Medieval Scandinavian Embroidery

   
 

Iceland

 

Background:

The main sources for information about Icelandic Embroidery for the period covered by the SCA is extant examples and church inventory records. At the present time there are approximately 20 surviving pieces of work. Most date back no later than the second half of the 14th Century.

Materials:

Base materials used:

  • linen ground fabric (most common)
  • wool ground

Threads were usually homepsun woolen yarn (natural or dyed) with only occassionaly use of silks, linen or metal threads.

Stitches:

The stitches used in surviving pieces include:

The predominant stitch is laid and couched work (found on eleven embroideries).

Techniques:

Some pieces used a mixture of stitches and materials, others used only a limited number of techniques. Below are some of the cominations in surviving pieces:

  • stem stitch in polychrome wool on linen ground
  • laid and couched work in polychrome wool on linen or wool tabby ground (note: unlike other cultures that used this technique, Icelandic work often covered the ENTIRE ground with embroidery - unlike similar works such as the Bayeaux Tapestry where only figures etc were embroidered and the ground left plain).
  • outlining - secondary stitche such as stem, couched outline, split and chain stitch were used to outline areas that were laid and couched. This was done first and filled in later.
  • one example of split stitch in polychrome silks on linen

Design:

Influences on Icelandic embroideries include Byzantine silk fabrics, which resulted in the widespread use of circular and polygonal frames which enclosed various motifs including animals, plants, hunting scenes and religious scenes.

Another design element was the close relationship between medieval embroidery and contemporary Icelandic illumination.

Later Icelandic needlework was also influenced by the widely available pattern books, especially those from Germany.

Altar frontals make up the largest group of surviving works. These were generally free-style renderings of religious topics.

Colours reflect the dyes available, as such the use of blue, green, red and white against a yellow ground is typical of much Icelandic embroidery of the period.

Examples:

Altar frontal from Draflastadir Church in northern Iceland. First half, probably last quarter of 16th C. Embroidered in laid and couched work in wool with some linen. 109cm x 11cm. National Museum of Iceland

Links:

Sources:

  • Gudjonsson, Elsa. "Icelandic Mediaeval Embroidery Terms and Techniques" in Veronika Gervers, ed., Studies in Textile History: In Memory of Harold B. Burnham, pp. 133-143. Toronto: Royal Ontario Museum, 1977
  • Bridgeman, H and Drury, E. Needlework: An Illustrated History, (London: Paddington Press, 1977)
 
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Sweden

 

Background:

Few examples of Swedish embroidery have survived from this period. Most of those come from grave finds such as those at Birka. Those that do survive show cultural and commerical links with eastern Europe and the Byzantine world. As with many other areas in the SCA period, textiles for the church were one of the main markets for embroidery. In Sweden both imported and native made works were used.

Materials:

Base materials used:

  • linen ground fabric (most common)
  • wool ground

Stitches:

The stitches used in surviving pieces include:

Techniques:

There were three basic techiques used:

  • freestyle designs executed with silk thread
  • patchwork and applique on wool
  • counted thread work using long-armed cross stitch, cross stitch or pattern darning (on wool or linen).

Design:

The freestyle and silk embroideries were mostly created for ecclesiastical use. They were mostly created using satin and split stitch but there are also examples of laid and couched work. Early works used geometric patterns but during later periods the designs become more free flowing. Outlines were emphasised by thicker threads.

Many surviving examples of ecclesiastical embroidery started life in the secular world and were later donated to the Church. A surviving example of this is a patchworked bed cover. The shaped patches have couched threads or gilt membrane strips between patches. This technique was also used for things such as cusion covers.

Needlework was also used to produce household furnishings such as wall hangings (often in the form of friezes), tablecloths and cushion covers. These types of articles were usually worked in cross stitch or long-armed cross stitch or darning on a wool or linen ground.

Common motifs for this type of work were stylised lilies, trees, stars and birds, arranged diagonally or symmetrically with a central access and often a polygon framework.

Examples:

Links:

Sources:

  • Bridgeman, H and Drury, E. Needlework: An Illustrated History, (London: Paddington Press, 1977)

 

 
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Norway

Background:

Many surviving medieval embroideries from Norway were in fact imported into the country. This was not an unusal occurance as many countries had international reputations for certain types of work.

Materials:

Base materials used:

  • linen ground fabric (most common)
  • wool ground

Threads were usually homepsun woolen yarn (natural or dyed) with only occassionaly use of silks, linen or metal threads.

Stitches:

The stitches used in surviving pieces include:

Techniques:

Some pieces used a mixture of stitches and materials, others used only a limited number of techniques. Below are some of the cominations in surviving pieces:

  • wool ground fabric, white linen thread outlines using stem stitch filled with pattern darning
  • linen ground fabric with pattern darning using wool yarn.
  • laid and couched work in polychrome wool on linen or wool tabby ground

Design:

While there are not enough surviving works to talk about specific design influences, the surviving works tend to be done using a common palette of blue, yellow, green and red wool yarn and white linen thread to make the pattern darned designs.

Examples:

Watercolor Reconstruction of the Oseberg Tapestry/Textile

Links:

Sources:

  • Bridgeman, H and Drury, E. Needlework: An Illustrated History, (London: Paddington Press, 1977)
 
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Denmark

 

Links:

   
   
   
 

Contact Details

Jane of Stockon - [email protected]
   
 
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