More Than They Seam: Eighteenth-Century Embroidered Maps with Neil Twist

Embroidered maps were created in Britain during a brief period between the late 1700s and early 1800s, and they sit between cartography, education, and decorative art. Displayed in homes, they were a constant reminder of colonial ambitions. Far from being simply an educational tool, embroidered maps reveal stories about the British mercantilist economy, the competitive cartography industry, and a growing self- awareness of Britain as a nation-state.

Nonetheless, embroidered maps continue to occupy a small corner in the field of embroidery, which occupies a relatively small corner in the field of art history, and there is little academic literature about them. Research to date tends to focus on embroidered maps as a means of teaching geography to girls.

This presentation examines why embroidered maps have been overlooked. It examines the social and economic context in which embroidered maps arose, including the materiality of the maps (they were predominantly made of silk); the role of embroiderers in the mercantile economy; and life in eighteenth-century Britain from the perspective of the (mostly female) embroiderer. Of particular interest is a map of England and Wales, embroidered in 1794 and now located in the University of Melbourne Grimwade Miegunyah Collection.

Neil Twist completed his Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in 2026, majoring in Art History at the University of Melbourne. Neil has returned to university after a long career in the legal profession and senior executive roles in the Victorian public sector, predominantly in the justice system. Neil’s Honours thesis focuses on embroidered maps, which were the vehicle through which both embroidery and geography were taught to girls and young women in eighteenth-century Britain. But they were much more than teaching tools, as Neil’s research demonstrates. Embroidered maps open a window into eighteenth-century life, particularly that of the women who embroidered the maps and the mercantile world within which they lived. Continuing his focus on embroidery, Neil is currently conducting research for a Masters thesis, the subject of which is embroidered work created by soldiers severely injured in the First World War.

Your ticket includes tea or Market Lane coffee served before the presentation, and time to browse our exclusive range of books, gifts, and homewares at TJC Emporium.

This event is presented on-site at The Johnston Collection. Please see your ticket for details. NOTE: Tickets for this event do not include access to our house museum, Fairhall. Guided tours of the current exhibition can be booked separately.

This event is supported by The Colin Holden Charitable Trust.

Image: Attributed to Beatrice Acton, Embroidery map of England and Wales, c.1780. The University of Melbourne Art Collection. The Russell and Mab Grimwade Bequests, 1973. Image: Neil Twist.