Attaching Spangles: The Movie

Tricia Nguyen demonstrates how traditional spangles are attached to embroidery in this video done for the Met.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfULhn92lIU

These methods work for attaching sequins as well as the traditional metal spangles used for historical embroidery.  You can buy traditional spangles from Tricia's shop, Thistle Threads, but be aware that the available stock varies as these are made by hand for Tricia's classes on historical embroidery.

https://thistle-threads.myshopify.com/products/gilt-spangles?_pos=3&_psq=spangles&_ss=e&_v=1.0&variant=41890206679223

https://thistle-threads.myshopify.com/products/die-stamped-gilt-spangles?_pos=2&_psq=spangles&_ss=e&_v=1.0

https://thistle-threads.myshopify.com/collections/accessories/products/bobbin-lace-spangles

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright December 17, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Handmade Brass Spangles

Tanya Bentham over at Opus Anglicanum's Etsy shop is currently offering handmade brass spangles, which might be the perfect embellishment for your current project.

https://www.opusanglicanumembroidery.com/product/handmade-brass-spangles/72?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=6

These are based on Medieval English embroidery embellishments but that doesn't mean they can't be perfect for 21st Century embroidery projects!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright July 16, 2021 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Spangles

You may not need spangles or even know what they are, but Berlin Embroidery has them back in stock. 
https://berlinembroidery.com/blog/2-mm-and-3-mm-gold-spangles-back-in-stock/

Tanja explains a bit about them here.  They are used a lot in reproduction embroidery and in goldwork and although they don't come in a wide range of sizes, shapes or colors like sequins do, they are more durable and very interesting as they age with the piece.
https://berlinembroidery.com/product/spangles-paillettes/

You can see spangles in use here.
https://berlinembroidery.com/metal-thread-info/#spangles

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright June 7, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

A History Lesson (or Two)

I've noticed a lot of articles on the WWW about historical embroidery recently, enough to gather together here for you to browse if how our spiritual stitching ancestors worked interests you. First of all, ever wonder how sequins are made? The folks stitching the reproduction 17th Century embroidered jacket have photos of the raw materials that make up the spangles they are going to attach to their piece.
http://thistle-threads.com.mytempweb.com/blog/index.php/2009/05/making-spangles/

And they say that the silk purl that is being reproduced for the project may be available commercially. Another thread-hurrah! I'm sure those who like reproduction embroidery are thrilled but I must say the variety of new threads available makes me drool, too. We really are lucky that the interest in hand embroidery is strong enough to make new threads available to us.
http://thistle-threads.com.mytempweb.com/blog/index.php/2009/04/silk-purl-another-ripple/

As you know, I live in an area where there is a lot of interest in samplers, either modern takes or historical reproductions. I am starting to understand that stitching samplers is a kind of time machine, taking the stitcher back in time to another era and way of thinking, stitching and living. You can see some of this appeal in an article by Needleprints, an English sampler design company, describing a visit to some of the areas where samplers have originated.
http://needleprint.blogspot.com/2009/05/in-1847-sarah-pugmire-finished-her.html

Do you love Japanese Embroidery? Have you always been puzzled by the flowering trees depicted in Asian embroidery? Which is a cherry tree? Which is a flowering plum? What do these images mean? Then you will want to read Coral-Seas' explanation on her blog. Look for21 April to read about Cherry Blossoms and 9 April to read about Plum Blossoms.
http://japanese-embroidery.blogspot.com/

To jump to still another era, this Dutch museum has a display of embroidered slippers from the late medieval period. It is an amazing browse, even if I can't read Dutch.
http://m-silkwork.blogspot.com/2009/04/embroidery-at-rijksmuseum.html

I hope you enjoy learning about our past as much as I do.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow