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Embroidery Design

ca. 1836-1854 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Two of these three designs are for embroidered scalloped borders to the hems of garments. They show stylised flowers, leaves, and berries. The third design has a right-angled edge of intertwined lines with an internal pattern of flowers and leaves. These designs were probably traced by Sarah Bland (1810-1905) about 1836-1854 from a commercially available pattern from a magazine such as The Lady's Newspaper. The design with a right-angled edge is for an apron or kerchief, which was a shawl worn around the neck. The designs could either have been embroidered in whitework, which is any embroidery in white thread on a white textile, or the needlework could have been done in coloured silk threads.

These designs are in an album which includes Bland's collection of her own botanically accurate designs, simplified patterns from accurate botanical observation, patterns traced from magazines, commercial, printed Berlin wool work patterns, gifts of patterns, including commercial ones from friends and relatives. In Bland's case, the gift of designs demonstrates connections between relatives of merchant and banking families and is of historical significance in bonding such families.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink and pencil on tracing paper
Brief description
Designs (3) in pen and ink and pencil on tracing paper for stylised floral and leaf borders, ca. 1836-1854, by Sarah Bland (1810-1905).
Physical description
Designs (3) in pen and ink and pencil on tracing paper, two for scalloped borders showing stylised flowers, leaves and berries and one with a right-angled edge of intertwined lines with an internal pattern of flowers and leaves.
Dimensions
  • Height: 20.3cm
  • Width: 25.1cm
Production typeDesign
Credit line
Given by Mrs D. McGregor
Object history
Historical significance: Within the study of embroidery, men tend to be recorded as professional embroiderers or pattern drawers, whereas women worked more ambiguously with designs for embroidery. Women's amateur as opposed to professional designs for embroidery raise problems because amateur work has tended to be regarded as less significant. Embroidery was a pastime but was also an economic activity. Upper middle class women's property was closely linked to their status within the family as daughters, wives and widows and only allowed semi-independence. This semi-independence was underpinned by legal, political, and social practices which subordinated them. Nevertheless, it was combined with recognition of their economic worth within the family enterprise. However, women were restricted as they often could not be openly involved in working for money. See L. Davidoff and C. Hall (Reference Tab). Bland could not be seen to be working but it is likely that she embroidered accessories for dress, penwipers, tablecloths, book covers, and cushions as gifts which were her contribution to the household, wider family, and friendship. The quality of her samplers and designs shows the value of such gifts in terms of relationships with family and friends.

Material about the perceptions of a woman's role is pertinent to the discourse on women and therefore gender history. In Bland's case, the gift of designs demonstrates connections between relatives of merchant and banking families and is of historical significance in bonding between such families.
Historical context
Sarah Bland (1810-1905) was listed as a 'gentlewoman' in the 1851 census return and is not recorded as having any occupation in the census returns for 1871 and 1901 which is consistent with her social status.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Two of these three designs are for embroidered scalloped borders to the hems of garments. They show stylised flowers, leaves, and berries. The third design has a right-angled edge of intertwined lines with an internal pattern of flowers and leaves. These designs were probably traced by Sarah Bland (1810-1905) about 1836-1854 from a commercially available pattern from a magazine such as The Lady's Newspaper. The design with a right-angled edge is for an apron or kerchief, which was a shawl worn around the neck. The designs could either have been embroidered in whitework, which is any embroidery in white thread on a white textile, or the needlework could have been done in coloured silk threads.

These designs are in an album which includes Bland's collection of her own botanically accurate designs, simplified patterns from accurate botanical observation, patterns traced from magazines, commercial, printed Berlin wool work patterns, gifts of patterns, including commercial ones from friends and relatives. In Bland's case, the gift of designs demonstrates connections between relatives of merchant and banking families and is of historical significance in bonding such families.
Bibliographic reference
Davidoff, L and Hall, C. Family Fortunes, Men, Women of the English Middle Class 1780-1850. London: Routledge, 2002. 387 p.
Collection
Accession number
E.372:291-1967

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Record createdJune 19, 2009
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