Basic Blackwork Class – HL Anja Snihová Camarni

Home , Aida cloth, Blackwork, Cross stitches, Drawn thread work, English embroidery, Holbein stitch

I’m including in this handout a couple of different ways of explaining “how-to” in blackwork, because not every explanation works for every person. Also, please excuse the crass commercial plugs. I didn’t have time to completely re-write, so pretend that this somebody else’s. Which it is! Anja and MaryAnne are not the same person. MaryAnne Bartlett is a 21st century woman, making a living by writing and researching, designing and selling blackwork designs and products. Anja Snihova’ was born in the late 14th century and due to the potions that her alchemist husband makes, survived into the early 17th century!

Beginning Blackwork Blackwork is a counted thread technique made popular in England in the 1500's by Catharine of Aragon, the Spanish first wife of King Henry VIII of England. It was immortalized in the incredibly detailed portraits done by the court painter, Hans Holbein, whose name is give to the stitch used, which is just a running stitch that doubles back on itself at the other end of its "journey". Blackwork can be anything from a simple line drawing to the complex pattern of #10 below, and on to designs so complex no one seems to know how to do them! It was usually done with silk thread on a white even-weave linen, and despite the name of the technique, was done in every colour of the rainbow, although black was the most popular colour, followed by red and blue. The most peculiar thing about this technique is that, done properly, the design repeats on both the right and wrong sides of the fabric, making it perfect for collars, cuffs, veils and ribbons where both sides need to look nice!

Blackwork Embroidery Instructions 1. Use two strands of floss in your needle. Do not put a knot in the thread. Instead, leave about two inches "floating" on top of the fabric. Bring the needle down through the fabric and bring it back up about 1/2 inch in from one corner. This is your starting point. (Later you will weave the "tail" back under the stitching, and as you get more skilled, you may even just "catch" the 1st 1/2 inch of thread under the 1st 3 or 4 stitches, which is less wasteful of thread.) 2. Do a straight line of running stitch (over/under/over/under) across the fabric to within 1/2 inch of the far side. (This is the "journey out".) 3. Double back on the line, coming up where you went down and down where you came up. (This is the "journey back".) You have now done one line of Holbein stitch. 4. When you begin to run out of thread, weave 1/2 inch of the "tail" back through the underside of the stitching, following the stitching line. Clip off excess and begin again. 5. Next try a line of Pattern #1, which makes little "combs". If the rows are placed next to each other it makes little squares. 6. Choose a simple pattern from #'s 2-7 (which are all "out and back" patterns). 7. Then try patterns #8-10 to learn "doubling back" or "side-trips". And awaaaaay you go! Enjoy! (©1992, MaryAnne Bartlett, Portland, Oregon)

1 ©M. Bartlett 2016 Basic Blackwork Class – HL Anja Snihová Camarni

From Pattern Card Set #1 – First Steps in Blackwork ©1995, MaryAnne Bartlett Published AnTir, May Crown, A.S.XXX Blackwork, also called Holbein work, monochrome work, line stitch and Spanish stitch, true stitch or punto scritto began in the Islamic world before 1250 c.e. The earliest surviving examples date to between 1250 and 1400. During the late 1400's Islamic textiles were traded all over Europe and by the 1520's Italian-influenced designs appeared on European clothing. The first pattern book was printed in 1523. This work became incredibly popular during the late Renaissance where it appeared in the reversible form on collars, cuffs and ruffs, in non-reversible form on skirts and sleeves (and in every other conceivable place!) and was immortalized by the court painter, Hans Holbein. By the 1620's it was no longer fashionable, but was practiced until the early 1800's as a standard embroidery form. The original Islamic designs were very geometric and angular and included proverbs and sayings (hence the Italian name, punto scritto) These designs are suitable to Mamluk-period Middle-Eastern and Moorish/Spanish personas. The early 1500's Italian designs became more pictorial, but retained the characteristic angularity, particularly in strapwork. As the century wore on more stitches were added in the non-reversible forms, such as outline stitch, eyelet stitches and Queen-stitch and the forms became more rounded and flowing. To the linear designs were added shapes that were filled in with patterns. These are the styles most suited to Elizabethan personas. Eventually, these forms were translated into wools and became Jacobean wool-work embroidery. In the mid-late 1500's, particularly in England, there was a style of this embroidery that called for large flower shapes, heavily outlined and filled in with various tiny, repeating patterns. Most of these are reversible. The cards in this set have several different sets of information on them. All of the cards begin with information on stitching the patterns and most end with some minimal documentation. There are occasional stitching tips included where there is room. If you are just beginning to learn blackwork, the easiest materials to learn on are 11 or 14-count Aida cloth (cross-stitch fabric) and black embroidery floss. You might also want to purchase red and blue floss to help with learning to visualize the patterns. You will occasionally find these patterns labeled as having been done in backstitch. Do not use this stitch! Use the doubled-running stitch that is on the first card. Backstitch causes odd puckers and shadowing that does not appear on the originals and detracts from the look of your work.

Further sources: 1) Drysdale, Rosemary. The Art of Blackwork Embroidery, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1975, ISBN 0-684-14330-5 2)Gostelow, Mary. Blackwork, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 1976, ISBN 0-442- 22792-2. 3) Scoular, Marion E. Why Call It Blackwork?, Indelible, Inc. 1993. 4) Pesel, Louisa. English EmbroideryI: Double-Running or Back-Stitch, 1931, dist. Manual Arts Press, Peoria, Ill.

2 ©M. Bartlett 2016 Basic Blackwork Class – HL Anja Snihová Camarni

This is the text from my original Web page. There are a lot of similarities to the above. Please excuse the awful quality of the pictures. Translating to HTML and back out does nasties!

What is Blackwork? Created Jan 17, 1999 Blackwork, (also called Holbein work, monochrome work, line stitch and Spanish stitch, true stitch or punto scritto) began in the Islamic world before 1250 c.e. The earliest surviving examples date to between 1250 and 1400. During the late 1400's Islamic textiles were traded all over Europe and by the early 1500's Italian-influenced designs appeared on European clothing. The first pattern book was printed in 1523. This work became incredibly popular during the late Renaissance where it appeared in the reversible form on collars, cuffs and ruffs, in non-reversible form on skirts and sleeves (and in every other conceivable place!) and was immortalized by the court painter, Hans Holbein (thus the name, Holbein-work). By the 1620's it was no longer fashionable, but was practiced until the early 1800's as a standard embroidery form. The original Islamic designs were very geometric and angular and included proverbs and sayings (hence the Italian name, punto scritto, "scribble-point"). The Italian designs of the early 1500's became more pictorial, but retained the characteristic angularity, particularly in strapwork. As the century wore on more stitches were added in the non- reversible forms, such as outline stitch, eyelet stitches and Queen-stitch and the forms became more rounded and flowing. In the mid-to-late 1500's, particularly in England, to the linear designs was added a style of this embroidery that called for large flower shapes, heavily outlined and filled in with various tiny, repeating patterns. Eventually, these forms were translated into wools and became Jacobean wool-work embroidery, the ancestor of modern crewel-work

How to do basic reversible Blackwork (see glossary for terms unexplained here) This section is intended to be a basic explanation of how to do this work. If you are an experienced needleworker, you can get by on what's here and in my Tips & Tricks series #1-3. If you are an absolute beginner, or are looking for practice patterns, I would recommend starting with my Pattern Card Sets, Series A, 1 & 2 as these are a graded series, intended to give you plenty of practice and all the information needed to learn this style of embroidery. The stitch used in this work is called a lot of things, doubled-running stitch being the most descriptive. Essentially, this is stitched twice, the journey out and the journey back. If you think of running stitch (sewing stitch), it makes a dotted line. If you stitch all the way out and then double back, ringing the needle up where it went down and down where it came up, you will fill in the blanks and create a solid line.

Running stitch

Doubled-running stitch This work is usually counted. If you're stitching on Aida cloth (which I recommend for beginners) your "stitching unit" is "over 1". On linen-weaves, you have more of a choice (and I don't recommend "over one" as you will get threads that disappear into the weave!). Unless you have an incredibly fine fabric with a high thread count your stitching unit will likely be "over two" or "over three".

over 1

Aida weave

3 ©M. Bartlett 2016 Basic Blackwork Class – HL Anja Snihová Camarni

Linen weave

over 1

over 2

over 3

Usually, you will end up with 11-18 stitching units to the inch, with your end use dictating the count, e.g.my chemise (hard wear) is 18-to-the-inch, while my coif is 14 and my samplers (very light wear) are 11 or 14.

Most of the time, you will only stitch in stitch units, but there are occasional exceptions.

“Knight’s move” Some patterns (usually curves & circles) call for a "knight's move" (up one, over two). If your stitching unit is "over 1" or "over 3" this is done as one stitch. If your stitching unit is an even number of threads this is done as two stitches, each stitch on the "up one" taking only 1/2 the stitching unit. Other patterns call for taking an extra "bite" beyond your usual stitch length to make the pattern look better.

Circles in Knight’s more & over 1, Aida The simplest patterns are those that go out and back, but there are other patterns that take side-trips. Think of this as a journey from Washington D.C. to San Francisco. On the trip

over 2, linen-weave out you drive straight there, but on the journey home you visit Chicago and then Houston, always returning to the center line, rather than taking a short cut or driving through Atlanta. (see my Pattern Card set #2 for more on this.)

extra bite

I’ve edited my needlework glossary to the most common terms in Blackwork. For the full version please go here: http://mabscreations.wordpress.com/resources-how- to/needlework-glossary/ or here http://www.ancientlight.info/resources/glossary.html

This is the glossary from the “Survey of Needlework” class that I teach for the University of Ithra in the Society for Creative Anachronism. I need to mention, too, that many embroiderers differ about the names of stitches and techniques. I’ve tried to point out some of these variations below, and how they’re used.

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Aida cloth - a particular style of weave in which threads are clumped in groups of four or five, producing a regular, even texture with easily visible small holes. This fabric is stitched from hole to hole, the space between holes counting as “1”. This fabric comes in size from 7-to-the-inch up to 18. (see Thread count) It is a modern fabric with an ancestor being very loosely woven fabrics whose threads were clumped for beginners by “combing” them.

Back stitch - An outline or edging stitch that produces a straight line. It is the back side of outline or stem stitch. Used in all kinds of embroidery and quilting.

Blackwork - Two forms of embroidery under the same heading. First is black-or-a-color-on-a-neutral-work. Many different stitches are used, the most common being double-running stitch, stem stitch, split stitch, various cross-stitches and darned fillings. The second type is more properly called Holbein work. (see below)

Chemise - an under garment. This usually refers to a light fabric, rectangular construction garment worn next to the skin under the corset. Often decorated in the 16th century with Holbein-work. Also smock or shirt.

Cloth weave - - (aka Linen weave ) The standard over 1, under 1 pattern that every craftsperson learns.

Coif - an under-hat or house-hat shaped very like modern baby bonnets. Worn for warmth and/or to keep hair oils out of unwashable hats. Often decorated with Holbein-work.

Corset - a stiffened undergarment for the upper body, usually worn by women. Intended to re-shape the figure, this also serves as a foundation to hang clothing on or pin to. In the 15th -17th centuries, these were usually of layers of canvas with reeds, bone or metal strips between. Replaced in the 20th century by bra & girdle.

Cotton - This fabric has existed since ancient times, but was not commonly available until the invention of the Cotton gin, which made it so much easier to clean and card that it has become the most common natural fiber available today. It is the fiber that cushions the seeds in the seedpod or boll. It is fluffy and though short staple, is strong and long- wearing when spun.

Counted Cross-stitch - A counted thread technique that uses one of the many variations of Cross-stitch to make blocks of colour. In modern usage this mostly applies to making large pictures in multiple colours, but many ethnic embroideries and older embroideries use this as a monochrome technique (color on a neutral or vice versa).

Counted work - All embroideries such as Holbein-work, Counted Cross-stitch, Hardanger and Canvas Work where the work is done on an evenly woven ground fabric and the threads counted to make each stitch even and regular in size.

Darned fillings - A method of making patterns to fill spaces using running or darning stitch.

5 ©M. Bartlett 2016 Basic Blackwork Class – HL Anja Snihová Camarni

Darned work - A style that uses stitches to evenly cover fabric. It is so called because it originated as a method of disguising small mended tears or holes in a piece of fabric.

Darning stitch - Sometimes called running or sewing stitch.

Double-running stitch - A counted thread stitch used particularly in Holbein work, but also wherever a tidy line is desired. It is so called because it is a line of running stitch worked twice. On the journey out it is a single line of running stitch. On the journey home you double back on this line, through the same line of holes, coming up where you went down before and down where you came up. (smallest size is 1 stitch unit.

Doubled-running work - Also called Holbein work or (improperly) Blackwork. It is worked in Double-running stitch.

Drawn fabric - A counted thread embroidery in which the threads of the ground fabric are “scrunched” together during the stitching, to create non-frayable holes, as no threads are pulled or cut. This is sometimes confused with Drawn Thread work.

Drawn Thread work - Another name for .A counted thread embroidery in which the threads of the ground fabric are pulled out and the edges worked with embroidery to create non-frayable holes with no threads being cut. This is sometimes confused with Pulled Thread work. The holes created are often filled in with needle lace techniques.

Embroidery silk - (see Flat Silk)

Essamplaire - The Italian word for sampler.

Even-weave - Any fabric that has the same number of threads-per-inch on the long-ways and the cross-ways of the fabric and has threads that are reasonably consistent in size for their whole length. Linen was the most common even- weave until the growth of the cotton industry in the American South. It has mostly been replaced by cotton and cotton/polyester even-weaves, which are often called linen. Modern garment “linens” can be distinguished from even- weave linen suitable for counted thread works by the slubbiness of the threads.

Exemplars - The older English work for sampler.

Eyelet stitch - A drawn fabric stitch that is worked with small backstitches or sometimes buttonhole stitch to create tiny holes for a lacy effect.

Flat silk - This is what is usually meant by “embroidery silks”. It is simple long filaments of silk fiber, not twisted into thread.

Free-hand embroideries - As distinguished from Counted Thread work, any embroidery in which the pattern is not counted and/or worked from a chart. Crewel work is a good example.

Ground fabric - The fabric that embroideries are worked on.

Ground line - In Counted Thread work, particularly reversible types such as Holbein work, this is the name for the line that all the stitching is worked from. It can be traced all through the work, although it often resemble a snake with a broken back more than a straight line.

Holbein-work - Reversible blackwork or Double-Running work bears the name of the English painter, Hans Holbein the Younger, because of his meticulous renderings of the embroideries of this style that he painted on the 6 ©M. Bartlett 2016 Basic Blackwork Class – HL Anja Snihová Camarni portraits of the nobility of England of the Tudor and Elizabethan eras (16th century). It is a completely reversible work, often used in more recent centuries on household linens, such as napkins and placemats, as it wears well and you don’t have to be quite as concerned that the maid plops the mats on the table right side up!

Journeys - There are several variations of this term often used in Holbein work or Reversible Blackwork. The Journey Out refers to the first trip which produces a dotted line. The Journey Home or Trip Back is just what it sounds like, that is, the part of the stitching that fills in the blanks.

Linen - A fabric that may have been the earliest woven textile (the other possibility being wool). It is produced from the long fibers of the leaves of the flax plant. When the plants are grown the leaves are harvested, soaked for many days in water, dried, then beaten to free the fibers. After this the fibers must be carded, spun and then woven. The legendary test of a good linen was that a yard of it could be pulled through a lady’s ring. Modern garment linens are slubby and our ancestors would have been ashamed to wear such coarse stuff! The best of the modern linen fabrics for embroidery are produced in Ireland and the Czech Republic.

Linen weave - (aka Cloth Weave) The standard over 1, under 1 pattern that every craftsperson learns.

Long-armed cross stitch - (aka Long-legged cross stitch and Plaited Slav stitch) This is a counted thread stitch that is found in many old embroideries. In fact, cross stitch the way we work it was not used very much until the 18th century. This older form and Italian two-sided cross stitch, and Montenegrin cross stitch were the usual forms.

Montenegrin stitch - (aka Montenegrin cross stitch or two-sided Montenegrin) A slightly more complicated version of Long-Armed Cross stitch that produces an attractive pattern on the reverse of the work, too. This is a counted thread stitch that is found in many old embroideries. In fact, cross stitch the way we work it was not used very much until the 18th century. This older form and Italian two-sided cross stitch, and Long-armed cross stitch were the usual forms.

Montenegrin cross stitch - (see above)

Out & Back - A term used in Holbein work for the completion of a line.

Over 4, over 2, etc. - This refers to the size of a stitch unit. It is short for “over 4 THREADS”.

Picking out stitches - This is the name for what you do when, to correct an awful mistake, you are forced to cut the stitching and pick out the bits. Tweezers are helpful in making a nasty chore possible.

Pulled Thread work - A counted thread embroidery in which the threads of the ground fabric are pulled out and the edges worked with embroidery to create non-frayable holes with no threads being cut. This is sometimes confused with Drawn Thread work The holes created are often filled in with needle lace techniques.

Punto Scritto - (writing embroidery) Another name for Holbein work. It acquired the name when in the 15th century Islamic textiles with sacred saying on them were traded all over Europe.

Reversible Blackwork - Another name for Holbein work. The name Reversible, is as opposed to Blackwork as defined as black on a color or neutral.

Running stitch - (aka Sewing stitch or Darning Stitch) This is the standard sewing stitch that everyone learns, the one that produces a dotted line.

Sampler - A piece of embroidery done for education or practice, as well as the usual decorative purpose.

7 ©M. Bartlett 2016 Basic Blackwork Class – HL Anja Snihová Camarni

Seed stitch (counted) - (aka Speckling or Darned filling) This counted thread stitch consists of single unit running stitch making one row after another at regular intervals of dotted lines. On linen, shadowing, though it occurs, is not a problem because of the regular nature of the stitching.

Sequins - (aka Spangles) In modern usage these are usually cupped round pieces of plastic with a metallic finish. These sometimes refer to any flat pieces of the same material, especially if they have holes for sewing. Before plastic and Mylar these were of metal and usually referred to round bits with a hole.

Sewing stitch - (aka Running stitch or Darning stitch) This is the standard sewing stitch that everyone learns, the one that produces a dotted line.

Shadowing - The undesirable show-through of stitches from the wrong side, that usually occurs in work on fine linens or other fine ground fabrics.

Side trips - In any Counted Thread work these are the lines of stitches that take off from the ground line.

Silk - Silk is the fiber of the cocoon spun by a particular type of caterpillar that feeds on mulberry leaves. The legend goes that a Chinese empress was drinking tea when a cocoon dropped into her cup and unwound. (see also flat silk and twisted silk)

Silk fabric - Fabric woven of silk fiber.

Spangles - In modern usage they are synonymous with Sequins, but in earlier eras these were decorative metal bits of various shapes, rather than just round.

Spanish stitch - This is another name for Double-Running Stitch, but also is used for Plait stitch.

Stitch unit - (aka stitching unit) This is the term for the regular grouping of threads in Counted Thread work.

Straight Stitch - a single stitch

Stroke stitch - (see Straight stitch)

Tacking stitch - (see darning stitch)

Thread count - In fabrics this refers to how many threads are woven into an inch. It can be determined by taking a small ruler or quilter’s gauge with you when you are determining thread count. Hold the ruler up to the grain of the fabric (not in a selvedge) and count. To determine whether a fabric is an even-weave, also count the threads in the cross-grain, (not the bias).

Trip - (see Journeys)

True stitch - (see Double-running stitch)

Twisted silk - Silk filaments that have been twisted into a thread that doesn’t unravel. Sometimes this term is used when flat silk is twisted as it is being worked.

Two-sided Italian Cross stitch - (aka Italian two-sided cross stitch and Italian stitch) An historical form in which not only is the work reversible, but the ground fabric is almost completely covered. The work appears to be box stitch worked on top of cross stitch but is worked all in one journey. 8 ©M. Bartlett 2016 Basic Blackwork Class – HL Anja Snihová Camarni

Annotated list of Books to look for (for embroidery terms)

Thomas, Mary, Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches, Gramercy Publishing Co.New York, 1935 - This is a fantastic book for anyone who wants to learn lots of new stitches. Her definitions are clear, her directions easy to follow and the how-to sketches of stitches could not be plainer. I have found used copies of this book and the one following fairly often, and any library with a good embroidery section will include these or you can try for ILL.

Thomas, Mary, Mary Thomas’s Embroidery Book, Gramercy Publishing Co.New York, 1936 de Dillmont, Therese, Encyclopoedia of Needlework, Crown Publishers, Inc. New York, 1987, originally published as part of the DMC library in the 1890’s. ISBN#0-517-63180-6 - This revised edition of the original is about as complete as you can get. It covers all kinds of needlework, including such things as bobbin lace and macrame along with the expected embroideries. There are sections on hand-sewing, trims and miscellaneous directions (things such as tranferring patterns and turning corners), that has some tips even my grandmother didn’t know! The illustrations are rather splotched and not as clear as they might be, but they are still readable, and some of the color plates are not only beautiful, but inspiring.

John, Edith, Creative Stitches, Dover Publications, Inc. 1967. ISBN#0-486-22972-6 - This is a rather odd book that I ran across in a library, and ofter I had played with some of the concepts a bit, went out and found my own copy. The attitude of this book was what intriqued me first, then I began to follow directions and I was hooked. It is a book for modern embroiderers who wish to experiment and play with their work. The stitch directions and sketches are not quite as clear a MaryThomas’s but they are clear enough and the concepts are wonderful.

Annotated Bibliography for various embroideries, but concentrating on blackwork

Ashelford, Jane, Dress in the Age of Elizabeth, Holmes & Meier, New York, 1988, 0-8419-1190-8 - This book is a Renaissance costumer’s wet dream! There are GOOD pictures, (very clear, though small) of most of the portraits of the age.

Bassee, Nicolas, German Renaissance Patterns for Embroidery, Curious Works Press, New Modelbuch 1568, 0- 9633331-4-3, (Facsimile of New Modelbuch von Allerhandt, Art Nehens und Stickens, Newberry Library, Chicago, Ill. - This is a facsimile copy of the original book from 1568. A large part of it is Lacis patterns and blackwork, but it is mostly engraving type illustrations suitable for many forms of embroidery. de Dillmont, Therese, Encyclopoedia of Needlework, Crown Publishers, Inc. New York, 1987, originally published as part of the DMC library in the 1890’s. ISBN#0-517-63180-6 - This revised edition of the original is about as complete as you can get. It covers all kinds of needlework, including such things as bobbin lace and macramé along with the expected embroideries. There are sections on hand-sewing, trims and miscellaneous directions (things such as transferring patterns and turning corners), that has some tips even my grandmother didn’t know! The illustrations are rather splotched and not as clear as they might be, but they are still readable, and some of the color plates are not only beautiful, but inspiring.

D’Averoigne, Ianthe’ (mka Kim Brody Salazar), The New Carolingian Modelbook, The Outlaw Press, Albuquerque, NM 1995, ISBN#0-9642082-2-9 - The author is a Laurel who has also won renown in 9 ©M. Bartlett 2016 Basic Blackwork Class – HL Anja Snihová Camarni embroidery in the mundane world. The book has LOTS of very clear diagrams. I don’t agree with her version of several patterns, as they change the proportions or shape of certain designs, but 200+ easily accessible patterns, solid historical sources and some good info along with them are not to be sneezed at!

Drysdale, Rosemary, The Art of Blackwork Embroidery, Charles Scriber's Sons, New York, 1975, copyright 1965, ISBN#0-684-14330-5, - Lots of filler patterns for modern blackwork, projects and a few pictures.

Geddes & McNeill, Elisabeth & Moyra, Blackwork Embroidery, Jarrold and Sons Ltd., Norwhich, G.B., 1965, LCC#66-10858 - This and Drysdale, Bad history, GOOD needlework, bad history and modern patterns!

Gostelow, Mary, Blackwork, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 1976, 0-442-22792-2 - Some history, lots of pictures. -

John, Edith, Creative Stitches, Dover Publications, Inc. 1967. ISBN#0-486-22972-6 - This is a rather odd book that I ran across in a library, and after I had played with some of the concepts a bit, went out and found my own copy. The attitude of this book was what intrigued me first, then I began to follow directions and I was hooked. It is a book for modern embroiderers who wish to experiment and play with their work. The stitch directions and sketches are not quite as clear a MaryThomas’s but they are clear enough and the concepts are wonderful.

Pesel, Louisa, English Embroidery I: Double-Running or Back-Stitch, dist. Manual Arts Press, Peoria, Ill., 1931 - This book, although printed a long while back and usually only available in libraries, is worth the digging to find. There are pictures of a number of samplers from private collections and the Victorian and Albert museum embroideries that are not available elsewhere. The bulk of the book is graphed-out patterns (with little documentation, alas!) of patterns from these and other samplers. Apparently the author had access to the samplers that she graphed from, though she did take liberties with some patterns. This is a marvelous source, both primary and secondary, for this style of embroidery.

Scoular, Marion E., Why Call it Blackwork?, Indelible Inc., 1993 - The author of this book, although she has no interest in blackwork as an historical embroidery and therefore has no documentation in her book, has done a marvelous job on both the how-to’s of this style and clear patterns that are lots of fun to use. There are several projects at the back of the book that are worth trying.

Thomas, Mary, Mary Thomas’s Embroidery Book, Gramercy Publishing Co. New York, 1936 - The companion text to her embroidery stitches book, this is a good layout of a number of styles of embroidery. It is limited in scope, but clear and complete within each style that it covers.