Distant Stitch Diploma Module 4 Chapter 1 - Historical and Foreign Embroidery Studies - Flowers

 I have chosen to study Elizabethan coifs and to look in detail at the designs and stitches used to create these amazing pieces of embroidery. 

I have a long hedge of passion flowers in the garden which are currently flowering so I have looked closely at the structure of the flowers and leaves. The fruit is yet to appear. The passion flower is the national flower of Paraguay. Although the passion flower doesn't seem to appear in historical embroidery, the Nanduti lace embroidery of Paraguay looks very similar in design to the flower. 

ELIZABETHAN COIFS

The Cooper Hewitt Collection part of the Smithsonian Design Museum in New York has several examples of Elizabethan coifs in its collection.

Coif (England), 1575–1625; Previously owned by George Saville Seligman ; silk and metal-wrapped silk-core embroidery on linen foundation; H x W (folded): 21.6 x 21 cm (8 1/2 x 8 1/4 in.); Bequest of Richard Cranch Greenleaf in memory of his mother, Adeline Emma Greenleaf; 1962-53-5

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The foundation fabric is linen and the embroidery is worked in silk and metal-wrapped silk-core threads, using braid, stem and couching stitches.

Close up (2)

Coif (England), late 16th–early 17th century; Previously owned by George Saville Seligman ; silk and metal-wrapped silk-core embroidery on linen foundation; H x W: 22.2 x 21 cm (8 3/4 x 8 1/4 in.); Bequest of Richard Cranch Greenleaf in memory of his mother, Adeline Emma Greenleaf; 1962-53-4

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This is coif is dated late 16th–early 17th century. It is made with silk and metal-wrapped silk-core embroidery a linen foundation. It is embroidered in stem, coral, leaf, and chain stitches with looping and detached looping.

Close up (4)

Coif (England), late 16th century; linen, metal-wrapped silk-core threads, metal strip, metal spangles; H x W: 24.4 x 47 cm (9 5/8 x 18 1/2 in.); Bequest of Richard Cranch Greenleaf in memory of his mother, Adeline Emma Greenleaf; 1962-53-1

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This coif has a linen foundation are is worked with silk-core threads, metal strips and metal spangles. It is embroidered in chain and satin stitches as well as drawn thread work with overcasting and looping stitches. Cut work with needle lace fillings has slow been applied using metallic threads worked in detached looping. The spangles are secured by a loop of wrapped linen thread.

Close up
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At this point, seeing a 'flat' coif, I decided to see how it was made! 

A piece of linen of an appropriate size is embroidered and then cut out using a pattern. The lower edge is turned to form a channel for a ribbon or cord, as a drawstring round the neck. The top edge is stitched together and gathered at the crown.

Pattern and coif.
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I was interested in the construction, so haven't embroidered the fabric or turned the edges. The pieces are displayed on A4 card, so they are quite small. It is a very simple design and works really well.

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As modelled by Snoopy!

Sketches from the embroidery on the coifs
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For my flower/foreign embroidery study I have chosen the passion flower and Nanduti lace embroidery from Paraguay. The flower is very complex and made up of different layers. I took a few flowers apart and pressed them to study how they were formed.

Passion flowers from my garden
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Passion flowers from the garden
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Pressed flowers
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Close up
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Nanduti lace making was introduced by the Spaniards to Paraguay in the mid-16th century. The women of the countryside incorporated geometric designs, stars, or typical Paraguayan flowers into the pattern of the lace. It's main use is for tableware and linen.

Nanduti Needle Lace
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The lace is worked on fabric which is stretched tightly in a frame. The pattern is drawn on the fabric and the threads, which go to-and-fro across the circular motif and are either taken through running stitches worked along the pattern lines or stitched directly through the fabric. When finished, the motifs are released by either cutting the running stitches or cutting away the backing fabric. While single motifs can be worked like this, it is more usual to work the whole item as one piece - the pattern for the complete mat or collar is drawn on the fabric and the wheels are linked together as the radial threads are laid down.

Nanduti Lace
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Market Stall
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As I have never seen a piece of Nanduti Lace, I decided to have a go. I found some videos on YouTube which were very helpful. After one false start I found a relatively simple design and followed the video. Unfortunately it was in Spanish and although I passed Spanish O Level, that was many years ago!

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My Attempt! (18)

Top left: A circle of spokes is stitched, going through the fabric at the outer edge and crossing over in the centre. I then stitched a simple spider's web weave around the middle, followed by a row of tiny knots, one on each thread.

Top right: Starting in the middle, the spokes are divided into quarters and each section is woven, travelling upwards and outwards. Four new threads are formed between the quarters and finally a row of tiny knots encircles the stitching.

Bottom left: View from the back.

Bottom right: The fabric is cut away as shown. Traditionally at this point the stitching is washed and coated in a paste made of cassava and corn flour to stiffen it. Cassava flour is in short supply in Hampshire so I substituted diluted PVA glue. It worked a treat and stiffened the stitching.

Bottom centre: Once dry the remaining fabric is removed from the stitching. I thought this would be tricky but it was remarkably easy. The finished embroidery is stiff but holds its shape beautifully.I have nothing but admiration for the Nanduti lace embroiderers. Their colourful work is a joy to look at and captures the vitality of South America.