Embroideries
Syede Hedeboblonder (Hedebo edges) is a form of free-style embroidered lace in white, which developed in the Hedebo region and spread to the rest of Denmark in the early eighteenth century. It was primarily used as a decorative edging technique.
Tambour beading is a technique that developed in Europe in the late eighteenth century. A small hook (tambour hook) is used to attach the beads to the ground cloth, rather than a needle. The word tambour is French for ‘drum’ and is named after the drum-shaped tensioning frame that was originally used. The technique of tambour embroidery originated, so it is assumed, in India in the seventeenth century or earlier.
Tulle embroidery is a form of free style embroidery worked on tulle, a light weight and machine-made net. This type of embroidery appeared in the late eighteenth and became popular in the nineteenth centuries. Tulle embroidery is often regarded as a cheaper version of bobbin lace.
In some parts of southern Austria and neighbouring Italy (Tyrol), feathers are used as an embroidery thread to decorate a range of leather items. Male peacock feathers are stripped of the vane or feathery section, washed and dried. Then the hollow end (calamus, commonly known as the quill section) is cut into narrow strips. These strips are used to create initials, monographs, as well as small, intricate geometric patterns.
Tællesyning is a form of counted thread embroidery from Denmark within the Hedebo tradition, whereby geometric patterns are created using satin stitch over a set number of threads in the ground material. The technique can be found all over the country. Tællesyning motifs include stars, triangles, as well as stylised animals, human figures and trees.
Udklipshedebo, or Hedebo needle lace, is a Danish form of whitework embroidery, often regarded as free-style, using cut work and embroidered lace techniques, which developed from the mid-nineteenth century, when Danish embroiderers started to fill in their traditional design patterns with embroidered lace, worked in buttonhole stitch and scallop stitch, thus developing a style called Udklipshedebo.
Ukrainian women have been working embroidery for centuries. The country harbours various traditions, some of them closely linked to embroideries of Russia further to the east and north; others more linked to East and Southeast European embroideries.
Embroidery seems to be a relatively late development in Scandinavia. Textiles were generally adorned by other means, as for instance using different types of fibres for the fabric (wool/linen). 'Real' embroidery is known from the ninth century onwards.
Virágozás means 'flowering', and refers to a Hungarian tradition of decorating fleeces with satin stitch in silk. The specific motifs were dependent on regional and family traditions. The motifs were prepared with stencils or templates. The stitches were worked carefully, without passing through the fleece.
Wallachian embroidery is a solid, multi-coloured form of decoration from Wallachia, in what is now Romania.
Wallachian embroidery is a form of whitework embroidery that became popular at the end of the nineteenth century in North America, and should not be confused with the 'original' Wallachian work. Its characteristic feature is the use of buttonhole stitch. It was based upon a traditional embroidery style from Wallachia in Romania. The urbanised American version is mainly worked in white silk or cotton on a linen ground.
Whitework is a general term for a group of embroidery styles that are worked in a white thread on a white ground material. Some forms are sometimes classed as forms of embroidered lace.
Wool work is a form of decorative needlework made from woollen threads. This type of embroidery is sometimes called crewel embroidery, but the term wool work actually covers a wider range of embroidery forms. One popular nineteenth century form of wool work in various parts of the world was Berlin wool work.