DRAWN-THREAD WORK

Drawn-thread work (hemstitching) is a technique of openwork embroidery in which several lengthwise or crosswise threads are pulled from the fabric, and the remaining ones are drawn together and wrapped with a working thread, forming transparent, 'netted' bands with a pattern. Thus a light, airy lace arises directly in the cloth. In Ukrainian tradition drawn-thread work is an inseparable part of the adornment of shirts, towels and tablecloths; it often ran along the edge of a piece or divided areas of embroidery, and its kinds had their own names and regional schools. The technique requires fine, painstaking work with a count of threads. Drawn-thread work adds refined transparency and a festive look to a piece. It is a technique of openwork, 'netted' beauty, in which the masterful removal and wrapping of threads turns dense cloth into a light, precious lace with deep roots in Ukrainian folk art.