Monthly Archives: January 2012

My Embroidered Caul

I’m pleased to report that I have finished my blackworked and plaited braid caul. I had the pleasure of displaying and wearing the caul the first time two days ago at 12th Night! It looks really lovely and I’m very pleased with it. Many thanks to Countess Ianthe d’Averoigne, author of The New Carolingian Modelbook and member of the Order of the Laurel, for the use of two of her charted botanicals which appear as fills in my design. I charted the rest of the fills from various period extant pieces, which you can read all about in my documentation below! If you’re interested in making your own caul, cap, or other blackwork/braided item, I refer you to my tutorial booklets on Blackwork Embroidery and the Elizabethan Plaited Braid Stitch. All I ask in return is that if you make something that was inspired by something I did or wrote about, please send me a note and a photo!

Photos of my blackwork and plaited braid caul, both in progress and completed:

Documentation for my blackwork and plaited braid caul:

Blackwork and Plaited Braid Caul

by Genoveva von Lübeck

Documentation Summary
Linen coifs and cauls were de rigueur attire for most women in 16th century N. Europe. I had already created several simple linen cauls, but wished for a more sophisticated, decorative head covering. My research showed that coifs and cauls could be elaborately embroidered, and blackwork and plaited braid stitches were employed. After studying examples in the Victoria and Albert Museum, I used the backstitch and Holbein stitch in green silk thread, as well as the plaited braid stitch in gold metallic thread, on 32-count linen. All of my blackwork fill patterns are based on historical sources found in th Victoria and Albert Museum, photos of extant pieces in Patterns of Fashion 4 by Janet Arnold, and historically-based patterns in The New Carolinginan Modelbook.
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Blackwork Embroidery Booklet

I’ve written a 16-page booklet on Blackwork Embroidery for those interested in learning how to do it. The booklet introduces blackwork, offers a brief history, illustrates the two main stitches (double running, or Holbien, and backstitch), and offers hands-on practice in four phases of increasing difficulty with a pattern based on a period design. Included are photos, stitch diagrams, and color-coded patterns. This is the same booklet I handed out during my Blackwork Embroidery class at 12th Night in the Canton of Ealdnordwuda, with a few minor updates based on questions asked during class. The booklet is current available as a PDF file, and I will put it online as a web-based booklet in the future as well.

Click Here to Download My Blackwork Embroidery Booklet

The booklet is completely free, though please note that I am retaining the copyright. The only thing I ask in return is that if you do any of the hands-on activities, and are pleased with your progress, please send me a photo! Any and all feedback is welcome, as are questions!

One of my students at my first blackwork class!

By the way, my Blackwork Embroidery class was a success! The tiny classroom I was in had only 10 chairs, but 13 people showed up and were willing to crowd around the table to learn about blackwork! Everyone managed to complete phases 1 and 2 in the short time we were there (everyone!) and several people started phase 3. I was so happy to see everyone embroidering and making progress. I used a pegboard painted white and black yarn to show how blackwork stitches work on a larger scale, and that seemed to help everyone. I am just hoping someone finishes the project and sends me a photo. In fact, I am going to issue a challenge — anyone who takes one of my blackwork classes (as I will definitely be doing more) and completes their project gets a little reward from me. Just show me your completed blackwork at a future event/class to redeem your reward!