DAY 11: The Embroider's Art

Embroidered gown, House of Worth, 1870s

One of the side benefits of writing historical fiction is all the information you absorb without intending to do so. Researching and writing That Churchill Woman over the past four years has been an education on so many levels--but certainly in my knowledge and awareness of needlework.

Yes, needlework.

I'm an avid needlepointer. It's my go-to hobby when I'm drowning in procrastination. I've got the canvas stretched and set up on a frame, my special work light, my glasses, my tiny gold scissors in the shape of a crane, various needles and silks....but the world of embroidery was new to me. Until I discovered how vital it is to the fashion and clothing of Jennie Jerome's life--and the art of dressmaking in Europe.

Which brings me to Jennifer Robson's new novel The Gown. If you love historical fiction, are impatient for Jennie to hit the bookstores, or simply near an immersive read while the snow falls outside your windows, pick up this book. It's a marvel of research, and the entertwined lives of the women who embroidered the wedding gown of Princess Elizabeth--now Queen Elizabeth--in 1948 will draw you in completely. You will never look at the image of a Worth gown and its extraordinary tracery of metal, silk, beads, sequins, and gemstones in the same way again.

For more images from THAT CHURCHILL WOMAN, visit the  Pinterest board behind the novel.