Blackwork Hystory
Historically, blackwork was used on shirts and chemises or smocks in England from the time of Henry VIII. The common name "Spanish work" craft was based on the belief that Catherine of Aragon brought many blackwork garments with her from Spain, and portraits of the later 15th and early 16th centuries show black embroidery or other trim on Spanish chemises. Black embroidery was known in England before 1500. Geoffrey Chaucer in the Canterbury Tales describes the clothing of the miller's wife, Alison: "Of white, too, was the dainty smock she wore, embroidered at the collar all about with coal-black silk, alike within and out." Blackwork in silk on linen was the most common domestic embroidery technique for clothing (shirts, smocks, sleeves, ruffs, and caps) and for household items such as cushion covers throughout the reign of Elizabeth I, but it lost its popularity by the 17th century. ( wikipedia.org ) Craft, Craft and more Craft coming soon.
Spanish Blackwork Book 5
Beginner’s Guide to Blackwork
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Blackwork is a timeless, classic sixteenth-century embroidery technique in which beautiful designs are created by stitching geometric designs on to evenweave fabric. Inspired by the past, Lesley Wilkins illustrates her techniques with a whole host of wonderful designs - flowers, plants, birds, animals and figures. She covers everything - from what materials to use and working with a chart, to getting started and how to stitch. Patterns are created by small stitched units which are combined in many different ways - some heavily textured, some delicate and light. Borders can be built up by repeating and joining motifs. Clear step-by-step photographs accompany the authors comprehensive instructions, and the motifs, borders, fill-in patterns and images are all charted, with inspirational pictures of embroideries showing how to build up finished designs.
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