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Finding out about embroidery

A-Z How to Find Information > Crafts

Online

  • Embroidery sampleEmbroidery is '...the art of enriching a background fabric with a wide variety of stitches in order to decorate it and create something beautiful' (From 'Cross stitch and sampler book by Jan Eaton and Liz Mundle)
  • You can find links to many useful embroidery web sites at Embroidery on WebLinks
  • To find out about all the main embroidery organisations and what they do courses, conservation, exhibitions - see 'Embroidery organisations' on the WebLinks Embroiderypage
  • For wonderful examples of embroidery and textiles visit the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Search under embroidery on their website and dont miss the Shamiana section which includes work by two Bedford groups
  • Other collections worth noting are at the Embroiderers Guild Museum in Hampton Court Palace, London, the Fashion Museum in Bath and the Gallery of Costume at Manchester Art Gallery (for embroidered fabrics used in tailoring and dressmaking)
  • Closer to home, The Higgins has a costume collection of over 2,500 items from the 18th century to the 1970s and also houses the Thomas Lester Lace Collection. Currently closed for refurbishment, the gallerys website gives you a flavour of its costume collection
  • For a selection of magazines that showcase designers work and provide a source of information for embroidery projects, designs and techniques to inspire stitchers of all ages, see 'Embroidery magazines' on the WebLinks page Embroidery

Embroidery samples

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In the Library

  • Library catalogue. Bedfordshire libraries have a good selection of embroidery books

With thanks...

  • The embroidery samples images and the information on which the embroidery pages are based were provided by Fran Wortley.  Please contact the Bedford Branch of The Embroiderers' Guild if you would like to learn more.

Page last updated: 28th November 2013