Dr Bea Stitches
@drelvey.bsky.social
Historian by training; textile artist by preference. Usually stitching something inspired by Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell Trilogy. European.
Reposted by Dr Bea Stitches
Doesn't he know that women eat the rage that this induces for breakfast, to make themselves even more powerful and terrifying to small men like this one?
I hope the countless women archivists, historians, and annals keepers over the centuries haunt his dreams.
I hope the countless women archivists, historians, and annals keepers over the centuries haunt his dreams.
January 16, 2026 at 10:20 AM
Doesn't he know that women eat the rage that this induces for breakfast, to make themselves even more powerful and terrifying to small men like this one?
I hope the countless women archivists, historians, and annals keepers over the centuries haunt his dreams.
I hope the countless women archivists, historians, and annals keepers over the centuries haunt his dreams.
Reposted by Dr Bea Stitches
Some good news, though, if anyone has mislaid medieval Britain.
January 15, 2026 at 9:55 PM
Some good news, though, if anyone has mislaid medieval Britain.
STITCHING CROMWELL EXHIBITION:
I’m giving a public lecture, “Stitching the World within and without Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell Trilogy”, at the Hive,
@worcesteruni.bsky.social on Weds 4 March. There will be a Stitching Cromwell exhibition all week.
e-services.worcestershire.gov.uk/LibraryEvent...
I’m giving a public lecture, “Stitching the World within and without Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell Trilogy”, at the Hive,
@worcesteruni.bsky.social on Weds 4 March. There will be a Stitching Cromwell exhibition all week.
e-services.worcestershire.gov.uk/LibraryEvent...
e-services.worcestershire.gov.uk
January 15, 2026 at 9:01 AM
STITCHING CROMWELL EXHIBITION:
I’m giving a public lecture, “Stitching the World within and without Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell Trilogy”, at the Hive,
@worcesteruni.bsky.social on Weds 4 March. There will be a Stitching Cromwell exhibition all week.
e-services.worcestershire.gov.uk/LibraryEvent...
I’m giving a public lecture, “Stitching the World within and without Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell Trilogy”, at the Hive,
@worcesteruni.bsky.social on Weds 4 March. There will be a Stitching Cromwell exhibition all week.
e-services.worcestershire.gov.uk/LibraryEvent...
Anna Regina (2026). Anne Boleyn in her Coronation robes, the second in the Thomas Cromwell’s Four Queens series of 6ft portraits.
January 11, 2026 at 9:11 AM
Anna Regina (2026). Anne Boleyn in her Coronation robes, the second in the Thomas Cromwell’s Four Queens series of 6ft portraits.
In preparation for this year’s #WolfCrawl with @simonhaisell.bsky.social I wrote about Stitching Cromwell and how the archives find their way into each week’s slow read.
“Neat stitching… Who did this?”
My Substack home, The Thread of her Tale, has picked up a lot of new subscribers in recent weeks.
open.substack.com
January 1, 2026 at 5:32 PM
In preparation for this year’s #WolfCrawl with @simonhaisell.bsky.social I wrote about Stitching Cromwell and how the archives find their way into each week’s slow read.
I finished this earlier today. Absolutely loved it. I can’t wait for the next volume.
December 25, 2025 at 7:26 PM
I finished this earlier today. Absolutely loved it. I can’t wait for the next volume.
Reposted by Dr Bea Stitches
Sculpture by Korean artist Do Ho Suh, 2010s-20s, whose fabric structures recreate the places he has lived, reflecting on broader concepts of migration and what makes a "home".
December 22, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Sculpture by Korean artist Do Ho Suh, 2010s-20s, whose fabric structures recreate the places he has lived, reflecting on broader concepts of migration and what makes a "home".
Reposted by Dr Bea Stitches
The first person recorded wishing someone "Merry Christmas" was Bishop John Fisher, in a letter to Thomas Cromwell #OnThisDay, 22nd December 1534.
"And this our Lord God send you a mery Christmas, and a comfortable, to your heart’s desire."
🖼️ Wikimedia Commons
"And this our Lord God send you a mery Christmas, and a comfortable, to your heart’s desire."
🖼️ Wikimedia Commons
December 22, 2025 at 8:14 AM
The first person recorded wishing someone "Merry Christmas" was Bishop John Fisher, in a letter to Thomas Cromwell #OnThisDay, 22nd December 1534.
"And this our Lord God send you a mery Christmas, and a comfortable, to your heart’s desire."
🖼️ Wikimedia Commons
"And this our Lord God send you a mery Christmas, and a comfortable, to your heart’s desire."
🖼️ Wikimedia Commons
Good luck Hayley. I have lots of weddings over the next three days, so I won’t be shopping - I hope customers are kind.
December 22, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Good luck Hayley. I have lots of weddings over the next three days, so I won’t be shopping - I hope customers are kind.
Reposted by Dr Bea Stitches
The complete Bayeux Tapestry has finally been released and proves that Bishop Odo had absolutely nothing to do with the illegal Norman invasion of England.
December 20, 2025 at 12:38 PM
The complete Bayeux Tapestry has finally been released and proves that Bishop Odo had absolutely nothing to do with the illegal Norman invasion of England.
Reposted by Dr Bea Stitches
New beginnings can be exciting, but also a little daunting. To help ease into your creative-critical mindset of 2026, we warmly welcome you to join us for a special Making Space Session: Creative Intention Setting for 2026!
⏰5:30-7:00pm GMT
📅Thurs, 8th Jan 2026
📍Zoom
⏰5:30-7:00pm GMT
📅Thurs, 8th Jan 2026
📍Zoom
Making Space Session (Creative Intention Setting for 2026) — The Guild of Medievalist Makers
The first Making Space session for 2026: with a difference! Join us to set your creative intentions for the year!
www.guildmedmak.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:36 PM
New beginnings can be exciting, but also a little daunting. To help ease into your creative-critical mindset of 2026, we warmly welcome you to join us for a special Making Space Session: Creative Intention Setting for 2026!
⏰5:30-7:00pm GMT
📅Thurs, 8th Jan 2026
📍Zoom
⏰5:30-7:00pm GMT
📅Thurs, 8th Jan 2026
📍Zoom
I have just put my hand in a letter from Thomas Cromwell dated 24 July 1540, sent from the Tower of London. I think it must have been the last letter he wrote.
I am not ok.
I am not ok.
December 18, 2025 at 1:45 PM
I have just put my hand in a letter from Thomas Cromwell dated 24 July 1540, sent from the Tower of London. I think it must have been the last letter he wrote.
I am not ok.
I am not ok.
When I am conducting marriage and civil partnership ceremonies in my other job, I use “loved ones” a lot. It’s more inclusive than “friends and family”.
December 18, 2025 at 11:05 AM
When I am conducting marriage and civil partnership ceremonies in my other job, I use “loved ones” a lot. It’s more inclusive than “friends and family”.
I wrote about Agnes Strickland, Katherine of Aragon, and state papers.
Katharine: “the friendless queen”
Reading Agnes Strickland’s Lives of the Queen’s of England
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:18 PM
I wrote about Agnes Strickland, Katherine of Aragon, and state papers.
Exciting delivery - a new bolt of calico has arrived in time for my religious houses pensions project: coming to Stitching Cromwell in 2026.
December 17, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Exciting delivery - a new bolt of calico has arrived in time for my religious houses pensions project: coming to Stitching Cromwell in 2026.
Reposted by Dr Bea Stitches
Nice to see A Schole-House for the Needle in use.
Sampler, English, c. 1625 - 1650. The creatures here are taken from Richard Shorleyker's pattern book of 1624, "A schole-house, for the needle". The lion and unicorn have acquired accompanying butterflies. A nice touch. (V&A Museum, London)
December 9, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Nice to see A Schole-House for the Needle in use.
Very pleased on behalf of me and Stitching Cromwell to get this message in my inbox this morning:
“I am delighted to inform you that at its last meeting on 21 November 2025, our Council elected you an Associate Fellow of the @royalhistsoc.org in recognition of your contribution to History.”
“I am delighted to inform you that at its last meeting on 21 November 2025, our Council elected you an Associate Fellow of the @royalhistsoc.org in recognition of your contribution to History.”
December 9, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Very pleased on behalf of me and Stitching Cromwell to get this message in my inbox this morning:
“I am delighted to inform you that at its last meeting on 21 November 2025, our Council elected you an Associate Fellow of the @royalhistsoc.org in recognition of your contribution to History.”
“I am delighted to inform you that at its last meeting on 21 November 2025, our Council elected you an Associate Fellow of the @royalhistsoc.org in recognition of your contribution to History.”
Made myself a cross little Cromwell.
December 6, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Made myself a cross little Cromwell.
Reposted by Dr Bea Stitches
For generations, the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree has brought light to the heart of London.
Thank you, Norway, for this gift of friendship since 1947.
Thank you, Norway, for this gift of friendship since 1947.
December 4, 2025 at 8:07 PM
For generations, the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree has brought light to the heart of London.
Thank you, Norway, for this gift of friendship since 1947.
Thank you, Norway, for this gift of friendship since 1947.
Reposted by Dr Bea Stitches
29 Nov 1530: d. an exhausted Thomas Cardinal Wolsey #otd at #Leicester Abbey. One of many who fell due to Henry VIII's 'great matter'
November 29, 2025 at 1:01 PM
29 Nov 1530: d. an exhausted Thomas Cardinal Wolsey #otd at #Leicester Abbey. One of many who fell due to Henry VIII's 'great matter'
I have been drawing up an inventory of Stitching Cromwell.
Inventories and Inventories
Inventories are magical.
open.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:00 AM
I have been drawing up an inventory of Stitching Cromwell.