The Embroiderers' Guild of Queensland was founded in 1968 to promote the art of embroidery and allied arts, keeping needlework skills alive.
Along with its embroidery classes, run in Brisbane and regional Queensland for both beginners and advanced crafters, the Guild has accumulated an extensive range of needlework pieces. The Guild Collection, as it is known, numbers more than 2500 items. It chronicles world best needlework techniques from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, China, England and the Balkans, as well as documenting Australian trends and practices.
Housed in a heritage-listed former Freemasons' Lodge on the bustling inner-Brisbane Brunswick Street, the Embroiderers' Guild of Queensland's collection of heirloom pieces has been recognized by the National Library of Australia as being of national significance and granted status as a teaching museum.
Honorary curator Margaret Young told Suite 101 the Embroiderers' Guild of Queensland stitchery collection was designed to inspire and educate textile and fashion students, historians and lovers of the gentle art of needlecraft.
Embroiderers' Guild of Queensland: How the Collection Began
Guild co-founder Joan Selnes told Suite 101 she was handed an aged piece of embroidery in the 1970s, and instructed that it 'should be kept'. It was: in a box under her bed, along with other examples of needlework until the collection was officially founded some ten years later.
Some needlework items were given to the Guild; others were found in boot sales and junk shops. Among the latter was a vivid blue Jacobean crewel work. World authority on crewel work, English needlework tutor Phillipa Turnbull, has authenticated the piece as having been worked in the late 1600s, probably in Central Europe. A spot sampler, worked in England in the late 17th century, authenticated by world authority Rebecca Quinton, is understood to be the only one of its type in Australia and one of few left in the world.
Embroidery Lessons in History
Curator Margaret Young said the Embroiderers' Guild of Queensland collection was established "to make a study collection available representing as widely as possible the types and styles of embroidery of all periods and from all part of the world".
In effect, samples of domestic embroidery have captured the history of women's changing place in society, particularly Australian pioneering life.
Historian Judith Mackay has described the collection as "one of Queensland's hidden treasures". Dr Mackay undertook an analysis of the collection to determine its significance to Australia's cultural heritage. In her report, she says: "The textile collection is the state's largest and most diverse collection of its kind, and probably one of Australia's most significant collections of embroidery. The collection is testimony to the enduring appeal of needlework."
Mrs Young said four very distinct sub-collections were held within Australia's newest textile museum:
- The Mabel McAlister collection records the work of the Guild's first president, providing a history of embroidery techniques and embroidery trends from the 1930s until her death in 1993. The collection includes Miss McAlister's scrapbooks, containing sources of inspiration and developmental design drawings.
- The Leinster collection consists of 150 fabric samples, mostly European, dating from the 18th century. Samples include rich brocades and hand-embroidered pieces rarely seen in Australia.
- The Janet Patterson collection comprises 34 underwear garments from the early 20th century including examples of insertions and laces.
- The Lesbia Dobson collection, the most recent addition, is made up of 50 embroideries from China, India, Uzbekistan and Bolivia.
While lacking in 19th century examples, the Embroiderers' Guild of Queensland collection of stitchery does capture the changing role of women over time, the evolution of domestic life and fashion, and technological change.
Some items are uniquely Queensland, for example Queensland school samplers worked by members of pioneering families and the once popular Fish Scale Embroidery, using the scales of local fish species.
Viewing the Collection
The Embroiderers' Guild of Queensland Collection is available for viewing by appointment. It is of particular interest to textile students, historians and keen needlecraft enthusiasts.
Items from the collection are exhibited during public showings of members' work. During 2010, this includes the Guild's major exhibition 'Everything Old Is New Again', running from 12 to 19 June .
The Embroiderers' Guild of Queensland is located at 149 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley in Brisbane.
Heather Grant - Heather Grant is a freelance journalist based in Brisbane, Australia. She's spent the best part of the last 20 years juggling writing ...
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