Monthly Archives: February 2012

A student reading my booklet during court at Val Day

Based on feedback from one of my first students (Erica), I’ve updated my Blackwork Embroidery booklet to show stitches from the previous stages on the patterns. While I was at it, I made the patterns larger and added several photos of things like needles, hoops/frames, and various accoutrements useful in blackwork embroidery. This added four pages to the little booklet, bringing it to a grand total of 20. The booklet is completely free and you can download it at:

http://honorbeforevictory.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Blackwork-Embroidery-Booklet-v2b.pdf

Please note that I retain copyright. You may print it out for personal use. If you want to make multiple copies, please contact me for permission. All I ask in return is if you make something from the booklet, please share a photo of it with me!

Suggestions, comments, and all feedback always welcome!

Update: Many thanks to Jackie for noticing a couple of mistakes which have now been corrected!

I find it fascinating that there are still copies and facsimiles of embroidery pattern books from the 16th century. I know that those pattern books were used by embroiderers, needleworkers, and ladies alike, so to be able to refer and use them myself really strikes a chord with me. But, because these pattern books are scattered about, I keep losing track of them. Some of these books are just illustrations, but were also used as inspirations for embroidery work (such as emblem books), so I’m including them here as well. I’m also listing books just a bit into the 17th century because I’ve seen the designs in them on late 16th century artifacts — often these books may have been assembled or printed earlier, and additional printings were made at the later date. So here, for my references and yours, is a list of 16th century pattern books for needlework:

Modelbuch aller art Nehewercks und Stickens – George Gilbers, reprint of 1527 book

Punti Tagliati – Giardineto Novo, 1921 reprint of a 1550 book

A Scholehouse for the Needle – Richard Schorleyker, 1632

Les Singvliers Et Novveaux Povrtraicts – Federic Vinciolo, first printed in 1587, French

New Modelbuch – Federico di Vinciolo, 1594

Schön Neues Modelbuch – Johann Siebmacher, 1597

Patrons de broderie et de lingerie du XVle siecle – Hippolyte Cocheris, Bibliothèque Mazarine

La Vera Perfezione del Disegno – Giovanni Ostaus, 1561

Musterbuch für Stickereien und Spitzen – Ernst Wasmuth, 1616 (and here is part 2)

Needlework Patterns from Renaissance Germany: Designs recharted by Baroness Kathryn Goodwyn, OL from Schon Neues Modelbuch, 1597

Flowers of the Needle: A compendium of seven Italian needlework pattern books of the 16th century, from 1531 to 1567 by Baroness Kathryn Goodwyn, OL

I will update this list as I find more. If you know of more, please post a comment!