Susan Johnson

Victorian Charted Tapestry Patterns Susan Johnson

The lure of the exotic, far-off East was a source of inspiration for everything from fashion to furnishings during the Victorian era. These 24 richly colored charts are a perfect example of "Oriental" design adapted to Western tastes. This collection is reproduced from German textile designer Friedrich Fischbach's work titled "Orientalische Bunt-Stickerei-Vorlagen" (Colorful Oriental Embroidery Patterns) published around 1870. The patterns were printed in full color on cards and gathered into portfolios. Geometric repeating patterns, stylized floral motifs and borders charted on graph paper are a universal language which can be translated into needlepoint, counted cross stitch and beadwork, with each square on the pattern representing a single stitch. For inspiration I've included photos of an example of Victorian needlepoint worked from similar charts along with a page of plain graph paper to aid you in adapting these designs to your own creations.