On Demand: THREAD TALKS: Alexandra Makin: Intro to Medieval Embroidery
An introduction to the exciting world of early medieval embroidery in the British Isles 450-1100CE
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Online
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About this event
In this talk Dr Alexandra Makin will introduce the exciting world of early medieval embroidery. We will learn about the fibres used to make the thread and where they came from and the stitches used to create motifs, why they were used, and their deeper, hidden meanings.
We will see the kinds of things embroideries were turned into and their place in early medieval society. Finally, we will briefly meet the people who made them and how their skills and ways of working evolved during this 6 century era we now call the early medieval period.
Please note that this ticket is for the recording of the event that took place in June 2024.
The recording is not downloadable and will be available for viewing for at least one month after registration.
A detail showing women weaving. Utrecht Psalter (c. 830 CE); copyright, with permission from Utrecht University Library.
Dr Alexandra Makin is a professional embroider, trained on the Royal School of Needlework’s three-year apprenticeship, and a textile archaeologist (PhD), specialising in embroidery and textiles from early medieval Britain.
At present she is working on the AHC funded Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard where she was the Post-Doctoral Research Associate for textiles. Alexandra also pursues her independent academic research, experimental archaeology work, and is a consultant and textile analyst for archaeological units.
Her book, The Lost Art of the Anglo-Saxon World: The Sacred and Secular Power of Embroidery, was published in 2019 and her co-edited volume, Textiles of the Viking North Atlantic: Analysis, Interpretation, Re-creation, will be out soon. She has published book chapters and journal articles and spoken on radio and TV about many aspects of early medieval embroidery, including the Bayeux Tapestry.
Alexandra also owns and runs Early Medieval Embroidery where she designs and sells embroidery kits using ‘authentic’ early medieval materials and teaches embroidery workshops. Through the Early Medieval (mostly) Textiles blog and her YouTube channel, Early Medieval Embroidery, she keeps people up to date with her research.
Kempston is the Kemspton fragment (7th century); copyright, with thanks to the British Museum.
A reel gold thread found in a cess pit from Southampton (c. 8th to 9th centuries); image, Elaine Wakefield; copyright, Wessex Archaeology.
Find out more about the Embroiderers' Guild