Like all the other witnesses, he swirls his cloak about him

Robert Dacres “to buy my Lord a cape”

On December 4 1537, Thomas Avery recorded in Lord Cromwell’s accounts a payment of 10l. to the “clokemaker for a cloke”. Almost a year later, on 20 December 1538, he recorded an incoming payment of 10l. from Robert Dacres to “buy my Lord a cape”. ¹ The designs of the “cloke” and the “cape” and their fabrics and colours were - frustratingly - not recorded. But a “cloke” or a “cape” for Lord Cromwell? My interest is piqued.

At the Wolf Hall Weekend in June I was asked if I ever make wearable Cromwellia. As I said at the time, I don’t; I am not a garment maker; I don’t have the dressmaking skills to insert darts, pattern cut, or ensure a straight grain. But then - a “cloke”. Could I manage a quilted “cloke”? And could I write up the process of making? A number of readers have expressed interest in watching a piece or work in the act of becoming, so here we are.

Checking the hang on work to date.

Where to start with Cromwell?

A male dressmaker’s form (now known as Tommaso) arrived in my studio in late June. Tommaso is there to help me work out the construction of the cloke, and to progress check length, drape and hang. I decided to make the cloke in sections - much easier to work and transport, and the main issue to date has been working out angled cutting to create the right shape. I experimented with shorter pieces, flirted with a piece of orange tawny to see if that would work as a base fabric (so lovely, but costly) rejected various coloured fabrics, and embraced cutting into unbleached calico, which gives me an empty canvas to depict items that were significant to or owned by Thomas Cromwell.

After much thought, I decided to quilt with a thin synthetic low loft wadding, rather than my usual silk/bamboo, which would have been too heavy. Wadding choice can be the most difficult aspect of quilting - too much loft - or height - can completely change the look of a piece, and the ease or difficulty of stitching through it can determine whether a piece ever gets completed. There are ethical considerations too. Synthetic wadding has a very good handle for handquilting, but it is a plastic-based product and washing it releases microfibres. I have made a deliberate effort to stop using it over the last few years. But I had an unused pack of the stuff left over from the first Wolf Hall Quilt, which would otherwise go to waste, and I won’t be washing the cloke at any point.

Objects, portents, and dreams

The cloke is to be decorated with objects associated with Thomas Cromwell - either from Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell Trilogy, or from his will, correspondence, accounts, or inventories. I first had the idea of a piece of work along these lines back in 2020, but I couldn’t work out the format to my satisfaction. Finally those thoughts have collided with the idea of wearable Cromwellia and I think this will work.

The need to work in sections is an advantage as it has prompted me to divide the objects into themes. I would like to be able to say that the themes were worked out from the start, and that the division of objects was always intended. But they came about by accident really. I started with a couple of items from Cardinal Wolsey’s coat of arms - his Galero and two Cornish Choughs, and then realised that I could have a cloke section related to The Cardinal. From there, I decided on themes of Prophecy, Dreams, Ruffian, and Family. Other themes are still to be decided as I listen to the Trilogy again.

Of course I have records. I always have records. I like to think that Cromwell would have approved of my copious notes on index cards, in books, on my laptop, scribbled on my noticeboards. Sometimes the notes record an item in a museum that I have used for inspiration (for example my depiction of Kat’s Holy Medal drew on items in the collections of the London Museum and the British Museum). Or a reference in the historical record, such as the comet of 1531. Or a reference in the Trilogy.

1531 - It is the summer of the comet

As the cloke develops, I plan to write up its objects here on The Thread of Her Tale - both as a record for myself, and to share them with readers. And hopefully watching a piece of textile art come into itself will be of interest.

1. Dacres was a member of Henry VIII’s Privy Council. So of course I am now keen to know why he wanted to buy Cromwell a cape. So that’s another research hole to be filled.