Drawn and pulled thread embroidery
Question:
I initially indicated (I think, and Judith got it right), drawn FABRIC. Same thing as pulled thread. Dianne – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m confused now — wasn’t Dianne talking about drawn thread work? Or am I misremembering?
Response:
Janice Love has a book about Hadanger I think the title is "Basics and Beyond of Hardanger" This might help Donna
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, Since a few days I have been reading in on this newsgroup and noticed the prevalence of X-stich messages. I myself am a real beginner in needlework. I recently did a Hardanger workshop and found out that I really prefer pulled thread and drawn thread work. I saw some very nice patterns that Linda Driskell did, but they seem too difficult for a beginner. And I have bought a very good book on the essentials of pulled thread by Moyra McNeill. But it lacks patterns of complete works. Could anyone recommend a book or patterns – charts on drawn and pulled thread for a beginner? Thanks a lot. Anne-Lies Risseeuw Gouda, the Netherlands
Welcome to RCTN. There are probably more cross-stitchers here than any other group, but people here do all sorts of decorative work with needle and thread although I suppose smocking would go over in sewing. And knitting and crochet belong elsewhere although tatting seems to wander in here too because some of us tat with a needle. Linda Driskell’s directions are wonderful. Her basic patterns (such as the recently republished "Hardanger Heart") have full instructions even beginners can follow. Her stitch diagrams are easy to follow. I pulled her "Heirloom Whitework Sampler" out of my stash to see the detail of those directions. This pattern was published in 1991 and states that it was taught at the National Counted Cross Stitch Show at Rockome Gardens. It’s beautiful and has a lot of different stitches. It will be an heirloom if I ever find time to stitch it. But the directions are very detailed including describing a waste knot, showing the needle going through the fabric to help with technique, and showing how to backstitch around the heart outline. There are 61 charts in the pattern. The only thing "missing" is a phrase or initials to personalize the sampler in pattern #7 on page 23. 
Did you open the charts to look at the directions, or did you just say "Wow!" (like DD just did) and think that they would be too hard? Linda Driskell is also doing a yearlong "Millinium Sampler" that she is designing as she goes along. I wasn’t ready to add it to my projects in progress. Janice Love’s "Hardanger Basics and Beyond" book is a classic guide and includes some projects. Thea Dueck (The Victoria Sampler) has many beautiful charts without many directions. She has free charts available on her web page http://www.victoriasampler.com She refers the reader to Janice Love’s book. That’s fine by me. Welcome. And enjoy your stitching. Beth Katz WIPs: Dimples Designs’s "Fiji", Sharon Cohen’s "English Pynpillow"
Response:
Isn’t it amazing how "stuck" you get on one or two designers? I’ve done cross-stitch for way too many years to talk about but discovered hardanger about 10 years ago. I’ve never done a just cross-stitching piece since. And then I stumbled onto pulled and drawn work, and love that even more. I’ve noticed that when you are out stitching, people (even cross-stitchers) are blown away by hardanger or drawn/pulled work. They say it looks so hard and it’s so NOT! I probably won’t ever get to any of their stitching weekends, but I always enjoy hearing about them. (well, maybe if my son really does what he says he will and gives me half of his first million…..) Kate (whose next project is Rose Arbor Sampler)
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Kate, I just had to respond to your post, because I have all of Thea’s charts, even some of the ones she did under the label "Lampost Designs". I also love Emie Bishop although I find her instructions more difficult to read than Thea’s. I wish I could say that I had finished more of Thea’s – I have done Pansy Sampler, Heart to Heart, Silk Wysteria, Crimson Fire and Crystal Waters. The heirloom anniversary sampler is really calling to me right now, but I am determined to clean up a few old UFO’s first. Are you planning a trip to Victoria in September for her stitching weekend? I would really like to go, but I have committed to myself to CATS Mpls and I don’t think I can afford 2 in 1 year. Til next time, Georgia (big fan of Thea) — All good things must come to an end, including this *&$%^!* UFO…. X/CAN/H1+(jwl)/X13(arl),Y11(mcl),Y9(dal)/
Response:
I initially indicated (I think, and Judith got it right), drawn FABRIC. Same thing as pulled thread.
I thought that drawn work was where you with*draw* the threads. So is drawn fabric work different from drawn thread work? Drawn fabric = pulled thread and drawn thread = withdrawn threads? Elizabeth JUST FINISHED — Antique Doll Sisters from Lanarte and SB Millennium needleroll WIP: Carousel Pegasus by True Colors charts "Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by stupidity…"
Response:
Yes: Drawn Fabric is pulled thread (fabric threads pulled together to create open spaces) and Drawn Thread is withdrawing threads. There’s two school’s of thought on verbage for this technique. My preference is this one. Either way is correct. To confuse things, there are stitches like Russian Ground, which both removes thread and also pulls them together <grin. Dianne – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I initially indicated (I think, and Judith got it right), drawn FABRIC. Same thing as pulled thread. I thought that drawn work was where you with*draw* the threads. So is drawn fabric work different from drawn thread work? Drawn fabric = pulled thread and drawn thread = withdrawn threads? Elizabeth JUST FINISHED — Antique Doll Sisters from Lanarte and SB Millennium needleroll WIP: Carousel Pegasus by True Colors charts "Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by stupidity…"
Response:
Hallo Anne-Lies! If you are lucky to find some OLD Ariadnes , there are quite some patterns for pulled thread work in them , + remarkabler Clear drawings , Het Beste met U mirjam
Response:
I have to agree about Linda’s directions. They are clear and precise. Since her booklets are so think they tend to scare beginners off. However, this is the exact reason they should not scare you. They are thick because of the detailed instructions. Linda is a delightful teacher, take a class from her if you ever get the chance. I took 3 classes almost 10 years ago. She still remembers me, [not my name but my face]. As soon as I remind her she always asks about my friend that was in class with me. Beth
Response:
Hello everyone, Since a few days I have been reading in on this newsgroup and noticed the prevalence of X-stich messages. I myself am a real beginner in needlework. I recently did a Hardanger workshop and found out that I really prefer pulled thread and drawn thread work. I saw some very nice patterns that Linda Driskell did, but they seem too difficult for a beginner. And I have bought a very good book on the essentials of pulled thread by Moyra McNeill. But it lacks patterns of complete works. Could anyone recommend a book or patterns – charts on drawn and pulled thread for a beginner? Thanks a lot. Anne-Lies Risseeuw Gouda, the Netherlands
Response:
One of my favorites is The Open Canvas by Carolyn Armbuter, 1982. It is out of print but pretty available. There’s a used book dealier in Amsterdam that I’ve ordered OOP needleowrk books from…they might be able to help you. Antiquariaat A. Kok & Zn. 20-6231191 Or check www.bookfinder.com or www.alibris.com. Im sure those dealers would ship to you. Also, check www.amazon.co.uk and amazon.com. Some book titles I like are: Linen Embroidery by Etta Campbell (Batsford) The Complete Book of Hardanger by Jenny Geldens (Little House Presss) Drawn Thread Embroidery by Moyra McNeill Pulled Thread Embroidery by Moyra McNeill Casalguidi Style Linen Embroidery by Effie Mitrofanis and any hardanger books by Hildegard Iserlohe. Some of these are stitch books, some contain project. My strongest recommendations would be for the Open Canvas as it provides several sampler designs as a way of learning the stitches. Judith Madison, WI
Response:
Judith: I have Armbuter’s book and McNeil’s. But I still have a question no one has answered. When working drawn fabric stitchs in a non-square area (let’s say a fancy leaf with several protruberances), where does one decide where to begin? The longest length and then, when the bottom half is done, start there and do the top half (albeit upside down?). Am I making any sense here? I can do drawn fabric work in several stitches, but when I get out of a square (which 99% of modern designs are made of), I’m lost! I do them – but always feel like their must be a better way of figuring out where to start! Dianne – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – One of my favorites is The Open Canvas by Carolyn Armbuter, 1982. It is out of print but pretty available. There’s a used book dealier in Amsterdam that I’ve ordered OOP needleowrk books from…they might be able to help you. Antiquariaat A. Kok & Zn. 20-6231191 Or check www.bookfinder.com or www.alibris.com. Im sure those dealers would ship to you. Also, check www.amazon.co.uk and amazon.com. Some book titles I like are: Linen Embroidery by Etta Campbell (Batsford) The Complete Book of Hardanger by Jenny Geldens (Little House Presss) Drawn Thread Embroidery by Moyra McNeill Pulled Thread Embroidery by Moyra McNeill Casalguidi Style Linen Embroidery by Effie Mitrofanis and any hardanger books by Hildegard Iserlohe. Some of these are stitch books, some contain project. My strongest recommendations would be for the Open Canvas as it provides several sampler designs as a way of learning the stitches. Judith Madison, WI
Response:
The Victorian Sampler has lots of designs that use hardanger and pulled thread stitches (with a little cross-stitch thrown in). The designer (Thea Dueck) has the best instructions I’ve ever seen. She even offers a free on-line class to help those getting started. Kate (whose stash includes more Dueck stuff than any other designer but Emie Bishop) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, Since a few days I have been reading in on this newsgroup and noticed the prevalence of X-stich messages. I myself am a real beginner in needlework. I recently did a Hardanger workshop and found out that I really prefer pulled thread and drawn thread work. I saw some very nice patterns that Linda Driskell did, but they seem too difficult for a beginner. And I have bought a very good book on the essentials of pulled thread by Moyra McNeill. But it lacks patterns of complete works. Could anyone recommend a book or patterns – charts on drawn and pulled thread for a beginner? Thanks a lot. Anne-Lies Risseeuw Gouda, the Netherlands
Response:
Dianne, I’d try either what you described (doing the longest row first, then area below and area above). Or, working diagonal rows. I did a pulled thread piece by Karen Buell and most of the stitches were diagonals. Somehow the compensation at the ends of the rows was easy. But again, it was starting with the longest diagonal row. Judith
Response:
My very first drawn/pulled piece was a large, glorious Linda Driskell piece which I did in 1991 and now hangs in my entrance hall. The instructions are among the best that I have ever come across in 20 years of stitching. Every tiny part of each step is clearly documented, giving the exact number of threads along with clear diagrams. I cannot recommend her leaflets highly enough — even for a beginner. She has many smallish pieces that might be more appropriate for a newcomer to needlework, but I had done only XS and needlepoint before attempting her Heirloom Whitework Sampler and I had no problems with it. I did the entire thing in 9 days because I simply could not put it down! Good luck. Elizabeth JUST FINISHED — Antique Doll Sisters from Lanarte and SB Millennium needleroll WIP: Carousel Pegasus by True Colors charts "Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by stupidity…"
Response:
Dianne, I’d try either what you described (doing the longest row first, then area below and area above). Or, working diagonal rows. I did a pulled thread piece by Karen Buell
I’m confused now — wasn’t Dianne talking about drawn thread work? Or am I misremembering? Dianne’s original post is gone now (sharing a computer with children is a surefire way to lose posts) but I remember reading her question and thinking that she was talking about withdrawing threads… Elizabeth JUST FINISHED — Antique Doll Sisters from Lanarte and SB Millennium needleroll WIP: Carousel Pegasus by True Colors charts "Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by stupidity…"
Response:
Hi Kate, I just had to respond to your post, because I have all of Thea’s charts, even some of the ones she did under the label "Lampost Designs". I also love Emie Bishop although I find her instructions more difficult to read than Thea’s. I wish I could say that I had finished more of Thea’s – I have done Pansy Sampler, Heart to Heart, Silk Wysteria, Crimson Fire and Crystal Waters. The heirloom anniversary sampler is really calling to me right now, but I am determined to clean up a few old UFO’s first. Are you planning a trip to Victoria in September for her stitching weekend? I would really like to go, but I have committed to myself to CATS Mpls and I don’t think I can afford 2 in 1 year. Til next time, Georgia (big fan of Thea) — All good things must come to an end, including this *&$%^!* UFO…. X/CAN/H1+(jwl)/X13(arl),Y11(mcl),Y9(dal)/-/1d/1C/Frankincense – VS/DPXHRK/L/D/:-P~/OS/M/B/b/R~/S+/K/E+/-/G/W+/C/J+/Sean Connery/Maeve Binchy/salt ‘n’ vinegar chips – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The Victorian Sampler has lots of designs that use hardanger and pulled thread stitches (with a little cross-stitch thrown in). The designer (Thea Dueck) has the best instructions I’ve ever seen. She even offers a free on-line class to help those getting started. Kate (whose stash includes more Dueck stuff than any other designer but Emie Bishop)
Response:
Filed under: Linen Fabric
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