Art embroidery resources

The “Tapestry” is actually an embroidery: nearly 70 metres of wool on linen, stitched in the 11th century. The most famous embroidery in the world, and a lesson in narrative stamina.

The largest embroidery collection in the world, including the masterpieces of Opus Anglicanum. The mandatory pilgrimage for anyone who loves gold thread.

The museum of the Middle Ages: medieval embroideries, orphreys, and The Lady and the Unicorn hangings. Where you understand where the craft comes from.

Fashion and textile within the Louvre complex: embroidered haute couture pieces, and regular exhibitions where contemporary embroidery meets its own history.

Roubaix’s museum of art and industry, housed in an Art Deco swimming pool: a major textile collection in France’s old mill country.

Lace, the direct cousin of Lunéville embroidery, born on the same tulle. Working looms and fashion collections.

A vast textile department, and above all high-resolution digitized collections: the best free magnifying glass over European and Asian embroidery.

The school of haute couture embroidery: Lunéville crochet, gold thread and beadwork, taught in the demanding progression of the ateliers. It is where I trained.

The British institution, keeper of silk shading and goldwork. Courses on site and online, from beginner to degree level.

The last French atelier for military and official goldwork, which also teaches through workshops. Gold thread alive, not behind glass.

At the château of Lunéville: the archives of the point de Lunéville, demonstrations and workshops, in the town that gave the hook its name.

Chanel’s Métiers d’art building, home to the great ateliers. Its gallery holds regular public exhibitions: runway embroidery at eye level.

The century-old haute couture embroidery atelier, heir to the Michonet archives. The reference the whole craft measures itself against.

The Royal School of Needlework’s stitch encyclopedia: hundreds of documented stitches, free, with videos. The craft’s dictionary.

Twenty years of Mary Corbet’s articles on hand embroidery: the independent English-language reference, encyclopedic and honest.

Interviews and portfolios of contemporary textile artists worldwide: the pulse of embroidery as art.