Textiles

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Since its opening in 1845, The Glasgow School of Art has been connected to textile design and production.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries the School aimed to train local designers to produce patterns for the textile industry in Glasgow and the West of Scotland. In the 1890s, the School's embroidery department was established and soon became famous for the Glasgow Style pieces its staff and students produced (examples of such work are housed in the School's collections).

Jessie Newbery (1864-1948), the first head of this department, encouraged her students to study historical designs and textiles in order to understand different embroidery techniques and to use these items as a source of inspiration for the development of new original work. This teaching ethos continued to be used in the 20th century during which time the School also developed courses in textile printing, weave and knit.

A large number of the items in the School's collection are related to The Needlework Development Scheme (1934-1962). This scheme, sponsored by J & P Coats of Paisley, collected examples of embroidery from a variety of geographical and historical areas and made them available for use by educational institutions and embroidery groups. The scheme aimed to encouraging greater interest in needlework, and to improve the standard of embroidery techniques and designs. When the scheme ended, its collections were disseminated to a variety of organisations. The Glasgow School of Art received 125 items dating from 1652-1961 and originating from Britain, Europe and Asia.

Amongst other items of note in the School's collections are weave sample books from Donald Brothers Ltd, Dundee and examples of work by Kath Whyte (1909-1996), GSA's former Head of Embroidery, and her students.

Related publications:

Liz Arthur, Textile Treasures at the Glasgow School of Art;

Liz Arthur, The Unbroken Thread: A Century of Embroidery at Glasgow School of Art;

Thomasina Beck, Glasgow Girls: Women in Art and Design 1880-1920;

Kathleen Whyte, Design in Embroidery;

R.Oddy. Embroideries from Needlework development scheme;

J. Taylor, The Glasgow School of Embroidery in 'The Studio';

Needlework development scheme, Contemporary Embroideries;

Margaret Swanson, Needlecraft in School;

Margaret Swanson; Needle craft for Older Girls;

Margaret Swanson, Needle craft and Psychology;

Margaret Swanson and Ann Macbeth, Educational Needle craft.

Code

S2

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Textiles

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Textiles

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Textiles

2499 Archival description results for Textiles

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c1970s-1980s

Large plain weave sample woven with fine cotton threads in dark blue, light blue, silver blue, coral, and dark green, and finer multi-coloured threads. With a pattern of vertical stripes and bands, some of them with a puckered effect.

*Not available / given

'Canvas Work' fold-out booklet

Yellow folder labelled Canvas Work containing a handwritten explanation of the technique and the materials and a sample with nine shapes (squares and rectangles) in red and yellow wool showing a variety of stitches.

Mackie, Mary

'Canvas Work' fold-out booklet

Small blue card folder with the handwritten label 'Canvas Work'. It contains a handwritten explanation of the technique and materials, the pattern design for nine squares with different styles and stitches in pen and ink on graph paper, and the worked textile in blue, green, red and black on white canvas.

Mackie, Mary

Carpet for The Hill House

Commissioned by Walter Blackie, the carpet was designed for the entrance hall at The Hill House in Helensburgh.

This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014, only a small damaged fragment remains.

In 1986 a reproduction of the original Hill House carpet was sponsored by Arthur Anderson and Company and woven by BMK of Kilmarnock for use within the GSA's Mackintosh Room. The reproduction carpet was accurately colour-matched with the original, but woven to a slightly larger scale. A small colour swatch used as the basis for the full-scale reproduction is held by the School's Archives and Collections.

Mackintosh, Charles Rennie

Charity Presentation Press Release

2-page press release detailing the upcoming Royal Gala Fashion Show. Information included dates the press release to the 22nd October, from the Savoy Hotel, London.

Pringle of Scotland Ltd

Child's Dress

Yugoslavian. Sleeveless dress with side seams and hem decorated with red, blue and black embroidery. Tasselled braid belt. From Bosnia. This item was damaged in the fire in GSA's Mackintosh Building on 23rd May 2014. Textile conservation was completed in 2019.

*Not available / given

Circus Horse

Framed embroidered horse includes a gold speckled frame with a black felt like background. A grey horse is stitched on to the black background with a flower on its back; numerous and colourful decorative embroidered stitches surrounding the horse. Includes a few beads and sequins in the design. Allander Framing framed the textile art.

Matthew, Veronica

Collar

Bobbin lace collar, cream cotton lace with floral net backing. 4 bones attached with fine looped netting stitches at shorter edge. Row of hooks on one side. Possibly has been previously attached to a garment.

*Not available / given

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