Macarena Sanz

Gold thread embroiderer

©Macarena Sanz

Celebrating tradition and restoring designs

Macarena has been embroidering since the early 1990s
Her specialties are gold embroidery and appliqué embroidery
Liturgical embroideries have served as her inspiration

Macarena Sanz's work is linked to the city of Cuenca and Holy Week. Due to tourism, the demand for traditional embroiderers in the locality increased. "There was a growing need for a workshop of artisanal embroidery to meet the needs of the religious brotherhoods without having to outsource to workshops in Andalusia. Embroidering in Cuenca also allowed us to preserve a design of greater austerity, more typical of the Castilian region," explains Macarena. "Until this moment, various items such as standards, drapes, mantles, and so on were embroidered in convents and local workshops, but the skills were bound to die out. When I finished my training courses, I saw an opportunity to open a gold thread embroidery workshop," she points out. Macarena opened her first workshop in 1997 with four partners who are now retired.

Interview

©Macarena Sanz

©Macarena Sanz

What is the relationship of your work with religion?: Gold embroidery is used for many ecclesiastical applications, from tunics, mantles, skirts, and mantillas to the rich heritage of standards, flags, banners, and even chasubles or altar coverings, all enriched with this type of embroidery. The popular and traditional festivals of Spain are strongly linked to the celebrations of the Church.
What type of projects do you work on?: Although most of my work is for localities in the province and the autonomous community of Cuenca, some pieces are made for other areas of Spain. I also work on ancient embroideries and recover them by transferring the embroidered pieces in gold or silver to new fabrics. In most cases, the old design is respected.
What are the techniques within gold thread embroidery?: Fundamentally, there are two techniques. One is the raised gold embroidery technique, also called laid gold, which has a centuries-old tradition and is strictly done by hand. The material used is a thread with a core of cotton or silk and a metallic covering of silver or copper, in both cases over-gilded.
Do you believe in the durability of your work?: Yes. When I occasionally come across an embroidery from the 18th century or earlier, I think that someone all those years ago did the same work I do now. I know that one day an embroiderer will think the same when holding a piece of my work in their hands. Handmade embroidery is a legacy of culture, art, and craftsmanship that endures over time as a repository of our customs.

Macarena Sanz is an expert artisan she began her career in 1996