Blackwork on a Smock

This is a sample of a sixteenth century smock done in a style of embroidery known as blackwork or "Spanish worke". Blackwork done on white linen with black silk thread is common throughout the period, found on numerous items, including smocks, coifs, cushions, bags, sleeves, etc. (Arnold 204-217, 224-229, 299-303 ) Wealthy individuals chose to embroidery geometric shapes, fruits, and nature motifs with silk to add fashion to their items. (King)

This piece, like much blackwork done in period, was worked on white linen with black silk. It was done with 60/2 black silk in Holbein, or double running stitch. The stitch is reversible, meaning that it is the same on the front as the back. The pattern comes from a sampler from the Victoria & Albert Museum, dated at the end of the sixteenth century. (Skinner) The smock design is a square neck chemise, taken from an embroidered example in Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd. (Arnold 224) Like many of the smocks described in the royal warrants, I chose to add the embroidery to the sleeves and the neckline. (Arnold 223-226)

Frankly, I'm not enitrely happy with this piece.(Though I am perfectionist when it comes to my work.) The tension of the silk didn't come out as tight as I would have liked. I suspect it was the method in which I did I piece. This was the first time I have used paper as a tool in my blackwork, and the paper caused the silk to not pull as tight as I would have liked. I wanted to draw the design on the linen, but the linen was too thick to get the intricate design correct. I'll have to experiment to see what works better in future pieces. I do like the design & hopefully I'll be able to do more blackwork on smocks in the future.

Bibliography:

Arnold, Janet. Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd: The Inventories of the Wardrobes of Robes prepared in July 1600… Great Britian: Maney & Son.1988.

King, Donald & Santina Levy The Victoria & Albert Museum's Textile Collection Embroidery in Britain From 1200 to 1750. London: The Victoria & Albert Museum, 1995.

Skinner, Linn. 100 Blackwork Charts. Los Angeles: Skinner Sisters, 1996.