The term Opus Anglicanum refers to the ecclesiastical embroideries made in England between c. 1250 and c. 1350. The works created during this period are considered by art historians to be some of the finest European embroideries ever made. Most of these pieces utilize only two simple stitches, and yet they transform the medium of textile into brilliant canvases that opulently display the wealth and power of the medieval church for all to see. These masterpieces often required years of work from a team of artisans in order to complete a single item - each piece is truly a work for the ages, meant to transcend the boundaries of time and place.

In this project, I have attempted to create a “fragment” of embroidery using the techniques and materials from this period. I first discuss my design choice and how this was transferred onto the embroidery ground. I next detail the materials used, including an analysis of six different gold threads I experimented with in my search to find a material that would properly approximate period underside couching. Finally, I discuss the methods used in creating this piece, such as the challenge of achieving convincing shading using silk thread and various methods of creating background patterns in underside couching. I also detail the process by which I determined approximate measurements for stitch length when analyzing a period embroidery sample.