The Gallery for this issue looks at Couching.
Couching Example - Bayeaux Tapestry
Couching is a very old embroidery technique and is one of two employed in the Bayeux Tapestry. Also known as ‘Laid Work’ it is similar to applique, but instead of cloth being applied, threads and cords are sewn to the ground fabric using fine stitches in either the same or contrasting colour.
During the Middle Ages couching was used to decorate Church vestments using gold and silk threads.
The couching on the Bayeux Tapestry is ’surface’ couching, where the stitches holding the woollen threads in place are visible on the ‘right side’ of the work. Later, by the 14th century this variant was largely replace by ’underside’ couching where the stitches were not discernible.
In Japan the technique is known as shusu and is used to apply the gold-foil wrapped threads which are otherwise too thick to be stitched into the fabric.
