Display – Brickstitch Bag by Richard Heyworth

Richard Heyworth, Barony of Carolingia

Wiki: https://wiki.eastkingdom.org/index.php?title=Richard_Heyworth

Front Panel of a Brickwork Bag

This bag is a much larger project using medieval German brickwork. The pattern and the fabric match a historical (15th century) example currently at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O144713/bag-unknown/ bottom left), though I’ve changed the colors and size to suit my needs, as well as having chosen to forgo the tassles.

Like the original, I am using 28-count linen for this project. Unlike the original, I’m using cotton DMC embroidery floss instead of the original’s silk thread – this was mostly about saving money on thread, along was the ease/accessibility of cotton DMC at a store I can walk to.

Brickwork is a style of embroidery in which all the stitches are parallel to each other, typically in lengths of 2, 4, or 6 strands of linen beneath. Each column is slightly offset from the columns to the left and right (in this case, by just 1 strand of linen), so as to create a “brick”-like effect.

What I have finished here is only the front of the bag (I want the ultimate project to be large enough to fit my cellphone in). To finish it, I will need to duplicate this work completely for the backside, which I will do the right, then fold it over and sew the ends together. I’ll add a band on the top as well as a double drawstring. This method (sew twice the width, fold, add a band and a double drawstring) will match the original 15th century version.

As you can see from this work, I enjoy the more geometric/counted forms of embroidery, but I’m excited to try anything. Once this project is done, I think I may try to do some Hardanger cutwork, followed by some pattern darning, but the sky’s the limit!

6 thoughts on “Display – Brickstitch Bag by Richard Heyworth

  1. I just adore this; the colors are looking amazing together and the tension looks wonderful. I cannot wait to see the completed piece!

  2. This looks so intricate and detail oriented. Thank you for sharing with us all. Keep it up! Looking forward to the finished product.

  3. Gorgeous! – I am always amazed by embroidery. This looks like it took a lot of time and effort, and you have a lot more left to do!

  4. Lovely work, not sure I have the patience for this stitch but I love seeing what you have done.

  5. Wonderful work – I’m excited to see the finished piece!! Thank you for putting your work out there and sharing this!

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