The stitches below are of just a few of those which were used during the period covered by the SCA. The West Kingdom Needleworkers Guild is only suggesting these sites for your information. We do not endorse these sites, nor is the Guild in any way responsible for the content of these pages. It is better whenever possible to consult books on historic needlework and a Guild Mentor.
Surface Embroidery
- basic embroidery
- laid work
- beadwork
- split stitch (including shading)
- raised work
We haven’t exhausted the search for web sites with useful information, this is just a start…
Surface Embroidery — basic embroidery
How-To Stitch Sources
backstich
http://inaminuteago.com/stitchdict/stitch/Back-stitch.html
buttonhole stitch
http://inaminuteago.com/stitchdict/stitch/Buttonhole.html
chain stitch
http://inaminuteago.com/stitchdict/stitch/Chain.html
couching stitch
http://inaminuteago.com/stitchdict/stitch/couching.html
herringbone stitch
http://inaminuteago.com/stitchdict/stitch/herringbone.html
outline stitch
http://inaminuteago.com/stitchdict/stitch/outline.html
satin stitch
http://inaminuteago.com/stitchdict/stitch/satin.html
seed stitch / seeding
Information on Historical Techniques
chain stitch, stem stitch/outline stitch,buttonhole stitch, satin stitch
Embroidery from the Tenth Century Viking Grave at Mammen Denmark
Tangwystl
http://heatherrosejones.com/mammen/index.html
The Minister of Arts and Sciences Newsletter for the Kingdom of Atenveldt
July 2003 C.E., Issue 28
Early Medieval Embroidery by Ealasaid nic Suibhne, OL
Barony of Atenveldt, Kingdom of Atenveldt
http://arts.atenveldt.com/Portals/arts/Newsletters/jul2003.pdf
7th Century Frankish – “Queen Bathilde’s Shirt”
Rough sketches of embroidery design, no photos of actual items/stitches
Carolyn Priest-Dorman.
http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/vikembroid.html
Anglo-Saxon and Viking Works of the Needle: Some Artistic Currents in Cross-Cultural Exchange
http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/asvembroid.html
a few brief mentions of use of herringbone, no photosWCoB Competition Documentation – Scandinavian
The Minister of Arts and Sciences Newsletter for the Kingdom of Atenveldt
July 2003 C.E., Issue 28
Early Medieval Embroidery by Ealasaid nic Suibhne, OL
Barony of Atenveldt, Kingdom of Atenveldt
http://arts.atenveldt.com/Portals/arts/Newsletters/jul2003.pdf
brief mention of how/when herringbone was used
10th Century Denmark – “Mammen grave site”
Rough sketches of embroidery design, no photos of actual items/stitches
this is such a simple & basic stitch, it’s difficult to locate specific examples of this one
Actual Historical Textiles and Patterns
Embroidery from the Tenth Century Viking Grave at Mammen Denmark
Tangwystl
http://heatherrosejones.com/mammen/index.html
Frankish Costume: Queen Bathilde, 7th century
http://casbal.100webspace.net/classes/Decorative_Embroidery.pdf
Several photos of a shirt – difficult to see details, but embroidery is chain stitch
Historically Inspired Patterns and Pieces
Surface Embroidery — laid work
How-To Stitch Sources
Medieval & Renaissance Embroidery
http://www.bayeux-broderie.com/index.htm?lang=en
video on how to do laid work with results similar to Bayeux Tapestry
Bayeux stitch, Ancient & Modern
Stitch Magazine, Embroiderer’s Guild
http://www.embroiderersguild.com/stitch/pdfs/bayeux.pdf
a modern pattern/example, but good illustrations of how to do the stitch & accommodate curves
Bayeaux Paper
http://www.northernneedle.net/Research/bayeux.pdf
a nice paper on the history, spplication of the stitch and photos of extant pieces
Information on Historical Techniques
Anglo Saxon Embroidery Techniques at the Regia Anglorum website
http://www.regia.org/embroid.htm
how to do laid-and-couched work.
Actual Historical Textiles and Patterns
The Bayeux Tapestry
http://hastings1066.com/
Photos of all the panels, with translation of Latin text. Also the history of the piece & explanation of what some of the images mean.
Historically Inspired Patterns and Pieces
Surface Embroidery — beadwork
How-To Stitch Sources
A Clothing How-To for Garments of the Byzantine Empire
Author: Black Tauna (1995)
http://members.tripod.com/BlackTauna/byzantineclothinginfo.html
some discussion of how to decorate with beads/jewels
Information on Historical Techniques
The Medieval Beadwork Page
http://www.medievalbeads.com/
16th Century Embellishments, Part 2: Twenty-first Century Strategies for Achieving the Sixteenth Century “Look”
http://www.lynnmcmasters.com/embellishment.html
brief discussion of medieval beadwork & a few photos
Stefan’s Florilegium
http://www.florilegium.org/files/TEXTILES/beadwork-msg.html
Medieval beadwork on clothing. Bead types. Bead sources
Actual Historical Textiles and Patterns
Historically Inspired Patterns and Pieces
Beaded Embroidery
Giuliana di Benedetto Falconieri
http://www.northernneedle.net/embroidery.html
overview of her research, plus photos/descriptions of projects
Bead Embroidery: Italian and German Beaded Embellishments
By Roxelana Bramante
http://www.roxelana.com/beadembroidery.html
description of beadwork author did on 2 pieces of garb, 1 photo each, no closeup of beadwork
Surface Embroidery — split stitch (including shading)
How-To Stitch Sources
http://inaminuteago.com/stitchdict/stitch/split.html
Information on Historical Techniques
Opus Anglicanum (English Work or how to paint with a needle) former link is broken
Actual Historical Textiles and Patterns
Historical Needlework Resources
Opus Anglicanum
http://medieval.webcon.net.au/technique_opus_anglicanum.html
lots of links to extant examples
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Works of Art: Antonio Ratti Textile Center
The Flagellation, Panel, Altar Frontal, mid-14th century
Italian; Made in Florence
Silk and metallic threads on linen;
http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/
could be Opus Anglicanum, hard to tell w/ blurry closeups
Australian National University ArtServe
V&A Museum photos
http://rubens.anu.edu.au/new/england/london/museums/victoria_and_albert/textiles/western_mediaeval/
Part of an English cope, 1310-40. Silk twill embr. w/ metal threads & silk in underside couching, split stitch, some raised work
*some photos are blurry, others are excellent closeups, can really see the stitches
Historically Inspired Patterns and Pieces
Almoner’s Purse, French, circa 1340
by Joyce Miller
http://www.doctorbeer.com/joyce/emb/almpouch/almpouch.htm
photos of author’s completed pouch, based on historical illustrations, plus photos of extant pieces
Embroidered Partlet 16th C Florence
La Signora Onorata Katerina da Brescia, Lochac
http://katerina.purplefiles.net/DOCO/Kat%20Partlet%20DOCO.htm
author documents her process of making a partlet, including use of split stitch
Surface Embroidery — raised work
How-To Stitch Sources
Information on Historical Techniques
Elizabethan Raised Embroidery
by Branwen Madyn Wallis
http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/oak/15/eliz.htm
an overview article
Raised Work – Stump Work : A Confusion of Terms
Dianne E. Lewandowski – 2002
http://heritageshoppe.com/heritage/essays/stumpwork.html
descriptions of Elizabethan embroidery, Stumpwork, and raised work from different sources
Email list discussion on Elizabethan Raised Work/Stumpwork,
7th box down, Dianne Lewandowski
http://www.craftbanter.com/showthread.php?t=20713
a short discussion from a usenet group
Actual Historical Textiles and Patterns
Purse, last quarter of 16th century
http://www.metmuseum.org/
Sweetbag is no longer on-line, but type in embroidery in the search box and there are many items of interest
Photo and description of an English sweetbag made towards the end of the 16th century, in the collection of the Metropolit an Museum of Art.
Small square drawstring bag at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
http://www.mfa.org/collections/search_art.asp?recview=true&id=119729
Motif of flowers with coiling gold wire stems; insect and small bird. Linen canvas ground completely covered in embroidery . Silver metallic threads make ground in slanted satin stitch. Three-dimensional flower petals and leaves of silver-wrapped color silk threads in detached buttonhole stitch. Polychrome silk embroidery in tent stitch. Also plaited braid stitch, couching, bullion knots, raised work, metal purl, flattened coiled wire. Braided silk cords, two wood-core drawstring pulls, three tassels at bottom.
Historically Inspired Patterns and Pieces
Elizabethan Sweet Bag (present day)
Mathilde’s Medieval and Renaissance Embroidery Page
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mathilde/embroidery/mygall/sweetbag.htm
detailed description of how the bag was designed & constructed, includes photos & bibliography