Pierrot Embroidery

Pierrot embroidery was a novelty form of embroidery developed in the USA in c. 1915. It remained fashionable for only a short period.

It consisted of alternating blocks of black or a dark coloured printed design, with small floral groups worked in "bright, light, fresh colours." The technique was designed to be used around the edges of a garment. There is an advertisement by the Ianco Needlecraft company in The Wanamaker Diary (1916, p. 443) that says that this company was the originator of ‘Pierrot’ embroidery.

The embroidery was for sale at the Ideal Art Needlework Co., Union Square, New York, USA. The name Pierrot derives from a late seventeenth century figure from Italian and later French pantomime and Commedia dell’Arte. Pierrot is normally represented wearing white garments with touches of black.

See also Gretchen embroidery

Source: Notions and Fancy Goods (1916), vol. 50, p. 34.

The advertisement mentioning Pierrot embroidery in The Wanamaker Diary can be consulted here.

GVE

Last modified on Tuesday, 24 January 2017 17:03