{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1790754"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1790754/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PG0084/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PG0084/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PG0084","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PG0077","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1790754/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1790754","accessionNumber":"T.109-2024","objectType":"Coifs","titles":[{"title":"'an unstitched coif . . . '","type":"series title"}],"summaryDescription":"This coif was embroidered by Holly Searle as part of a project called <i>an unstitched coif . . .</i>  in 2023. The project was created by Toni Buckby, a Collaborative Doctoral student at the V&amp;A Museum and Sheffield Hallam University, exploring many aspects of 16th and 17th-century blackwork embroidery. Toni devised <i>an unstitched coif . . </i>. to reconstruct the creative, mental, physical and social contexts of blackwork embroidery. She found an early 17th-century coif in the V&amp;A’s collection with its embroidery design drawn with pen and ink, T.844-1974. Toni made a digital version of the design, printed 40 copies of the design on linen and sent out a social-media invitation for volunteers to embroider them. The invitation went viral and hundreds responded.  After the initial forty designs had been distributed, Toni made the digital design available on her website <u>https://blackworkembroidery.org/unstitched-coif-design/</u>, inviting others to print it on material of their choice. Seventy-seven embroiderers submitted their coifs for display and inclusion in Toni’s PhD and have been acquired by the V&amp;A as the collection, <i>an unstitched coif . . .</i> \r\n\r\nHolly Searle received one of Toni’s templates on printed linen and here is her story: \r\n\r\n\"I signed up for <i>an unstitched coif . . .</i> project as soon as I became aware of its existence because I was intrigued and because l felt that it was something that I wanted to contribute to, as it took me back to my stitching roots.\r\n\r\nI’m ashamed to say that I’ve never heard of Blackwork embroidery before, although when I attended the first workshop with Toni, I realised what it was and that I did have some unconscious familiarity with it. \r\n\r\nOne of the overriding memories I will have of this project is of the supportive collaboration between all of the different contributors.\r\n\r\nThere were times where I did feel that I was achieving my best work during this project, but the support of the other contributors really pushed me on to finish  my work. I was really excited to see theirs and the incredible variation. \r\n\r\nWhen you join a project where you are given carte blanche, it’s actually incredibly difficult to decide what you are going to do. With this project, even though the pattern was already printed sometimes the choices you face as to how to proceed, can be confusing. I didn’t initially know how to start and where l was going to take it. \r\n\r\nI knew that I wanted to make something, bright and colourful, and initially my first efforts proved to be unsuccessful in achieving this. The thread l initially used was too heavy and nothing looked right.\r\n\r\nI spent many evenings unpicking work that I had already done on the piece and refocusing my efforts in a more cohesive way to achieve the end result.\r\n\r\nEarly on it became apparent that the thread that I was using, which was embroidery silks, was far too heavy for the fabric. I therefore decided to stick with Sylko cotton thread as that appeared to be the correct weight for the linen I was working on. In addition to this, I wanted to highlight some of the aspects of the coif and did this by using sequins and bead work.\r\n\r\nAs the work continued, I began to see the cohesion l wanted to achieve coming through throughout the pattern via the cohesive colour palette, I was working with. Finally, it all started to make sense.\r\n\r\nI mainly use a simple backstitch, as well as chainstitch throughout its construction and to illustrate some of the creatures that featured on the coif. \r\n\r\nI am extremely happy with the work that I did for the project and I’m so proud to have been able to take part and to contribute to it. But overridingly,  what I will take away from the project are the new friendships that I formed. There’s something quite magical about the way in which sewing can threads people together.\"\nHolly Searle\r\n","physicalDescription":"Coif of linen, hand-embroidered with cotton thread in a variety of colours, glass and metal beads and sequins, in outline,back, chain and speed stitches, for 'an unstitched coif . . . ' project.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Holly Searle","id":"AUTH405239"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"linen (material)","id":"AAT14069"},{"text":"cotton thread","id":"x34841"},{"text":"glass-beads","id":"x35177"},{"text":"sequins","id":"x30374"}],"techniques":[{"text":"hand embroidery","id":"x30339"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Linen, cotton, glass, metal; hand-embroidered","categories":[{"text":"Embroidery","id":"THES48960"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2025PG0084","2025PG0077"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"TOP","id":"THES385857"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Coifs","id":"AAT213433"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2023","earliest":"2023-01-01","latest":"2023-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Holly Searle","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"41.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approx","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"26.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approx","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'HOLLY SEARLE' embroidered in black thread in the bottom left corner.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Coif, linen hand-embroidered with cotton thread, glass and metal beads, sequins, Holly Searle, 2023, 'an unstitched coif . . . ' project.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["T.109-2024"],"accessionNumberNum":"109","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":2024,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-10-09","recordCreationDate":"2024-11-14","availableToBook":true}}