12 Hour Classes
INSTRUCTOR:
Annelle Ferguson, Fellow
COURSE:
Needlepoint
PROJECT:
17th Century English Casket
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Having completed a band or whitework sampler, schoolgirls in 17th Century England may have finished their educations by embroidering panels to be placed on small cabinets. Caskets were box-shaped cabinets with a flat or domed lid, and two doors in front that opened to a nest of drawers. These functioned as containers for valuables such as jewelry, scent bottles, writing equipment, needlework tools, or any other additional items treasured by the owner. The embroidered and elaborately decorated cabinets were placed on a table or dressing table in the maker’s bedchamber.
The completed panels, for all four sides and lid, were sent to a cabinetmaker for mounting, and then trimmed with braid or ribbon. The panels were cut to size and glued to the wooden frame. Some textile scholars believe that marked panels and materials for constructing cabinets were sold as kits in London and other urban centers. This would account for the uniformity of design found on a number of surviving caskets. The main themes of the embroidered designs were historical or biblical characters interacting with animals, birds, plants, and flowers in a landscaped setting. Each panel held a different scene.
Referring to pictures of these very unique 17th Century designs as inspiration, students will create patterns for the eighteen distinctive surfaces that will be covered with needlepoint. Class instruction will include the process used in setting up the project, selecting colors, choosing the appropriate motifs for each panel, and the application of the finished panels to the cabinet. The finished casket, created by Mark Murphy, will measure approximately 1" W x 5/8" D x 1" H.
TIME:
12 hours. All charts will be completed by week’s end, however, all needleworked panels will not. Students will be given all instructions and materials to finish the needlework at home.
POWER TOOLS:
none
SKILL LEVEL:
Intermediate and advanced. Students should be experienced with basic needlepoint and should feel comfortable needlepointing on #60 or smaller silk gauze.
MATERIALS FEE:
$125 (includes casket)
(this class is full)