Embroidery in History

Not long after man clothed himself he began to search for ways of embellishing his garments. One of the earliest examples is a fragment of whitework (white stitches on white ground) of Danish origin. This braided hairnet was discovered in a 3000 year old grave.

As the centuries passed, embroidery began a transformation. Simply embellishing garments was no longer the only use for embroidery. Liturgical uses began their long reign that continues even to this day. Biblical stories and the life events of saints were often the theme of these works. The Chasuble of Sts. Harlindis and Relindis (9th c.) now at Stad Maaselik in Lemburg, Belgium and St. Cuthbert's stole (10th c.) at Durham are two of the earliest pieces depicting the boom of ecclesiastical work. Such importance was held toward the ecclesiastic themes that silk and gold/silver gilt were the predominate materials used.

Concurrently, this time was producing naturalistic impressions of contemporary historical events and subjects in stitches instead of pigment and brushes. One of the earliest masterpieces is the Bayeux Tapestry (11th c.). Created within the Battle of Hastings generation, the tapestry in actuality, is an embroidery since the scenes are laid on a ground cloth instead of woven in during creation. The most common materials employed for embroidery, linen ground and wool thread, were used in its construction.

From literary evidence we know such historical hangings were common in the houses of royalty and in aristocratic circles. Servants were often hired because of their skills with a needle. Master designers were also hired for layout and design while the women of the church, the lady of the house, or the Queen could devote her time to her handiwork. Mary, Queen of Scots, is known to have studied in France and had two master designers, Pierre Oudry and Charles Houvart. During Queen Anne's reign, Robert Adam was designing embroidery patterns and it is widely believed Queen Matilda or the half-brother of William the Conqueror, Odo, charged a monk with designing the Bayeux Tapestry. However, most embroidery was self-designed or augmented to fit the purpose of the piece.

Whether one had a master designer or the work was self-designed, houses often had a large room set aside where the women could congregate to take exercise in winter. It was in this room that their needlework was done or the young girls were taught.

The heyday of embroidery coincides with the height of the illuminated manuscripts in England. The 13th and 14th centuries produced "Opus Anglicanum", a terminology given to the English embroidery widely exported during this period. The true professional embroiders who produced "Opus Anglicanum" were men and served a 7 year apprenticeship. Mabilia of Bury St. Edmunds was one exception. Records of payment from Henry during 1239-44, for many vestments, shows a few notable females were paid for their skills in "Opus Anglicanum". This highly skilled and valued technique is today our most simplified needlework. Below is a few of the most commonly used stitches. I have included the Latin term in the event you should see them while you research that new project.

Opus Conscutum - appliqué work, sometime painted features to the figures applied on a main ground.

Opus Phrygium - gold work.

Opus Anglicanum - split or stem stitch work

Opus Plumarium - either general plumage or feather work or long and short stitch work

Opus Pectineum - woven or combed work

Opus Filatorium - lace or darned work

Towards the end of the Middle Ages, the renaissance of embroidery began to take shape. The influence of the Mediterranean countries, especially Spain and France, started intertwining itself in the fashion of embroidery. Flowers, animals, vines, and hangings of nature began to appear. With the more intricate designs came more intricate stitching. And, with the commercial markets opening with the East, the fabric dyes and tools became more intricate.

Spanishwork (blackwork), Whitework, Assisiwork, and Crewel grew in popularity. Much of this work is still done today. Because of the parallels between the early stitches and the vastness of the works just mentioned, I will leave information on these techniques for a later time.

I wanted to share this article written by Maistreas Sîban nî Sheaghdha, OL, taken from her Simply Embroidery site. This is an area I am currently working on and would love to get input and ideas from others working on the same.