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Whitework embroidery is any
Different styles of whitework emanated from different areas and at a variety of times in history. There are examples of pulled thread work from the 1200s. Prior to the 1500s, embroidered clothing and other textiles were limited to the church and to royalty. Dresden work, a pulled thread style, developed in Germany. In the early 1700s, it was popular as a substitute for lace. Broderie anglaise, which features eyelets, was particularly popular in the late 1800s. When the 9th-century tomb of
Whitework embroidery is any embroidery
Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen ...
technique in which the stitching is the same color as the foundation fabric (traditionally white linen
Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant.
Linen is very strong, absorbent, and dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. It also ...
). Styles of whitework embroidery include most drawn thread work
Drawn thread work is one of the earliest forms of open work embroidery, and has been worked throughout Europe. Originally it was often used for ecclesiastical items and to ornament shrouds. It is a form of counted-thread embroidery based on remov ...
, broderie anglaise
Broderie anglaise (French, "English embroidery", ) is a whitework needlework technique incorporating features of embroidery, cutwork and needle lace that became associated with England, due to its popularity there in the 19th century.
History a ...
, Hardanger embroidery, Hedebo embroidery, Mountmellick embroidery
Mountmellick embroidery or Mountmellick work is a floral whitework embroidery originating in the town of Mountmellick in County Laois, Ireland, in the early nineteenth century.
History
It was developed around 1825 by Johanna Carter, who ta ...
, reticella
Reticella (also reticello or in French point coupé or point couppe) is a needle lace dating from the 15th century and remaining popular into the first quarter of the 17th century.
Reticella was originally a form of cutwork in which threads wer ...
and Schwalm. Whitework embroidery is one of the techniques employed in heirloom sewing for blouse
A blouse (blau̇s, 'blau̇z, ) is a loose-fitting upper garment that was worn by workmen, peasants, artists, women, and children.The Concise Oxford English Dictionary It is typically gathered at the waist or hips (by tight hem, pleats, parter ...
s, christening gown
Baptismal clothing is apparel worn by Christian proselytes (and in some cases, by clergy members also) during the ceremony of baptism. White clothes are generally worn because the person being baptized is "fresh like the driven manna". In certain ...
s, baby bonnets, and other small articles.
Description of the technique
The term whitework encompasses a wide variety of specific forms of embroidery and can refer to freestyle, counted thread, and canvas-work techniques. Whitework can also be divided into two categories, open and close, depending on whether the threads are cut. Open whitework includesdrawn thread work
Drawn thread work is one of the earliest forms of open work embroidery, and has been worked throughout Europe. Originally it was often used for ecclesiastical items and to ornament shrouds. It is a form of counted-thread embroidery based on remov ...
and the related cutwork
Cutwork or cut work, also known as ''punto tagliato'' in Italian, is a needlework technique in which portions of a textile, typically cotton or linen, are cut away and the resulting "hole" is reinforced and filled with embroidery or needle lace.
...
, in which threads are removed (drawn) from the background fabric, which produces an open, lacy effect. Examples of drawn thread work are broderie anglaise, Madeira, and Hardanger. Close embroidery is also known as pulled work, which produces an open effect as threads are manipulated, with some being grouped together and others pulled apart.
History
Different styles of whitework emanated from different areas and at a variety of times in history. There are examples of pulled thread work from the 1200s. Prior to the 1500s, embroidered clothing and other textiles were limited to the church and to royalty. Dresden work, a pulled thread style, developed in Germany. In the early 1700s, it was popular as a substitute for lace. Broderie anglaise, which features eyelets, was particularly popular in the late 1800s. When the 9th-century tomb of St. Cuthbert
Cuthbert of Lindisfarne ( – 20 March 687) was an Anglo-Saxon saint of the early Northumbrian church in the Celtic tradition. He was a monk, bishop and hermit, associated with the monasteries of Melrose and Lindisfarne in the Kingdom of Nor ...
was opened in the 12th century, an example of drawn thread work was found in it. Another form of whitework, cutwork, was found throughout Europe, but highly skilled cutwork originated in Italy. In the 1500s, Cardinal Richelieu introduced it to France. It was so popular in the 1500s and 1600s in England that, by law, only the noble classes could wear it.
References
Bibliography
*S.F.A. Caulfield and B.C. Saward, ''The Dictionary of Needlework'', 1885. *Virginia Churchill Bath, ''Needlework in America'', Viking Press, 1979 Embroidery {{textile-arts-stub