A Lesson in Drawn Thread Work

At the Lytham St Annes meeting a couple of days ago, we had an enjoyable workshop on Drawn Thread Work taught by our long-time member; Linda Bedford.

Here is a small section of a larger piece of Drawn Thread Work that you may remember seeing here in the Exhibition Posts.

Linda always goes to a lot of trouble making sure that not only are there plenty of samples to pass around and scrutinize to see what we are trying to achieve (and aspire to!) but that we are equipped with extremely helpful handouts detailing each step as well as a little history on the technique. Fabulous when writing up a blog post :-) Thank you Linda.
For those of you that are not familiar with the Drawn Thread Work, it is a counted technique usually worked on evenweave fabric (examples in this post); traditionally Linen and is one of the oldest forms of open weave embroidery. 
Threads are removed or 'drawn' out before being stitched together around the remaining threads to form a pattern utilizing the gaps.
There are many varieties and patterns that have been developed over the centuries and just as many uses for an item decorated in Drawn Thread work, such as Altar Cloths embroidered by nuns in 13th century Germany. During the Renaissance it was used as a 'fake' lace which during that time being hand made was expensive and slow to produce.
Drawn Thread work has also been used in garments and household linens - tray cloths being a popular use today. 
Whilst categorised as 'White Work' contemporary pieces do use coloured thread as it is much easier to see, especially if you are new to the technique.
This is a sample of what we were learning in our first Drawn Thread Work Lesson.

 Top row shows Hemstitch over 2 threads, middle row is Hemstitch over 4 threads and the third row stitched is called Zig-Zag Hemstitch.
As you can see in the sample above, the fabric - we were using a Zweigart 18 count Davosa cotton fabric in Antique White with a coloured Perle no 5 thread; needs to be prepared by first marking 
the central vertical with a running stitch line using ordinary thread and a tapestry needle as the blunt point makes it easier to push the needle through the holes in the fabric.

Then counting 20 threads to the left of the central line - a pin is a great help in making sure you don't lose your place; we stitched another vertical line and repeated this again 20 threads to the right of the central line. We ended up with 3 vertical marked lines.
Linda went to great lengths to explain how to do this and which lines were Warp (vertical) and which Weft (horizontal - or 'West to East' is a good way to remember). She made a HUGE sample piece, seen below, to help us to see how to with draw the Weft threads by cutting 2 weft threads on the centre line about 2 inches from the top (as shown by the pin in photo above) then taking the first out about 3 cm past the left line and taking to the back so that the second thread could be woven into the space beyond the line on the first.

Some Teachers Go to Great Lengths to Teach their Pupils!

It sounds complicated in text but in reality was really quite easy to do once you had seen how its done or had Linda's excellent handouts that were complete with diagrams to show the method of stitching. 
The trick to the weaving part was having a tapestry needle that had an eye large enough to fit the weft thread but small enough to weave it into the top line without it being obvious. Some tapestry needles are too small and others quite large so find a 'middle' size one (you'll know once you use it).
Another method for fastening the loose threads is to sew with Satin Stitch but that method is for another day, another post, maybe.
I won't even try to explain the stitching as a diagram is best but you make a waste knot and then come up two threads below the first space - then  it was a case of following the diagrams for each different stitch to make the patterns.

 Depending how many warp threads you take the needle around and under and where - you can offset them by doing two threads beginning and end of row - makes the patterns differ.
Here are some of our works in progress below.

The sewing thread needs to be pulled firmly to make the Warp/vertical threads stay together.

Once one row is finished, weave you sewing thread under to fasten off and then start the other row in same way with a waste knot.

Above, in green is Hemstitch over 2 threads.
In our lesson we did not get up to Hemstitch over 4 threads, or Zig- Zag where the 2nd row is begun and ended with working over 2 threads and the rest of row over 4, but these are easy enough once you have gained confidence - more in next post.

 A very big Thank You to Linda Bedord for all her hard work in preparing and teaching us this lovely technique with her usual patience and expertise. We were quite a handful during the counting and withdrawing thread phase, I can tell you..... however, practise makes perfect so they say - and it is true, we went home and reread our handouts and got down to stitching and found out Oh Joy! it really is quite easy! (just like Linda had promised) once the counting, drawing out and weaving in is done it stitches up FAST. Yippee! - now we are all ready, homework done and happily anticipating our second lesson in September. 
Until then you can feast your eyes on some of Linda's beautiful Drawn Thread Works of Art coming up in the next post.