“Mountmellick Embroidery Inspired By Nature” By Yvette Stanton & Prue Scott

Mountmellick embroidery is a highly texured form of whitework embroidery, originating from the town of Mountmellick in Ireland, around 1825.

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.