Opus Anglicanum

Opus Anglicanum, 'English work', was one of the high arts of the Middle Ages, treasured

and traded by princes and bishops across Europe. This practical guide explains how just two

seemingly simple stitches – split stitch and underside couching – can give extraordinarily

complex and sophisticated results that exploit the qualities of silk and gold thread. It introduces new

techniques through fourteen projects that progress in difficulty. The book advises on shading, adding detail

and authentic use of colour; gives in-depth instruction on stitching faces, hair and hands, as well as wings, animals and

landscaping and includes detailed reproductions of original pieces, as well as some with a contemporary twist.

The book concentrates on the heyday of Opus Anglicanum, from the twelfth century to the fourteenth,

when mastery of this art was at its height.