South African Trees in Time
See the Murray and Roberts Tapestries.
Smith, G. (18th century)
G. Smith was the author of The Laboratory or School of Arts (1756), which includes references to the dyeing of fibres used, amongst others, for embroidery. G. Smith is sometimes referred to as Godfrey Smith, Geoffrey Smith or George Smith.
Slip
A slip is a medieval, and later, English term for a small decorated piece of fabric, sometimes in the form of a single flower or animal. The slip is worked on a separate cloth and then cut out and sewn down onto a larger item, such as a hanging. It is related to a gardening term for a small twig, spring or shoot that is grafted onto another plant.
Sleave Silk
Sleave silk (or sleeve silk) is a late sixteenth century English term for floss silk or unspun silk, which can be used for embroidery.
Silkwoman
Silkwoman is an English term for a woman who imported silk and metal threads, worked them into embroideries and/or braids, fringes and other types of passementerie. There is written evidence for the existence of 'silkwomen' in Paris (France) in the fourteenth century.
Shuttle
A shuttle is a boat-shaped device used to carry thread. With respect to decorative needlework, shuttles are used for netting and tatting. Shuttles for decorative needlework are made of a variety of materials, including bone, ivory, metal, plastic, tortoiseshell or wood. They are usually made of three elements: top, core and bottom (the top and bottom are normally identical) and are of varying sizes.
Shorncliffe Military Hospital Quilt
The Shorncliffe Military Hospital quilt is a commemorative quilt or autograph quilt, linked to the Shorncliffe Military Hospital (Folkestone, England). During the First World War (1914-1918) wounded soldiers, including Canadians, were treated here. In 1915, the Women’s Institute in Georgetown, Canada, decided to create something for ‘their’ soldiers in the hospital:
Shaded Threads or Cloth
Shaded threads or cloth are a type of material that is dyed, printed or woven in gradations of one colour, from light to dark. It is sometimes called ombré. The term ombré derives from the French word meaning ‘shaded’. It was popular in western Europe from the 1840's onwards.
Sequin
A sequin is a smooth and round disc with a hole in the middle. It can be made of glass, plastic or some comparable material, but not of metal. In the 1920's, sequins were made from painted glass, later they were made from coloured glass.
