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Historical Embroidery News...

Underside couching: setting up an experiment

30/3/2021

19 Comments

 
Today starts the last week of my 10-week Medieval Goldwork Course. It has been an exciting journey for all who participated! And although I will need to tweak some bits of the course, it is my pleasure to announce that the course will run again from 6-9-2021 till 13-11-2021. Sign-up will be Tuesday 1st of June 19:00h CET. This leaves me with enough time to order in materials and send them out to the participants in time. And between now and the 6th of September, I will be re-filming parts of the course with new materials, update the hand-outs and conduct a few experiments in my search for materials that come as close as possible to the medieval originals. First up is underside couching. Very little has been written on the exact materials being used in this Opus anglicanum goldwork technique. Somewhere in late summer, Tanya Bentham's book on Opus anglicanum will be out and I can't wait to see what exact materials she uses for successful underside couching. In the meantime, join me in my own experiments!
Picture
When you see people recreate pieces of underside couching, they often work directly on a linen background. However, a lot of Opus anglicanum was worked on a silken twill fabric backed by linen (see for instance the famous Jesse Cope). When you look at the detailed pictures of the Jesse Cope, it becomes clear that the silk twill used is of a heavier variety. But how heavy is heavy? Whilst silk twill is readily available in many colours today, getting your hands on a heavier version isn't so easy. And although the course sample of underside couching worked on a flimsy version of silk twill does work, I would love to see what results can be got by using a heavier silk twill fabric. I will therefore compare four weights of silk twill in my experiment.
Above, you see my slate frame fully dressed with a natural 40ct linen. On the linen, I appliqued the four squares of silk twill. Normally, I would use polyester buttonhole thread to set up my slate frame. But as there was no polyester thread in the Middle Ages, I decided to have a go with linen thread. I used Goldschild Nm 40/3 to attach my embroidery linen to the twill tape. That worked very well and the thread was strong enough. The big advantage of using linen thread over polyester thread is that the linen thread is rougher and thus keeping tension on your stitches is much easier. I also used the same thread to stitch on the twill tape onto the sides. However, the thread broke as it could not withstand the high tension. Switching to a stronger linen thread (Goldschild Nm 11/3) brought the solution.
Now that my frame is all set up, I can start the actual experiment. I will test several materials: silk twill weight, linen couching thread and gold thread. Although underside couching with the Goldschild Nm 40/3 works, I want to try a two-ply linen thread (the Goldschild thread is a three-ply thread). The original Opus Anglicanum embroideries were, however, worked with a two-ply linen thread. But again, getting your hands on a good two-ply linen thread is more difficult. What I have been able to get my hands on is real goldthread. Not gilt, but real gold. Not with a polyester core, but with a real silk core. This goldthread comes much closer to some of the goldthreads used in the medieval period (the others were made with animal gut as a substrate for very thin strips of gilded silver; unfortunately, no one can recreate these today). Next week, I'll update you on how my first experiments went!
19 Comments
Victoria Wood
5/4/2021 15:41:22

Jessica, it has been such a delight to be part of this course! I look forward to your continued experiments with the materials and updates to the extensive historical documentation provided in our handouts and videos. Truly, this work never ends!😁

Reply
Dr. Jessica Grimm link
5/4/2021 15:44:24

Thank you Victoria! I have enjoyed our discussions very much. Simple questions lead to unexpected, yet interesting new avenues of research.

Reply
Truus Notermans
5/4/2021 16:25:49

Jessica,
I noted the date of the 1e of Jane in my agenda. Hope that z'n not to late this time😀

Reply
Dr. Jessica Grimm link
5/4/2021 17:07:31

Good luck, Truus!

Reply
Ann Hamilton
5/4/2021 17:32:36

Jessica, I feel so fortunate to be part of the current course. It has been so interesting to get such a deep look at the goldwork that was being done in Europe. I’ve enjoyed having the closest modern matches to medieval materials and methods to study and understand this work. I can’t wait to see where your studies lead you. Brava

Reply
Dr. Jessica Grimm link
5/4/2021 18:50:38

Thank you so much for your positive feedback, Ann!

Reply
NancyB
5/4/2021 18:00:08

Fascinating experiment. I look forward the results. I just went into my box of linen threads -- all rather antique Knox linen thread (made in Scotland), and they are all 2-ply, although what the Nm measurement is heaven only knows, as the company no longer exists and I'm too lazy to do the necessary mathematics!
Thanks for the heads up on Tanya's book, and your own course. Might just make it this time...

Reply
Dr. Jessica Grimm link
5/4/2021 18:53:16

Oh, those flippin measurements! I have ordered some more linen thread today from Belgium and Germany. It seems that my best bet are those small places (one person run). They make these threads in the traditional way. Can't wait for my new discoveries to arrive :).

Reply
Darcy Walker
5/4/2021 18:28:23

Can not wait to sign up for the next offering.
So enjoyed my last Goldwork class with you..
Darcy

Reply
Dr. Jessica Grimm link
5/4/2021 18:55:39

Thank you Darcy! This course has been a joy to compile.

Reply
sarah link
5/4/2021 21:19:08

I would *love* to take your medieval goldwork course. If there are live sessions online, what CET time will they be scheduled? I'm on the west coast of Canada and need to know what time I'd have to set the alarm!

best wishes
sarah

Reply
Dr Jessica Grimm link
5/4/2021 22:25:27

Thank you for your interest in my course, Sarah. The zoom meetings are on Saturday 19h CET. The link in the above article takes you to the detailed course page with all times and dates.

Reply
Melody Mcmath
5/4/2021 23:51:45

It has been a great course if quite challenging at times. I look forward to any other courses you may wish to offer or re offer.

Reply
Dr. Jessica Grimm link
6/4/2021 09:11:17

Thank you, Melody!

Reply
Carla Bowlin
6/4/2021 02:07:53

Hi Jessica, I love your blog posts. You can find 2ply threads at lacemaking shops. There are several online in Europe. Good luck on your next class. It sounds like it was a success. Congratulations!

Reply
Dr. Jessica Grimm link
6/4/2021 09:12:40

Thank you, Carla! Yes, I have been ordering different types of 2-ply linen thread from lace shops. However, so far I haven't found one that is strong enough to withstand the stress of underside couching.

Reply
Agnė
6/4/2021 10:57:38

Hello, Jessica, what silk twill would you recommend? I am looking for the fabric for my next icon that will have some underside couching (I want to stitch something similar to embroidered icon in V&A). It takes so much time to find the right materials...

Reply
Rachel link
8/4/2021 16:09:49

The world of textiles is full of things we don't know how to do any more - a good reminder that our ancestors may not have had our scientific knowledge, but they were intelligent, and practiced, and well organised to transfer knowledge to apprentices..

Reply
Dr. Jessica Grimm link
8/4/2021 17:46:57

Indeed, Rachel! And it is so much fun to try to get as close to the original as possible.

Reply



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