The Embroidered Box

photo by Judy Cooper

I've been doing some 'spring' cleaning in my studio. Maybe I'm putting off getting some 'real' work done! I came across an article in an Embroidery Autumn 1987 magazine called The Embroidered Box by Margaret Swain (historian and author). To my surprise this box was the very one our tour group saw at the Embroidery Guild, Hampton Court Palace, UK in October.

According to Margaret Swain, 'it is a handsome addition to the Embroiderers' Guild collection, and is the gift of Miss Hester Clough, founder member of the Mid-Wessex Branch . . .' The box 'is the typical oblong shape with a flat top. The lid, edged with silver braid, is worked on white satin, using silk, coloured bullion, metal thread, seed pearls and mica for the windows. It displays a dazzling variety of stitches, some of which, leaves, flowers and the wings of insects, are stiffened with wire.'

Swain goes on to explain that this is raised work which we commonly refer to as stumpwork. The term stumpwork is relatively modern and only goes back to the turn of the century. I found her quote about stumpwork, from work by John Nevinson,(1938), interesting. '... that  the term stumpwork was not found in any contemporary 17th century document, and is meaningless, though perverted ingenuity has made the unlikely guess that the carved wooden heads for the miniature figures were called stumps'.

The fashion for raised work appears to have died away at the beginning of the 18th century as did the fashion for these ornate boxes.

Since I had actually seen this box up close, I found the historical reference interesting. 

#4 Textile Art From England

I was asked by the Newfoundland and Labrador Craft Council to do a photo essay for their newsletter of the textiles I saw while on the England tour. This is part of the essay showing photos from the embroidery guild tour.

Hampton Court Palace, built during the reign of Henry VIII, is the home of the Embroiderers’ Guild of the UK and the Royal School of Needlework. We were very fortunate to have behind the scenes tours of both organizations. 

The president of the Embroidery Guild of the UK gave us an entertaining lecture and display of work. I have many more photos but these were a sample from this part of the tour that I selected for the newsletter. 

Or Nué on Book Cover

Embroidery by Constance Howard

The Or Nué (Gold Work) is on the cover of a book. I could not get the photo to turn the right way even though it is rotated correctly in my files. Go figure! I tried everything but this is it. The piece beside the book cover was done by Constance Howard, a well known British embroiderer. She wrote The Constance Howard Book of Stitches, first published in 1979. I have this book and it is an excellent one for hand embroidery.

The box cover below is another stunning addition to the guild. It was a gift of Miss Hester Clough, founding member of the Mid-Wessex Branch of the Embroidery Guild. More information about this box is in another post.

Stump Work on Box Cover

England in the Fall

Alexander Palace

Well, it is confirmed that I will be heading to England in September on a Quilting & Needlework in England in the Fall tour with McCarthy's Party! For awhile we weren't sure it was going ahead but while I was on vacation, I got the good news. My friend and I will be staying in London for an extra week after the tour. One of the places we will visit on the tour, is the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexander Palace, London. This show is one of the major textile events in the UK. I'm looking forward to this one as I've read about it over the years in various quilting/stitching magazines. I've been to the International Quilt Show, Houston, Texas and that was fantastic!
Another stop will be the Royal School of Needlework based at Hampton Court in south-west London. In the morning, there is a tour of the Embroiderers Guild collection and explore the Palace (somehow, I can't see doing all that in one morning - maybe a second visit might be the thing to do) and in the afternoon, a private tour of the Royal School of Needlework is planned.

Victoria & Albert Museum

At York, we will visit the Quilters Museum, headquarters of the Quilters Guild of Great Britain. A special 'behind the scenes' tour has been arranged with the Museum Curator.

Sistine Chapel

While in London, we will be visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum. Apparently at the V & A  there is a special exhibition of tapestries from the Sistine Chapel. This is the first time ever in the UK for such a show. Of course, we will also see some of Princess Diana's wardrobe. 

That's a few places we will visit. I am hoping to meet some quilters and embroiderers while in England. I think that would be fantastic!