Panel
Object name
Date made
Circa 1880
Place made
Description
Circa 1880 crewel panel on linen twill, depicting a variety of leaves, flowers, stems, fruit, acorns, and a squirrel and bird, all stitched in crewel wool and framed in walnut.
Content description
A circa 1880 crewelwork panel stitched in crewel wool threads on a linen twill background and framed in walnut. The piece includes a variety of leaves worked in long and short stitch, satin stitch, French knots, rows of couching, chain stitch, satin stitch, outline stitch, trellis stitch, seeding stitch, and straight stitches. On the lower half of the piece the background is filled in with rows of outline and trellis stitch, and on the top half of the piece the background has been left open. Towards the top there is a squirrel stitched in long and short stitch which is outlined with outline stitch and a bird stitched in long and short stitch for the main body, fishbone stitch for the tips of the wings, and outlined in outline stitch. There are some strawberries towards the top left stitched in satin stitch with French knots on top for the seeds. There are three large stems stitched with brick stitch and a mixture of block shading and long and short stitch.
The panel's colour scheme is relatively limited, with primarily browns, greens, blues, and yellows. Given the item's condition and shape, it is likely that it was once part of a firescreen or folding screen. Crewelwork embroidery experienced a revival in the late 19th century and first decades of the 20th century, when it became a popular way to embellish home furnishings. This is a relatively early example from this revival movement.
The panel's colour scheme is relatively limited, with primarily browns, greens, blues, and yellows. Given the item's condition and shape, it is likely that it was once part of a firescreen or folding screen. Crewelwork embroidery experienced a revival in the late 19th century and first decades of the 20th century, when it became a popular way to embellish home furnishings. This is a relatively early example from this revival movement.
Dimensions
width: 56cm
length: 126cm
length: 126cm
Materials
Stitches
Brick stitch 
Block shading
Outline stitch
French knot
Bullion knot
Satin stitch
Cross bar filling trellis
Couching
Stem stitch
Chain stitch
Long and short stitch
Fishbone stitch
Block shading
Outline stitch
French knot
Bullion knot
Satin stitch
Cross bar filling trellis
Couching
Stem stitch
Chain stitch
Long and short stitch
Fishbone stitch
Techniques
Motifs
Credit line
Donated to the RSN from Lloyds Bank in Brighton, on behalf of Mrs Cultrush, deceased, 1985.
Catalogue number
RSN.351
© Royal School of Needlework