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Original poster

Broderie Anglaise

130 replies

Bawheed · 06/03/2022 20:05

Have you ever heard of it/know what it is?

My mum said to me the other day, 'I don't know what I've done with the broderie anglaise, I can't find it anywhere'. When I asked her what she was talking about she looked at me like a I had 2 heads and can't believe I don't know what it is (I do now thanks to Google).

I'm 37 and have never heard of it in my life! Am I the only one?

OP posts:
Etinoxaurus · 06/03/2022 20:13

It’s very 70s! Was she talking about a table dressing?

mumofweepeople · 06/03/2022 20:13

I know of it in terms of clothing but not in that sentence. I'd buy a top or a dress.

mudgetastic · 06/03/2022 20:14

It's a type of embroidered fabric I think ?

Cotton with little holes edged with embroidery to look like flowers

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Saisong · 06/03/2022 20:16

I know of it as a type of cloth/material

AZFell · 06/03/2022 20:16

I'm early 30s and I know what it is, but my mum was a seamstress.

I had many broderie anglaise dresses as a small child. I was also a complete tomboy so you can imagine how impressed I was with them... 😒

freshcarnation · 06/03/2022 20:16

Yes it's fabric. The kids used to have dresses made of it when they were babies

DetailMouse · 06/03/2022 20:16

I know what it is, but I don't know what she means in that sentence, unless she's a dressmaker. A table cloth maybe?

nearlyspringyay · 06/03/2022 20:17

Yes, material, I've got a wrap dress in BA, and my kids have pink party dresses.

lateral · 06/03/2022 20:17

It's a type of embroidery so I would find it strange if someone referred to 'the borderline anglaise' without adding 'dress/top/table cloth' or something after it.

Blueuggboots · 06/03/2022 20:17

It's a type of material with little flowers embroidered on it with little holes.

What was your mum talking about??

PegasusReturns · 06/03/2022 20:18

Broderie anglaise dresses were everywhere last summer (and also in summers of my youth) but no idea what it means in the context of your post Confused

fungh · 06/03/2022 20:18

It's a thing every summer, I love it

TulipsGarden · 06/03/2022 20:18

Yes of course, it's a very common fabric.

In context of that sentence I think you can get rolls of broderie anglais trim, so assume that's what she's looking for?

Nnique · 06/03/2022 20:19

I honestly thought everyone knows what Broderie Anglais is...

It’s a classic fabric and comes out like clockwork every year for S/S fashions!

TheYearOfSmallThings · 06/03/2022 20:19

My communion dress was made of broderie anglaise - hand sewn by my DM! She also customised the valance of my bed with a broderie anglaise frill.

I think it's called "eyelet" in the US.

Original poster
Bawheed · 06/03/2022 20:19

@Etinoxaurus

It’s very 70s! Was she talking about a table dressing?
I'm due my second baby this coming week and she was setting up the old wooden crib which has this material over the top but she can't find the material bit 😂

My mum is 62.

OP posts:
BradleyCooperwillbemine · 06/03/2022 20:19

Yes, it is a cotton fabric with holes/eyelets in. Lovely and cool to wear in hot weather. Everything was broderie anglaise in my 70's childhood.

Bloodybridget · 06/03/2022 20:20

Oh yes, when I was about 14, late 60s, I asked my DM to make me a full length broderie anglaise nightdress (romantically minded, me). Poor woman said faintly that it would be very expensive . . she did make it and I wore it for years and years.

Princesspickle777 · 06/03/2022 20:20

I’d never heard of it either until my eldest was born a couple of years ago. My mum was talking about it to me describing something I had on a pram etc and I had to google 😅.

Marmite27 · 06/03/2022 20:21

My DD’s christening gown was a simple broderie anglaise summer dress from mothercare!

Akite · 06/03/2022 20:23

Yes I know what it is, but I'm old. My mother and grandmothers all sewed and we were brought up knowing how to sew and surrounded by fabric!

RainbowZebraWarrior · 06/03/2022 20:26

Rather odd to have never heard of it (not a criticism, merely an observation) I bought a beautiful broderie anglaise top in New Look last year. But yes, it does have it's roots firmly in the 70's (which I think is on trend in many ways at the minute)

It is not to be confused with lace cutwork, however. Even though the two are similar. Broderie anglaise is much prettier in my opinion.

Georgeskitchen · 06/03/2022 20:32

Yes my mother and grandma were both seamstresses and always mentioning broderie anglais.
As already posted above its like a lacy type material with small holes incorporated into the pattern 😀

Georgeskitchen · 06/03/2022 20:33

@RainbowZebraWarrior

Rather odd to have never heard of it (not a criticism, merely an observation) I bought a beautiful broderie anglaise top in New Look last year. But yes, it does have it's roots firmly in the 70's (which I think is on trend in many ways at the minute)

It is not to be confused with lace cutwork, however. Even though the two are similar. Broderie anglaise is much prettier in my opinion.

I think it's been around longer than the 70s.
Nonotnownorman · 06/03/2022 20:34

I do know what it is but I was worried for a minute this was in baby names before I realised it was in chat 😂