Combination of black and white is beyond the control of time. Embroidery with the help of black threads on a white cloth is the technique of this category. Blackwork is a technique that has a long and interesting story. Geometric recurring patterns were used as elements of decorations since ancient times. They also appeared in mosaic and floor covering.
Blackwork exists from the times of Ancient Rome, Greece and other anciant civilizations. Examples of blackwork were found throughout Europe.
Blackwork as the decoration of clothing and furniture indicated belonging to aristocracy.
From the history of Blackwork.
Blackwork was used in England till the epoch of Tudors for decoration of costumes and cloths. But it reached the peak of its popularity during the reign of Henry VIII. His reign was full of events of all kinds and Catherin was the Queen of England for 25 years and all this time kept authority at court. Her keenness on “spanish work” sparked interest of court and this technique obtained the recognition and was in vogue during 125 years! When in 1554 Henry divorced Catherine Spain and everything connected with Spain turned out to be in disfavour. So the term “spanish work” was changed into “blackwork” after some time.
The vogue for blackwork continued in England from XVI century during Elitzabethan time. An examples can be seen on the portraits of that time. It was the decoration of costumes of nobility. But unfortunately only a few examples of embroidery of XVI century kept safe. According to modern standarts even the richest people of that time lived in insanitation. A soap was very expensive and unrefined. Besides it was made of such unattractive ingredients like cow excrements, nettle and some other. Most likely it destroyed cloth very much. So laundry wasn’t very popular at Tudor’s court. Body cloth and some cloth used at home were sometimes washed but luxurious dresses were never washed.
The best black silk for embroidery was imported from Holland. But it was so expensive that this price made it inaccessible for lower classes. So they had to use threads dyed by hand. They were dyed with the help of steady mixture but very acrid. And it damaged the cloth. Sometimes the only evidence of embroidery on a costume were holes or light areas on the cloth.
For poor classes an elegant blackwork was the alternative for expensive lace that was taxable during Tudor times. Besides the law forbade to wear lace all men except the elite. As a result blackwork poited out the aristocracy that tried to be promoted.
But as textile industry grew it offered a lot of colour threads so blackwork was forgotten for some centuries. It was thought rather cheerless and out of fashion. But the previous century the renascence of blackwork was observed. It seemed that blackwork as universal art with its charming historical credentials is going to develop in this millenium. And this is great!
Cross Stitch Patterns 