DOI Heft:
No. 4 (July, 1893)
DOI Artikel:Parkes, Kineton: The Leek Embroidery Society, with illustrations of its work
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17188#0156
The Leek Embroidery Society
of embroidery. A variety of applique work is also Lichfield has commissioned one; one is in hand for
used, but in this class also the ground upon which the new cathedral at the Cape, and one for Har-
the pieces are marked in the first place, is a borne parish church at Birmingham, where David
printed one. Cox lies buried. The illustrations which are given
The chief claim of Leek embroidery lies in its herewith are of cloths for churches in Leek and
colouring, which is almost always of great beauty, Cheddleton. The one in use at the parish church
HISS
PURPLE ALTAR-CLOTH OF ST. EDWARD S CHURCH. LEEK
and in the beauty of its designs. This colouring of St. Edward, is a purple cloth measuring eight
is due to the efforts of Mr. Wardle, who has de- and a half feet in length, the groundwork being of
voted a lifetime to the successful production of silk plush worked all over; on this are inserted
exquisite dyes. All the materials used are dyed panels of embroidery upon printed Tussur silk,
by him, and while many eminent designers are It cost ^"45, the workmanship alone represent-
pressed into the service of the society, other speci- ing ^30. This cloth is of a purely decorative
mens of its work owe their beauty of arrangement character, without the usual ecclesiastical em-
to the artistic knowledge and skill of Mrs. Wardle. blems. In this respect some Leek altar-cloths
The ecclesiastical work is the more important, stand alone, the design of many early examples
GREEN ALTAR-CLOTH OF ALL SAINTS', LEEK. DESIGNED BY R. NORMAN SHAW
because the value of decorative embroidery in
houses is not yet recognised at its full worth.
For altar-cloths, commissions have been received
from many churches in different parts of the
country. In Leek and its vicinity there are a large
number ; Chester Cathedral possesses one example,
138
being purely emblematic, often at the expense of
their decorative effect. The society has, however,
executed a number of others which are wholly
emblematic, but even these are primarily decorative,
what emblematic feeling there is being of the
less recondite kind, which lends itself readily to
of embroidery. A variety of applique work is also Lichfield has commissioned one; one is in hand for
used, but in this class also the ground upon which the new cathedral at the Cape, and one for Har-
the pieces are marked in the first place, is a borne parish church at Birmingham, where David
printed one. Cox lies buried. The illustrations which are given
The chief claim of Leek embroidery lies in its herewith are of cloths for churches in Leek and
colouring, which is almost always of great beauty, Cheddleton. The one in use at the parish church
HISS
PURPLE ALTAR-CLOTH OF ST. EDWARD S CHURCH. LEEK
and in the beauty of its designs. This colouring of St. Edward, is a purple cloth measuring eight
is due to the efforts of Mr. Wardle, who has de- and a half feet in length, the groundwork being of
voted a lifetime to the successful production of silk plush worked all over; on this are inserted
exquisite dyes. All the materials used are dyed panels of embroidery upon printed Tussur silk,
by him, and while many eminent designers are It cost ^"45, the workmanship alone represent-
pressed into the service of the society, other speci- ing ^30. This cloth is of a purely decorative
mens of its work owe their beauty of arrangement character, without the usual ecclesiastical em-
to the artistic knowledge and skill of Mrs. Wardle. blems. In this respect some Leek altar-cloths
The ecclesiastical work is the more important, stand alone, the design of many early examples
GREEN ALTAR-CLOTH OF ALL SAINTS', LEEK. DESIGNED BY R. NORMAN SHAW
because the value of decorative embroidery in
houses is not yet recognised at its full worth.
For altar-cloths, commissions have been received
from many churches in different parts of the
country. In Leek and its vicinity there are a large
number ; Chester Cathedral possesses one example,
138
being purely emblematic, often at the expense of
their decorative effect. The society has, however,
executed a number of others which are wholly
emblematic, but even these are primarily decorative,
what emblematic feeling there is being of the
less recondite kind, which lends itself readily to