{"id":79,"date":"2018-10-21T17:03:16","date_gmt":"2018-10-21T17:03:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/?p=79"},"modified":"2019-02-04T14:57:24","modified_gmt":"2019-02-04T14:57:24","slug":"partlett","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/index.php\/2018\/10\/21\/partlett\/","title":{"rendered":"Tudor Blackwork Partlet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This is a Tudor period style partlet, made of white linen with blackwork embroidery in silk thread. The tie strings at the neckline are linen fingerloop braids, done in a round of 8. This was made for a friend on the occasion of her elevation to the Order of the Laurel (a recognition in the organization www.SCA.org). This purpose guided some of the decisions, and impacted the amount of time available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Evidence for embroidered partlets in the Tudor era:<\/strong> Partlets were well known throughout the Tudor period, and beyond England to western Europe. In the reign of Henry VII from the Great Wardrobe accounts, we know that the late Countess of Suffolk received a partlet in December 1501 with her allotment of clothing as a servant of the Queen (Johnson, 2011, p. 23)<\/a>. 76 years later in 1577, Queen Elizabeth\u2019s agent wrote that the queen \u201cwould gladly have a suit of her own linen partlets\u201d (Arnold, 1988, p. 132)<\/a>. They became ubiquitous, \u201cPartlets and neckerchiefs were worn both over and under the bodies to fill in the neckline\u201d (Mikhaila & Malcolm-Davies, 2015, p. 30)<\/a>. We know from the art and from wardrobe accounts that they were either of white linen which was sometimes embroidered, or of black velvet. As for the embroidery, we have much art with blackwork embroidery on partlets (see attached images at the end). Gostelow tells us \u201cThese partlets were often delicately edged with blackwork embroidery, sometimes designed to match the stitching on cuffs and sleeves (Gostelow, 1998, p. 71)<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mary Tudor (painted posthumously c.1600) note the blackwork inside the collar of the partlet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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detail from Lady Burghley c.1565, wearing embroidered blackwork partlet, with pleated collar.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fabric:<\/strong> White linen was often used for partlets, as was black velvet. Linen was chosen for this project so the recipient could have year-round use of it, as black velvet might be difficult to wear in summer. Mikhaila & Malcolm-Davies discuss different types of linen used in the wardrobe accounts, and late Tudor period seems to have preferred thin see-through linen, known as \u2018lawn\u2019, however that weight of linen does not appear to have been embroidered, and the extant pieces of clothing items with blackwork embroidery are made of opaque linens (Mikhaila & Malcolm-Davies, 2015, p. 36-37)<\/a>. Johnson tells us that linen for clothing was plain woven, and that linen for show would be bleached white (Johnson, 2011, p. 15)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lining:<\/strong> Linings were used at least on early period partlets. Referring to the time prior to Elizabeth I\u2019s reign, Arnold states \u201cthe earlier partlet seems to have been a more solid arrangement as it was lined (Arnold, 1988, p. 133)<\/a>. The Tudor Tailor also discusses linings, explaining that it protects the decorated layer from wear and grime (Mikhaila & Malcolm-Davies, 2015, p. 43)<\/a> This partlet is lined with the same fabric as the exterior of the partlet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Embroidery:<\/strong> \u201c\u2026Embroidery was restricted to linen garments such as smocks, shirts, and partlets. Blackwork and whitework were the most common forms, the designs being simple geometric patterns, followed by arabesque, and naturalistic styles. Later blackwork was embellished by silver or gold thread\u201d (Mikhaila & Malcolm-Davies, 2015, p. 43-44)<\/a>. The partlet here is embroidered with blackwork figures of pears, hunting horns, tygers, and goldwork laurel wreaths, with green thread creating a larger laurel wreath around the base of the garment. The four figures mentioned above were placed on a divided field of diamond shapes. Mrs. A. H. Christie discusses the use of repeating elements, stating \u201cthe repeating element is perhaps a symbolic figure, a heraldic shield, or it may be some geometrical form that supplies the motif\u201d (Christie, 1915, p. 56)<\/a>. This author further tells us that the embroidery is more interesting if the repeating pattern contains some variety, and if the ground is divided in some way, giving the example of diagonal lines (Christie, 1915, p. 58)<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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women’s coif c.1600 embroidered with speckled blackwork<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 The style of blackwork\nneeded to be able to be done on a plain weave linen, rather than an even weave.\nAfter searching for examples of Tudor period blackwork, a women\u2019s coif circa\n1600 presented a beautiful example of speckled blackwork, where the design was\ncreated in outline using stem and\/or back stitch, and the figures are given\ndimension by using tiny speckling stitches to provide shadow. Gostelow\nexplains, \u201cSpeckling or \u2018seeding\u2019 can also be known as \u2018dot stitch\u2019. Tiny\nstraight stitches, worked either at any angle or in geometric formation,\nprovide a most effective filling\u201d (Gostelow,\n1998, p. 90)<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ties:<\/strong> The ties at the neck opening were made using fingerloop braids of white linen thread, using the pattern for a \u2018lace bend round of 8 bowes\u2019 in the Fingerloop Braid issue of the Compleat Anachronist (Swales & Kuhn Williams, 2000, p. 35)<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the pattern was determined, it was drawn out on paper at 1:1\nscale, and traced using a light box onto the uncut fabric. The embroidery was\ncompleted, and the partlet then cut out and assembled by hand with white linen\nthread. Seams were joined with a running stitch, then flat felled to keep from\nraveling. The lining was assembled in the same manner and joined to the outer\ndecorative layer. All threads were waxed using beeswax. \u201cBefore use, linen or\nsilk thread was passed through a lump of beeswax. This strengthened it and\nhelped prevent knots and fraying\u201d (Mikhaila\n& Malcolm-Davies, 2015, p. 42)<\/a>. The collar has a purchased lace applied\nas time would not permit making the lace for the edging. The collar was box\npleated, and attached between the exterior and lining layers. The ties were\nplaced as the collar was attached. The finished partlet was then ironed and was\nready to present to the recipient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

fabric with pattern on it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In progress.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Underside, which will be covered by lining,<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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speckled blackwork with goldwork being added in. Gold glass beads placed at intersection of diamond pattern.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lace applied to pleated collar, ready to assemble.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Finished view of front.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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That’s me, holding up for a photo, view of the back.

<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My thoughts on conclusion:<\/strong> From the time the decision was made to make a partlet until the date it was needed by, there were two months to complete the work. The embroidery took about 180-200 hours of work, with a little more time needed for the design, and the assembly. This had a large impact on how detailed the piece was able to be, as well as on the use of the light box to trace the pattern, being a purely modern method. I would love to try the prick and pounce method of transferring the design to the fabric, and will do so with a future project. I would also have liked to add more detail to the diagonal lines that separate the elements of the design, perhaps by making them as vines. And, lastly, I would have liked to use more extensive speckling as a technique to add shadow and depth to the elements of the design. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I like the appearance of the alternating pattern of goldwork and\nblackwork. The use of the gold glass beads, while used within the Tudor period,\nare much less noticeable than spangles might have been. I would try to obtain\nspangles for any similar project in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, I am pleased with the final product. I researched in\nadvance of starting the project, and while some choices were guided by both\nlimited time and the designated use of this partlet, the remainder of the\ndecisions were guided by studying blackwork embroidery and linen partlets in\nthe Tudor period. This allowed the partlet to bear resemblance to those found\nin the art of the era.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is a Tudor period style partlet, made of white linen with blackwork embroidery in silk thread. The tie strings at the neckline are linen fingerloop braids, done in a round of 8. This was made for a friend on the occasion of her elevation to the Order of the Laurel (a recognition in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":331,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[5,6,4],"class_list":["post-79","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-partlett","tag-blackwork","tag-goldwork","tag-partlett","has-thumbnail"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":336,"href":"https:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79\/revisions\/336"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wodehallesmusings.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}