HNW - Free style blackwork

[Chris d'Aquino]

> >PS - don't forget the fun of free style blackwork (no counting)
>
>(Ears prick up) Free style blackwork?

Greetings

Free style blackwork is the outlineing of shapes and designs including such 
wonderful subjects as bugs, slugs and butterflys in a monochrome coloured 
thread (they also liked to include beads and spangles).

Most common stitch used was stem stitch, although split stitch is also 
known.  There are many examples of samples which show various patterns and 
surviving books such as "the skoole book of the needle" approx 1640 which 
also includes patterns for this style of embroidery.

Free style black was much more common in period than the geometric counted 
style which we call black work today.

I think the Skinner Sisters webpage has a piccy of the blackwork coif which 
is shaded in speckling work - does anyone have any other piccys on the web 
for this type of work?

I personally like this style a lot more than counted blackwork as all you 
have do is transfer your design and follow the lines rather than have to 
count threads.

Acacia d'Navarre
St Florians, Lochac, West Kingdom





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