Daffodils
Elizabethan Blackwork

The Blackwork Embroidery Archives
Original Blackwork Patterns Inspired by Historical Sources

CONTENTS |  WHAT'S NEW |  TERMS |  DOWNLOAD |  COSTUME |  BROWSE PATTERNS

Preface

For several years, I taught introductory blackwork embroidery at the "Schole of Needleworke" at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, and discovered that I much prefer designing embroidery to actually working it. Between 1985 and 1990, I self-published three booklets of hand-drawn embroidery designs for costume under the series title Elizabethan Blackwork. This archive contains the "best of" those booklets, with much cleaner patterns, plus many new designs.

A Note on Authenticity: These patterns are inspired by historical needlework of sixteenth and seventeenth century England, but they are all original designs. Re-enactors and curators who require absolute fidelity to documented patterns are encouraged to check out the collections offered by The Skinner Sisters at skinnersisters.com.

May I display your work in the Gallery? The Gallery features costumes and accessories decorated with these patterns. Our first example is a polychrome workshirt using variants of the "Pomegranates" pattern from the Flowers & Fruit collection.

Please email a digital photo or high-res scan of your project together with a short credit and description to pkm@pobox.com. [Note: Artwork cannot be returned. I reserve the right to edit images and descriptions for fit and continuity. Items in the Gallery may be swapped in and out from time to time at my whim.]

-- Paula Kate Marmor

What's New?


15 May 2005.

Explore what happens when you rotate a design in Variations.

New in the Gallery: Three photos of coifs embroidered by Stephanie Nyhof.

6 March 2005.

A new year, a new season, three new light and airy Spring Borders.

27 August 2002.

By request, I have added the pattern for the daffodil motif at the top of this page. It's in Flowers and Fruit.

16 February 2002.

I've been playing with the herringbone patterns that result from braiding ribbons. Here are four new patterns featuring Braids.

1 January 2002.

I have finally taken the plunge and bought the archives their own domain name. Now we are officially:

www.blackworkarchives.com

10 September 2000.

While I want to encourage handwork, I understand that many costumers are more interested in clothing construction than embellishment. I'm delighted to let you know that you can now download digitized versions of several of my patterns free from Thredworks - check them out at http://thredworks.com/blakwrk.htm and http://thredworks.com/bw2001.htm. [Links updated.]

Contents

   Patterns

   Costume

   The Gallery

   Reference

Terms of Use

Using These Patterns: These patterns may be downloaded and printed for personal or educational use. Please credit this source on any copies you distribute.

You may use these patterns to embroider clothing, costumes, and accessories, and you are free to sell the items you make. You may not sell the patterns themselves in hardcopy or in digitized form, and you may not reprint or repost the patterns in any form without my express permission. When in doubt, please email pkm@pobox.com.

Downloading and Printing Patterns

To print a pattern, click the pattern image to open it on its own page and use your browser's "Print" button or menu.

To download a pattern and save it on your hard disk, right-click [PC] or Option-click [Mac] the pattern, and choose "Save as ..." or "Save image as..." from the pop-up menu.

All patterns, text, and illustrations are copyright 1985-2005 Paula Katherine Marmor.
Paula's Home Page | Legends
Renaissance: The Elizabethan World

pkm@pobox.com
Created 28 March 1996
Last Updated 15 May 2005