From: [email protected] (Heather Rose Jones)
Subject: Re: medieval embroidery books
Date: 9 Nov 1997 17:51:16 GMT
I'll start out by saying that I have yet to find an _instructional_ book about any
type of medieval embroidery -- that is, one aimed at people who want to learn the
techniques. Some surveys of historic embroidery will have occasional diagrams showing
stitches, but in general, books on historic embroidery seem to think their readers just
want to look at the pictures. That said -- here are a number of books that I have
found useful or interesting that cover period material:
Warner, Pamela. "Embroidery: A History." London: B.T. Batsford, 1991. ISBN
0-7134-6106-3
I start with this one because it ought to be still in print. It has a fair number
of diagrams showing how stitches are made and has sample pieces from the early medieval
period on. Unfortunately, it is oriented more towards design than execution, and
many of the figures are re-drawings of layout or motifs, rather than photographs of the
actual embroidery.
Gudjonsson, Elsa E. "Traditional Icelandic Embroidery." Reykjavik: Iceland
Review, 1985. ISBN: (none given).
This book is not only for the specialist in Scandinavian things, as there are techniques
shown here that were used on the continent as well (a harder area to find material
on). Much of the material here is from late period (sorry, no "Viking embroidery")
although perhaps half of it is post-period. This is a particularly good book for examining
ways in which the various cross-stitch-like techniques were used in period. Diagrams
of techniques are given and even some charts taken from counted work. I bought this book at Pennsic from Small Churl Books (1642 Stafford Rd Storrs CT 06268; [email protected]).
Christie, A.G.I. "English Medieval Embroidery." Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1938.
The subtitle pretty much says it all: "A brief survey of English embroidery dating
from the beginning of the tenth century until the end of the fourteenth, together
with a descriptive catalogue of the surviving examples, illustrated with one hundred
and sixty plates and numerous drawings in the text". The author is one of the tutelary divinities
of historic embroidery. The text has a few diagrams of stitch types, but the main
value of this text is in the exhaustive catalog of surviving items, with detailed
descriptions of the materials and techniques. Unfortunately, because of the time when
it was produced, there are very few color plates, and the ones that are included
are awful.
A couple of other books I have on hand that might be useful are as follow:
Freeman, Margaret B. "The St. Martin Embroideries." The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
1968. (no ISBN)
An extensive and close-up look at a group of 15th century embroideries in the Opus
Anglicanum technique. Mostly black-and-white plates but a few excellant color ones.
Very nice for the close, detailed photos of the work. There are no diagrams of how
the stitches are made, unfortunately. I frequently see this book turn up used at very reasonable
prices (ca. $20).
Wardle, Patricia. "Guide to English Embroidery." London: HMSO, 1981. ISBN:
0-11-290030-5.
A catalog of works held by the Victoria and Albert Museum. Black-and-white photos
with short descriptions. About half the material is period. No instructional material.
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From: Gwenllyan
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 15:59:15 -1000
Here is just a VERY partial list of books available on embroidery. Even if
you don't specifically want blackwork, some of the patterns are suitable for
other embroidery, and blackwork- style embroidery does not HAVE to be black.
Campbell, Etta, Linen Embroidery. London: B.T. Batsford, 1957.
Cunnington, C.Willet. & Phyllis, Handbook of English Costume in the 16th Century.
London: Faber and Faber Limited, mcmliv
Dye, Daniel Sheets, Chinese Lattice Designs. New York: Dover, 1974. (originally published
as A Grammar of Chinese Lattice by Harvard University
Press, 1937)
Geddes, Elisabeth, and Moyra McNeill, Blackwork Embroidery. New York: Dover Publications,
1985
Gostelow, Mary, The Complete International Book of Embroidery. New York: Simon
and Schuster, 1977.
Guild, Vera P., Good Housekeeping New Complete Book of Needlecraft. New York:
Good Housekeeping Books,
Harris, Karen, 16th and 17th Century Coifs. online,
http://www.dnaco.net/~aleed/corsets/headwear/coifpics.html
Kendrick, A.F., English Needlework. 2nd Edition. London: Adam and Charles Black, 1933,
1967.
Marmor, Paula Katherine, Elizabethan Blackwork, The Blackwork Embroidery
Archives. online,
http://www.pacificnet.net/~pmarmor/bwarch.html
Pascoe, Margaret, Blackwork Embroidery, Design and Technique. London: B.T.
Batsford, (date unknown)
Petersen, Grete, Stitches and Decorative Seams. trans. by Carol Schroeder. New York:
Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1956.
Snook, Barbara, The Creative Art of Embroidery. New York: Hamlyn, 1969.
Swain, Margaret, The Needlework of Mary Queen of Scots. New York: Van Nostrand
Reinhold, 1973.
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