Embroidery
Features
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Make your own: Mexican-inspired embroidery
Try your hand at some Mexican-inspired embroidery motifs with these free, downloadable patterns
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Martha Edlin's Casket
This exquisite example of 17th-century English embroidery was worked by a young girl aged just 11
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Tatreez: the ancient art of Palestinian embroideryDiscover six incredible examples of embroidered Palestinian fashion.
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The prison embroideries of Mary, Queen of ScotsFor Elizabeth I's most famous political rival, needlework was both a pastime and a means of resistance
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The making of medieval embroidery
See the traditional embroidery techniques used to create masterpieces of opus anglicanum
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Mexican embroidery
Discover stunning examples of Mexican embroidery from the V&A's textile collection
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Indian embroidery
From plain cotton to iridescent beetle-wing embellishments, explore diverse forms of traditional Indian embroidery
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Make your own: embroidered zipped pouch
Make your own embroidered zipped pouch, ideal for carrying cards, coins or makeup, with this free pattern
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Balenciaga's sequinned evening coat
Recreating the beautiful hot-pink beading and sequin work of Balenciaga's 1967 evening coat.
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The Steeple Aston Cope
Discover how the fabric of this English medieval embroidery has been altered, ensuring its survival over centuries
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The Syon Cope
Explore the beautiful imagery of the Syon Cope, embroidered in coloured silk and silver threads
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The Tree of Jesse Cope
Explore the richly-worked imagery and intricate design of the Tree of Jesse Cope
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Medieval mythologies
Peering out from the stitched designs of English medieval embroideries are lifelike animals, alongside fantastical creatures drawn from mythology and the imagination.
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Embroidery – a history of needlework samplers
What do 'practice pieces' tell us about the changing nature of embroidery over time?
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An A–Z of Opus Anglicanum
Do you know your cope from your chasuble, your split stitch from your satin stitch?
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The Butler-Bowdon Cope
Take a closer look at the elaborate iconography of the Butler-Bowdon Cope
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Katerina Jebb / Elizabeth Parker installation
Explore Katerina Jebb's photomontage of Elizabeth Parker's sad yet subversive 19th century embroidered sampler
Collection highlights
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(Back) Waistcoat, 1620 – 25, EnglandV&A East Storehouse -
(Detail) The Flowers of the Fields of France, evening dress, designed by Norman Hartnell, 1957, London, EnglandV&A East Storehouse -
Armchair, about 1725 – 35, FranceV&A East Storehouse -
(Detail) Hanging, about 1700, Gujarat, IndiaV&A East Storehouse -
Child's shoe, about 1873, Shache, ChinaV&A East Storehouse -
Evening outfit, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga, made by Lesage, 1967, Paris, FranceV&A East Storehouse -
(Detail) The Butler Bowdon Cope, 1330 – 45, EnglandV&A South Kensington -
Pair of shoes, unknown, 1730 – 40, BritainV&A East Storehouse -
(Detail) Pérou evening ensemble, designed by Christian Dior, by Bodin Brossin, 1954, Paris, FranceV&A East Storehouse -
(Detail) Jacket, 1915, Jinan, China -
Portrait of Charles I, by Wenceslaus Hollar, 1625 – 50, EnglandV&A East Storehouse -
Embroidered casket, made by Martha Edlin, 1671, EnglandV&A South Kensington
