Design for needlework pattern, 'Anemone', pencil sketch of flowers, designed by Francis Johnston for Vicars and Poirson, England (London), 1930-1950

Design for needlework pattern for a runner known as 'Anenome'; pencil sketch of flowers arranged in a circular format. There are pinholes in the centre top and bottom.

Given by Kenneth A. Johnston

According to Francis Johnston's son, Kenneth A. Johnston, the artist usually produced designs in the following stages:
1. A rough sketch in charcoal on detail paper.
2. Then a more final design in lead pencil or single coloured pencil (usually blue) on detail paper. This particular design is a more final one.
3. Then a design in black indian ink on Bristol Board in final detail. These designs were usually coloured in with coloured pencil (sometimes watercolour).
4. The indian ink version was then produced on detail paper (traced through) in lead pencil or coloured pencil and the detail paper version was then perforated using a perforation machine (fine needle). The perforated copy was then placed on the material and a blue powder was then pounced through and sprayed with methylated spirits to set the powder and thus the design onto the textile. None of the designs in this group, E.1550-1556-2001, are pricked and pounced for transfer. Numerous perforated copies were needed . The process was very labour intensive - the more successful the design the more labour was needed from the designer to produce more perforated versions. Kenneth Johnston stated that 'My father often drew a design dozens of times before he produced a version which satisfied him.'

Attribution note: There is a pinhole in the centre of the circular design which was probably made by a compass.

E.1552-2001