An Example of Pouncing for Later 16th Century Blackwork Embroidery

In August, I started some research on pouncing (aka prick and pounce). This seems to have been the way that the swirly floral embroidery patterns (iconic of blackwork embroidery in the last quarter of the 16th century in England) were placed on to the fabric and then traced over with the embroidery thread.

Today, I found another potential museum example of this. Previously, the coif that I looked at had been done in blue ink (but that may have originally been black that faded to blue over the centuries, depending on the dye). Today's discovery was done in black ink.

"These two embroidered panels are probably what were known as 'sleeve cheats' - narrow panels of embroidered sewn under the opening of the sleeve of a man's doublet or woman's waistcoat to suggest there was whole sleeve of embroidery of a shirt or smock underneath." (V&A Museum) 

"A pair of sleeve panels for a man's double or woman's waistcoat of linen embroidered with black silk thread worked in running stitch. It is embroidered with silver-gilt thread in plaited braid stitch and silver-gilt spangles. The pattern consists of scrolling stems bearing a heart-shaped flower, possibly peas-blossom.The ink design of the embroidery is visible at the ower edge of each panel. On the three sides of each panel is a series of braided thread bars for laced fastening. The panels are lined with linen." (V&A Museum)