16th Century Inspired Blackwork Embroidered Flower Pattern

Six years ago, I embroidered a coif. 

 

 

 

For this coif, I was inspired by a flower pattern that is on a 16th century Italian sampler at the V&A Museum. I then modified the flower a bit, to make it more of my own design while still staying true to the 16th century vibe.

(Original Flower Pattern on the Sampler at the V&A Museum)

(Above is the original pattern from the 16th century Italian sampler as pictured above it)

So, when making the coif, I modified the flower pattern a bit by rotating the center square and making it into a diamond. I also removed the internal decoration, since there would not be a clean way to attach it to the rest of the flower and keep it reversible on the front and back. By making these minor changes, I also had to change the outside shape of the petals slightly.

Here was my completed flower pattern:

Fun Fact: When I made this coif, it took me approximately 20 minutes to stitch one flower.