The Embroideries at Hardwick Hall by Santina M. Levey is a brand-new 400 page book from the National Trust in England. A detailed review of this book will be forthcoming, but we do have it in stock.
Of Household Stuff: the 1601 Inventories of Bess of Hardwick by the National Trust is a slim book that will be of interest to those who enjoy learning about Elizabethan needlework and its place in society. Most of the book consists of room by room actual inventories of the contents of three of her houses (Chatsworth, Old Hardwick Hall and New Hardwick Hall). While the inventories themselves are not terribly readable, the information contained in them is mind-boggling in terms of the contents of the houses. I also particularly like the archaic spelling (chare for "chair" makes perfect sense to me!). The introductory text explains the significance of the inventories, including the fact that the contents of the houses had a greater value than the buildings themselves, the fact that the majority of the inventory consists of textiles, and the terms of Bess of Hardwick's will which specifically states that the textiles are to be carefully taken care of and to remain in the houses. In an era where most items, and particularly textiles, are considered disposable, it is nice for a needleworker to be able to look back to an era where hand-made textiles were cherished and valued much more highly than they usually are in the modern world.
Of Household Stuff: the 1601 Inventories of Bess of Hardwick (2001, 71 pages, softcover) $14.95
Art of Embroidery: History of Style and Technique by Lanto Synge, Royal School of Needlework, is one of the most exciting new needlework book to come along in years, if not in decades. I could not possibly write a better review of this book than the text from the dust jacket, so I will quote from that here:
"The story of embroidery and needlework is discussed within the fascinating context of the history of fabrics, of decorative costume, of girls' education, of furniture and pastimes. Silk and wool, linen and cotton, with the significance of colours and dyes are also considered. Two interesting chapters reveal the worldwide fascination with, and influence of, Chinese embroidery and Indian textiles. The 350 superb illustrations are drawn from many countries and sources - vestments and costume, samplers and pictures, great beds and furniture."
"The book is rich in the art-historical background encompassing the most magnificent of all embroidery, the mediaeval English vestments so coveted by popes and bishops across Europe, to the domestic treasures created in more recent centuries. Baroque, rococo, neo-classical and other period characteristics are each discussed with reference to the work created by children, young girls and ladies who made furniture coverings destined for posterity. The nineteenth century saw extremes of art and fashion ranging from Berlin woolwork to Art Needlework and the eclectic inspiration represented by William Morris, all leading to simpler modernist styles which evolved over the twentieth century."
For those of you who feel that this book is a little pricey, let me say I believe it is well worth every penny and then some. It is a large and heavy book printed in Italy and there are few pages that do not have at least one color picture on them. To try to cover as much ground as this book tries to cover is a very daunting task, but one in which Mr. Synge has succeeded admirably. A MUST-HAVE for anyone interested in needlework and needlework history.
Art of Embroidery (2006 reprint of 2001 text, 352 pages, hardcover) $89.50 - TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK
The Bayeux Tapestry by Wolfgang Grape is one of many books that have been written about what is perhaps the most famous embroidery in the world. The Bayeux tapestry is so fascinating because it tells the story of an historical event that can be said to have affected all our lives down to this day (the invasion of England by William the Conqueror). It also depicts many details of everyday life in the 11th century. Needleworkers especially can appreciate the effort that must have gone into completing this extremely long piece of needlework (as we complain about how long it takes us to complete our little 12" x 12" designs!). The first half of this book is a scholarly examination of the "tapestry" including the historical and artistic milieu in which it was made. The second half of the book is a complete illustration of the entire tapestry, together with text which describes what is being portrayed.
The Bayeux Tapestry (1994, 174 pages, soft cover) $29.95
The Conservation of Tapestries and Embroideries by the Getty Conservation Institute is a collection of papers which were delivered at a conference held in Belgium in 1987. About half the papers are about conservation and restoration of woven tapestries and the other half is about the conservation and restoration of embroidered pieces. Authors of the papers are reporting on specific items under conservation. This book contains the MOST INCREDIBLE PICTURES of the highest quality embroidery. My heart almost stops when I read about how several of these very old pieces of embroidery, stitched with silk and real metal threads, were washed to remove centuries of grime. There are very few places where you can find photographs of needlework this old; this book is a gem for those interested in the embroidery of the 15th and 16th centuries. Please note that this book is not a "how-to" for individuals to care for their own textiles; rather it contains information about the challenges and solutions pertaining to specific items in museums being care for by professionals.
The Conservation of Tapestries and Embroideries (1989, 117 pages, softcover) $40.00
Medieval Craftsmen: Embroiderers by Kay Staniland is a fascinating book about those who produced needlework in medieval times. The quality of workmanship was extremely high. This book is divided into the following chapters: The Early Embroiderers, The Guilds, The Designers, Production, Techniques, The Later Embroiderers, and Patrons. This book contains numerous illustrations, both color and black-and-white. Its author, Kay Staniland, is the Keeper of Costumes and Textiles at the Museum of London.
Girlhood Embroidery by Betty Ring is available in limited quantities. This two volume set will be of interest to those of you who enjoy learning about American samplers and other forms of embroidery that young women learned in school. Please note that supplies are VERY limited and the few copies that remain, although brand new, are not in absolutely perfect condition (problems are mostly limited to dustcovers and slipcovers). Even in this condition, our price for this book is considerably lower than we have seen elsewhere (in similar or worse condition), but we want you to be aware of the condition problems, minor though they may be. Remember, this book was published at least 13 years ago so the fact it is available at all is highly unusual.
Girlhood Embroidery (1993, 583 pages total, hardcover) $175.00
The Art of Elizabethan Embroidery by Jane Zimmerman is a slim book about the type of embroidery that was typical of Elizabethan England. About half the book consists of historical information, while the rest of the book consists of stitch diagrams. The book has a few black-and-white pictures of historical examples (the photo reproduction is not great quality but still interesting) and clear, black-and-white drawings of stitches. This is NOT a project book as it does not include designs to stitch. It is a welcome addition to the body of work on this subject.
The Art of Elizabethan Embroidery (1999, 31 pages, wirebound softcover) $20.00
18th Century Embroidery Techniques by Gail Marsh is interesting to me because, like the author, I consider the embroidery from this century to be some of the best ever. It was a time when embroidery was considered art as well as craft, when highly talented artists created embroidery designs, and when those who executed the embroidery were highly skilled. Chapters in this book cover different stitching techniques such as metal thread embroidery, silk embroidery, quilting (as used on clothing), whitework, crewel work, and even a chapter on the rare English needlelace technique known as hollie point. Every page of this book is illustrated either with photographs of samples in museums (primarily British museums), or drawings of embroidered clothing or design elements. The only thing that could make this book better were if it included more examples from continental Europe but that is a minor quibble.
18th Century Embroidery Techniques (2006, 192 pages, hardcover) $24.95