King Henry VIII of England, King Francis I of France

Embellishments Myths

Myth: Only the Irish and Scots use celtic knotwork on their garments.

Knotwork is not for the Celts only. What few images of the Irish or Scots available, or of their surviving garments, do not show any knotwork designs embroidered or otherwise embellished on them. Knotwork is seen in stone engravings of the time in both Ireland and Scotland. However, printers all over the Continent copied pattern books, and knotwork designs are found in surviving German and Italian pattern books, and originally come from the Moorish countries.

Common types of embroidery during the Tudor time:

• Applique (slips)
• Blackwork (aka True Work, or Spanish Work in period terms)
• Whitework (Cutwork)
• Woolwork or crewel
• goldwork (aka 'or nui')
• polychrome (multi-color) silks

No ribbon embroidery as in Victorian styles, although ribbons can be a form of trimming.

And lace was handmade in cords or small strips, as in fingerloop weaving, bobbin work, or cutwork lace. There were no lace fabrics, as done by modern machines.

King Francis I of France, by Jean Clouet, 1525.