Embroidery threads for satin/brick/gobelin stitch

Frequently used stitches in 14th century embroidery are:

• satin stitch/ brick stitch
• for "how to" pictures, see Wymarc's German embroidery tutorial
• examples in this portfolio: purse, pillow
  

• gobelin stitch
• example in this portfolio: purse
  

These stitches cover the entire surface smoothly. Modern silk threads suitable for these types of stitches are Devere Yarn 1200 dernier loose twist filament silk and Au ver soie spun silk. Devere Yarn is very glossy, Au ver a soie silk has got more texture. The patch of gobelin stitch on the left is made using Devere Yarn silk and the right with Au ver a soie:

14th century German pillow

14th century German pillow

• silk embroidery on linen
• embroidery: Au ver a soie spun silk
  
• brick stitch/ satin stitch
• 35 cm * 24 cm
  
• original in Kunstgewerbemuseum, Berlin and in Victoria and Albert Museum London
  
• charts are available by Joyce Miller and Wymarc
  

A picture and a description of the original can also be found in:
Schuette, M., Muller-Christensen, S. (1963), Das Stickereiwerk, Berlin: Tubingen

Ca 1320 Swiss purse

Front

Detail Front

Detail Front

Back

The figures on the back represent heraldic motives, similar to those in the Codex Manesse. For a "who is who" of the heraldic motives on this purse, see Schneider, J. (1975)

Purse:

• silk embroidery: gobelin stitch and split stitch
  
• Au ver a soie spun silk
• goldwork: gold thread couched with red silk
• Japanese gold K4. 0.5 mm
  
• 18 cm * 20 cm
  

Tassels:

• Devere Yarn 1200 dernier, filament silk, loose twist
  
• goldwork: gold thread couched with yellow silk
• Japanese gold K4. 0.5 mm
• 12 cm * 2 cm
  
• original in the Sweizerisches Landesmuseum, Zurich, beutel LM 1825a
  

A picture and a descritption of the original can be found in:
Schneider, J. (1975), Textilien. Katalog der Sammlung des Sweizerischen Landesmuseums Zurich: Zurich: Verlag Berichthaus

The Cloisters Museum, New York, owns a smiliar purse. A picture and a description of this purse can be found in:
Hoving, T., Husband, T., Hayward, J. (1975), The secular spirit: life and art at the end of the Middle Ages, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

See also this purse: Sweizerisches Landesmuseum, Zurich, beutel LM 1825b

14th century German purse

14th century German purse

• silk embroidery on linen
• embroidery: Au ver a soie spun silk
  
• brick stitch/ satin stitch
• purse: 8 cm * 8 cm
  
• silk tassels and silk fingerloop braided drawstring
• tassels and drawstring: Devere Yarn filament silk, loose twist, 1200 dernier
• tassels: 3 cm
  
• original in Victoria and Albert Museum, London
• chart by Wymarc