Threads of Time project.

 

A women's coif which I have embroidered with a peapod pattern.

 

A man's informal cap, worn in the home.

 

This coif I embroidered with a 16th century design.

 

This coif has an interesting voided design, filled in with a speckling stitch.

 

 

 

 

I found out about this project when I caught sight of a poster in Stevenage Library and was intrigued by the sight of an obviously 17th century piece of lace featuring on the poster. As an historical reenactor with a love of costume, I had to find out more!

The aim of the project is to produce some textile works to display next year which have been inspired by the Witteronge Collection. Our first meeting introduced us to some fascinating documents. Initially I was attracted to a beautiful document showing the Witteronge coat of arms. There was a border which I felt could be adapted as an embroidery. My interest is particularly historic embroidery and mostly I recreate 16th/17th century coifs, (coifs are a closing fitting cap, often worn under a hat), copying patterns direct from surviving articles. The coat of arms itself was inspiring and I was also considering making a gaming purse of which there are surviving examples, reproducing the coat of arms to decorate it. However, we were also shown some weather diaries from the late 17th century and further inspiration struck! I have seen some photographs of men’s caps with images of rain and clouds. My plan now is to make a man’s cap with four panels, one from each season. I have found a photograph with a portion of embroidery, depicting clouds and rain and am now ready to plan my design. Embroideries of the seventeenth century often incorporate figures and animals in a naive style with the images shown not to scale. The embroidery was produced domestically with the designs inked onto the linen, often by itinerant merchants. There are many examples of half finished work, with the inked designs still visible. So our ancestors were no better than us, leaving languishing unfinished projects!