Antique Textiles at Embroiderers Guild

On Thursday, the Embroiderers' Guild enjoyed a talk on "Antique Textiles", given by Susanna Midwinter, who stepped in at the eleventh hour. Her chosen era was the17th Century and she bought in some exquisite items of a standard usually found, out of reach, in museums.

Having her interest initiated at a very early age by her Grandfather and following on with a career in the press office of Christie's, where she could spend her lunch hours in the Textile Department, Susanna was well informed with regards to the styles and fashions that influenced the needlework of the times.

With a slideshow that illustrated the finer details we were told about the different materials that were sometimes used such as actual seed pearls, coral and rubies for jewelry, mica to indicate mirror or glass and the tiniest of sequins for background sparkle.

The subject matter would be very similar indicating that professional embroiderers would draw up the designs and supply some of the materials – a precursor to the "kits" we can buy today.

Many of the background motifs would be traced directly from book illustrations, regardless of scale, which meant that butterflies were stitched to the same size as stags and lions would be smaller than flowers, which makes these textiles such a delight to look at.

From the comments heard afterwards, it was clear that the members had enjoyed the stories behind the pieces that Susanna had bought to show us, such as the portrait of Lady Frances Stewart, who was a favourite at the court of King Charles II, and is supposedly the lady that Britannia was modeled on.

The talk at our next meeting will be "Travels with a Bag Lady" with Susan Briscoe, on 18th November.

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