If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Tricky Terms
We're getting into the "terms discussion" againG
I get a little passionate about terms sometimes but try to be mellow most of the time. My preferences (admitting not much in the world is written in stone) a Embroidery: Any work produced with a needle, a fiber and a ground Needlepoint: Lace worked on the "point of a needle" (aka canvaswork, tapestry) Canvaswork: Embroidery executed on a ground where the holes are substantially larger than the woven fibers Blackwork: Any embroidery executed in black fibers Assisiwork: A Victorian era form of voided ground embroidery Tapestry: A woven, not embroidered, textile (aka needlepoint, canvaswork) Cross stitch: A form of embroidery Hardanger: A style of embroidery evolving from 16th century pattern books and folk forms developing as a style the Hardanger region (other great embroidery styles Castleguidi, Schwalm, etc. developed in other regions) Voided ground: Any form of design (including embroidery) in which the foreground is left undecorated rather than the background (aka Assisiwork) I dislike the term "Blackwork" as a Victorian invention as was "Assisiwork" I've given up changing the attitudes of the world on blackwork but claim some small victories on AssisiworkG Linn Skinner Skinner Sisters www.skinnersisters.com |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Linn Skinner wrote:
We're getting into the "terms discussion" againG I get a little passionate about terms sometimes but try to be mellow most of the time. My preferences (admitting not much in the world is written in stone) a Embroidery: Any work produced with a needle, a fiber and a ground Needlepoint: Lace worked on the "point of a needle" (aka canvaswork, tapestry) Canvaswork: Embroidery executed on a ground where the holes are substantially larger than the woven fibers Blackwork: Any embroidery executed in black fibers I'm curious, then: what then is your term for double running or double sided stitches traditionally executed in black but now often done in colors or overdyed threads? How do you keep from confusing this with what you call blackwork? Elizabeth -- *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~living well is the best revenge~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* The most important thing one woman can do for another is to illuminate and expand her sense of actual possibilities. --Adrienne Rich *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Short answer "double-running" . For my take on this very fuzzy sort of term
you might want to check out: http://www.skinnersisters.com/stitch/issue1/index.html I would really prefer not calling modern geometric filling patterns done in straight/back/double-running stitch "blackwork" unless they are executed in black or for that matter the geometric bands done in double running or cross stitch that are found in 16th century pattern books or depicted in 16th century portraits. Early portraits show various colors used for stitching these little designs and I doubt if the embroiderer of the time would have stitched them in red and called them "blackwork". I've given up though. Modern stitchers prefer the term applied to the design style, not the color of thread used to execute a design. I use the term "blackwork" when selling designs made up of geometric straight/back/double-running stitches because that is what will sellG Linn Skinner Skinner Sisters www.skinnersisters.com I'm curious, then: what then is your term for double running or double sided stitches traditionally executed in black but now often done in colors or overdyed threads? How do you keep from confusing this with what you call blackwork? |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Linn Skinner opined thusly:
Short answer "double-running" . For my take on this very fuzzy sort of term you might want to check out: http://www.skinnersisters.com/stitch/issue1/index.html I would really prefer not calling modern geometric filling patterns done in straight/back/double-running stitch "blackwork" unless they are executed in black or for that matter the geometric bands done in double running or cross stitch that are found in 16th century pattern books or depicted in 16th century portraits. Early portraits show various colors used for stitching these little designs and I doubt if the embroiderer of the time would have stitched them in red and called them "blackwork". I've given up though. Modern stitchers prefer the term applied to the design style, not the color of thread used to execute a design. I use the term "blackwork" when selling designs made up of geometric straight/back/double-running stitches because that is what will sellG Linn Skinner Skinner Sisters www.skinnersisters.com I'm curious, then: what then is your term for double running or double sided stitches traditionally executed in black but now often done in colors or overdyed threads? How do you keep from confusing this with what you call blackwork? Chipping in here. "Spanish work" seems to be what was used in the vernacular after the style was widely popularized in England during the reign of Catharine of Aragon. There are mentions of "sheets and pillow-beres wrought with Spanish work of black silk on the edge." in Catherine's inventories, and a reference about Mary receiving items "wrought with black silk, Spanish fashion" as a New Year's gift in 1556. Additionally, Elizabeth I received many items in her New Years gifts. 1558 - 1559 shows "sixteen yards of Spanish work for ruffs" and one of Elizabeth's New Year's Gifts. In "The Progresses and Public Processions of Queen Elizabeth" for the year 1578-1579 there is a mention of a New Years gift given her: "By Mrs. Digby, six faire handkerchers of camerike of blake Spanish worke, edged with a brode bone lace of golde and siluer. Delivered to Mrs. Skydmore". And in 1601 she received a"partelett and a peire of sleeves of sypress wrought with silver and black silke". I particularly like the 1578-1579 notation because it explicitly states "blake Spanish worke". This implies to me that folks categorized the style in general as "Spanish Worke" and simply changed the thread colour as necessary to make the description accurate. So you could have red spanish work, blue spanish work, whatever you wanted. Regards, --Anne |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
"Dianne Lewandowski" wrote I'm still trying to figure out why raised work (stumpwork) is called Elizabethan embroidery, because there is a huge difference in the style of embroidery which began during Elizabeth's reign and what happened to it in the next 40 years. I recall a reference to stumpwork that attributed the name to the use of inserts, sometimes small pieces of wood, as well as padding, to raise portions of the work about the ground fabric. It was talking about the Stuart period IIRC. Is this true, or one of those "folk etymologies" I wonder. Dawne |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Dawne Peterson wrote:
I recall a reference to stumpwork that attributed the name to the use of inserts, sometimes small pieces of wood, as well as padding, to raise portions of the work about the ground fabric. It was talking about the Stuart period IIRC. Is this true, or one of those "folk etymologies" I wonder. Well, ya made me go to google and look up the Stuart period. 1603 until 1714. The baroque is 1600 to 1750 The heydey of raised embroidery was about 1610 to 1640 (or 1670, depending upon who you read). It was variously called embroidery on the stamp. The Victorians coined the word "stumpwork". The Australian's (notably Jane Nicholas) brought the word and technique back into vogue. I have an essay on the confusing terminology he http://www.heritageshoppe.com/herita...s/essay13.html And I guarantee you, I disagree with some of the authors' conclusions. The "Elizabethan era" was not, in my opinion, the height of embroidery. It came during the Stuart period - and what I prefer to call it, the "baroque" period. What did come into fruition during Elizabeth's time was needlelace. Yes, wood was often used as a mold, along with wool or cotton padding. Carved wooden faces were common. But that came after Elizabeth - at least in quantity. During Elizabeth's time, the embroidery wasn't all that "raised". Some of the petals were "lifted" detached buttonhole - that is, the tips of petals were free of the rest of the petal and stood up. Half a pea pod was often done in this manner. Elizabeth Clark's book shows how to do this very well. It ain't easy, however. big grin One author stated she felt things were "kitted" because you could see the inked outlines on the motifs. I also take issue with this. It's only been the last half of the 20th century (about) that having the lines show was considered "worthless embroidery". Asian embroidery is inked to this day, and it often shows. They are some of the most beautiful embroideries you'll ever see. Whitework often didn't show the inked outlines because they bleached the heck out of this stuff. And some dyes used for patterning were simply easier to wash out. Or washed out fairly readily through time. Some types of embroidery covers ink better than others. I'm open to an attitude adjustment if someone can give me a rational, logical alternative to how I feel. This type of highly raised embroidery probably lost favor because it simply wasn't practical. You can't wash it. The "wired" motifs would get all crunched with a lot of handling. Lifted detached buttonhole wouldn't stay in position if handled frequently. But it sure enough is gorgeous embroidery and is beautiful in a shadow box of some type. I'm working on a rather large piece, at the moment. Have threatened in the past to make (cover) a box. But you wouldn't be able to touch it. So, what's the point? What do you do when it gets dusty?? Dianne |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
C Cordell wrote:
I really like the idea of "Spanish work" for the genre. The old needlework books I have say that "blackwork" was originally based upon the black, wrought-iron grillwork and railings found on buildings in Spain. I'll vote for "Spanish work" in whatever color. As someone who has never done this type of work (and probably never will, although some of it is very lovely), I vote for "Spanish work" also. It's much less confusing for us poor souls who are learning there's more "out there" than just the cross stitch. Red Spanish work or blue Spanish work is much less confusing than "blackwork that's done in red/blue/green/fuschia" (or is is fuschiawork???)! JM2cW! -- Joan See my first-ever design he http://www.HeritageShoppe.com/heritage/temp/joan1.jpg "Stitch when you are young and poor, frame when you are old and rich." - Elizabeth's (rctn'r) sister's MIL (Barbara Marr) |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 02:33:24 GMT, Sorceress
wrote: "Spanish work" seems to be what was used in the vernacular after the style was widely popularized in England during the reign of Catharine of Aragon. I have a book I bought in England in 1971 that calls it "Spanish Blackwork." Darla Sacred cows make great hamburgers. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 10:36:10 -0500, Joan Erickson
wrote: C Cordell wrote: I really like the idea of "Spanish work" for the genre. The old needlework books I have say that "blackwork" was originally based upon the black, wrought-iron grillwork and railings found on buildings in Spain. I'll vote for "Spanish work" in whatever color. As someone who has never done this type of work (and probably never will, although some of it is very lovely), I vote for "Spanish work" also. It's much less confusing for us poor souls who are learning there's more "out there" than just the cross stitch. Red Spanish work or blue Spanish work is much less confusing than "blackwork that's done in red/blue/green/fuschia" (or is is fuschiawork???)! JM2cW! It's fuchsia. Named for Fuchs. Darla Sacred cows make great hamburgers. |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Accounting terms Was: Notification to All | JAKL | Needlework | 0 | August 10th 03 04:02 PM |