Lady Arbella's Stomacher Kit

Lady Arbella's Stomacher Kit

by Deborah Wilding

Inspired by the richly embroidered stomacher in a 16th-century portrait at Glamis Castle, this striking design by Deborah Wilding captures the splendour of Tudor court dress. The painting of Lady Arbella Stuart, once considered a potential successor to Elizabeth I, provides the historical inspiration for this remarkable piece.

Worked in silk and metal threads, the kit explores a range of decorative stitches and goldwork techniques, including padded satin stitch, laid work, couching, French knots, applying pearls, beads, gilt plate, pearl purl, and passing thread. Proceeds from this kit support the Glamis Castle Textile Collection.

Intermediate

Tracked Shipping

Secure delivery, flat rate postage

Money Back Guarantee

30 day guarantee on all kit orders

Exceptional Quality

Sustainably sourced materials supporting traditional crafts

Kit Includes

The materials in this kit have been carefully chosen for their exceptional quality from providers we know and trust, all of whom are based and manufacture in the UK. All of our kits come with a threads guarantee – if you run out of a particular thread (or it finds its way into the mount of a furry friend!), we will replace it free of charge, you just cover the shipping.

  • 100% Silk Fabric
  • Calico Backing Fabric
  • Silk Threads in 9 shades
  • 3 Types of Metal Thread
  • Needles
  • Gold-plated Miyuki Beads
  • Freshwater 'Nugget' Pearl
  • Stitch Instructions
  • Colour Chart
  • A4 Colour Poster
  • Post Cards of the Design

Supporting the Glamis Castle Textile Collection

Each purchase of this kit provides much-needed income to conserve historic embroideries at Glamis Castle, in Angus Scotland.

View the Collection
About the Design

Glamis Stomacher

This design is unusual in that it is inspired not by a surviving piece of embroidery, but by a painted representation of one.

The source is a portrait in the Drawing Room at Glamis Castle of Lady Arbella Stuart, an English noblewoman (1575–1615). The painting is by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger and, in it, Arbella wears an exquisitely embroidered stomacher.

While the painting has undergone some restoration, there is enough for the trained eye to discern the embroiderer’s original work. In her replica, Deborah has carefully reimagined the stomacher in its original medium, transforming painted suggestion into worked stitch.

The result is a design that allows today’s stitchers to engage with the splendour of late Tudor costume and appreciate the refinement behind it.

Meet Your Tutor

Deborah Wilding

United Kingdom

Deborah Wilding is a distinguished embroidery artist. With a background in fine arts, Deborah has developed a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation for the natural world, which is reflected in her exquisite embroidery designs.

Kit Details

What size is the design?

Design size:
9 cm (H) x 8.6 cm (W)
3.54 in (H) x 3.39 in (W)

Fabric size:
25 cm square
9.84 in square

What stitches are featured in the design?

Stitches:Padded Satin, Closed Fly, Laid Work, Back Stitch, Burden Stitch, Couching, French Knots.

Techniques: Applying Gilt Plate, Pearl Purl, pearls and beads, and Passing Thread.

What else will I need?

A 6 or 8 inch embroidery hoop with paddle or barrel clamp base. You can purchase a frame here.

Which frame should I use

We recommend using a Hands Free Seat Frame with a paddle base or table clamp.

Alternatively you may prefer to use a 'Slate Frame' or other frame of your choice. You will also need a pair of scissors and a thimble if you use one.

How we give back

We care deeply about keeping the embroidery alive for future generations, and about supporting the talented artisans, collection owners, and arts professionals who help preserve this heritage.

5% of the sale of this kit goes directly to supporting the Glamis Castle Textile Collection.

These contributions are protected for the specific care and conservation of the embroideries in the collection and for helping to train the people dedicated to their preservation.

Delivery, Returns and Duties

We ship all orders using tracked services to ensure your order arrives safely.

UK orders
£4.95 flat rate shipping
Sent via Royal Mail Tracked 24

International orders
£12.95 flat rate shipping
Orders are shipped with either Royal Mail International Tracked, Parcelforce, or DPD.
All duties and import taxes are included in the price.
Local ‘State’ level sales tax is not included and may be due on delivery

What this means for you
The shipping price you see at checkout is the total you pay for delivery - including tracking, handling, and any applicable duties or import taxes for your country.
We’ve chosen this approach so your order arrives smoothly, without unexpected customs charges or delays.

Questions?
If you have any questions about shipping or delivery, please get in touch at admin@crewelwork.com.