CASALGUIDI

A background of four-sided pulled fabric stitches embroidered over with 3D elements.

CHARACTERISTICS
• A pulled fabric background – square stitches i.e four sided stitch.
• Padded and raised figures surrounded by
• Scrolls and free-standing petals
• Seams joined with insertion stitches
• Hand made cords threaded through decorated needle made loops on bags
• Often trimmed with bobbles and tassels

HISTORY
Casalguidi, a small town in Tuscany, northern Italy, not far from Florence gives its name to this type of embroidery, which emerged in the late 1800s and flourished until the beginning of WWI. C. Bishop says that Casalguidi resembles the 16th C Portuguese , Caldas da Rainha raised embroideries.

An embroidery of strong contrasts – raised work on a flat background of pulled fabric or drawn thread stitched on an evenweave linen. Stitches include raised stem stitch, detached buttonhole, bullion knots and whipped cords.

Pochettes, bags, purses, table covers and cushions produced in homes, convents and embroidery schools were sold throughout the country. Bags were embellished with baubles, tassels, twisted or crocheted cords, threaded through buttonhole loops.

Work of this kind was a prized souvenir of the Grand Tour in the 19th century. The Embroiderers’ Guild of Great Britain has a dozen or these attractive bags in their collection, showing perhaps that they were more admired than used.

References
Anchor Manual of Needlework, Batsford, London 1974
Bishop, C Article THREADS OF THE PAST – CASALGUIDI, Embroidery and Cross Stitch mag.
Mitrofanis, Effie, Casalguidi Style Linen Embroidery, Kangaroo Press, 1996
Wark, Edna, Drawn Fabric Embroidery, Batsford, London 1979