Turquoise Fez Embroidery

This turquoise Fez embroidery was made in Fez, Morocco in the 19th century. It is made out of cotton and silk.

The design and style of Fez embroidery, like many other regional Moroccan embroideries, show Hispano-Mooresque influence. The design elements are abstracted florals and geometrics. It is almost always monochromatic and reversible. The handwork is executed in a counted thread technique such as reversible double running stitch, stem stitch, back stitch, and others. The embroidery is done with tightly coiled silk and when on heavy cotton, as with this fragment, it is very durable, which means this type of embroidery is often used as a pillowcase or other domestic furnishing.