Tudor Blackwork Embroidery: Evolution of Blackwork Embroidery in 16th Century England: Holbein Stitch to Curvilinear Patterns

In 16th century England, blackwork embroidery started out as a geometric counted double-running stitch, also known as Spanish stitch and/or Holbein stitch. However, by the 1540's, the curvilinear swirly, floral embroidery, also referred to as blackwork, began to gain popularity over the previous geometric embroidery.

In this video, I discuss a brief history about the origins of blackwork and when it became popular in England. I provide various examples of what is included in this category known as blackwork embroidery.

Works Cited

- 16th Century Embroidery and Lace Pattern Modelbuchs Available Online. https://tudorblackwork.blogspot.com/2023/12/16th-century-embroidery-and-lace.html

- A short but jam packed history of Mamluk embroidery by Mistress Miriam bat Shimeon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaYVEJbsUWQ

- Bess of Hardwick. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bess_of_Hardwick#/media/File:Bess_of_Hardwick_as_Mistress_St_Lo.jpg

- Booklet of Embroidery. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/221650

- Coif. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O251169/coif-unknown/

- Coif. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/228945

- Coif and Forehead Cloth. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O251244/coif-and-forehead-unknown/

- Coif. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O357611/coif-unknown/

- Embroidery. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O362988/embroidery/embroidery-unknown/

- Hans Hofer's Formbuchlein from 1545. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89092522796&seq=29

- Jane Seymour. https://www.khm.at/en/objectdb/detail/966/