Free Mountmellick Tutorial
Written and Designed by Janet M. Davies 

The Mountmellick embroidery style is named after the town Mountmellick in Ireland. The style first developed around 1835. The town was already known for its linen and cotton milling. The local women found an income for producing this style of embroidery into bedroom adornment and household items etc.

The look of the traditional designs depict the flora of Ireland. Passion Flowers, Shamrock, Dog Rose, Fuchsia, Hops, Blackberry, Vine with Grapes, Butterflies, Sea Shells, Pomegranate, Acorns, Ferns and many more. What ever the ladies would have seen outside their back door and countryside. Butterflies and critters were introduced into Mountmellick embroidery when the English publications started designing and printing Mountmellick designs.

For stitching, cotton "satin jean" fabric was traditionally used with cotton thread. The thread was plied together and achieved a raised effect compared with the fine Ayrshire embroidery produced in Ireland at the time. White fabric and white thread was always used.

Embroidery stitches used are a mixture of many traditional stitches: Stem, Buttonhole, Satin, French knots, Bullion, Chain, Feather, Coral Knot, just to name but a few. The edges of the design fabric were finished off with either a cut Buttonhole stitching or a traditional knitted fringe, or a combination of both.

The style of the traditional designs were as if someone had picked a bunch of flora and thrown them onto some fabric and then stitched them in the formation that they lay, giving a natural look to the layout of the design. But today’s embroiderer tends to give a more arranged look to the designs.  www.jmddesigns.co.nz

Today traditional designs and contemporary materials are mixed together. I find a heavy Linen or Cotton fabric more easy to find than satin jean. Pearl Cotton and Cotton-a Broder threads are generally used to stitch with. My favourite is the #10 crochet cotton, as it does not fluff as much as the Pearl Cotton thread. Traditional Mountmellick thread can still be hunted out and purchased on cones. Colours are played with these days, But I suggest only one colour per design (e.g. pink fabric - pink thread) combination is used at a time, or the traditional look can be lost.

HOME TO ROOST
A true sampler of stitch compositions. The two Pomegranates and the Bee keep the Owl company in his roost. Traditional and contemporary fabrics have been suggested in the book. This design could be framed as a picture or placed on the front of a bag, photo album cover etc. Three variations to this design are also given in the book using the Bees and Pomegranates as small clusters or borders etc. This design pictured is 18 x 17cm (7 x 6 1/2 inches). click here to purchase this individual design

FIELDLAND WONDER
3 different styles of wild grass, acorn leaves and nuts with clover flowers make this wreath a ‘need to stitch’ project. Traditional and contemporary fabrics have been suggested in the book. This design could be framed as a picture or placed on the front of a bag. A table cloth centre with small elements from the main design sprinkled around the cloth edging. Five variations to this design are also given in the book as small clusters and corner sprays etc. Enlarge the designs to suit your own needs. This design pictured is 18 cm (7" inches) round. click here to purchase this individual design

FORGET ME NOT THE BLACKBERRIES
Blackberries with their leaves, Forget-Me-Not flowers and Shamrocks make a stunning traditional Irish design. This square wreath could be framed as a picture or placed on the front of a bag or cushion. A table cloth centre with small elements from the main design sprinkled around the cloth edging. Four variations to this design are also given in the book as small clusters and corner sprays etc. Enlarge the designs to suit your own needs. This design pictured is 15 cm (6 inches) square.
click here to purchase this individual design

DAFFODILS PLEASE
Spring will truly be in the air with this lovely bouquet of Daffodils and Snowdrops. Traditional and contemporary fabrics have been suggested in the book. This design could be framed as a picture or placed on the front of a bag, photo album cover, cushions etc. Three variations to this design are also given in the book as small clusters, corner sprays etc. This design pictured is 18 x 20cm (7 x 8 inches).
click here to purchase this individual design

CAN YOU SEE THE FAIRIES
Two mushrooms are flanked by daisies with a snail heading to the laundry with the fairies wings. You can’t see the fairies behind the mushrooms because they do not like to be seen in public without their wings : ) This design could be used along the edges of a table cloth or down the side of a runner etc. Four variations to this design are also given in the book as small clusters, wreaths, corner sprays etc. Traditional and contemporary fabrics have been suggested in the book. This design pictured is 28 x 10cm (11 x 4 inches)
click here to purchase this individual design

This small bag is stitched in the Mountmellick style using non-traditional stitches around the sides of the bag and pearl beads.

This piece is based on traditional design layout. I have used cream pearls among the design where French Knots were traditionally used. The pearls bring a dainty richness to the design. Design measures 23cm x 30cm (9 x12 inches).

Pohutukawa flowers and leaves

 

This design is based on a traditional English adaptation. I have changed 80% of the stitches that were used in the original design, and have used a variety of 16 traditional stitches. Heavy weight Linen fabric was used with crochet thread. Ecru colours. The actual design measures 10cms square (4inches).

This pink triangular shaped cloth has the Mountmellick traditional knitted fringe. The fringe and the edging are knitted over 12 stitches and when the desired length of the fringe (around the outline measurement of your fabric) has been knitted, then 3/4 of the stitches are cast off and then the remaining stitches are unravelled to produce a fringe. I have used Linen fabric and Pearl cotton thread.

The mat above shows the wavy edge given to a circular mat. Only 9 stitches were knitted in each row of the fringe.

This white Mountmellick mat I made as a 21st Present for a friend. Cotton Drill fabric was used and Anchor Crochet cotton for stitching. The mat size is 35 cm (14 inches).

I designed this traditional Mountmellick design for my students. It has been made up into a box lid. I used heavy weight Linen fabric and Pearl 8 Cotton thread. Ecru colour. There are a variety of 10 embroidery stitches used. The actual design measures 12cm x 5cm (5 x 2 inches).

In this iris and bulrush design the bulrushes are filled with French Knots.

This tablecloth I made for my mother has small bullion rose buds dotted around the design features. 1m (39 inches) sqaure.

Why not stitch on coloured fabric?

This Mountmellick design has been made into a small pillow with the knitted fringe around it.