Colors of Silk Thread for 16th Century Embroidery

Recently at a historical reenactment event, I was asked what colors were historically accurate for silk thread on embroidery in the 16th century. Follow along as I review different colors used, as well as what colors were used on which items.

 

Picture credit: Jesse Weber

Blackwork embroidery is also known as double-running stitch or Holbein stitch. Historically, it was typically found as black silk thread embroidered on white linen in a reversible stitch. For more historical information (plus a step by step on how to begin) on blackwork embroidery, please visit: https://youtu.be/lcZsoB71XZQ 😀 

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   Suggested Items for Purchase: 

- Silk thread (Needle in a Haystack): http://www.needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/AVAS_Ovale.html or http://www.needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/AVAS_SoiePerlee.html 

- Slate Frame (T.F. Woodcraft): https://www.tfwoodcraft.com/shop/slate-frames/ 

- Hoop Frame: https://amzn.to/3sktIBs 

- Beeswax: https://amzn.to/2NHAmTF 

- Scissors: https://amzn.to/2ZO93cP 

- Linen Fabric: https://amzn.to/3m1bsuJ 

- Craft Stand: https://amzn.to/3pYGlR0

 

 

16th Century Blackwork Embroidery Live Video

 

I put together videos explaining some of the history of blackwork embroidery, as well as step by step instructions, how to recreate a historical pattern, and more! 

Please check out my video and give me your input. What else would you like to learn about blackwork embroidery?

1544 Flemish Pattern

This embroidery pattern is based on a pattern found on the collar of a woman in a Flemish portrait from 1544. This painting is at the Art Institute of Chicago. This particular design will become part of a pin pillow.

 Portrait of a Woman (at Art Institute of Chicago)

Blackwork embroidery is also known as double-running stitch or Holbein stitch. Historically, it was typically found as silk thread embroidered on white linen in a reversible stitch.

 

 

Watch step by step as embroider the above design on to linen with silk thread: 

 

 

 

Step by Step Embroidery of a 16th Century Italian Pattern

This particular embroidery pattern is from an Italian sampler, circa 1600, located at the V&A Museum in London. The sampler features silk embroidery done in a double-running stitch, as well as long-armed cross stitch. This particular embroidery will become part of a pin pillow. 

 

Blackwork embroidery is also known as double-running stitch or Holbein stitch. Historically, it was typically found as silk thread embroidered on white linen in a reversible stitch. 

 

 

 

For more historical information on pin pillows, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKKpxvYHrXg 

 

For more historical information (plus a step by step on how to begin) on blackwork embroidery, please visit: https://youtu.be/lcZsoB71XZQ 

 

The full sampler at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London: http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70028/sampler/sampler-unknown/

 

For more information on the Italian sampler and other embroidery patterns from this sampler, please visit: https://tudorblackwork.blogspot.com/2020/02/how-to-create-your-own-blackwork-design.html

 

 

 

 

Suggested Items for Purchase: 

- Silk thread (Needle in a Haystack): http://www.needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/AVAS_Ovale.html or http://www.needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/AVAS_SoiePerlee.html 

- Slate Frame (T.F. Woodcraft): https://www.tfwoodcraft.com/shop/slate-frames/ 

- Hoop Frame: https://amzn.to/3sktIBs 

- Beeswax: https://amzn.to/2NHAmTF 

- Scissors: https://amzn.to/2ZO93cP 

- Linen Fabric: https://amzn.to/3m1bsuJ 

- Craft Stand: https://amzn.to/3pYGlR0 

 

 

Ideas on Where to Find & Examples of Recreated Historical Blackwork Embroidery Patterns

Here are ideas on where to find and recreate historical blackwork embroidery patterns, as well as providing some historical patterns that I have recreated myself.

 

In Tudor England during the 16th century, it had been referred to as Spanish stitch, until King Henry VIII divorced his first wife, Catherine of Aragon (who was Spanish). After that, the name blackwork was adopted for use to describe this particular type of embroidery.

 

 

Step by Step Italian Embroidery Pattern, circa 1600

This particular embroidery pattern is from an Italian sampler, circa 1600, located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The sampler features silk embroidery done in a double-running stitch, as well as white cutwork. 

 

 "Embroidered Sampler"

 

 

This particular embroidery will become part of a pin pillow. Blackwork embroidery is also known as double-running stitch or Holbein stitch. Historically, it was typically found as silk thread embroidered on white linen in a reversible stitch.

 

 

 

 

My display at the Craftspersons Greene

 

Yesterday, I attended an SCA event where I participated with the Craftspersons Greene (for craftspeople to display and demonstrate their craft, answer questions, etc). I included 2 of my favorite arts and sciences: baking and blackwork. 

For more information on my baking, please click here. 

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my display, asked questions, expressed an interest, etc! Blackwork embroidery is something that I have been doing for over 20 years now. I really enjoy it! 

If you are curious about what blackwork is, please check out the video below:

Step by Step | 16th Century Elizabethan Blackwork Embroidery Flower Pattern

This Elizabethan blackwork embroidered flower pattern is from an English embroidery sampler by Jane Bostocke (at the V&A Museum) from 1598. This particular embroidered flower will become part of a pin pillow. 

Blackwork embroidery is also known as double-running stitch or Holbein stitch. Historically, it was typically found as silk thread embroidered on white linen in a reversible stitch. 

 

For more historical information on pin pillows, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKKpxvYHrXg 

For more historical information (plus a step by step on how to begin) on blackwork embroidery, please visit: https://youtu.be/lcZsoB71XZQ

 

          Suggested Items for Purchase: 

- Silk thread (Needle in a Haystack): http://www.needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/AVAS_Ovale.html or http://www.needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/AVAS_SoiePerlee.html 

- Slate Frame (T.F. Woodcraft): https://www.tfwoodcraft.com/shop/slate-frames/ 

- Hoop Frame: https://amzn.to/3sktIBs 

- Beeswax: https://amzn.to/2NHAmTF 

- Scissors: https://amzn.to/2ZO93cP 

- Linen Fabric: https://amzn.to/3m1bsuJ 

- Craft Stand: https://amzn.to/3pYGlR0 

 

 

Jane Bostocke's sampler: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O46183/sampler-bostocke-jane/sampler-jane-bostocke/

Drafting Historical Embroidery Patterns

Some museums allow for viewers to zoom in on a picture to the point where you can literally count the embroidery stitches on an item.

I did a video showing step by step on how I draft historical embroidery patterns (using the reversible stitch, aka blackwork or Holbein stitch, as examples from a 17th century embroidery sampler at the Cleveland Museum of Art). 

For this particular sampler, the reversible stitch embroidery was done with silk thread by skipping every other hole on the linen fabric. In other words, the thread and needle went up one hole, skipped a hole, and down into the next hole (and then the same on the under-side).

 

Here are some of the embroidery patterns featured in the above video:

More patterns from this sampler, as well as other samplers, can be found on my Pinterest page.

Introduction to Blackwork Embroidery virtual class for Pennsic 49

Since Pennsic was postponed to next year (with the non-SCA event of Armistice in its place), Arts & Sciences classes were offered virtually. I had previously signed up to teach my Introduction to Blackwork Embroidery class at Pennsic.

So, here is my virtual Introduction to Blackwork Embroidery class offered online for this year's Pennsic 49.

 

#blackwork #Holbein #embroidery #reversible #Tudor #Elizabethan

Embroidery Frames in History, plus How to Dress a Slate Frame

 Various embroidery frames have been used over the centuries, including the slate frame, scroll frame, and tambour frame. Learn how to recognize these different types of embroidery frames and when they were popular to use, from the medieval period to the Renaissance and Elizabethan times to the Edwardian and Victorian eras to the present! Also, watch a step by step demonstration on dressing a slate frame. 

 A slate frame is my preferred frame for blackwork embroidery, as it does not warp the linen fabric like a modern adjustable hoop does. 

Click here to watch the video!

 

Suggested items for purchase: 

Craft Stand: https://amzn.to/3pYGlR0 

Slate Frame (T.F. Woodcraft): https://www.tfwoodcraft.com/shop/slate-frames/ 

Scroll Frame: https://amzn.to/3kw4OMA 

Tambour Frame: https://amzn.to/3uzp3gM 

Linen fabric: https://amzn.to/3m1bsuJ 

Beeswax: https://amzn.to/2NHAmTF 

Scissors: https://amzn.to/2ZO93cP 

Silk thread (Needle in a Haystack): http://www.needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/AVAS_Ovale.html or http://www.needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/AVAS_SoiePerlee.html

 

 

Introduction to Blackwork Embroidery class for #TriKUT

 What is #TriKUT?

The Tri-Kingdom University Tournament #TriKUT is a friendly pre-1600 historical competition between between the SCA Kingdoms of Midrealm, Meridies, and Atlantia that starts on June 12, 2021 and continues for one month until July 18, 2021. For more information on the tournament, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/trikingdomuniversitytournament

 

What is the SCA?

 The Society for Creative Anachronism is an international, non-profit educational organization that studies and recreates the medieval and Renaissance years of 600-1600AD. For more information and to locate your local branch, please check out http://www.sca.org

 

Where to watch this Blackwork Embroidery class?

   This is an Introduction to Blackwork Embroidery class that I put together for the Tri-Kingdom University Tournament. This class covers blackwork embroidery history, where to find historical patterns, materials needed, and a step by step tutorial on geometric blackwork embroidery.  

 0:00 Introduction 

0:47 History

30:37 Blackwork explained 

31:29 Materials needed 

59:32 Step by step instructions 

1:16:26 How to draft a pattern 

1:18:07 Demonstration (Embroidering a caul)

 

  Suggestions on where to purchase embroidery items: 

Silk thread (Needle in a Haystack): http://www.needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/AVAS_Ovale.html or http://www.needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/AVAS_SoiePerlee.html 

Slate Frame (T.F. Woodcraft): https://www.tfwoodcraft.com/shop/slate-frames/ 

Hoop Frame: https://amzn.to/3sktIBs 

Beeswax: https://amzn.to/2NHAmTF 

Scissors: https://amzn.to/2ZO93cP 

Linen Fabric: https://amzn.to/3m1bsuJ 

Craft Stand: https://amzn.to/3pYGlR0

 

 

 

Works Cited:

 •Blake, Sarah. “Sampler.” V&A Museum. 1664. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70157/sampler-blake-sarah/. 8 March 2020.

•“Booklet of Embroidery and Drawnwork.” The Met Museum. 17th century. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/221650. 9 June 2020.

•“Border.” The Art Institute of Chicago. https://www.artic.edu/artworks/8489/border. 25 October 2019.

•Bostocke, Jane. “Sampler.” V&A Museum. 1598. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O46183/sampler-bostocke-jane/. 10 September 2020.

•Bruyn, Bartholomäus. “Portrait of a Knight of an Order.” Kunst Historisches Museum. 1531. https://www.khm.at/en/objectdb/detail/363/?offset=0&lv=list. 21 March 2020.

•“Elizabeth, Lady Audley.” Royal Collection Trust. https://www.rct.uk/collection/422292/elizabeth-lady-audley-1564. 14 October 2019.

•“Embroidered Fabric.” Museo del Tessuto. https://www.museodeltessuto.it/museo/collezioni/?lang=en. 23 October 2019.

•“Embroidered Sampler.” The Met Museum. 1600. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/221177. 18 September 2020.

•“Embroidery.” V&A Museum. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O362988/embroidery/. 27 March 2020.

•“Embroidery 2.” V&A Museum. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O362986/embroidery/. 13 December 2019.

•“Embroidery (Egypt).” Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18474169/. 25 October 2019.

•“Fragment from the neck opening of a tunic with crosses and diamond-shapes.” The Ashmolean Museum. http://jameelcentre.ashmolean.org/collection/921/per_page/100/offset/0/sort_by/date/category/textiles/object/15983. 27 October 2019.

•Holbein, Hans (the Younger). “Margaret Roper.” The Met Museum. 1535. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436662?&searchField=All&sortBy=Date&ft=tudor&offset=20&rpp=20&pos=22. 30 November 2019.

 •Holbein, Hans (the Younger). “Portrait of a boy with a marmoset.” Kunstmuseum Basel. http://sammlungonline.kunstmuseumbasel.ch/eMuseumPlus?service=direct/1/ResultDetailView/result.inline.list.t1.collection_list.$TspTitleLink.link&sp=13&sp=Sartist&sp=SfilterDefinition&sp=0&sp=1&sp=1&sp=SdetailView&sp=92&sp=Sdetail&sp=0&sp=T&sp=0&sp=SdetailList&sp=275&sp=F&sp=Scollection&sp=l19344. 5 September 2016. 

•“Kasuti Patterns 1.” Sarah’s Hand Embroidery Tutorials. 2020. http://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/hand-embroidery/kasuti/kasuti-patterns-1/. 4 March 2020.

•“Portrait of a Young Woman.” The Met Museum. 1535. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437205?&searchField=All&sortBy=Date&ft=tudor&offset=20&rpp=20&pos=21. 30 November 2019.

•“Sampler.” V&A Museum. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70028/sampler-unknown/. 23 October 2019.

•“Sampler fragment with chevrons, birds, and fish.” The Ashmolean Museum. University of Oxford. 2013. http://jameelcentre.ashmolean.org/collection/7/1252/1253/all/per_page/100/offset/0/sort_by/seqn./object/10835. 29 March 2020.

•Siebmacher, Johann. Schön Neues Modelbuch. 1597. https://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/0002/bsb00026001/images/index.html?id=00026001&groesser=&fip=xssdaseayaewqewqwxsxdsydeayayzts&no=3&seite=17. 21 March 2020.

•Tagliente, Giovanni Antonio. “Essempio di recammi.” The Met Museum. 1530. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/357722. 9 October 2020.

•“Textile fragment with interlacing chevrons and Maltese crosses.” The Ashmolean Museum. http://jameelcentre.ashmolean.org/collection/8/per_page/100/offset/100/sort_by/date/object/16081. 29 March 2020.

•Zoppino, Nicolo. “Esemplario di lavori.” The Met Museum. August 1529. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/349352. 10 October 2020.