Stitching the Centuries

Sewn with fine silk threads and preserved with centuries-old care: the medieval manuscripts from the former Seckau Monastery contain not only words, but also traces of skilled repair work. When the monastery was dissolved in 1782 during the Josephine reforms, a significant part of its library was transferred to the University Library of Graz – including numerous manuscripts from the 12th and 13th centuries with distinctive and sometimes elaborately decorated seams.

These silk embroideries – at times purely functional, at others surprisingly decorative – are at the heart of the project »Stitching the Centuries«. Ten designers engaged with these historical traces and developed new design prototypes from them. Their aim: to translate centuries-old knowledge of repair and preservation into a contemporary design context.

Traces from the Scriptorium

The manuscripts originate from the canon and canoness monastery of Seckau, founded in the 12th century by Adalram von Waldeck-Feistritz and his wife Richiza von Perg. Yet not all books can be clearly attributed to Seckau – some liturgical and textual clues suggest they may have been imported, possibly personal prayer books belonging to canonesses from other regions.

What many of these manuscripts share are visible signs of repair: fine silk threads used to mend torn pages, connect parchment sheets, or close holes. Despite their aesthetic impact, these techniques have barely been studied. Initial analyses suggest they may have emerged in the context of ecclesiastical reform movements – possibly even as an expression of a design trend within monastic book care.

Noteworthy, too, is that the threads used bear no relation to the liturgical colour canon. Rather, it appears that the monastic workshops made use of available material remnants – applied with a keen sense of design.

 

Design Meets Heritage Conservation

Based on the historical silk embroideries, ten designers developed their own prototypes that reflect both the monastic heritage and current questions of sustainability and appreciation.

The resulting works show how creatively the past can be interpreted. It is not only the techniques that take centre stage, but also the mindset they embody: repair as an attitude.

 

Exhibited at Design Month Graz

The results of »Stitching the Centuries« were presented as part of Design Month Graz 2025. The exhibition opened up new perspectives on medieval book culture and highlighted how artisanal precision, aesthetic sensibility, and creative interpretation can intertwine across centuries to form a vibrant narrative.

The Resulting Objects

Andrea Jack-Voigt

Medieval embroidery patterns meet contemporary upcycling: these jewellery pieces merge historical motifs with materials such as old parchment scraps and discarded bicycle inner tubes – a reinterpretation in the spirit of sustainability.

Since 2018, the Styrian by choice has been creating durable fashion and accessories under the label »Cerwenka«. In addition to fine fabrics and quality leather, she prefers to work with surplus materials from industry and crafts – always with the aim of combining design with meaning.

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Felizia Wurzinger-Keller

What once embellished parchment now revitalises denim: the designer transposes medieval embroidery patterns onto jeans fabrics and combines them with the Japanese Sashiko technique – an artful fusion of two cultures of repair.

The Graz-based textile artist and trained language educator has been working with upcycling methods for years, particularly with denim. Her passion for Sashiko led her to the rare »Sashikodenim«, where traditional embroidery and denim aesthetics merge. Since 2023, she has been working independently under »@waldlaeufer.in«.

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Atelier Vasco Pinho

The portable lamp »Luzíada« combines medieval embroidery aesthetics with Portuguese craftsmanship. Inspired by the national epic »Os Lusíadas«, it is made from traditional Burel wool fabric and adorned with symbolic stitching – a tribute to light, history, and design.

Founded in 2016 in Covilhã, Portugal, the atelier of Vasco Pinho and Daniel Souza brings together architecture, interior design, and sustainable concept development. Its focus: environmental awareness, cultural heritage, and the interplay of space, material, and narrative.

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Barbara Stölzl & Claudia Werchota

A floating light object emerges from the organic forms of medieval embroidery – crafted from repurposed lampshades and delicate silk scarves. This three-dimensional creation plays with transparency, texture, and memory.

Barbara Stölzl, originally active in the fashion industry, founded the label »milli lux« in 2011, specialising in sustainable, handcrafted fabric lampshades. Claudia Werchota works as an interior architect in Graz. Her focus is on connecting old structures with new forms – whether in spatial design or in her concrete object studio.

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Susanna Ahvonen, Tomislav Bobinec & Tali Tormoche

An analogue notebook meets digital technology: twelve pages of facsimiles featuring medieval embroidery patterns offer augmented reality experiences via app. Sticker sheets and note pages invite users to engage – a combination of book culture, technology, and personal interaction.

Susanna Ahvonen, an architect with a background in mathematics and art history, designs furniture and objects between Graz and Finland.Tomislav Bobinec is a communication designer, typographer, and founder of »I Say No To Cheap Design«; he teaches at FH JOANNEUM and develops innovative concepts in editorial and exhibition design.Tali Tormoche founded »ReBlock« in 2006, an upcycling label for notebooks, bringing his passion for paper from the advertising and media world.

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