Embroidery Applications

This is a catch-all place for how embroidery was used in our focus areas of history. Useful links: http://aeg.atlantia.sca.org/timeline.htm

Embroidery on Clothing

General useful links

http://heatherrosejones.com/welshfaqs/clothing.html

BCE

Do we have evidence of Greek, Roman, Old Testament, or Coptic embroidery?

500AD - 1000AD

• Charlemagne's Coronation Clothing ; technique? ; French ; around the web
• Llangorse Textile ; possibly embroidered, probably woven  ; Welsh ; Pattern and Purpose in Insular Art (book)
• Mammen Cloak ; wool embroidery ; Scandinavian ; ?

1000 - 1100

• Stole of St. Cuthbert ; Opus Anglicanum ; English ;

1100 - 1200

• Copes, Stoles, ecclesiastical garments ; Opus Anglicanum ; English ;
• Stole with Images of the Martyrdom of Saint Catherine, ca. 1200, German (Rhineland) or English, Red silk, linen underlay, crimson silk tabby, metal threads (strips of gold and silver leaf wrapped on linen thread) (64.101.1382)

Source: Embroidery from Europe | Subject Index | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

• womens dresses, mens vests, and infants dresses in the 'Asi-L-Hadat find in Lebanon, dated to 1283. Dresses are embroidered solidly on the sleeves and chest panels, Vests are embroidered rather solidly throughout. Some pieces, particularly the infants dresses, are comprised of embroidery from several different pieces, reassembled to make the garments. The work is cross-stitch (regular, not long-armed--although offhand I believe long-armed has been documented to this region), other counted thread stitches (yet to be determined) and pattern darning. The French archeological report was not as forthcoming as it could have been in terms of stitch definition. Work done on cotton groundcloth with silk threads.

Remembering the embroidery in the Middle East was not preserved as it was in Europe and examining the amount of embroidery on these garments, it can easily be assumed embroidered garments existed prior to this time. However, this is the earliest find of its kind in this region.

Mummies du Liban: Rapport preliminaire sur la decouverte archeologique de ' Asi L Hada (Xlle siecle). Groupe D-Etudes et de Recherches Souterraines du Liban. France: Edifra, 1993.

1200 - 1300

• Copes, Stoles, ecclesiastical garmets ; Opus Anglicanum ; English ;
• Chasuble, ca. 1330–1350, English, Silk and silver-gilt thread and colored silks in underside couching, split stitch, laid-and-couched work, and raised work, with pearls on velvet (Met 27.162.1)

Source: Embroidery from Europe | Subject Index | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

1300 - 1400

• Copes, Stoles, ecclesiastical garmets ; Opus Anglicanum ; English ;

1400 - 1500

• Copes, Stoles, ecclesiastical garmets ; Opus Anglicanum ; English ;

1500 - 1600

• coifs, dresses, smocks, ruffs, etc. ; blackwork, raisedwork, cutwork; Elizabethan England ; info all over the Web
• lace for edging shirts ; lace; Venice ; info all over the Web

post 1600

• Herald's Tabards ; dimensional gold couching ; --- ; Vienna museum

Embroidery on Household Furnishings

1000 - 1100

• Bayeux Tapestry ; Anglo-French ; info all over the Web

1200 - 1300

• Panel from an Altar Frontal: The Flagellation, mid-14th century, Italian; Made in Florence, Silk and metallic threads on linen (Met 64.27.18)

Source: Embroidery from Europe | Subject Index | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

• Altar Frontal, late 14th century, German, Silk on linen (Met 69.106), but text says worked in wool.

Source: Embroidery from Europe | Subject Index | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

• Altarcloth (detail), second half of 14th century, German; From the convent of Altenberg, Linen embroidered with satin, chain, chevron, and Romanian stitches (Met 29.87)

Source: Embroidery from Europe | Subject Index | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

1300 - 1400

• Tristan Quilts ; Quilting ; wall hanging or bed covering

1500 - 1600

• Pillow Cushions ; Elizabethan England ; info all over the Web
• Bed Hangings ; Elizabethan England ; info all over the Web