Broderie Perse Pattern

An applique technique, whose French name translates as Persian embroidery, in which printed motifs, most often flowers, birds or a large central Tree of Life, are cut from a printed chintz fabric and stitched onto a plain background fabric using a slipstitch, herringbone or decorative blanket stitch. Broderie perse likely originated in India, where richly patterned chintz was produced, and reached particular popularity in Europe and America in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, before it was gradually displaced at mid-century by the freehand appliqued wreaths, urns and floral designs of styles such as the Baltimore Album quilt.