Illustration: William Morris Artichoke embroidery design, 1877.
Artichoke was a design by William Morris that was specifically aimed at the embroidery kit market. It seems to us today that 'kits' are a fairly modern invention, but Morris was a keen producer of embroidery packs which could be produced by the consumer from scratch, or bought with some of the stitching already begun, so as to help the less adventurous or accomplished embroiderer.
Morris was always keen to raise the standard of both designer and maker. Even if the skills base was not always present within the general public at large, then at least the aspiration could be developed by producing design work of the highest calibre that Morris and his company could muster. It was not the skill that was important, but the aspiration. At least that was to be the idea in theory.
However, it must be remembered that Morris was in the habit of personally controlling the output of his company and embroidery kits were only sold to individuals who he had more or less personally vetted and knew their skills base. They would then be able to produce a piece of Morris & Co work that was of a high enough standard, in Morris's eyes, to reflect well on the company, and the decorative styles and standards that he and the company stood for.
However, it must be remembered that Morris was in the habit of personally controlling the output of his company and embroidery kits were only sold to individuals who he had more or less personally vetted and knew their skills base. They would then be able to produce a piece of Morris & Co work that was of a high enough standard, in Morris's eyes, to reflect well on the company, and the decorative styles and standards that he and the company stood for.
Embroidery skills in the 1870s and 1880s were much higher and more widespread than they are today, so the design did well and Morris seemed content to continue producing embroidery kits using a number of company designs.
Artichoke was first put into production in 1877, and it can still be bought today as an embroidery pack, although the high exacting standards can no longer be monitored and maintained by Morris or anyone else for that matter. We live in egalitarian times. What Morris would have made of it all, we can only imagine.
Illustration: William Morris Artichoke embroidery design (detail), 1877.
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