Isabella Rosner
@isabellarosner.bsky.social
Textile historian🪡 Curator of Textiles and Contextual Studies Lecturer, Royal School of Needlework | host, Sew What? podcast | PhD on early Quaker women's needle, wax, and shellwork | views my own, etc. | she/her
I’m thrilled to be giving this year’s Kelmscott Lecture, the annual lecture hosted by the William Morris Society. I’m excited to be dipping my toe into the world of the Arts and Crafts movement. Join us in person or online! Tickets are here: williammorrissociety.org/events/the-k...
November 12, 2025 at 6:24 PM
I’m thrilled to be giving this year’s Kelmscott Lecture, the annual lecture hosted by the William Morris Society. I’m excited to be dipping my toe into the world of the Arts and Crafts movement. Join us in person or online! Tickets are here: williammorrissociety.org/events/the-k...
Autumn really brings the best views from my window at work. Here’s yesterday’s view and today’s 🌈
October 21, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Autumn really brings the best views from my window at work. Here’s yesterday’s view and today’s 🌈
Popping in to say I’m writing a book! And St. Martin’s and @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social are publishing it! I’m very excited! Extra big thanks to Emma Bal at Madeleine Milburn!
October 16, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Popping in to say I’m writing a book! And St. Martin’s and @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social are publishing it! I’m very excited! Extra big thanks to Emma Bal at Madeleine Milburn!
Best thing ever from the V&A stores today: on the front of Margret Mason’s 1660 sampler are clothed “boxer” figures (little men holding gifts, acorns here). Turn the sampler over and the men look much the same but are completely naked!
September 23, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Best thing ever from the V&A stores today: on the front of Margret Mason’s 1660 sampler are clothed “boxer” figures (little men holding gifts, acorns here). Turn the sampler over and the men look much the same but are completely naked!
Last year I identified a third circa 1650-75 embroidered cabinet made at the Perwich school, one of 17th-century Hackney's major girls' schools. This example is owned by Doncaster Heritage and the others are in LACMA & the Fitzwilliam. My article about the find is in this issue of Hackney History!
August 20, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Last year I identified a third circa 1650-75 embroidered cabinet made at the Perwich school, one of 17th-century Hackney's major girls' schools. This example is owned by Doncaster Heritage and the others are in LACMA & the Fitzwilliam. My article about the find is in this issue of Hackney History!
Early modern palaeography folks, please help! What does this death record from 1603 say? I see the name "Suzan Gabery" but cannot read the rest of it. Thank you in advance!
May 27, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Early modern palaeography folks, please help! What does this death record from 1603 say? I see the name "Suzan Gabery" but cannot read the rest of it. Thank you in advance!
Thanks for the dress love! Got my wedding pics so have to share the other embroidered details we included! I had a token embroidered by my Royal School of Needlework coworkers, vintage embroidered tablecloths, a cake that looked embroidered, and embroidered name cards (I stitched all 90 of them!)
May 17, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Thanks for the dress love! Got my wedding pics so have to share the other embroidered details we included! I had a token embroidered by my Royal School of Needlework coworkers, vintage embroidered tablecloths, a cake that looked embroidered, and embroidered name cards (I stitched all 90 of them!)
Having a real “pinch me” moment today! I’m in this week’s issue of The Observer, kindly recommended by brilliant novelist (and daughter of Ingmar Bergman and Liv Ullmann) Linn Ullmann. What a huge honour!
May 11, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Having a real “pinch me” moment today! I’m in this week’s issue of The Observer, kindly recommended by brilliant novelist (and daughter of Ingmar Bergman and Liv Ullmann) Linn Ullmann. What a huge honour!
Popping in briefly to say I got married yesterday and had the best day of my life and because of who I am I wore an entirely hand embroidered dress!
April 27, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Popping in briefly to say I got married yesterday and had the best day of my life and because of who I am I wore an entirely hand embroidered dress!
There's a new ep of my podcast, Sew What?, about one of my favourite embroiderers of all time, Lorina Bulwer. Lorina spent the last 15 years of her life incarcerated in the Great Yarmouth Workhouse, where she embroidered huge, angry, biographical scrolls. Listen here: buzzsprout.com/1075825/epis...
April 17, 2025 at 11:46 AM
There's a new ep of my podcast, Sew What?, about one of my favourite embroiderers of all time, Lorina Bulwer. Lorina spent the last 15 years of her life incarcerated in the Great Yarmouth Workhouse, where she embroidered huge, angry, biographical scrolls. Listen here: buzzsprout.com/1075825/epis...
It’s hard to find time to leave my desk during the workday but this weather has been hard to resist. The office looks so good in the sun!
April 8, 2025 at 5:01 PM
It’s hard to find time to leave my desk during the workday but this weather has been hard to resist. The office looks so good in the sun!
I turned 30 today! It was a lovely, sunny day and I spent it eating gluten free pastries and pizza, seeing some good textiles, and walking 30,000 steps all over London. I hope the rest of my year is this good!
April 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
I turned 30 today! It was a lovely, sunny day and I spent it eating gluten free pastries and pizza, seeing some good textiles, and walking 30,000 steps all over London. I hope the rest of my year is this good!
There’s a delightful new sampler exhibition up at the Quaker Tapestry Museum, called “Sampled Styles.” Would definitely recommend checking it out if you’re in or near Kendal anytime soon!
March 29, 2025 at 7:42 PM
There’s a delightful new sampler exhibition up at the Quaker Tapestry Museum, called “Sampled Styles.” Would definitely recommend checking it out if you’re in or near Kendal anytime soon!
Thank you! Sorry, here’s the camel
March 29, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Thank you! Sorry, here’s the camel
Does anyone know what Bible story is being depicted here on this mid 17C needlework? Inclusion of camel in corner suggests Old Testament and sizes of figures and use of tent suggests a king and either a non-royal man or servant. The smaller man looks to have a sword or staff. Thanks for your help!
March 29, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Does anyone know what Bible story is being depicted here on this mid 17C needlework? Inclusion of camel in corner suggests Old Testament and sizes of figures and use of tent suggests a king and either a non-royal man or servant. The smaller man looks to have a sword or staff. Thanks for your help!
Happy #IWD! One of the joys of studying textiles is getting a glimpse into the world of countless girls and women. We can see those worlds here, in this coverlet made by Ann West in 1820, in the V&A. It's covered in scenes of everyday characters and occupations, a look into early 19th-century life
March 8, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Happy #IWD! One of the joys of studying textiles is getting a glimpse into the world of countless girls and women. We can see those worlds here, in this coverlet made by Ann West in 1820, in the V&A. It's covered in scenes of everyday characters and occupations, a look into early 19th-century life
I had 26 hours in Edinburgh and it was jam packed with textiles. I spoke at Dovecot Studios and saw their tapestry studio and tapestries, spotted Phoebe Anna Traquair’s stunning embroidery at the National Gallery, and popped in to say hello to the fashion and textile gallery at the National Museum
March 1, 2025 at 5:11 PM
I had 26 hours in Edinburgh and it was jam packed with textiles. I spoke at Dovecot Studios and saw their tapestry studio and tapestries, spotted Phoebe Anna Traquair’s stunning embroidery at the National Gallery, and popped in to say hello to the fashion and textile gallery at the National Museum
In love with this book, Pemmy’s Alphabet Book, made in 1942-5 in the Japanese internment camp Brastagi in east Sumatra. Though handiwork & books were banned, Mies Aalbersberg & other women embroidered the book as a birthday gift to Mies’ daughter Pem Hagers. Pem donated it to the Rijksmuseum in 2018
February 22, 2025 at 4:55 PM
In love with this book, Pemmy’s Alphabet Book, made in 1942-5 in the Japanese internment camp Brastagi in east Sumatra. Though handiwork & books were banned, Mies Aalbersberg & other women embroidered the book as a birthday gift to Mies’ daughter Pem Hagers. Pem donated it to the Rijksmuseum in 2018
Thrilled to say that the Royal School of Needlework is hosting its first ever academic conference, in conjunction with @pasoldresearchfund.bsky.social! Here is the call for papers for “Stitched Together,” which will be held on 21-22 August at Hampton Court Palace. Please share!
February 17, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Thrilled to say that the Royal School of Needlework is hosting its first ever academic conference, in conjunction with @pasoldresearchfund.bsky.social! Here is the call for papers for “Stitched Together,” which will be held on 21-22 August at Hampton Court Palace. Please share!
Happy Valentine’s Day from me and my favourite WWI sweetheart pincushions. These were made by recuperating soldiers using beads, embroidery, sequins, and preprinted panels with regimental crests and messages of love. These are from Amgueddfa Cymru, National Army Museum, Sally Antiques, & Invaluable
February 14, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Happy Valentine’s Day from me and my favourite WWI sweetheart pincushions. These were made by recuperating soldiers using beads, embroidery, sequins, and preprinted panels with regimental crests and messages of love. These are from Amgueddfa Cymru, National Army Museum, Sally Antiques, & Invaluable
Saw some really good Regency dress at the viewing of “Empire of Fashion: The Barreto Lancaster Collection of Napoleonic Regency Dress,” Kerry Taylor’s upcoming auction. Looooved seeing such great goldwork and whitework on display. I even ended up matching one of the lots up for sale!
February 9, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Saw some really good Regency dress at the viewing of “Empire of Fashion: The Barreto Lancaster Collection of Napoleonic Regency Dress,” Kerry Taylor’s upcoming auction. Looooved seeing such great goldwork and whitework on display. I even ended up matching one of the lots up for sale!
I found what I think is the oldest known Barbardian sampler, in the RSN collection. Made by Martha Collymore in 1771. There's more about my discovery in this month's History Today & here: collections.royal-needlework.org.uk/object-rsn-1.... Caribbean material culture folks, I'd love to talk to you!
January 23, 2025 at 6:57 PM
I found what I think is the oldest known Barbardian sampler, in the RSN collection. Made by Martha Collymore in 1771. There's more about my discovery in this month's History Today & here: collections.royal-needlework.org.uk/object-rsn-1.... Caribbean material culture folks, I'd love to talk to you!
If you want to see the piece of embroidery from the Royal School of Needlework Collection which Cariad describes in the episode, here it is! It was made by the Royal School of Art Needlework in 1889. You can learn more about it here: collections.royal-needlework.org.uk/object-col-2...
January 18, 2025 at 6:29 PM
If you want to see the piece of embroidery from the Royal School of Needlework Collection which Cariad describes in the episode, here it is! It was made by the Royal School of Art Needlework in 1889. You can learn more about it here: collections.royal-needlework.org.uk/object-col-2...
Happy (almost) new year from me and Marlene Dietrich, one of my favourite things about 2024. This year has been a pretty good one for me and I’m hoping for more good stuff in 2025! And I hope the same for you all!
December 31, 2024 at 5:50 PM
Happy (almost) new year from me and Marlene Dietrich, one of my favourite things about 2024. This year has been a pretty good one for me and I’m hoping for more good stuff in 2025! And I hope the same for you all!
As it's Christmas Eve I'm thinking about Alice Eugenia Ligon's embroidered dress, a Christmas present she made for her children (now in the Smithsonian American Art Museum). Ligon was a patient at Fulton State Hospital in 1949-1953. She embroidered and crocheted this dress from her hospital gown
December 24, 2024 at 11:53 AM
As it's Christmas Eve I'm thinking about Alice Eugenia Ligon's embroidered dress, a Christmas present she made for her children (now in the Smithsonian American Art Museum). Ligon was a patient at Fulton State Hospital in 1949-1953. She embroidered and crocheted this dress from her hospital gown