Opus Anglicanum

This weekend I'm flying to London to see the Opus Anglicanum exhibition at the V&A, attend a workshop "Opus Anglicanum: An Introduction to Silk and Gold Embroidery", taught by Sarah Homfray and attend a lecture with exhibition curator Glyn Davies, V&A course director Sally Dormer, and Jennifer Wearden entitled "Opus Anglicanum Unpicked". By the time the weekend is over, I will know a lot more about this stunning embroidery of the Medieval era.The exhibition catalogue, English Medieval Embroidery Opus Anglicanum (above), is available at the usual book sellers, as well as through the V&A's own shop online. In addition to detailed information about the pieces in the exhibition and wonderful photographs, there are chapters on The Making of Medieval Embroidery, Embroidered Textiles in the Service of the Church, Embroiderers and the Embroidery Trade, Opus Anglicanum and its Medieval Patrons, The Artistic Context of Opus Anglicanum, Ecclesiastical Embroidery In England from 1350 to the Reformation and England and Central Europe: Parallel Developments and Exchange. It's a book with a huge amount of information. I've begun to read it but certainly won't get through it all before the weekend!What I'm looking forward to the most is learning how to do underside couching with gold thread. I've never tried this particular technique and am excited to learn how it's done. I'll be sure to share what I learn with you when I return!If anyone is attending and would like to meet, let me know via email at kathy (at) theunbrokenthread.com. There is one "With Threaded Needle" Trevelyon's Cap course student coming from Ireland and we're making plans to meet so, the more the merrier!