Medieval Designs
Design Source Book 10
by Polly Pinder

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A beautifully illustrated photocopiable collection of decorative Medieval patterns and motifs - flowers, plants, birds, figures, coats or arms and more. These classic designs will inspire craftspeople, artist, needleworkers and all those interested in creating their own original ideas and projects.

The Medieval period or Middle Ages is, very loosely, the centuries between 1000 and 1500 AD. This is rather a long timespan to cover in a small book and it could have been extended fourfold to accommodate just a fraction of the potential design material. I hope, however, that the following pages will provide a source of enjoyment for those wishing to bring a sense of the Medieval to their own work.

About the Designs

One of the main reasons for the wealth of wonderful visual treasure during this time was the fact that most people were illiterate. "Pictures are the books of the unlettered", a saying attributed to St. Gregory the Great, was used to justify the dominance of the visual arts in religious life. The Church was responsible, both directly and indirectly, for the production of many paintings, frescoes, tapestries, embroideries, manuscript paintings, wood and stone carvings and sculptures. Artistic expression was enriched by the expanding European trade routes. Raw materials and artifacts - silk, ivory, precious metalwork, textiles and ceramics - added to the splendid accumulation of art works.

Among secular Medieval works of art was the Bayeaux Tapestry which depicted the Battle of Hastings. This masterful work contains pre-Heraldic design and symbolic flower and animal representations.

Heraldry, the recording of genealogies and blazoning of coats of arms, is also a rich source of design. With the development of armor it became necessary to display some form of identification on shields, helmets and standards. This became accepted practice during the crusades of the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries when a knight would wear the badge or symbol of the lord he was serving.

Fair Use Warning

Design Source Books are a beautiful series of themed pattern books for virtually any craft. The designs can be used as stencil or embroidery patterns, stationery designs, furniture decoration, glass painting guides or whatever your imagination chooses. The designs can be photocopied, traced, colored, adapted or used as inspiration for originating your own designs. They will stand up well to reproduction at any scale.

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