Thread that could be used for blackwork.
Credit: Sanja Gjenero | ©www.sxc.hu
Lolaness wrote an article earlier this year called “How to Get Started Creating Cutwork Embroidery”, and I thought I would branch out one part of her article to talk to you about another of my favorite needleart hobbies, blackwork.
Blackwork is embroidery traditionally done on white or off-white evenweave fabric with black thread. Though nowadays blackwork is done in any color with any color background, if you are looking to make something that may pass for authentic, your color choices are limited. The fabric was typically linen and the threads were silk.
Blackwork gets its name from the color of the thread, much like whitework does. When black wasn't used, sometimes people used red silk threads, leading to them calling it Scarletwork.
Blackwork dates back to at least the 14th century, though it is unknown exactly how or where it originated. It is speculated that similar types of embroidery were done for hundreds of years beforehand, and though it is difficult to tell when or where it originated or traveled from, it appears to have made its way up through Spain, which is where much of the record begins. It did, at some point, influence Spanish needlework.
By the 16th century, needlework was no longer done mostly for the church and it was starting to make its way into the secular population, where persons who were not nobility were prevented by law from wearing “excessive” clothing. Blackwork was a cheaper alternative to lace and could be worn by persons besides nobility.
As for blackwork, the patterns vary from small, easy pieces with windows where the beautiful, geometric patterns are done, to large pieces of fabric or articles of clothing with scrolling, geometric designs. Traditionally, all blackwork designs used horizontal and vertical stitches, no diagonals, but there are many beautiful pieces that have utilized the diagonal stitches.
Blackwork is embroidery traditionally done on white or off-white evenweave fabric with black thread. Though nowadays blackwork is done in any color with any color background, if you are looking to make something that may pass for authentic, your color choices are limited. The fabric was typically linen and the threads were silk.
Blackwork gets its name from the color of the thread, much like whitework does. When black wasn't used, sometimes people used red silk threads, leading to them calling it Scarletwork.
Blackwork dates back to at least the 14th century, though it is unknown exactly how or where it originated. It is speculated that similar types of embroidery were done for hundreds of years beforehand, and though it is difficult to tell when or where it originated or traveled from, it appears to have made its way up through Spain, which is where much of the record begins. It did, at some point, influence Spanish needlework.
By the 16th century, needlework was no longer done mostly for the church and it was starting to make its way into the secular population, where persons who were not nobility were prevented by law from wearing “excessive” clothing. Blackwork was a cheaper alternative to lace and could be worn by persons besides nobility.
As for blackwork, the patterns vary from small, easy pieces with windows where the beautiful, geometric patterns are done, to large pieces of fabric or articles of clothing with scrolling, geometric designs. Traditionally, all blackwork designs used horizontal and vertical stitches, no diagonals, but there are many beautiful pieces that have utilized the diagonal stitches.
- Blackwork is a fundamentally simple type of embroidery.
- Blackwork may have gotten its name from black thread, but any color is acceptable now.
- Needlework is an all-year past time.
Comments
am devising a blackwork on linen project even now...nice article
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