Embroiderers Rejoice!

For all fellow needle craft artisans out there: a new blackwork book has been published to the web!

For those of you who don't know what blackwork is, it's a type of embroidery that is from before the 1500's. The beautiful embroidery gained popularity and the common name of  "Spanish work" when introduced to England by Catherine of Aragon when she came back from Spain with chemises detailed with the intricate work. Geoffery Chaucer references what can be construed as blackwork in his Canterbury Tales but the fashion lost popularity in the 17th century. The image to the right shows two examples of black work. The simpler line design on the left are from the 1530's where as the larger, filled example on the right is from the 1590's.

This new web reference is made available by the author and, while you cannot re-post it without permission, the patterns are great for personal use! The book, Ensamplario Atlantio: Being a Collection of Filling Patterns Suitable for Blackwork Embroidery, is published here in Massachusetts and is filled with dozens of the smaller blackwork patterns used to fill the larger motifs like those used to fill the work on the right half of the image above.

So if you're looking for inspiration for a new project, look no further! Direct your cursor HERE to get your hands on this book!

Standing Collars in the 1300's?

So as I have been going over the images in the Codex Manesse I have noticed robes, not cloaks I think, that have these standing collars. I have included the pictures I've been studying in this post. In some cases they are the same color as the robe and others the are different colors. I am not sure if these are hoods, which they very well may be, or something entirely different. The drape at the shoulders and the general shape lead me to believe that these must be seperated hoods like so many people in the SCA and at ren faires wear.

I was slightly confused at first I have to admit. The neckline of this particular piece of clothing is standing up so I wondered if this was something other than a hood. In the image to the right the hood is blue over the red robe that is worn by the man. Many of the illuminations are of men wearing this item and are in a three-quarter pose so that you can't see what the back is like. As a designer I love three-quarter poses so you can see front and side details however there are times when a rear view is excessively handy. The image to the left has a full side view of a separate hood and it looks like it may have what I took to be a standing collar. I have added two images below That also show the item I'm puzzling out. I am nearly certain that it is in fact a hood, the more I look at it.


I do find it interesting that none of these hoods, if that is what they are, have the bib-type base that we tend to see on people in current re-enactments. Of course these are earlier depictions than hose we are used to seeing. I'm still not quite sure if these are meant to be separate articles of clothing or sewn directly onto the cloak or garment. I will just have to keep digging!

OOOOOooo...

So this just ran across my desktop and I thought I would share it with you. Some of you may not know what the SCA is and if you do well it a neat little video so you should watch it anyways!