Embroidery fit for a Queen

Back in September I volunteered for a small but important project. Countess Illora, then Queen of Atenveldt, was stepping down in German high-renaissance clothing. Sarah Grace's end product was beautiful, but my embroidery is only visible to a few members who helped to dress the Queen.

Sarah Grace pre-smocked the embroidery for her Majesty's undergarment cuffs and neckline. I then used a stem stitch in white silk thread to outline the design I had chosen from some period patterns. The cuffs are a simplified version of one of Holbien's paintings in Basil, and the neckline is from an Italian sampler. Flower and vines for an inspiring woman.

Cuffs worked in white for a subtle beauty.

Neckline in a floral pattern.

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Pockets in the 16th Century?

So if you are new to my blog, Hello! I took July off to focus on work and realities of covid life. Thanks for hanging in there. This week we are doing to cover 16th Soccocia and their role toward the origin of pockets. People need a place to carry and keep their small items as they walk around. In the middle ages you might have a pilgrim satchel or a belt pouch. Some women in the middle ages had the brilliant idea to stop wearing their money purses outside of their over gowns and instead would wear them between their kirtle/sottona layer and over gowns. This arrangement still gave you access to the purse, but made it harder for thieves to cut your purse strings and run. Fast forward to the 16th century and we find the heirs to this practice in socaccia. We have some visual evidence of these in mid to late 16th century art out of Italy. This is a detail of Alessandro Allori's, Woman at her toilet, ca 1575-78. Currently in Florence, Church of Santa Maria Novella, Gaddi Chapel. J

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The Tudor Revolution

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