Designs & Illustrations by Florence Caulfield (Images)

In the National Art Libraries collection of embroidery patterns is a book containing South African flower designs by Florence Caulfield, featuring illustrations of worked examples.

  • Red disa motif

    Red disa, illustration from 'The Illustrated Needlework Book', Florence Caulfield, About 1910, Pressmark 43 B 154

    Red disa, illustration from 'The Illustrated Needlework Book', Florence Caulfield, About 1910, Pressmark 43 B 154

    Florence Caulfield has created a strong design for a book cover or a photograph frame.

    Download this pattern to embroider at home (PDF file, 102.2 KB)

  • Design for a Caledon bluebell motif

    <p> Caledon bluebell, illustration from &#39;The Illustrated Needlework Book&#39;, Florence Caulfield, About 1910, Pressmark 43 B 154</p>

    Caledon bluebell, illustration from 'The Illustrated Needlework Book', Florence Caulfield, About 1910, Pressmark 43 B 154

    In creating her embroideries, Florence Caulfield was very conscious of the direction of the stitch and instructed people to observe this feature carefully in order to help them create their own 'needle paintings' that captured the essence of a plant. Unusually here, she uses shading on the bells.

  • Design for a wild rose motif

    <p> Wild rose, illustration from &#39;The Illustrated Needlework Book&#39;, Florence Caulfield, About 1910, Pressmark 43 B 154</p>

    Wild rose, illustration from 'The Illustrated Needlework Book', Florence Caulfield, About 1910, Pressmark 43 B 154

    Florence Caulfield claimed that her book contained all that was new and exciting but similar designs to this had become fashionable a decade earlier. One of her rules for this type of stylised embroidery was that the stem should always be in the darkest shade of green.

  • Design for a blue disa book cover

    <p> Design for a blue disa book cover, illustration from &#39;The Illustrated Needlework Book&#39;, Florence Caulfield, About 1910, Pressmark 43 B 154</p>

    Design for a blue disa book cover, illustration from 'The Illustrated Needlework Book', Florence Caulfield, About 1910, Pressmark 43 B 154

    This design was used to decorate a book cover and was one of a collection of Florence Caulfield's embroideries presented to HMS Good Hope on its visit to South Africa in November 1908. She recommended this design also for blotters and the corners of bedclothes.

  • Design for a protea motif

    <p> Design for a protea motif, illustration from &#39;The Illustrated Needlework Book&#39;, Florence Caulfield, About 1910, Pressmark 43 B 154</p>

    Design for a protea motif, illustration from 'The Illustrated Needlework Book', Florence Caulfield, About 1910, Pressmark 43 B 154

    Florence Caulfield worked in an Art Nouveau style using narrow stems and leaves to create characteristic patterns. She worked from close observation of plants in their natural state and had the ability to create highly stylised designs that kept the character of the plant. This illustration formed the cover of her book.

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