Design and Art Australia Online

Mary Bussell, embroiderer, arrived in Western Australia with her widowed mother and sisters in 1833 on board the Cygnet. They went to the Vasse, now called Busselton, where her brothers were located. Bussell married gentleman farmer Patrick Taylor and moved with him to his property “Candyup” near Albany. If her pattern books held by the Royal Western Australian Historical Society are any guide Bussell was expert at Ayrshire (Scottish Flowering) white work. This extremely fine embroidery featured padded satin stitch and cut and pulled work on fine lawn or muslin. Fine embroidery on cotton and muslin using white threads and white cloth was an accomplishment both decorative and necessary. There was room for considerable artistic expression within the confines of the discipline because each woman worked out her own patterns from a repertoire passed on from generation to generation. The patterns were usually floral in effect. Christening robes, vestments, apparel such as shawls, collars and veils allowed scope for intensive stitchery often combined with pin-tucks and lace.

Writers:

Dr Dorothy Erickson

Date written:

2010

Last updated:

2011