If you look closely you can see that parts of the scenes at the top and bottom of the Syon Cope are missing because it was originally a chasuble (a large conical-shaped vestment). It was later cut up to make a cope and the strips with heraldic shields added.

The apprenticeship for a professional embroiderer lasted seven years, as long as it takes now to train a GP or dentist.

Certain popes employed their own English professional gold embroiderer at the Vatican, who did only embroidery in gold thread.

Nuns were allowed to do embroidery but only if it did not interfere with their religious devotions.

The highest quality embroidery was allowed to be done only during the daylight hours.

There is a hierarchy of angels. The angels on wheels on the Syon Cope are six-winged seraphs.

Measurements for a garment were sometimes sent to the workshop in the form of a cord of the appropriate size.