{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1790779"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1790779/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PG9446/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PG9446/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PG9446","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PG9447","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1790779/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1790779","accessionNumber":"T.134-2024","objectType":"Coifs","titles":[{"title":"'an unstitched coif . . . '","type":"series title"}],"summaryDescription":"This coif was embroidered by Louise Goult 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 embroi-dery. 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 de-sign, 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 de-signs 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\nLouise Goult received one of Toni’s templates printed on linen and here is her story: \r\n\r\n\"Embroidering the unstitched coif has been an absolute joy from beginning to end. As a textile artist with a huge interest in historical textiles it was a perfect project for me!\r\n\r\nI spent some time researching the coif itself, looking at the archive listing and the information available about both this coif and coifs in general. I combined this with research from previous projects and chose to create a blackwork embroidered coif in the style of the late Tudor period, which is when the unstitched coif was designed. I chose to use those stitches and threads that were popular during this time. This meant black outlines for the embroidery using stem stitch and back stitch.  Areas of the coif were filled in with a speckling stitch. Working the speckling stitch really brought the coif to life. The outer edge of the coif was completed with a double backstitch. All embroidery was worked in silk thread.\r\n\r\nFor me, selecting to use historical Tudor blackwork embroidery made me feel more connected to the project. It made me consider what life would have been like for those who were embroiderers during this time and how they would have made a living, with the tiny stitches taking so long.\r\n\r\nResearching coifs and seeing the embroidery that was created so very long ago was fascinating and led me to consider if my coif would still be as good in hundred's of years time! I also reflected on how the Tudors thought that clothing and embroidery was so precious that it was looked after and even left to people in wills. This is in stark contrast to the throw away culture that we see so often nowadays.\r\n\r\nEmbroidering the coif and being part of group all working towards the same end point was an amazing thing to be part of. Making connections with other embroiderers working on the same design was extremely valuable. Sharing our progress and offering advice where needed was a supportive and hugely positive experience. I really enjoyed hearing about people's initial ideas and then seeing their coif in progress and finally the completed embroidery. The group made it possible to meet embroiderers from other parts of the UK and other countries who I wouldn't have met otherwise.”\r\nLouise Goult","physicalDescription":"Coif of linen, hand-embroidered with black silk thread, in back, stem and speckling stitches, for 'an unstitched coif . . . ' project.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Goult, Louise","id":"AUTH405341"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"linen (material)","id":"AAT14069"},{"text":"silk thread","id":"x30127"}],"techniques":[{"text":"hand embroidery","id":"x30339"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Linen, silk; hand-embroidered","categories":[{"text":"Embroidery","id":"THES48960"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2025PG9446","2025PG9447"],"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 Louise Goult","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"46.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approx","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"26.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approx","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Louise Goult 27-10-23' embroidered in black thread inside the lower left edge of the coif","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 black silk thread, Louise Goult, 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.134-2024"],"accessionNumberNum":"134","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":2024,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-04","recordCreationDate":"2024-11-14","availableToBook":true}}