’ve been thinking about embroidery quite a bit lately – my Mum’s been talking about it, the pocket books I want to make one day require it, a present I plan to make for a certain someone involves it – so I thought I’d have a look at the different forms to help me decide what exactly I’d like to try out.
Two particular forms instantly stood out for me - goldwork and crewel embroidery, so I thought I’d share some pretties that make me want to get involved!
Crewel work is traditionally made with wool thread, giving it a thicker, three-dimensional effect, which is what really appeals to me about the technique. It can also be worked with silk or cotton. Either way, it just seems incredibly tactile.
Oh, and did I mention that it’s ancient – it’s the technique used in the Bayeux Tapestry – and it was quite the thing in certain parts of my favourite century. Check out this from the Kyoto Costume Institute:
I’ve got costume schwing! (Sorry have seen Wayne’s World far too many times!)
Oh, and you might think me crewel (ba-boom!) for posting a picture of a lovely petticoat that’s locked away in an institute, but how about this one: it’s circa 1790, it was embroidered by nuns and it’s for sale (ahem, for nearly $7,000, but hey):
Check out the web site for close-up images. That is an order - the details are amazing.
And this – who wouldn’t love this?!
This website has a great guide to crewel work with plenty of links and ideas and luckily my local library just happens to have this book:
So, at some point fairly soon, I think I might feel the need to get a little embroidery hoop and make some pockets – that way, if my embroidery skills turn out to be all kinds of suck, the results will be hidden yet still useable!
Oh yes, I did mention goldwork, didn’t I? Well, that’s a tale for a whole other post, my dears …
(I’m at work and it’s my lunch break, but I’m pretty excited as there are two packages for me: one is parsley seeds from my Nene’s plants and the other is fabriiiiiic! Huzzah!)
I’ve been meaning to learn more about crewelwork and give it a try! I learned cross stitch when I was younger, and have done quite a bit of not-quite-crewel embroidery, but never the real deal. I’d like to make an embroidered stomacher for one of my jackets, and I’ll need to learn crewelwork first. Plus, it’s so gorgeous! I love the multicolored effect–and the blowsy flowers present so often in the patterns. Keep us posted on how it goes!
Ooh – a crewelwork stomacher would be lovely! The technique does really seem to suit botantical motifs so well – I have to say I don’t think it looks nearly so good on the Baueux Tapestry as it does on the Jacobean and 18th century floral examples.
I really want to get my current projects finished before I buy materials for any new ones, plus I have to wait to pay day to buy anything, so it might be a little while before I get started. I will definitely post progress, even if it is terrible! I also think it will be a good project to have alongside others as it’s something I’ll be able to do curled up on the sofa, rather than having to sit at the table with the sewing machine/cutting equipment, etc.
Whoa, I didn’t know that was crewel! I thought it was needlelace for some unfathomable reason. Crewel always conjured such ugly images in my mind, but NO MORE! I think I shall be giving it a try.
Can’t wait for the goldwork post. I recently discovered it myself, and I adore it. Such a great technique.
I know exactly what you mean! I think I’ve always pictured it as ugly because if someone says to me “embroidery with wool”, I think chunky (in a bad way) and of those terrible pieces of embroidery you do in primary school with knitting yarn!
Ah, goldwork really does make me swoon – it’s a shame it’s so expensive to buy the real stuff, it’d be lovely to be able to try it out! Maybe one day I’ll save up to do a small project with real silver …
Oh, I want that book! I love to embroider, but do it in odd spurts. I’ve been working on an embroidered polonaise for fives years now…
I’ll let you know what the book’s like when I get it from the library.
I think you can be forgiven for still working on it if you’re embroidering a whole gown – I don’t think I could manage that in a lifetime!! The same rule applies to hand-quilting a petticoat and/or jacket
I have a book called 18th Century Emboridery… I think there is a subtitle – but I am at work (Shhhh…I am sneaking a peek at your blog) so I can’t remember. But anyway, it focuses on any embroidery technique used for 18th century clothing. It includes crewel, tambour work, white work, gold embroidery and one other. It has drawings, describe period methods of embroidery and a full description of period embroidery tools. I will look it up when I get home and submit another comment with the full title…Hey wait – modern technology – just went to amazon.com here is the link – http://www.amazon.com/18th-Century-Embroidery-Techniques-Marsh/dp/1861084765/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271368355&sr=1-1 If you can’t make this work, the name of the book is 18th century Embroidery Techniques by Gail Marsh. Cheers.
Ooh – thanks for telling me about this book! They have it at a library in a nearby town, so I think I can get it delivered to my local library. Great tip – sounds really interesting! Thank you, Angela! (And get back to work
)
^^ embroidery.
my favourite style is blackwork, but that was only used on clothes during the tudor period.
I need to make pockets too, but I haven’t decided what technique to use. I kind of want to do some thing crazy & inauthentic, just because its hidden.
this blog is good for info about hand embroidery; videos of stitches and book reviews.
http://www.needlenthread.com/
Yeah, I like blackwork and whitework too – I’m going to do some whitework flounces at some point.
Yay – go for it with the pockets! Sounds like fun! I want to do my own variation on the work bag in the Beeton book with crazy embroidery and applique stuff going on.
Thanks for the link, will check out some videos while the guys are out tonight!
Beautiful images, Clare. As a stumpwork and crewel embroiderer, I am in love with any such images. Have almost finished a silk cushion that is embroidered in a combination of silk stumpwork and wool embroidery and have three crewel cushions made up for my bed and two for my daughter’s !
Glad I could share these pictures with you, Prue! Wow, your WIP sounds yummy and I am quite envious of your daughter – I bet those cushions look great.