5 Anecdotes about embroidery: from famous manuscripts to embroidery with hair

Discover five interesting facts about the art of embroidery that you may not have known

A means of expression, a mode of relaxation, a political weapon or an ancient art. All of this and much more is embroidery, an age-old technique practiced around the world that is now experiencing a resurgence in popularity.

You probably know you need a needle and thread to do this, but did you know you can embroider with hair? Or what are the secrets behind the embroidery?

5 Anecdotes about embroidery  

 Mending dates back to the Middle Ages

Centuries before visible mending became popular, medieval manuscripts were already using something similar. It was not uncommon for scrolls to show holes over time. To repair them, medieval artists sometimes used their creativity and, with the help of threads and needles, gave these documents a special touch.

The cosmic secret of the Bayeux Tapestry

The Bayeux Tapestry is a large embroidered canvas from the 11th century, nearly 70 meters long and featuring fifty scenes, which recounts the invasion of England by the Normans.

But among the hundreds of figures represented there, one of them is particularly striking: Halley, the comet which revolves around the sun every 75 years, appears, accompanied by a Latin phrase. For the Normans, the appearance of the comet was a good sign, and for the Anglo-Saxons, a harbinger of the tragedy that was to be marked forever on the canvas.

What does the story tell about embroidery?

For centuries, embroidery was associated with a feminine universe and was considered a hobby. But needle and thread sewing has also been a symbol of resistance and witness.

Throughout history we find different examples, such as this embroidered register made in 1941 by Major Casdagli, a Nazi prisoner in the Dossel-Warburg concentration camp.

We also have this embroidered bag, called “Ashley’s Sack”, which tells of the sale of a 9-year-old girl into slavery.

Or this embroidery, where a young nanny recounts the mistreatment she suffered from her employers.

Another example of embroidery as a symbol of resistance is this scarf, embroidered by a group of women suffragettes while they were in prison.

Embroidery on surprising supports

Although the first thing you think of when you think of embroidery is fabric, the truth is that this technique can be used on a wide range of mediums: from photos, postcards to banknotes, from paper to sheets of plants and even wood.

An embroidery that is worth gold

Along with the drum and the needle, the thread is another basic element of embroidery. There is a wide variety: with several threads or with just one, in cotton, silk, black or colored. But less conventional threads can also be used. For centuries, across the world, gold and silver threads have been a symbol of power and status, adorning the clothing of the upper classes or religious objects.

As surprising as it may be, human hair can also be used for embroidery. In Mexico, to accept an official marriage request, a handkerchief was sometimes embroidered with the groom’s hair. And in late imperial China, hair was used to embroider Buddhist images.

Did you find these anecdotes interesting? You can learn more about the history of embroidery by clicking on this link.

And if you want to learn how to tell stories with thread and needle, don’t miss Domestika’s embroidery classes.

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