Ornamental Embroidery Workshops at The Asmolean Museum, Oxford and Hartlebury Castle, Worcester

Founded by Lynn Hulse (textile historian) and Nicola Jarvis (designer), Ornamental Embroidery works closely with museums, art galleries and other institutions as well as private collectors to create an artistic range of kits and individual designs inspired by objects from their collections, using historically accurate fabric grounds and threads in a variety of stitching techniques. In addition Ornamental Embroidery runs a series of one, two and three day workshops in historic and commercial venues across the UK. Students are introduced to the history of embroidered textiles and design through lectures and first hand study of antique examples, and are trained in a variety of stitching techniques, including canvas, crewel, gold work, silk shading, blackwork and raised work. We have an exciting programme of workshops for 2012.

First up is Raised Work Embroidery at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
Fri-Sat, 24-25 February 2012, 10.30-17.00. Raised work embroidery (known today as stump work) was popular in England during the middle decades of the 17th century. Explore the development of this intricate technique through a range of core stitches, including padding, wrapping and making ‘slips’ to create a small historic design. Particular reference will be made to raised work pictures in the Ashmolean collection. Karen Hearn, Curator of 16th and 17th Century British Art at Tate Britain will give a lecture entitled Wrought with Flowers and Leaves: Embroidery Depicted in 16th and 17th-Century British Portraits. Maximum 12 places. Cost £175/£165 concessions, including materials. Booking is now open; book online at http://www.oxforduniversitystores.co.uk/browse/department.asp?compid=1&modid=1&deptid=123 (click on ‘Ashmolean Museum Education Department Events’; next click ‘Read more…’) This workshop is the fourth entry on the list; click on this to book) OR telephone the Education Department on 01865 278 185.

The next workshop Lady Julia Carew (1863-1922) and the embroideries at Hartlebury is on 3 March 2012, 10.00-16.30 at lovely Hartlebury Castle, near Kidderminster, Worcs. See images above. This one-day workshop is in aid of the Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust, which hopes to raise sufficient funds to buy the Castle, currently for sale by the Church Commissioners, so that it can be preserved for public use and enjoyment (for more information about the Trust see www.hartleburycastletrust.org). This event will include an illustrated lecture on Lady Julia Carew, a guided tour of the Castle and the Hurd Library, built in 1782/3 by Richard Hurd, Bishop of Worcester to house his very fine collection of books, and a two-hour crewel embroidery workshop based on Lady Carew’s Chinese-inspired designs at Hartlebury. Maximum 30 places. Cost £40, including lunch and materials. Booking is now open: contact lynn@hulse.cc