Irene MacWilliam - Stomachers

In Elizabethan times women wore gowns that were open at the front. In this space beautifully embroidered Stomachers were worn. The area that was on view was beautifully crafted but the tabs used for pinning them in place were sometimes very crudely finished.

Above is a selection of stomachers from the set which now numbers 28. I plan to make more of them. Each Stomacher is 14 inches high.

As I make them I have a character in mind, but I leave the viewer to imagine the personailty of the wearer. The images and stiching give clues.

The first 15 that I made were shown in a mixed media exhibition. A subset of those made from recycled materials has also been shown. I plan to make more of them. They have never been shown as a complete collection. Any offers?

I would be very happy to lend them for showing. If interested please email.