Crewel Designs

July 4, 2013 by Ann Bernard

Royal School of Needlework – Part Three

It is more than time to return to my account of being a student in the 1950s at the Royal School of Needlework. Part Two is dated March 25, 2013 and available for you to establish continuity.

On Friday, April 6, 1951, The Times Educational Supplement published a full page article called the Tradition of “Opus Anglicanum”. After a brief historical review, the article continues to describe the syllabus and experience of the course and then mentions employment opportunities. A press photographer took some photos and three were published. This first photo was not one of those published but is the only one that I have in my possession. Efforts to obtain better quality prints of the others have been unsuccessful so we have done the best we could with a scan of a 60 year old newspaper page.

Royal School of Needlework

This first photo was staged and is thus not a realistic scene. For instance, we did not sit in a row. The first stitcher on the right and the furthest stitcher were older and had started a few months before the other three of us. This is evident in that they are working on the third sampler which was Crewel work. The nearer of the two young ladies stitching their second sampler is Gillian Cox and to her right is Carmel Leibster. The student stitching the sampler loose in her hand is me. And no, I do not recognize myself either! Both Gillian and Carmel are stitching on their own frames while I was given the work of an unidentified student to give the photos more variety. In reality, I was at that time stitching the same sampler as Gillian and Carmel. And we all hated that tedious piece of applique on which we learned to stitch accurately and with totally even spacing. And we also learned to stitch fast. If you watch the videos made by Erica Wilson, you will see how quickly she works. Note that our trestles (or easels) are ancient. We stitched with our work covered (like a surgeon) and not uncovered as is indicated. Carmel’s protective cloths are folded and hanging on her trestle. Gillian has hers protecting the edge closest to her which is the part most likely to be snagged by leaning on it. Old white cotton sheeting is ideal for protection cloths. It does not need to have finished edges but it is desirable to launder them occasionally. Gillian now lives in the eastern USA, I am in Canada while Carmel remained in London. The parquet floor and panelled wall are original but the hot water radiator is probably a more recent addition as the house was built in the 1850s.

Royal School of Needlework Classroom

This is a general view of the classroom. Note that the students are sitting in a random manner, the normal layout. What is not normal and staged for the photographer is that the frames are uncovered. The student on the left is stitching on her goldwork sampler. Note how much larger is the frame and fabric when compared with our beginner samplers. Many types of embroidery can be rolled around the roller bar using extra fabric for padding and protection. Because of the padding within the motives and the desirability of not disturbing the gold thread in any way it is not possible to do this with goldwork hence the frame gets larger and larger.

Royal School of Needlework Student Working

A closer view of the student working on her goldwork sampler. All students first stitched the three emblems at the top – a pomegranate, crown and fleur de lys. The remaining three to six items on the sampler were our own design. This was a third year project and demanded a lot of time and skill to complete the technically demanding designs that we were inspired to create. Note the size of the frame and fabric when compared with our beginner samplers. She would have stitched the upper three motives with the extra fabric rolled onto the roller bar at the base of project. Having completed these, the fabric would have been unrolled giving access to the middle of the design. When that was completed she would have unrolled the rest of the design. Many types of completed embroidery can be rolled around the roller bar using extra fabric (such as sheeting) for padding and protection. It is not possible to do this with goldwork hence the frame gets larger and larger. Notice, too, that she has two spools of gold thread. Japanese gold is couched down in pairs. Having two spools means that the twist on both threads is the same allowing the gold thread to reflect light in the same way. As goldwork is all about light reflection this is the correct way to do this and it does make a difference to the finished piece. It would appear that she has included some silk shading in this dramatic and ambitious piece. I wish I knew her name.

Goldwork or Metal Thread Embroidery as it is often called, is a wonderful medium in which to work and I am glad that I had just enough time to include this in my studies. I do have my sampler but it is simple compared with the one in this photograph. I had three weeks to complete the whole thing before leaving to move on to college. It had to be simple and manageable in terms of the number of stitches needed. I love teaching goldwork though my students are encouraged to choose designs that are more contemporary than traditional. Even so, we all continue to use the techniques and skills that have been used since medieval times and even before. Goldwork had reached a high standard of technical expertise several centuries ago as is evident in Opus Anglicanum found in the Syon Cope and other works located in such places as Durham Cathedral and museums.

Royal School of Needlework Teacher and Student

Our principal and senior teacher was Marguerite Randell. She is indicating a detail to the student who is one of our two older stitchers. Note that the protection cloths are hanging on her trestle and that she is stitching with one hand on the top surface and one underneath. Stitching this way is how the professionals do it and it helps with speed and accomplishing the project in a cost effective manner.

Marguerite Randell (1881 – 1955) was a superb teacher. She wrote three very detailed books on stitching: Simple Embroidery, More Simple Embroidery and Plain Sewing. All were published by Cassell and Company, Limited. These small, thin books contain a mass of information with detailed and accurate diagrams. I recommend them to serious stitchers for whom accurate information is more important than beautiful colour photography. I have originals but they have been reprinted and are available through AbeBooks.com. 1952 was her last year of teaching after which she worked in the workroom on commission pieces. She seemed very elderly to us young ones and she certainly did work long after normal retirement age. She was a gentle and gracious lady who knew exactly how to do everything. Erica Wilson acknowledged her as “my first teacher, who knew more about needlework than anyone I’ve ever known – the late Marguerite Randell”.

Both Gillian Cox and myself echo this sentiment wholeheartedly.

March 25, 2013 by Ann Bernard

Royal School of Needlework – Part Two: Let’s Step Inside

In early September 1950, the rest of my life started. Having just turned 17, and leaving an unhappy school life behind, I started travelling daily from an outer region of London into Kensington and Prince’s Gate.

Royal School of Needlework Floor Plan

RSN was housed in a magnificent building which had seen even more grandiose days in the previous century. The central hallway was two stories high, wood panelled, and had an impressively grand staircase and upper landing with a railing along two sides forming a balcony. The room beside the front door was an office. The other two rooms on the ground floor were large and gracious with floor to ceiling french doors or windows that opened onto a stone terrace. Beyond this was a sunken garden with large trees and an immaculate lawn. You can see this hidden garden on Google Maps aerial view; viewing it today makes me wonder, idly, how many other such hidden gardens there are in London.

One floor up, the workroom occupied the front room while the class rooms were in the two elegant rooms overlooking the garden. These rooms all had light coloured panelled walls and parquet floors. New overhead lighting had been installed and we had no trouble stitching anywhere in the rooms though most of us had young eyes. This is where our easels with slate frames stood. The easels were all ancient and finding and keeping a matching pair was a challenge. The cleaners could get them mixed up. There was also a huge high table where our teachers, or us, cut fabric, transferred the design (prick and pounce) and finally mounted it and laced it onto masonite. On the floors above were more class rooms where we learned history, dressmaking, pattern drafting, design, and something called small samplers.

Elegant as all this sounds, let’s get down to reality. English society was still full of rules, regulations and restrictions and it never occurred to us (or to me, anyway) to question them. We were not allowed to enter through the front door but instead went down the stairs by the front door to the basement where we left our coats. We were not allowed to enter the front hall or walk on that magnificent stairway but used the steep and narrow servants’ staircase instead. You can see this on the left side of the floor plan. It was a long climb to the upper floors. We were not allowed to enter the workroom or talk to the staff. The showroom containing the threads and other supplies was located on the main floor in the larger room at the back. It was off limits except to select thread colours. Mostly, the threads and wools were set and did not require us to make choices. We were absolutely forbidden to set foot on the terrace or go into the garden. Did I feel hard done by? No. This was normal in England at that time and for a long time after, too. No one questioned this that I was aware of. We knew and expected nothing else.
And we started to learn our stitches immediately. We all knew the basic stitches but we had to stitch them perfectly or else they came out. Others were new to us, particularly the composite stitches which contained several stitching stages; I do not think I have used any of them since then. Feeling very virtuous, I stitched small. Not only can I now no longer identify the structure of the stitch but it made me slow with the result that I was the last one in our group of about seven students to complete their work. Being last meant that I had the last choice of background linen fabric for the next sampler and finished with a brilliant pink which I hated and still do. This second sampler was appliqué and on it we learned to stitch accurately and fast. It was a boring project and I think that everyone was glad to complete it. Frankly, it was sufficiently tedious and demanding enough to make anyone but the determined quit on the spot. Having survived that one, we progressed to the crewel work sampler stitched with wool on linen twill. I do not know what the wools we used were. Certainly not Medici. Materials and thread for embroidery still had limited availability but RSN had a stock on hand from prewar days. There seemed to be enough of everything but colour ranges and choices were not always complete. Our teacher, Marguerite Randell, was excellent. She was elderly but eternally patient and always available when you needed assistance. But, she had her standards. Stitching had to be up to that standard, and the best you could do or else it had to come out. Some careful snipping of threads released the offenders but the remainders (called dead stitches) had to be removed in their entirety. I remember clearly, being in a hurry to get on to the next stage and not getting all the thread whiskers out. She sat down and told me this was inadequate. The offenders were quickly removed but it was a very very long time before she came back to show me the next stage. A lesson never forgotten.

Next entry: We continue to stitch, the press comes to call and we meet other students.

February 1, 2013 by Ann Bernard

Satin Stitch – Padded, Shaded and Stitch Rotated

As I wished to include all the above features in this Tutorial, my design motif is unbalanced right and left sides. It is 3″ across and 1/2″ wide. This width is about as long as it is feasible to make Satin Stitches without them becoming unstable. 1/8″ is about the narrowest or else it is too pokey.

The fabric I used is 28 count cotton Monaco by Charlescraft. The higher the thread count the easier it is to work this stitch and the result is better, too. I mounted it on a Grip-n-Stitch frame by Fabric Flair and am reviewing this new type of frame in a separate entry. It is essential that the fabric be really taut and mounted grain perfect when undertaking Satin Stitch.

1. Draw the shape on the linen, in this case it is cotton, using a pen that will make a very fine line.

2. I used DMC Floss and chose a range of thread colours that were close in shade. It is much harder to shade when there is a marked difference between the threads.

If the final layer of Satin Stitch is to be a silk thread, I would still use DMC Floss for padding for reasons of economy.

Preparation is vitally important
Unless this is perfect, the appearance of your final stage of Satin Stitching will not turn out as you had hoped. Do not short change yourself on this.

3. Using three threads of the floss, split stitch all round the motif on the marked line. As Mary Corbet has said, using two threads means that they divide when split stitched instead of behaving as split stitching. These stitches must be small i.e. 1/4″ in length. Start and finish threads within the body of the motif. This outline needs to be as solid and immovable as the Great Wall of China. After just a few stitches, test this by going picky, picky with a finger nail to see that the line is solid and immovable. Reduce your stitch size if there is any give in this line of stitching.

4. Padding
All Satin Stitched projects need at least one layer of padding which is usually worked in long Split Stitches within the shape. This padding should cover all the space within the the outline. It will support the Satin Stitches and prevents them from collapsing into the middle of space. Totally unpadded Satin Stitch has a ‘hollow’ look to it.

Padded Satin Stitch has a raised look and needs three or more layers of padding stitches.
Use six strands of Floss for this. The first line is lengthwise. Note that it does not extend to the outline leaving a space. The second line is stitched crosswise. I used the palest of the colours so that this would be visible for you. Normally, I would use the same colour as the other layers. The third layer is also lengthwise and fills the entire space within the outline. Take the shortest route between padding stitches so that the reverse side does not also become padded,

Organize the padding layers so that the final one lies in the opposite direction to the Satin Stitches.

Satin Stitch – Layers #1

Satin Stitch – Layers #2

Satin Stitch – Layers #3

5. Satin Stitching
Make a decision on which edge of your stitched shape will be more noticeable. This is usually the outer edge of the petal of a flower or the edge which is better lit for the viewer. This is the dominant edge and the one that the needle goes down through the fabric.

The needle will come up on the less visibly noticeable edge which is usually towards the centre of the flower. Use one strand of thread only.

This may seem like an unnecessary amount of stitching but is quicker in the long term.
Two threads, or even three threads will twist and will not give attractive or professional results.

Try stitching with two threads just for the experience. You will find that you will have to separate those threads every stitch and it will make it slow. Slow and frustrating, actually.
One thread is the quick and easy way to go.

Also use the smallest needle you can manage to thread such as a Crewel size 9 or 10. This will help the ease and accuracy of the stitching though some Crewel 9 or 10 can be hard to thread. Bohin needles do not have this problem. The eyes are properly formed and much easier to thread.

Start with a knot (or not) and make a small waste stitch within the body of the padding.

In the centre of the motif bring the needle to the front on the less dominant side of the motif. Take it down to the back on the dominant side of the motif.

This is when your preparation will pay you dividends in ease of stitching and results.
Let the needle find the spot that is closest to that Great Wall of China and make sure that it goes through the fabric absolutely vertically.

And this, my fellow stitchers, is the secret to perfect Satin Stitch. Excellent preparation, stitch with one thread only and make sure that your needle entry and exit is always vertical.

If it is a straight shape, just continue until you reach the other end.

Shading
Shading is a question of getting organized as you move from one shade to the next. Thread another Crewel 9 or 10 needle with one thread of the next colour. Look at the photos to see how the colour change is achieved.
One stitch on the new colour, three of the old,
two stitches of the new, three of the old,
two stitches of the new, two of the old,
three stitches of the new, one of the old,
and then you will likely be ready to use all of the new colour.
These ratios are changeable as appropriate for your project.

Continue stitching maintaining the vertical and parallel orientation to the stitching, changing colours to achieve the shading you wish until you reach the end or the pointed end of the motif. I seem to have lost some of that perfect angling but you will not do that I am sure.

6. Points
If possible, organize your design motif and stitching plan so that the stitches at the point retain their vertical orientation. This creates a far more satisfactory result than trying to place tiny and short stitches across the point. There is nothing like a photo enlargement to show imperfections.

7. Rotating Satin Stitching
That means stitch direction which follows the curve of the motif. As you can see, in this shape, if the stitches remained vertical and parallel, they would become rather longer than the practical maximum of approximately 1/2″. However, the stitches are remaining at right angles to the outer edge of the motif. The dominant outer curve is also considerable longer than the inner curve.

Satin Stitch – Rotating Satin Stitching

Here is how
Watch the shape and make an extra stitch every so often so that there are more stitches going down into the fabric on the outer edge than there are on the inner curve. Come up through the padding about halfway across the width of the motif and then go down on the outside edge as usual. The next stitch will be a normal stitch that covers the whole width of the motif. This second stitch will cover the start of the shorter stitch making it undetectable. That half way point can instead be 1/3 or 2/3 of the way across the width. This depends on the shape and curve of the motif.

Watch the shape and the stitch angles and add these extra stitches as needed but always have about three normal stitches between the shortened ones. I apologize for missing taking a photos of this and I am not computer literate enough to add an arrow as an indicator. I am also regretful that the photos are dark on one side.

The point at this end had to be stitched across with several really tiny stitches. I would have been wiser to continue the shape of this half of the motif in a gentle curve to the right which would then have let me finish it with longer stitches like the other end of the motif.

Leaf Shape with one layer of padding

This leaf is stitched in Perle 5.

1. Plan the shape and the stitch direction making sure that you will be able to complete both the rounded end and the point easily.
2. Split stitch on the line around the leaf using one thread of Perle 5 and ensuring that this line is solid and immovable (Great Wall of China). Use an appropriate sized Crewel needle which is the thinnest you are able to thread.
3. Using two threads of Perle 5, place long split stitches in the opposite direction to the planned Satin Stitch and fill the entire space within the leaf.

Satin Stitch – Leaf Planning

4. Decide on the designated primary and more visible edge of the leaf and arrange that your needle enter the fabric on that edge and come up through the fabric on the secondary edge. Remember to let the needle find the spot closest to the split stitch edging and that the needle enters and leaves the fabric at exact right angles to the fabric.

Start Satin Stitching in the centre and widest part of the leaf shape placing the stitches at right angles to the padding stitches. This is as you planned in the diagram.
Work towards the base of the leaf first making sure that the final stitch that completes the curve is short in length. This final stitch supports the previous longer one and prevents it ‘falling off the curve’.

Satin Stitch – Falling Off The Curve

5. Continue vertically placed Satin Stitching until you reach the pointed tip. Place the final shortish stitch so that it forms the point. Take the needle down very close the the previous stitch so that this last entry point is not visible.

Satin Stitch – Last Entry Point

Padded Satin Stitch Small Circle
6. For a small shape, use three threads of DMC Floss to split stitch the outer line.
Use six threads of Floss to form a Double Cross Stitch or Quadruple Cross for the padding.

7. It is your choice to Satin Stitch with one thread of either DMC Floss or Perle 5.
Some circles, such as berries, become too small for the Perle 5 thread. Try Perle 8.

My circle is definitely not round. If you wish for an exact circle, use a template as suggested by Mary Corbet.

This completes this Tutorial.

Hope that you will enjoy and have success with Padded Satin Stitch.

December 4, 2012 by Ann Bernard

Coral Stitch

Coral stitch is featured as an outline stitch in the Queen Anne corner of the Crewel Work Sampler stitched at the Royal School of Needlework during the early 1950s. I have never seen this stitch featured in a Stitch Dictionary which has motivated me to share it with you. Coral Knot stitch is often referred to as Coral Stitch but this is different.

Place your fabric in a hoop so that it is taut. DMC Perle 5 was used for this demonstration.

1. Work from right to left. Bring the thread to the front at the start of the line. Take the needle to the back above the line with the thread in a loop as shown.

Coral Stitch #1. Take the needle to the back above the line with the thread in a loop.

2. Bring the needle back to the front an equal distance below the line and within the loop as shown.

Coral Stitch #2. Bring the needle back to the front an equal distance below the line and within the loop.

3. Pull the thread vertically up towards your nose.

Coral Stitch #3. Pull the thread vertically up towards your nose.

4. And here is the tricky bit. Adjust the length of the arms by pulling the thread away from you in a horizontal direction and then towards you horizontally until the length of the two arms of the stitch are equal.

Coral Stitch #4. Adjust the length of the arms by pulling the thread away from you in a horizontal direction and then towards you horizontally.

Worked in the traditional manner this is a ‘squared stitch’ meaning that the space between the stitches is equal to the width of the stitch.

Coral Stitch #5. this is a ‘squared stitch’ meaning that the space between the stitches is equal to the width of the stitch.

Also, it is preferable to use a thicker thread and decrease the size of ‘the square’ so that the black line is completely covered. If you look at the Queen Anne sampler, you will notice that the squares are so tight that it is hard to see the construction of the stitch.

Here are some examples of using the stitch in a more relaxed and contemporary manner. These are far easier to stitch than the traditional style where it really shows if the stitches are not an even size and spacing. I like the circular placement and think that it would nice alternative to Buttonhole Stitch and is much easier to control.

Coral Stitch #6. Coral stitch in a more relaxed and contemporary manner.

Coral Stitch #7. Circular placement and think that it would nice alternative to Buttonhole Stitch.

Coral Stitch #8. S Shaped Coral Stitch.

What will this stitch do for you?

November 11, 2012 by Ann Bernard

Queen Anne the fourth quarter. What is special or different about this?

Queen Anne (1702-1714) was the last of the Stuart monarchs. Although in poor health she was pregnant 17 times but only one child lived beyond infancy. Her great friend, Sarah Jennings, with whom she had a stormy relationship, married John Churchill. He had great military skill winning many battles in Europe including the Battle of Blenheim. A grateful nation created him the Duke of Marlborough and built Blenheim Palace for him. Located northwest of London and near Oxford, it is well worth a visit. Winston Churchill was born there.

Queen Anne’s reign was noted for the development of the two party political system, the Union of England, Ireland and Scotland forming Great Britain among other achievements. It was a time of the building of mansions, private houses, lavish interior decoration and beautiful furniture. The furniture was smaller, lighter and more comfortable than previous styles; the cabriole leg (S shaped) is the most recognizably enduring part. This seems to be an appropriate accompaniment to the style of embroidery that we were told was current during Queen Anne’s reign.

What we were told at the Royal School of Needlework was that silk threads from the Far East had become available triggering a whole different style of embroidery. These threads were not suited for portraying the Jacobean Tree of Life with all its fanciful and massive leaves, flowers, birds and beasts. Instead, linear and free form shapes better were better suited to the new style furniture and interior decorating. I do not think that the elements of this design represent anything or are symbolic of anything.

You will notice that the colours have become muted more like the Elizabethan colour scheme rather than the boldness of the Jacobeans. The parallel lines use negative space between the colours to enhance each one of them. The stitches used are puffy Couching, Long and Short Stitch, some Laid Work, and French Knots. The majority of the lines are worked in Coral Stitch which happens to be one of my very favourite stitches of all time. I have looked for it in books and never seen it anywhere. It does seem to be related to Coral Knot but is worked a little differently. No, it is not difficult. The effect is a light and open decorative line which works well both as a single outline and a spaced filling. I include the closeup so that you will be able to see it better. We stitched some lines in worsted wool such as the blue and green outer lines. The couching and long and short stitch are in Pearsall’s Filoselle Embroidery Silk which is a 6-strand silk floss.

See also:
Sampler of crewel work stitches worked by Dorothea Nield, c.1930 in the Bridgeman Art Library. Creative Needlecraft by Lynette de Denne. Octopus Books Limited 1979 ISBN 1 85052 07. This excellent book is a good investment if you should be lucky enough to see it somewhere. Erica Wilson is bound to have it in her books though I am unable to tell you which one.

Notice the different design features and the different methods of stitching. Your comments are always welcome so please keep them coming. The next entry will be our first RSN sampler and, possibly, the second one also.

October 21, 2012 by Ann Bernard

Late Jacobean Crewel Work sampler

Crewel Work Sampler Third Corner Late Jacobean

The latter part of the 17th century is the period known as Late Jacobean. The third corner of this crewel work sampler was stitched while I was a student at the Royal School of Needlework a very long time ago, a teenager. This is where we learned to shade. The red and pink of the pomegranate is parallel shading. Parallel rows of stem stitch are worked starting from the outside. Notice how the colour change is achieved. The rest of the items are all long and short stitch and we started with the central part of the large leaf. By the time we got to the smaller, outer leaves we had more of an idea on how to do this difficult stitch. The leaves that shade from navy through green to yellow are one inch in length for the smallest, and one and a half inches long for the leaves at the top of the panel. The method is ‘stitching to a vein without a vein’. Notice the sharp points and crisp edges to these leaves. I did a good job of those and yes, there are technical tricks to achieve this.
Researching this design, the pomegranate is symbolic for fertility and abundance though there are different meanings dependent on the culture or religion.

Pomegranate is symbolic for fertility and abundance

We were told that the blue rose indicated the joining of the Houses of Lancaster and York which concluded the Wars of the Roses. These civil wars in the 15th century (described as long, repetitive and destructive) were between the Plantagenets (white roses) and the Tudors (red roses) and the politics were complicated. A combination of sick and incompetent rulers created widespread unrest with families divided and fighting each other.

Henry Tudor (became Henry V11), won the final battle which was horrific but ended the conflict. He was the father of Henry V111 and grandfather of Queen Elizabeth 1. As the Early Jacobean period occurred after the reign of Elizabeth, this blue rose indicates a period that was already history. The above stylised version of the uniting of these warring factions is really more congruent. I, personally, think that the blue rose is just a blue rose with no historical significance.

Unfortunately, the water damage from steaming is clearly visible in this quarter of the sampler.

I remain eager to hear your comments and ideas on the significance of these motifs. It would be great to be able to put more information into the provenance.

You can also go to Stitching Idyllic to see more recent stitching or check out Etsy for some great Jacobean Crewel Embroidery kits, but I have not tried them.

Royal School of Needlework – Part Three

Enjoy a post from the past

Royal School of Needlework – Part Two: Let’s Step Inside

Enjoy a post from the past

Satin Stitch – Padded, Shaded and Stitch Rotated

Enjoy a post from the past

Coral Stitch

Enjoy a post from the past

Queen Anne the fourth quarter. What is special or different about this?

Enjoy a post from the past

Late Jacobean Crewel Work sampler

Enjoy a post from the past