Episode 30: Stumpwork

Have you listened to our latest episode yet? Here's the description:

Stumpwork Embroidery from West to East: Birds, Bees, and Byzantine Icons!

Ever seen a piece of embroidery where the petals literally popped off the fabric? Welcome to the decadent, dimensional world of stumpwork embroidery.

Today, stumpwork artists love to stitch flowers, bees, berries, and birds. But stumpwork has a long history, stretching all the way back to the Byzantine Empire. If you love a craft that combines high-level skill with a bit of historical drama, this episode is for you.

This episode also marks the start of our first ever stitch along! Grab our collaboration kit or PDF pattern from MCreativeJ and join us as we bring Handmade History to life with the Wild Pansy Stumpwork Stitch Along! Share your progress with #stumpworkstitchalong on social media!

Here's a look at what we're unravelling:

👑 The Stuart Obsession: In 17th-century England, noblewomen weren't just stitching flat patterns. They were building entire 3-D worlds on mirrors and jewelry boxes. We're talking about tiny doors that actually open and curtains you could push aside to peek into castles.

🌸 The First "Pansy": Did you know the very first time the word "pansy" appeared in the English language (way back in 1450!), it was being used to describe an embroidered flower on a cloak?

🌍 A Global Journey: Stumpwork's history crisscrosses Europe, the Americas, and the eastern Roman Empire. We explore:

• Byzantine Icons: Where gold thread and pearls made religious figures glow.

• Spanish & Mexican Traditions: The beautiful "alto relieve" elements found in colonial-era clothing.

• The Brazilian Revolution: How "Madame Maia" changed the game in the 1960s with high-shine rayon thread and bold, variegated colors.

🛠️ The Original "Craft Kit": Think embroidery kits are a new invention? Think again! 17th-century crafters could buy pre-drawn kits for mirrors and boxes that came with all the silks, beads, and mica they needed. The struggle to find the perfect supplies is truly timeless.

Whether you're a master of the bullion knot or you've never picked up a needle in your life, the history of how humans have used thread to create 3-D art is absolutely fascinating.

Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/mx5czk9c

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