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Ribbon Embroidery in the 18th Century

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Démodé: 18th Century Ribbon Embroidery and 18th Century Ribbon Embroidered Skirt Panels, and Ribbon Embroidery Up The Wazoo!

18th Century Embroidery Techniques

Last updated: Sep 02, 2025

Ribbon embroidery is described in 18th century newspaper advertisements, often for schools for young women:

“AT Thornbury, Gloceſterſhire, a very healthy and pleaſant Situation, eleven miles from Briſtol, YOUNG LADIES are genteelly boarded, and carefully inſtructed by the moſt approved Methods, to ſpeak, read, and write the Engliſh and French Languages with Elegance and Propriety; alſo taught Geography, with the Uſe of the GLobes. Likewiſe Embroidery, Tambour, Ribbon-Work, &c. By Miſs WAGTSAFF.” (The Gloucester Journal, September 13, 1779)

“Miſs HUDSON alſo continues to teach … alſo to draw their own work, for one guinea, and Ribband-work, with new elegant Trimmings embroider’d with crapes for gowns, muffs, work-bags, &c. in the neweſt taſte.” (The Bath Journal, December 20, 1779)

“The terms of the ſchool are Fourteen Guineas per ann. and One Guinea entrance (waſhing excepted). Embroidery, tambour, ribbon work, &c. taught in the moſt approved method, and muſic, dancing, French, writing and arithmetic by proper maſters.” (The Ipswich Journal, December 24, 1779)

“Wants a Place, A Genteel Woman, who has got a good education, whoſe father has been an eminent citizen, ſhould wiſh to educate young Ladies or Children; reads exceeding well, her manner and accent has been approved of; teaches Engliſh grammatically, knows Ribbon-work, Tambour, Netting and Knitting, is very ready at Millinery, and making what Children wear; knows a little French, but will not undertake to teach it; can be very uſeful to a Lady in her houſe, as ſhe knows a great deal of domestic life.” (The Public Register, December 5, 1780)

“MISS KING moſt reſpectfully begs leave to inform her friends and the public, That ſhe intends opening a Young LADIES BOARDING and DAY-SCHOOL, at Saffron Walden, in Eſſex, and has taken an houſe for that purpoſe in Church ſtreet, where young ladies will be genteelly boarded and carefully inſtructed in every part of uſeful education. Various kinds of needle-work are taught, embroidery, tambour, Dreſden, Ribband work, Plain-work, &c.” (Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, December 23, 1780)

“MISS COCHRAN returns her moſt grateful Thanks to her Friends and the Public, for the ample encouragement ſhe has experienced in her buſineſs during a ſeries of years paſt. — She informs them that she has taken a young lady as aſſiſtant, who teaches Ribbon-Work, Tambour, and Embroidery. All Kinds of Needle-Work taught as uſual. Young Ladies may alſo be taught French, Writing, Drawing, Musick and Dancing, by the moſt approved Maſters.” (The Belfast Mercury, March 24, 1785)

“MRS. NEWTON, Embroiderer, teaches Ladies Embroidery, Cloth Work, Fillagree, Artificial Flowers, Raiſed Paper, and Ribbon Work.” (The Times, January 13, 1787)

“Embroidery, raiſed, Ribband-Work, Fillagree, Paper Flower-Work, with every other Faſhionable Work, and Drawing, neatly done on reaſonable terms. Cloth-Work prepared, Deſigns ſold, and alſo materials for every kind of work.” (The Western Flying Post, June 7, 1790)
  • LACMA 63.2.5, a stomacher with ombre ribbon, fly fringe, and lace on silk damask, mid-18th century
  • V&A T.251 to C-1959, a sack back gown and petticoat, c. 1755-1760; “The bodice robings are trimmed with broad silver strip bobbin lace, which continues down the skirt facings, looped with a narrower woven strip lace. These are trimmed with garlands and sprays of flowers of ribbon and wired silk chenille and feathers.”
  • Met C.I.59.29.1a, b, a robe à la française, c. 1750-1775
  • Colonial Williamsburg 1958-24, an ivory silk taffeta stomacher with linen bobbin lace, silk ribbon flowers, and silk fly-fringe foliage, England or France, 1750-1775
  • MFA 43.1920, a stomacher with silver ribbon work and silver wire rosettes on silver-covered white silk, mid-18th century to late 18th century
  • Met C.I.60.40.2a, b, a robe à la française with a ribbon-embroidered stomacher, c. 1760-1770
  • Met 1981.351a, robe à la française, c. 1760-1770
  • London Museum A12413, a dress ensemble (sacque and petticoat), 1762-1767; “The front of the petticoat, the only part that would have been visible, is decorated with multi-coloured ribbon and delicate lace.” Stomacher is A12413c.
  • MFA 43.1836, a stomacher with white silk ribbon embroidery, lace, and trim on silk, c. 1760-1780
  • Met 2009.300.690a, b, a robe à la française, c. 1770-1775
  • MFA 77.6a-b, a woman's court dress and petticoat (robe a la francaise); the gown is “trimmed with gold lace and rosettes of ribbon and silk suggesting flowers”
  • LACMA M.80.27.1, a stomacher with silk ribbon embroidery, fly fringe, and lace, c. 1775
  • MFA 43.1913, a stomacher with ribbon and chenille flowers and fly fringe on gilt-silver lace mounted on white silk
  • KCI AC9704 98-26AD, a robe à la française, late 1770s
  • Dutch ribbon-embroidered work bags from the third quarter of the 18th century at the Rijksmuseum, including BK-1978-392-A (c. 1770-1790), BK-1978-392-C (c. 1770-1790), BK-1978-392-B (c. 1780-1800), and BK-KOG-90/a> (1786)
  • Met C.I.46.42.6, a silk bodice with ribbon embroidery, 18th century
  • V&A T.180&A-1965, a woman's sack back (robe à la francaise) and petticoat with chenille and ribbon embroidery, including “tassels of flowers made of looped ribbon”
  • Nordiska museet NM.0020536, ribbon embroidery for a reticule, c. 1780-1789
  • A man's coatee and waistcoat from the 1780s
  • Rijksmuseum BK-NM-5596, a reticule or bag “à la Gondole,” c. 1787-1807
  • RISD 46.500, a baby bodice, “silk plain woven ground embellished with ribbon work embroidery,” c. 1790