Fine Needleworks
It is all about stitching...Pulled Thread Sampler
I've finished my pulled thread sampler! This needlework is quite large (17 inches by 12 inches) and has 80 squares/rectangles demonstrating different stitches. The design is by Eileen Bennett, and she taught Crown of Pearls at an EGA (Embroiderers Guild of America) regional seminar this spring.
Pulled thread needlework is different from drawn thread needlework. In pulled thread, your sewing thread is pulled tight and distorts the base fabric (typically linen). As a result you pull holes in the fabric and the beauty of the stitch is in the pattern of holes and lumps. Drawn thread is when actual threads that make up the ground fabric are removed. Patterns are then stitched with thread on the uneven fabric.
Some people find pulled thread needlework difficult because the
stitching does not look like the "graph paper" pattern you are
supplied. For example, the pattern for the upright eyelet stitch
is a series of upright crosses, but the result is dramatically
different as shown to the left.
Similarly, it is hard to recreate a stitch from the finished stitching without having instructions. Who would think that reverse faggot filling shown in the photograph to the left is drawn in its stitch diagram as a series of diagonal lines?
This sampler was fun to complete. It has the same advantage as many samplers in that each square can be finished in a sitting. It does however have a lot of satin stitch as a framework for the design.
It will be a challenging piece to frame because of the distortion in the ground fabric. It is very important when doing pulled thread to stretch the fabric in a hoop, frame, or stretcher bars. Eileen, the designer, started us using a hoop and moving the hoop frequently. However, I found it much easier to sew when I mounted the fabric on stretcher bars, despite the large piece size.
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