Whitework

By Adeline Panamaroff

Adeline, a freelance writer/proofreader, located in Edmonton, Alberta can be contacted at www.adelinepanamaroff.com for writing and marketing requests.

History: Whitework is a term that covers a wide range of stitching techniques. The commonality between them all is that stitches are worked with white threads over white cloth, and by using a number of different methods, the end result creates a lace effect. 

These stitching methods have been around in various areas of the world at different times in history. Their exact points of origin are difficult to pinpoint. Where they really gained popularity was in Europe and later in America. 

Whitework Heart
Design by Trish Burr / Worked by Stephanie B.

Used on such items as bed linens, underwear, cuffs, collars, table cloths, handkerchiefs, and even ceremonial coverings for coffins, whitework found its way into every area of daily life. The use of undyed fabrics and threads was probably a response to how difficult it was to maintain colored fabrics as they went through multiple washings. With undyed threads on white or natural colored fabrics, the threat of colored dye running while being laundered was eliminated and you could still have a decorative edge on garments and other household items.

Whitework Monogram Sachet

Class taught by Erika Bottcher / worked by Lorraine D

In Scotland, Ayrshire Whitework, named after an area where this was a booming cottage industry, was the regional style of whitework. This variant used stem stitch, padded satin stitch, herringbone, blanket, eyelet and chain stitches. Threads were drawn out of the fabric to create open spaces in the design that were then worked over with needle weaving to create a textured area. 

Whitework Needle Case

Class taught by Joyce S.H. Uses 18 ct linen and perle cotton thread.

Broderie Anglaise came from Czechoslovakia. The identifying feature of this style of whitework was the heavy use of cut eyelets and the use of courser cotton. The holes of the eyelets were cut from the fabric, once the stitched design was finished around where the holes were to be cut.

In the 16th century Richelieu cutwork appeared in the Italian repertoire of embroidery techniques. This method required a very high thread count in the base fabric, because so much of the design is cut away after it is stitched. 

In Denmark, again in the 16th Century, Hedebo embroidery, named after the area in Denmark that first developed this technique, came into use. Hedebo embroidery uses both counted thread and drawn threads to create open spaces in the fabric being worked. These spaces are worked over to create delicate textures. Common stitches for Hedebo embroidery are reverse button hole stitch, and couronnes.

Portugal had its own version of whitework too, Madeira, named after the isle where it was most popular in the 1800s. This type used mostly blanket stitch, eyelets, satin stitch, and some shadow work. Different tones of threads were also used besides white. 

To the north, Germany developed Schwalm, named after the river. Schwalm visually was similar to its Danish cousin, but it used a row of coral knots and a row of chain stitch around the cut areas, while Hedebo does not. 

 The use of knots and padded stitching, and the edges of pieces being finished with knitted fringe was how the Irish, Mountmellick, named after a town in the green isle, distinguished itself. In the 19th Century this method of whitework used very little cut work.

 In America candlewicking came to join the family of whitework styles. Families who were traveling from the east coast into the “Wild West” more often than not had members who wanted to stitch embellishments onto their bed linen and clothing. As the journey was long and the covered wagons could only carry what was essential, the sewing supplies that were packed were only for repairing the items that made the journey possible. One source of thread that was available was the rolls of candlewick that were a staple of every traveler at this time. Lengths of this were unraveled by stitchers and used to create white work on pillow cases, bedspreads, and kitchen towels. There was no pulled, drawn or cut work on these candlewicked pieces, that was usually done on heavier pieces of fabric.

 Generally, the designs found in all types of whitework was drawn from nature, leaves, flowers, birds and Christian motifs. 

 Other types of whitework are holy point, hardanger, reticella, and needlelace. 

 The turn of the 20th century saw many designs and techniques popularized by publication in women’s magazines throughout the old and new worlds. It was very common for designs and stitches to be shared among visiting friends. By the mid 1900s whitework saw a decline in production, due to the increase in machine produced lace. Currently whitework is experiencing a period of revival as interest in it has been spurred on by needle guilds around the globe. This craft has been combined with other art forms, such as stumpwork, to create needlelace that is often used to cover three dimensional objects in an art piece. 

 Technique: Of the many stitching methods used in whitework, pulled thread, withdrawn threads, and cut threads are the most common methods used to create the lace-like effect of most pieces. Commonly worked over muslin, or other finely woven material, whiteworkers would either pull threads aside to create open spaces in the weave, withdraw whole threads from the piece of material, or cut through the fabric to create these open areas that were stitched around using many different styles of stitches to hold the design and material in place. Needlelace, hardanger, broderie anglaise, and Ayrshire whitework are but a few of the many means that whitework can be employed to make a delicate, and stunning piece of lace. If worked on fine muslin, or even mesh, and then laid on top of a colored fabric, the workmanship of the design can come out in high relief. 

 Innovation: While whitework, in its various forms, has changed little over the last 100 years, by combining it with other forms of embroidery, its function has moved away from just use on household linens. Its’ use in stumpwork and as accents within other embroidery applications has brought this family of stitch work more into the realm of art, and off the sidelines of mere adornment.

References and Further Reading:

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Embroidery TechniqueSandra MWhitework