The Guild of St Clare learns Opus Anglicanum

Lucy writes: Over the weekend of Mothering Sunday, a two-day class in Opus Anglicanum took place at the Royal School of Needlework especially for the Guild of St Clare. These are the skills of the medieval English embroiderers whose skills were renowned throughout Europe, and whose vestments were the most valuable and prestigious of their day.

This was our most successful ever class at the Royal School of Needlework; it was fully booked several weeks beforehand, and the atmosphere was distinctly festive. Even the weather seemed to catch the mood and we had our picnic lunches on the grass outside the teaching apartments, at Hampton Court Palace.

Most of the class worked on a violet sampler, worked in split stitch, with the characteristic underside couching goldwork round it. Two of us who had previously attended a class in these techniques were attempting a face, of the sort often seen on medieval vestments. We are very keen see these skills restored to a place of honour in the Church's patrimony and this is the beginning of a very long term project to make vestments embroidered in this distinctive style.

Our tutor, Jessica Ingram, created and worked this violet sampler which the class also stitched

As the course took place over the weekend of Laetare Sunday, Fr Richard Biggerstaff, who is parish priest at St Barnabas, East Molesey, very kindly arranged to celebrate a special Mass for us early on Sunday morning. 

Fr Richard is a great friend of the Guild of St Clare, and was chaplain at our first ever Sewing Retreat. He celebrated Mass in a gorgeous Low Mass Set made of rose-coloured watered silk, and the Lady altar was covered with spring flowers. I heard afterwards how much Fr Richard has done to transform the St Barnabas, and it certainly looked most beautiful for Laetare Sunday.

Plans to develop our skills in this area, and to spread them beyond the participants of the class, are under consideration. We hope to share more news concerning them shortly.

Lucy's sampler: Our Lady at the Annunciation