CHARACTERISTICS
•  OPEN SPACES or EYELETS - varied sizes and shapes.
•  EYELETS      - oversewn with buttonhole stitch and overcasting.
•  BEADING       - a very narrow ladder made using a stiletto for the holes.
•  CUTWORK     - ladder work, rectangular or crescent shape.                           .
•  DESIGNS          - simple, floral motifs and scrolls.
•  EDGES             - wavy or scalloped in buttonhole stitch.
•  STITCHES        - running, overcasting stitch, buttonhole, padded satin stitch.

 

HISTORY
It origins are uncertain. According to Weldon   Broderie Anglaise originated from Czecho-Slovakian peasant embroidery and was brought to England in the 9 th century. Mary Thomas says it is also known as Ayrshire, English, Eyelet, Madeira or Swiss work, also notes the work from Czechoslovakia , though does not offer broderie Anglaise origins. Pamela Clappburn states it is “a type of cutwork embroidery which evolved in Britain about 1850 from the earlier Ayrshire embroidery”. Certainly it became very popular at this time.

Fabrics used had a firm fine texture – cambric, muslin, cotton, lawn, fine linen, good crepe de chine.

The work consists of open worked spaces, varying in size and shape. The design is traced onto closely woven fabric. Running stitch is first worked around the traced outline of round or oval holes ( eyelets), then the shape is pierced (with a stiletto, a sharp-pointed tool) or cut from the centre. Each hole is made as work progresses. T he edges are then stitched with overcast stitch or buttonhole stitch. 

In time, the holes became bigger, which meant they had to be cut out. This was done by snipping with sharp pointed scissors, from side to side and top to bottom of the shape without cutting the outline thread. The fabric flaps were turned under, then the hole over-sewn. Eyelets with less than ¼ inch diameter used a stiletto, larger than ¼ inch, are cut.

‘Beading' was a fine ladder effect, made by withdrawing a thread and making tiny eyelets along the line.

Classical period, late 18 th early 19 th centuries. At this time no surface embroidery was used. Work consisted entirely of little round or oval eyelets, even stalks of the flowers and veins of leaves were stitched in diminishing eyelets.

In the 20 th century, the holes became larger and ‘laddering'   – rectangular or crescent shaped – developed which consisted of overcast bars with the background material cut away. The stems of the flowers were surface stitched – which was much less work – petals in padded satin stitch, padded dots, and trailings were used, and needle-lace fillings in the larger holes, creating lighter designs, like Swiss work.

Later lengths of fabric with the holes cut became available. However when stitching, the work became loose and standards declined. In the late 19th century, multiple machines could reproduce eyeleting and raised satin stitches remarkably well and with minute exactness.

The embroidery was time-consuming, worked by women in their homes as poorly paid out-workers. Used for Victorian underwear, nightwear, baby clothes and fine household linen, handkerchiefs.

In Czechoslovakia, the eyelets are worked in several different colours on the sleeves of national costumes.

REFERENCES:
Weldon's Encyclopedia of Needlework, The Waverly Book Co, London
A-Z of Whitework Book 1 Surface Embroidery, Inspirations Books, Ed. Sue Gardner
Mary Thomas's   “Embroidery Book”, Hodder & Stoughton, London 1952.
Batsford “Encyclopedia of Embroidery Techniques”, Batsford, London , 1984.