DRAWN THREAD WORK
In drawn thread work, threads are cut and withdrawn from suitable material and the open strands decorated with fancy stitches to create a lacey effect.

CHARACTERISTICS

• Threads are cut and withdrawn from the base fabric.
• Corners, with both warp & weft threads withdrawn, are filled with loop stitch, woven wheels, spiders or fans.
• Remaining loose threads formed into groups with a variety of stitches - tied together with coral stitch, wrapping or whipping, buttonhole – or covered over with darning or needleweaving.
• Generally hemstitching and/or buttonhole on edges of withdrawn threads.
• Designs - geometric.

HISTORY

Drawn thread work, one of the earliest and most ancient forms of openwork embroidery, came from the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea . Fragments of needleweaving on linen, Coptic or Egyptian of 1st C AD, exist. There is no doubt that the embroidery mentioned in the Scriptures as being used for vestments of the priests and the hanging of the Temple , was drawn thread work. Arabic border on fine linen also included needleweaving.

Traditionally worked on white or natural linen with same colour thread.

In time, this work was introduced into European countries – Greece , Italy , Russia , Germany and Spain under the names PUNTO TIRATO (threads drawn one way) and PUNTO TAGLIATO (threads drawn both ways). Also known as Hamburg Point, Indian Work, Broderie Nancy, Dresden Point and Sicilian Drawn-thread Work.   Still later used in Norwegian, Slav, Hungarian and Roumanian national costume.

Towards the end of the 16th C, the art of embroidering on linen was taken up in England by members of the Royal Household, who being clever at lace making, introduced lace stitches intermingled with drawn thread work to enrich their clothes and household linen. Elizabethan portraits show spectacular ruffs decorated with drawn thread work.

The embroidery of the 16th C had such a large number of threads cut and withdrawn that they were strengthened and decorated with darning and needleweaving, and with threads added diagonally and in curves which were held in place with bars. Large open areas were filled with close buttonhole stitches to from techniques know as reticella and punto in aria. N.B. Latin and   French terms were used, as they were the universal languages of the time, just as English is today.

19th and early 20th centuries an enormous quantity of drawn thread work was produced on linen and cotton to decorate bed and table linen. Trailing designs of stem stitch, satin stitch with crochet borders to create a rich impression.

Many countries gave their name to particular methods.

• Russian: mesh background with a solid design or several rows of hemstitching and needleweaving spaced to form a pattern.
• Greek:   wide borders with a skeleton of threads, regular repeating open areas closely stitched in buttonhole with bars and picots, woven wheels and quartered corners.
• English:   Ruskin work under the influence of John Ruskin in Lake District .

USES – used for lingerie, handkerchiefs, sheets, tray cloths and tea cloths, towels, nightdress cases and other household requisites.

THREADS – the thread drawn out of the material was once used to work the lacey stitches, but now linen or cotton threads in matching colour are used. Thread should be the same size as the thread drawn from the linen.

REFERENCES:

The Anchor Manual of Needlework, Batsford 1990
Drawn Fabric Embroidery by Edna Wark, Batsford, London , 1979
Drawn Thread Embroidery, by Moyra McNeill, Batsford, London 1989
Weldon's Encyclopedia of Needlework London
Whitework Embroidery by Barbara Dawson, Batsford, London , 1987

©Valerie Cavill , May 2007