Embroiderers' Guild of America: Needle Arts Vol. 49, September 2018
The Embroiderers' Guild in the United Kingdom has published several books on a collection that originated just after World War I and now includes some 6,000 objects. The current volume focuses on the embroidered flowers. Some ninety objects are included in this volume, organised by type of embroidery. Each object has its own page, complete with a large photo of the piece and more often than not, a detail photo of it; accession information, including technique, date, place, date of origin, size, maker, donor, and accession number; and some text about the piece. View works with unusual materials, such as fish scales, straw, and moose hair, and pieces hailing from countries around the world. Use this book to learn about historic embroidery, view different techniques, or become inspired to create your own work.
Embroidery
Issue March/April
Almost as soon as the Embroiderers' Guild formed in 1906, it had the beginnings of what is now a collection of 6,000 items of needlework from around the world. This book provides an intriguing glimpse inside one of the most fascinating collections of embroidery in Britain, highlighting the enduring popularity of flowers as a motif.
Collinge has selected a multitude of colourful examples of floral embroidery and divides them into chapters by style and material: monochrome embroidery (blackwork and whitework); even-weave (counted, beadwork and canvas work); samplers and samples; needle lace; applied materials; unusual materials (fish scales, straw, plastic); metal thread work; more stitches; silk and wool; machine embroidery; symmetry and irregular designs.
The examples are satisfyingly varied. In the chapter on machine embroidery we find Richard Box's Dog Roses (1980) a joyously impressionistic work next to a commercially produced whitework handkerchief from Switzerland. In other chapters, metal thread work from Spain, Portugal and India, rubs shoulders with beautiful needle lace flower garlands from Greece and Turkey and a fine British 18th century cornucopia darning sampler on linen. Collinge really has made light work of what must have been a monumental task in deciphering the themes within the collection. The resulting book is like holding a mini-museum in your hands: each embroidered item is given its own page with beautiful, detailed colour images and an engaging description, along with a brief history of the style of embroidery, its maker or provenance. This is a book that you can read at length or dip in and out of - and be guaranteed to find endless inspiration.
Mary Corbet, www.needlenthread.com
Embroidered Treasures: Flowers is a fantastic book! Its inspirational. Its informative. Its beautiful!
For most of us who will never see a collection of embroideries like these up close and personal, this lovely book is the best way to experience them and learn about them. We can take what we learn and apply it to our own needlework pursuits. Or we can just enjoy the beauty of the pieces and appreciate the history behind them.
Its a great book for your reference library and even for your coffee table!
Workshop on the Web
Im sure that most people have heard of the Embroiderers Guild Collection which grew from donations from Guild members, including some from eminent sources even Queen Mary gave hangings and costumes.
The Guild later embarked upon a programme of purchasing carefully selected embroideries and the Permanent Collection now contains over 6,000 pieces. It is currently held by Buckinghamshire County Museum.
The book looks at floral inspiration for (mostly traditional) embroideries and the chapters are, in general, based on techniques with such titles as Embroidery on Evenweave, Needlelace etc. There is a wonderful section on unusual materials which shows work stitched on leather and tree bark as well as some incorporating fish scales and straw.
Machine embroidery is included and ranges from wonderful pieces made by trail-blazer Joy Clucas in the 1960s to Richard Boxs innovative work in the 1980s. Id have like to see a bigger selection here as I know that the Guild has some great machine embroidered artworks. However, it may be that they didnt fit the theme.
In most cases, each item is shown as an entire piece as well as a detail. There is also an excellent index, so useful for students researching a particular technique.
Hot Brands Cool Places
This is a very special book, full of the most beautiful examples of embroidery work through the ages. You will be amazed by the exquisite detail and skill shown in the examples. This most beautiful book and the stunning photographs will be a source of inspiration for generations to come. Highly Recommended!
Dr Annette Collinge
The Embroiderers Guild was founded in 1906 by a group of sixteen women who wanted to break away from patterns and kits. Their collection of donated items totals over 6000 and contains many valuable and unique samples of the finest embroidery. This book focuses on floral themes and shows what can be achieved with needle and thread.This is not a book of projects but a book of pictures, suitably large format and hardback. Embroiderers of all levels can gaze at the heights to which their craft can rise to, and anybody who hasnt taken up this craft can see what all the fuss is about. After a brief introduction to the collection the book is divided into twelve themed sections. These include monochromatic work, metal thread, machine, needlelace, samplers and unusual materials. Each section introduces the theme briefly and then showcases a selection of pieces complete with short descriptions, details of size, date and place it was made and technique. There are samples from as early as the 16th century and cover most types of embroidery including some no longer (or rarely) done. A collar adorned with flowers made from fish scales, Berlin work from the mid 19th century, part of a kimono, evocative samplers stitched by children, a box made from tree bark adorned with embroidery, Victorian beadwork evening bags and an early piece of 16th century blackwork are a few examples. Anybody interested in recycling will love the flowers made from plastic net bags (the sort fruit is sold in), and a machine embroidery picture using tiny scraps of fabric. This is a beautiful book to display on your coffee table and dip into when you want some inspiration.
