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Not currently on display at the V&A

Folder

1956 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The Needlework Development Scheme (NDS) was established in 1934 to encourage embroidery and to raise the standard of design in Britain, organised by four Scottish art schools, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, its collection of foreign and British embroidery was available to domestic science and training colleges, women's institutions and schools, as well as art schools. By 1939, the Scheme had acquired some 900 embroideries but the outbreak of WWII closed the Scheme and the collection was retained by the four original art schools. Glasgow School of Art was instrumental in re-starting the scheme late in 1944 and the NDS was gradually expanded to encompass other art schools in the United Kingdom where embroidery was taught. The NDS was disbanded in 1961 when funding was withdrawn, although it was recognised that the Scheme had achieved its aims. Its collection was divided and distributed to various organisations included the Embroiderers Guild, The National Museum of Scotland and the V&A.

This folder is an example of the teaching aids produced by the Scheme, illustrating various ways in which embroidery stitches could be used and designs interpreted.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Embroidered satin in wool, silk and cotton threads, sequins, cut paper and ink
Brief description
Folder containing paper designs and embroidered satin samples in wool, silk and cotton threads, made at the Needlework Development Scheme, Great Britain, 1956
Physical description
Four-leaf folder containing paper designs, examples of embroidery stitches, embroidered satin samples in wool, silk and cotton threads, and embellished with sequins. Written in ink with descriptions of embroidery techniques.
Dimensions
  • Width: 220mm
  • Length: 263mm
Credit line
Given by the Needlework Development Scheme
Object history
This folder is an example of the work of the Needlework Development Scheme, designed to improve the standard of embroidery in Scotland and to provide domestic science training in colleges, women's institutes and art schools.
Production
NDS 4671
Summary
The Needlework Development Scheme (NDS) was established in 1934 to encourage embroidery and to raise the standard of design in Britain, organised by four Scottish art schools, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, its collection of foreign and British embroidery was available to domestic science and training colleges, women's institutions and schools, as well as art schools. By 1939, the Scheme had acquired some 900 embroideries but the outbreak of WWII closed the Scheme and the collection was retained by the four original art schools. Glasgow School of Art was instrumental in re-starting the scheme late in 1944 and the NDS was gradually expanded to encompass other art schools in the United Kingdom where embroidery was taught. The NDS was disbanded in 1961 when funding was withdrawn, although it was recognised that the Scheme had achieved its aims. Its collection was divided and distributed to various organisations included the Embroiderers Guild, The National Museum of Scotland and the V&A.

This folder is an example of the teaching aids produced by the Scheme, illustrating various ways in which embroidery stitches could be used and designs interpreted.
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.267-1962

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Record createdSeptember 30, 2006
Record URL
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