On Friday 10th January 2013 I went to visit the Cloth Works with my Mam, during the end of the morning, which is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, in the United Kingdom. The only way you can visit the Cloth Works is to book an appointment before you can visit so you can go to visit and shown around the cloth works.

 I looked at some of the amazing embroidery which was created during the Elizabethan era, it must have taken at least a few months to finish creating one embroidery design or product because it was all created by hand. A lot of those embroideries were created by young girls and women who were from very wealthy backgrounds would have made these designs and most of these girls would have been as young as 11 or 12 years old.

Also during the Elizabethan Period did you know that Mary Queen of Scots could sow? Yes apparently she embroidered several her own designs when she was very young, she was a very good at doing embroidery and some of her own embroidery was amazing and beautifully created.

When I went to visit the Cloth Works with my Mam, we were both shocked, surprised and amazed that Mary Queen of Scots was a very good at sewing and did some of her own embroidery designs.

I would recommend booking an appointment to go and visit to look at some of textile designs yourself because they do have some amazing historical designs, especially if you are an Art and Design or a Fashion or Textiles or Costume design Maker/ historian/ lecturer/ designer/ student or those who interested in historical textiles.

It also has very useful information especially if you are an art student studying in London or visiting London with other Art Students or Art Lecturer, which can inspire you for your designs or help with with your material Cultures Research.