Elizabethan Stitches

I want to try as many Elizabethan stitches as possible on my Historical Sampler. (I don’t know if I’ll end up being able to do them all, In fact, I very much doubt it! :-)

I thought I’d list out all the Elizabethan stitches I know of, and show links in my blog to where I’ve used them in my sampler.

I’ll add in a link to the appropriate blog post/s as I use each stitch.

RSS feeders will get an update each time I re-publish. I hope that’s not too annoying.

I could just list the stitches and tick them off as I go, but I thought pointing more directly to useful tidbits I’ve come across on each stitch would be helpful. This project is going to end up with an awful lot of entries, and I’m going to get lost in what I’ve written and forget what I’ve discovered.

My sources for the stitches are

• “Elizabethan Embroidery” by George Wingfield Digby

(source : http://www.grimfells.net/pubs/Elizabethan_Embroidery.pdf)

• “Guide to English Embroidery in the Victoria and Albert Museum” by Patricia Wardle

(source : http://www.grimfells.net/pubs/Elizabethan_Embroidery.pdf)

• “The Art of Elizabethan Embroidery” by Jane Zimmerman
• The Plimouth Embroiderer’s Diary

http://www.plimoth.org/embroidery-blog/

• “Three Raised Stitches in Elizabethan Embroideries” by Sabrina de la Bere

http://www.bayrose.org/AandS/handouts/Raised_Stitches.pdf

• "16th Century Samplers" by Carol Hanson/Caryl de Trecesson

http://www.dragonbear.com/samplers.html

• “Embroidery Stitches found in Period” by Mistress Octavia Jenon de Treves, OP and added to by Mistress Catherine Lorraine, OL OP.

http://casbal.100webspace.net/classes/Embroidery_Stitches_found_in_Period.pdf

from which I’ve used

Table 1 : A Pictorial History of Embroidery by Marie Schuette & Sigrid Muller-Christensen

Table 6 - English Medieval Embroidery by A. G. I. Christie

Table 7 - Batsford Book of Canvas Work by Mary Rhodes

Tables 3 and 4 are repeats of the Digby and Wardle lists that appear in the Grimfells PDF with two exceptions. Two extra stitches are listed under Wardle in the Treves document. Their source is listed as Wardle (Treves).

The opposite situation occurs with another Wardle stitch between the two lists.

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I’ve left out the

canvas stitches, blackwork, whitework, applique, beading, pattern darning, eyelets and cord stitch, hemming stitches,

from my list. (and my project)

I’ve linked to entries that provide some tidbit of information about a stitch, not all of the entries that mention the stitch in passing

Stitch	Source	Link
Back	Dig, Ward, Zim, Hanson	used as an outline wherever Trellis stitch is used
French Knots	Dig, Ward, Zim, Hanson, Christie	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/11/historical-sampler-general-stitches-in.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/10/historical-sampler-french-knot.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/10/historical-sampler-strawberries.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/05/practical-implications-of-s-and-z-twist.html
Chain	Dig, Ward, Zim, Hanson, Schuette et al, Rhodes	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/10/historical-sampler-strawberries.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/09/historical-sampler-googly-eyed-bug-and.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/02/historical-sampler-primrose-i.html
Reverse Chain (line)	Zim, Plimouth	generally used as an outline for any type of detached buttonhole work (as per Plimouth recommendation) http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/10/historical-sampler-butterfly.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/08/historical-sampler-rose-and-two-buds-ii.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/04/historical-sampler-gift-blue-leaf-and.html
Reverse Chain (filling)	Zim
Twisted Chain	Zim
Heavy Chain	Zim	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/09/historical-sampler-rose-stem-and.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/09/historical-sampler-heavy-chain-stitch_23.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/09/historical-sampler-heavy-chain-stitch.html
Laced Chain	Zim
Double Chain (line)	Zim
Double Chain (filling)	Zim	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/11/historical-sampler-mrs-christies-flower.html
Square Double Chain	Wardle (Treves), Hanson	Note : Square Chain is also known as Open Chain or Ladder Stitch (different to the Ceylon type Ladder Stitch) ref : http://books.google.com.au/books?id=mv87jJc0_bsC&pg=PA87&lpg=PA87&dq=square+double+chain+stitch&source=web&ots=I1Xk-kmkX2&sig=HvYbRIwylgLYSQoGZ817RFDn5Hg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result http://inaminuteago.com/stitchdict/stitch/chain-open.html but can’t find anything for Square DOUBLE Chain
Braid	Ward, Zim, Hanson	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/08/historical-sampler-rose-and-two-buds-ii.html
Buttonhole	Dig,Ward, Zim, Hanson	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/03/historical-sampler-buttonhole-flower.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/12/historical-sampler-dusty-pink-rose.html To be clear about this stitch, which has some debate about it’s name, I’m using http://inaminuteago.com/stitchdict/stitch/Buttonhole.html which is referred to as the relevant diagram in the Surface Embroidery Stitch list at http://www.bayrose.org/wkneedle/surface_resource.html#laid
Plaited Braid	Dig, Ward, Zim, Plimouth, Hanson	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/08/plaited-braid-stitch-instructions-from.html
Coral	Dig, Zim, Hanson	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/04/historical-sampler-bits-and-bobs-and.html
Long and Short (Needlepainting)	Dig, Ward (Grimfells), Schuette et al, Hanson	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/12/historical-sampler-dusty-pink-rose.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/10/historical-sampler-dusty-pink-rose.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/07/learning-silk-shadinglong-and-short.html
Stem (Crewel)	Dig, Ward, Zim, Schuette et al, Christie, Hanson
Split	Schuette et al, Christie, Rhodes, Hanson	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/12/historical-sampler-pansy-and-waspish.html
Speckling	Dig, Ward, Hanson
Satin	Dig, Ward, Zim, Hanson, Schuette et al, Christie	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/12/historical-sampler-snowdrop-to-rescue.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/12/historical-sampler-snowdrop-ii.html
Ladder (line)	Dig, Zim, Hanson
Ladder (filling)	Zim
Herringbone (Plait) Stitch	Dig, Schuette et al, Hanson
Interlaced Herringbone	Zim
Fishbone	Hanson
Feather	Schuette et al, Christie
Outline	Zim	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/04/historical-sampler-bits-and-bobs-and.html
Overcast	Zim
Oriental (Romanian) Stitch	Digby, Hanson
Ceylon (line)	Zim, Plimouth	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/03/historical-sampler-ceylon-stitch.html
Ceylon (filling)	Zim
Double Ceylon	Zim
Open Ceylon - Overcast	Zim
Open Ceylon - Woven	Zim
Open Ceylon - Threaded	Zim
Vandyke (line)	Zim
Vandyke (filling)	Zim
Loop (line)	Zim, Hanson
Loop (filling)	Zim
Loop Variation 2	Zim
Threaded Double Back (Threaded Dot Stitch)	Zim
Detached Buttonhole	Dig, Zim, Plimouth, de la Bere, Hanson	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/02/detached-buttonhole-stitch-vs-brussels.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/01/historical-sampler-pearl-rose-ii-and.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/01/historical-sampler-snowdrop-iv-and.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/12/attention-all-elizabethan-stitchers.html
Detached Buttonhole with Straight Return	Zim, Plimouth, de la Bere	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/04/historical-sampler-gift-blue-leaf-and.html
Detached Buttonhole on Metal Thread Foundation	Zim
Metal Thread Detached Buttonhole on Silk Thread Foundation	Zim
Knotted Detached Buttonhole	Zim
Up-and-Down Detached Buttonhole	Zim
Up-and-Down Detached Buttonhole with Straight Return	Zim
Up-and-Down Detached Buttonhole on Metal Thread Foundation	Zim
Metal Thread Up-and-Down Detached Buttonhole on Silk Thread Foundation	Zim
Double Detached Buttonhole	Zim
Double Detached Buttonhole with Straight Return	Zim	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/01/historical-sampler-double-detached.html
Double Detached Buttonhole on Metal Thread Foundation	Zim	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/01/historical-sampler-double-detached.html
Metal Thread Double Detached Buttonhole on Silk Thread Foundation	Zim
Raised Effects with Detached Buttonhole (worked on needlelace pad)	Zim, de la Bere
Semi Detached Detached Buttonhole with Straight Return (with buttonhole bar)	Zim, Plimouth, de la Bere
Trellis Stitch	Zim, Plimouth, de la Bere
Spiral Trellis	Zim, Plimouth
Woven Web Stitch	Zim
Surface Darning Stitch	Dig, Zim	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/10/historical-sampler-strawberries.html (called “Braid Stitch” in this entry)
Bullion Stitch	Zim, Hanson
Hollie Point	de la Bere (debated for use in the 17thC)
Arrowhead Stitch	Hanson	ref: http://www.renstore.com/Article10a07.asp
Wirework	Hanson
Sequins	Hanson	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/04/historical-sampler-bits-and-bobs-and.html
Goldwork	Hanson
Raised work	Hanson	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/12/historical-sampler-old-flower-cultivars.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/12/historical-sampler-dusty-pink-rose.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2008/12/historical-sampler-waspish-bee-ii.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/02/another-gilt-sylke-twist-project-and.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/03/historical-sampler-some-unusual-motifs.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/03/historical-sampler-pink-blossom.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/04/historical-sampler-gift-blue-leaf-and.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/05/historical-sampler-dusty-pink-rose.html
Laid work
Laid and Couched Work	Wardle, Treves, Hanson,	http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/02/historical-sampler-couched-leaf-in.html http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/03/historical-sampler-bokhara-couching.html