Other May Festival Events

Welcome Drinks Party

Join the whole Lady Anne’s team for an informal welcome 

Please join us to celebrate the start of our May online needlework festival with a glass of something fizzy (or warm depending on your preference!). We will take this opportunity to introduce our team and tutors, as well as talk about the theme of our event.

When

Sunday 1 May 2022

What time

6.30pm (UK time)

Price

Free

For Comlynesse Only: Decorative Embellishment and Sumptuary Legislation during the Reign of Elizabeth I

Tudor portraits and extant survivals provide much evidence of the Elizabethan taste for richly embellished garments and personal items. However, the silk materials, gold and silver thread, lace and embroidery which were often used for these designs all fell within the restrictions laid out by the various acts of apparel issued by Queen Elizabeth. In this talk, which draws on research carried out for the latest publication from The Tudor Tailor – The Typical Tudor, Ninya will share insights into the options for decorative detailing in clothes and accessories available to ordinary people in the late 16th century.

When

Tuesday 3 May 2022

What time

6.30pm (UK time)

Price

£12

The 1873 Special Exhibition – Such an exhibition of needlework as was never before seen’

In 1873, the South Kensington Museum (later renamed the V&A) hosted a Special Loan Exhibition of Decorative Art Needlework at the behest of Mrs Victoria Welby, founder of the Royal School of Needlework. The show included around 700 embroideries dating from the ninth to the eighteenth centuries secured from over 150 private collectors across Britain and northern Europe. In this special lecture, Lynn will talk about the historic garments and accessories that formed part of this extraordinary display.

When

Thursday 5 May 2022

What time

6.30pm (UK time)

Price

£12

The Embroidered Narrative – Hand Embroidery on Costumes for Film and TV

Michele Carragher is an Artist who has been working as a hand embroiderer in costume departments on Film and TV productions for over 25 years. She has worked on a variety of award winning costume productions such as HBO’s Elizabeth 1, which starred Dame Helen Mirren, the first series of Netflix’s The Crown and she was also part of the costume team behind HBO’s Game of Thrones.  

In this hour long lecture Michele will take you through her early years and follow the path which led her to work as a hand embroiderer on costumes for Film and TV, giving an insight into her design process, from concept to completion, talking through the details of various designs she has worked on during her career.

When

Saturday 7 May 2022

What time

6.30pm (UK time)

Price

£12

The Power and Meaning of Embroidery at the Court of Elizabeth I

At the Tudor royal court, textiles and embroidery were more highly esteemed than paintings and other forms of decorative art. Tapestries, embroideries, carpets and hangings were used to convey status and magnificence, but also to express personal loyalty or even courtly romance.

In this special lecture, Eleri Lynn will explore the special role that embroidery played within the house of Tudor, with particular focus on the court of Queen Elizabeth I, for whom the codified motifs and emblems of embroidered hangings and garments had significant – and sometimes secret – meaning. Even today, these extraordinary works provide a fascinating insight into Tudor society and the projection of wealth, taste, and ultimately, power.

When

Monday 9 May 2022

What time

6.30pm (UK time)

Price

£12

‘Going to the Ball’ – Fancy Dress Re-Cycling in the 19th Century

The Gascoigne family of Lotherton Hall, on the outskirts of Leeds, Yorkshire, kept up the tradition of holding Fancy Dress Balls as part of the world of high Edwardian living. Jacqui’s fascinating, illustrated talk reveals how, through careful conservation, three early 18th century Spittlefield Silk Sack Back Dresses were remodeled for a Lotherton Ball. Elements of the earlier dresses were intricately incorporated into the new costumes to create a flamboyant effect.

When

Wednesday 11 May 2022

What time

6.30pm (UK time)

Price

£12

The Costume Collection at Dunollie Castle

For 900 years Dunollie castle and house have been occupied by the Chiefs of the Clan MacDougall, but before that Dunollie was the home of the Kings of Dal Riada and the Iron Ages settlers.

In this talk Catherine Gillies, exhibitions and heritage advisor to Dunollie, talks us through the impressive embroidery collection and as well as the dramatic and turbulent history of this important Scottish castle.

When

Friday 13 May 2022

What time

6.30pm (UK time)

Price

£12

Closing Session

A final farewell and thank you!

Join us to close the event, thank our contributors and enjoy one last session together

When

Sunday 15 May 2022

What time

6.30pm (UK time)

Price

Free