Best religious embroidery designs

THE ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD OT long after the Anglo-Saxons had established a permanent footing in this country, their evangelization began from lona by way of the north, and from Rome by the south-east. Under the human- ising influence of Christianity, and with the advantages of a more settled life, they became skilled in the arts, especially in metal-work, ivory carving, illumination, and needlework. The last two arts, in fact painting with the brush on parchment, and with the needle on woven fabrics seem in general to have flourished together. Anglo- Saxon ladies of all ranks, not excluding royal personages, spent much of their time at embroidery. Little or nothing remains of domestic needlework of this period, but it was in accordance with the spirit of the times that their best efforts should be devoted to the service of religion. It is therefore safe to judge of their skill in general from the surviving ecclesiastical works. of St. Augustine, Aldhelm, Bishop of Sher- borne (d. 709), the scholar and builder, speaks of the skill of Englishwomen in needlework. By this time embroidery must have been much practised in the convents. At the Council of Clovesho (Clifife-at-Hoo), in the year 747, nuns were admonished to occupy themselves in reading and in singing psalms rather than in weaving and embroidering robes. It is hardly likely that the aim was to discourage the art of needlework in the service of the Church. It may be that the skill which might have been employed with this object was too greatly diverted in the direction of personal adornment.