99% of orders dispatched within 24hrs, delivery times may vary.
01892 510 850
sales@searchpress.com
Advanced Search
NOW FULLY REVISED AND EXPANDED
Mountmellick embroidery is a highly texured form of whitework embroidery, originating from the town of Mountmellick in Ireland, around 1825.
While it is sometimes referred to as Montmellick, Mt Mellick, Mountmellic, or even Montmellic, Mountmellick is the correct spelling as it is taken from the name of the town in County Laois (pronounced leash) in Ireland.
Mountmellick embroidery uses floral motifs and heavily knotted and padded stitches. The plants featured are traditionally those that grew in the township of Mountmellick itself, such as oak, blackberry, dog rose, and ivy.
Mountmellick embroidery is highly textured with many knotted and padded stitches used. Part of the fun of working Mountmellick embroidery is playing around with the stitches and working variations of them. On some historical examples of Mountmellick, there were only a limited number of stitches used. However, due to all their variations, the effect produced was highly patterned and varied.
The following features are regarded as being characteristic of Mountmellick work:
Yvette Stanton OAM is an Australian embroidery historian and the author of several stitch dictionaries and numerous books on historical and traditional embroidery techniques. Her books are renowned for their clarity in both visual and written instruction; they are grounded in rigorous research and are essential resources for both contemporary stitchers and those interested in traditional embroidery techniques.
Yvette’s work, with her clear step-by-step instruction, bridges the gap between academic-level research and practical embroidery education. Through her books, research, and public engagement, Yvette Stanton plays a vital role in ensuring that historical embroidery stitches and practices are not only remembered but revived, understood, and enjoyed by new generations of stitchers and scholars around the world.
In 2026 Yvette received the OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia), awarded to citizens of Australia in recognition of outstanding achievement, for her service to embroidery.
Yvette lives in Sydney, Australia.
Visit Yvette's:Website at www.vettycreations.com.auFacebook: vettycreationsInstagram: @vettycreationsYouTube channel: @yvettestanton
Sep 05
...Mountmellick is perhaps the chunkiest form of whitework embroidery, worked with thick cotton thread on a heavy cotton jean fabric. If authentic materials cannot be got, even from the list of suppliers in the appendix, then it does give some suggestions for substitutes. A short history of the technique is followed by a materials list. The section on stitches is clear and has a good combination of words and diagrams...This is a useful resource book.
March 05
This book begins with a fascinating history of Mountmellick embroidery in which the authors share their discoveries and observations of historic examples of this technique found during their research. After outlining fabric and thread requirements there is a collection of all the stitches used to build up Mountmellick motifs with clear, detailed instructions on how to work each one.
The projects are varied as Mountmellick can be used for many applications as it is robust and, being all white, can be hot washed. There are traditional projects such as doilies and mats as well as contemporary applications such as bolsters and lampshades.
By Yvette Stanton
£19.99
£24.99
We use essential cookies to make the trade site work. With your permission, we also use analytics cookies to improve the site and advertising storage where relevant to our campaigns.
Choose which optional cookies Search Press Trade may use. Essential cookies are always on because the website cannot function without them.
We only use optional cookies when you choose to allow them. You can accept or reject each category, change your choices at any time using the “Cookie settings†link in the footer, or read our Cookies Policy.
Google Consent Mode v2 communicates your analytics and advertising choices to Google. Google Analytics is not loaded until analytics cookies are allowed.
These cookies provide functions you request, including security, account sign-in, shopping baskets and remembering your cookie choices. They cannot be switched off through this tool.
These cookies allow Google Analytics to help us understand how customers use the trade site, such as which pages are visited and whether visitors encounter errors. We use this information to improve the service.
This choice controls whether Google may use advertising storage, user data and personalisation signals where advertising services are used. The trade site does not currently load a separate advertising pixel.