The centuries-old art of drawn thread work is a form of embroidery. Also called drawn thread embroidery and drawn threadwork, the traditionally hand-sewn embellishment is generally done on linen fabric for garments and home decor. It involves pulling or drawing threads from fabric across the grain (the woof, or horizontal weft) or along the straight grain (the warp). In some cases, the threads are drawn in both directions, as on napkins, tablecloths, or kick pleats on skirts or jackets.

Once the first threads are removed, the remaining threads are pulled two to six threads at a time. Technically, the initial threads are “drawn” from the fabric, and the remaining threads in the area from which the threads were drawn are then “pulled” together with stitching.

Now you can sew beautiful drawn thread work using your sewing machine in a fraction of the time it takes to do it by hand. The stitches shown in this article are standard on most machines.

 

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Kandi Christian-Blackwell, owner of Sew Timeless, writes about and teaches heirloom sewing techniques. SewTimeless.com