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Cross stitch - A detailed history

A History of Cross Stitch

The Romans described embroidery as "painting with the needle". It was the Babylonians, however, who gave the technique its name. One of the oldest crafts, embroidery has been around for over 2,000 years.
During the late part of the nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century a great number of expeditions unearthed ancient tombs and burial grounds in Egypt and along the old trade routes. The excavations revealed many fragments of embroidered fabrics, although most disintegrated when they came into contact with the air.

There is very little embroidery in existence from before the twelfth century, although murals, sculpture, jewellery and later, illuminated manuscripts, inventories and paintings provide evidence of cross stitch and other embroidery having been produced.

Cross stitch evolved from the entirely practical double lacing of skins with thongs or gut, and developed over the years into a colourful and highly decorative craft. Almost every culture has employed cross stitch of one kind or another to decorate and embellish clothing and household items. Cross stitch and other forms of embroidery were used extensively in ceremonial decorations and regalia, and as such reflect the thoughts, ideas and religion of the people. Each country or area developed its own distinctive style of colour and pattern and had specific uses for cross-stitched fabric.

IN THE EAST

The nomadic tribes of India and Pakistan make exquisite multicoloured bags and ornate hangings to hold and transport their belongings.These items are beautifully and ingeniously made with many hidden pockets. In Western Pakistan and Thailand cross stitch is used to decorate the yokes of garments and is traditionally stitched on black fabric using deep red and pink threads.

Chinese embroidery has always been highly prized, but there is insufficient evidence to show whether cross stitch embroidery actually originated in China or whether it was introduced from Persia, Greece and Egypt via the old trade routes. The "Silk Road" did undoubtedly contribute to the spread of cross stitch throughout the European continent.

Many geographically disparate countries share similar traditional designs such as the "key" or "fret" patterns. As a result it is difficult to determine the exact origin of many traditional motifs, but it is fascinating to see the different interpretation of various themes in the indigenous folk-art embroidery of countries as far apart as Spain and China.

IN WESTERN EUROPE

Since the Middle Ages embroidery has been an important part of the decoration in churches and the homes of the nobility. From the twelfth until the fourteenth century
English ecclesiastical embroidery was renowned throughout Europe. Much early embroidery was done by guilds of craftworkers or in convents and monasteries, but it was not until the beginning of the sixteenth century that counted thread embroidery became popular.

CANVAS WORK

With rising prosperity, there was a great demand for embellished clothes and furnishings as outward symbols of newly acquired wealth. Much was still done professionally, but as it now had a practical purpose, people from all walks of life tried their hands at embroidery, and many large European country houses had rooms filled with embroidered furnishings.
Chair seats, bed quilts, curtains, wall-hangings and even carpets were designed to imitate tapestries. These were stitched on canvas or linen in half cross stitch. Needlework pictures also became popular and embroidered book covers protected by linen bags stitched in canvas work were fashionable.

SAMPLERS

Early samplers were essentially a portable record of patterns and stitches worked on long strips of linen by amateur and professional stitchers. The samplers were kept rolled up in a sewing box and contained the types of stitches and patterns characteristic of the current costume and textiles. Later band samplers began to include alphabets and numbers and may have been used as a teaching aid for young children.
The shape of the sampler gradually became more square and the inclusion of a border pattern suggests that they were intended for display.

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries young girls would have stitched at least one sampler during the course of their education. Samplers worked in charity schools and orphanages were typically stitched completely in red thread and were produced to help the girls to acquire the skills which would enable them to become a lady's maid. Samplers from this period generally contained text and pictures which were of a religious or moral nature. Biblical passages and psalms or hymns were popular, as were representations of Adam and Eve or the Tree of Life.

Over the years the number of stitches used gradually dwindled until by the end of the eighteenth century cross stitch was the predominant stitch. Birds, trees, butterflies and animals became more popular subjects, and alphabets and numbers began to appear.

THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

The Industrial Revolution of the eighteenth century changed the lifestyles of many people in Britain.
To begin with, as people moved from the countryside into the towns to work in the new textile mills, there were great hardships. Eventually, as their living standards improved, women from the new middle classes were able to employ domestic help, leaving them with time to pursue crafts which had previously been the privilege of the rich. Crude fancy work and simple embroidery were used to make furnishings such as chair covers, fire screens, footstools and elaborate curtain pelmets, as well as personal items such as prayer book covers, watch pockets and cigar cases.

BERLIN WOOLWORK

Berlin woolwork became fashionable in the early part of the nineteenth century. Introduced from Germany, this cross stitch embroidery on canvas followed a printed pattern and was produced in great abundance by Victorian women.
Berlin woolwork did nothing to raise the standard of nineteenth-century embroidery; it did, however, revive the original purpose of the sampler. Typical wool patterns were recorded on scraps of linen or collected together as blocks or motifs grouped on a panel and worked within a decorative border.

ARTS AND CRAFTS MOVEMENT

Following the Great Exhibition of 1851, taste in needlework began to change. Berlin woolwork was now seen as gaudy, unimaginative and tedious and groups began to form with the aim of raising the standard of embroidery design and workmanship. Architects and designers such as G. F. Bradley and William Morris were commissioned to design embroideries to be worked by groups such as the Ladies' Ecclesiastical Embroidery Society and the Royal School of Art Needlework.

The Royal School of Needlework, as it is now known, was founded in 1872 to provide training for young gentlewomen in needlework skills, and to raise the standard of needlecraft design. It soon became quite well known, encouraging the formation of-groups in other major cities in Britain. One of the most influential was the Glasgow School, whose work was much inspired by the Scottish Arts and Crafts designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. At the Centennial Exposition in 1876, exhibits from the Royal School of Needlework inspired two influential American designers to set up the Society for Decorative Arts in New York. The founders helped to revitalize and improve the standards in a wide range of crafts throughout the United States of America.

CROSS STITCH KITS

Crochet, knitting and embroidery remained favourite pastimes for women during the 1920s and 30s. Cross stitch kits became popular and transfers were often given away free with magazines.
Fashion changed radically after the embroidered household furnishings were replaced by a minimalistic Scandinavian style. Geometric cross stitch designs and Hardanger work became popular.

EMBROIDERERS' GUIILD

Embroidery today owes much of its quality and innovation to the Embroiderers' Guild which was formed in 1920. The group's first president, Louisa Pesel, encouraged members to research historical and ethnic sources in museums. As foreign travel became easier, group members travelled extensively to Asia and Europe, where they were inspired by folk-art embroidery which featured simple traditional stitches such as cross stitch, chain stitch and holbein stitch. During the 1960s art and design became fashionable again and ethnic embroidery was much in demand.

The teaching of needlework skills in schools has unfortunately continued to decline, yet, ironically, the majority of people have more leisure time than ever before. Cross stitch is an easy and rewarding pastime which has increased in popularity over the last twenty years and has the potential to continue to develop as new threads and fabrics become available.

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