Blouse

In this blouse, four very different embroidery techniques have been combined in the small area across the width of one shoulder. A band of zigzagging lines stitched in white linen on a background of red silk runs along the ridge of the shoulder and extends around it. Either side of the shoulder ridge are panels in which only the background has been embroidered, leaving the pattern in reverse - the plain white cloth of the blouse forming small flowers. Below these panels are isolated motifs embroidered with thick silk thread. Around the top of the sleeve are tiny gathers, which are held in place by pink silk threads that are visible only when the gathers are gently teased apart. Thick red silk has been used to embroider a pointed design directly on top of the gathers, to ensure that they stay in place. The upward-pointing gathers and the downward-pointing embroidery also form an interesting pattern.