A First Lesson In

Drawn Thread Embroidery

This is a nine-part lesson which takes you through all the basic steps to create several
different drawn thread design examples. The patterns were taken from Therese de Dillmont's
work (Lacis reprint) Drawn Thread Embroidery. If you follow these steps in order, you should
then be able to follow most pictures you find and understand how they are made. An
excellent magazine which features drawn thread work is from Italy: Rakam. It is currently
being sold through Amazon Books.

Table of Contents

Step One: Preliminary Instructions

Step Two: Setting Up the Fabric

Step Three: Basic Knotting

Step Four: Basic Knotting Part Two

Step 5: Fancy Knotting Part One

Step 6: Fancy Knotting Part Two

Step 7: Fans - Part One

Step 8: Fans - Part Two

Step 9: Additional knotting instructions

Instructions are for your personal use. For other uses, please obtain permission.
Copyright 2002 - Heritage Shoppe
315 Congress Street - Oconto, Wisconsin 54153
920 835-4240
dianne@heritageshoppe.com
 Preliminary Instructions

You need to have a withdrawn area about 6-inches wide by 8 inches long. See graphics
below text.

Muslin or lawn is just as easy to knot and work with patterning as coarser fabrics. However,
it is more difficult to withdraw the first few threads in a section. In fact, it can be downright
frustrating. But don't let that stop you from using it, as it is cheap and works up easily in the
patterning.

A good cloth to work with is 40 count or up. Coarser linens or other fibers, such as 28-count,
won't yield the same finished results, but you can practice on them easily enough. And, after
all, that's all we're doing: practicing.

Once you understand the knotting and how to knot, you are on your way to creating whatever
it is you want to do. The knotting is the entire key to drawn thread work. In these directions
you will learn a knot used by many experts and taught by Italian teachers.

You will have to prepare a cloth that is large enough to withdraw a center area of six inches
by eight inches. If working on a fine ground, you will need to withdraw a thread six inches
wide (see below) in the center of the fabric. After that is accomplished, clip a thread at the
side of this mark and draw it down to a length of 8 inches. Proceed to draw another across at
6 inches and go up 8 inches on the other side. Don't get fussy or worry. Being exactly six or
eight inches isn't of concern.

The reason for withdrawing threads is so that you can buttonhole down the 8-inch length. On
fine fabrics, if you don't withdraw a thread, you won't be able to easily know where to stop
the buttonholing. Buttonhole over about 3 threads (tad more on finer stuff), with the pearl
toward the center of the cloth. Bring your needle up at the drawn thread line.

It is not necessary to buttonhole over every single ground thread when working on fine
materials. Every two or every three is sufficient. If working on coarse grounds, buttonholing
over every thread might be prudent to prevent raveling.

The buttonhole stitches will prevent raveling at the sides and hold the cloth taut. If you don't
buttonhole the edges, the cloth won't stay taut and you won't be able to adequately knot the
threads. If you skip this step, you'll get frustrated. Not buttonholing contributed to my early
failures.

Once the 8-inch sides are buttonholed you will cut the cloth on that drawn thread line. Do
not cut at this time! You won't be cutting the full length but leaving blank spaces.

This should give you plenty of time for preliminary set up. Dillmont cautions to withdraw
the necessary threads prior to mounting. I have done it both ways and there are plusses and
minuses. In the end, I choose to mount and then withdraw because it is a tad easier to
withdraw fine threads. If you choose to do it this way, you may have to remount.

If you do not have a frame large enough for the entire piece of fabric, don't despair. You can
piece the work with other cloth on as many sides as necessary. I've been piecing so that I
could use
scraps for
practice in
a large
tambour
hoop.
 Setting Up
Preliminary Instructions

Fabric shown is Italian ricamo linen,

40-count.

Use a needle to pull out the threads you

need to withdraw. See next graphic
below.

1. Remove 2 to 3 threads across the top.

Only 1 if using very coarse linen. Do this
by clipping at the buttonhole edge.as
shown for Step 3. You can leave the
threads at the right-hand side (or left,
whichever way you are working) and
remove them when everything is
finished, or you can clip them as you go
along at the opposite buttonholed edge.
To make cutting simpler, use your thumb
nail to pull back the buttonhole stitches
away from the drawn thread line. See
next graphic.

Once you get the hang of cutting and pulling out the threads, you will probably find your
own preferable method. I frequently cut both sides at once after having pulled the threads at
the top and bottom of an area, and pull out at the center or a couple of spots across the area to
be pulled. Depending upon the fabric you are working with, some threads draw easily, others
you need to handle a bit more.

Having trouble pulling out that first thread? Pull it back in the direction you are going. That
is, if you cut it on the left and are going right, pull the loose thread hard to the right. The
thread will pop up from the ground and be easier to see.

If you have drawn threads containing slubs, or the thread breaks during the pulling, make
certain you clean them out of the drawn thread area. Use a sharp needle to pull them out. In
general, don't try to remove slubs in the vertical (up and down) threads that are left
remaining. In some instances, you can damage the thread. On finer fabrics, this isn't critical,
but on coarser linens, this can be a a time-consuming fix. Don't let this caution make you
nervous. Just something to think about as you go. Most things can be fixed if you mess them
up - including breaking a vertical thread.

2. Leave 3/8" or slightly less.

3. Remove next 5/8" - scissors shown cutting in this area.

 The area in the red oval shows
the buttonhole stitches pulled
back on themselves to more
easily see where to cut. When
finished, smooth them back into
their proper position.

4. Leave 3/8" or slightly less. It is

not necessary to count the
threads so that it exactly
matches the first 3/8" space you
left intact. If you need these intact areas to be exact for your design, you must count them, no
matter the type of material you are using. We're practicising. Don't count threads for this
exercise, just measure them.

5. Remove 3/4". This area is being worked on in the above graphic.

The finished drawn areas. Notice some of

the threads are loose. This will have to be
remounted and tightened as I withdrew
threads while mounted for better
graphics.

You'll have lots more room at the bottom

for more areas to try your skill. This is
enough for now.
 Basic Knotting - Part One

Note: I am working this with a

blue No. 8 pearl cotton so you
can see the thread. Normally,
this is white-on-white work,
although traditionally in many
countries colored threads were
sometimes used, particularly
with children's clothing,
aprons, etc. You normally use
a thread that is similar in
thickness to the threads of the
ground. It can be slightly
larger.

Broder threads are the most

often used, but these are
limited in the U.S., coming
only in sizes 12 and 16, which
are quite large. Smaller sizes
can be had by some lace shops. In addition, shops in Germany, Australia and Italy also carry
them. You can look for them on the Internet. Cordonnet (a high quality twisted cotton used
for lace making and crochet) can also be used. However, it is more stiff and knots up readily,
making it difficult for novices and experienced alike to handle.

Your biggest problems will be twofold: 1. Which way to loop the thread, and 2. How to knot
the thread so that everything is taut. You will get this. It just takes time. Make certain your
work is framed/mounted very taut. If not, this is the time to do it.

FIRST: Affix the working thread on the back of the work under the buttonhole stitches. To
keep it from loosening up, I go under a few buttonhole stitches, back one or two, then forward
again to where I need to start. The thread must be firmly anchored. It's not necessary to knot
it.

SECOND: Determine your fabric and what will make a nice bundle of threads. On muslin, 8
threads is good, on this 40-ct, 4 threads is okay. Keep the number of threads bundled an even
number. Not always necessary, but for our practice piece, do it. You'll understand why as we
progress.

THIRD: For your first stitch, you will be leaving half the number of your normal bundling
alone at the right of the first bundle. Since 4 threads in a bundle works on this fabric, that
means 2 will be left alone. I brought the needle up 6 threads to the left.

I use very long lengths of thread for this work because it is difficult to end off and start a new
one. It may be much easier for you to use shorter lengths (about 30 inches) and use a waste
knot where necessary. Let's not worry about perfection on this go-around. We should
 concentrate on making the knots -
which are actually coral knots.
Loop the thread as shown. It goes
down, left, up and around back to the
needle.

Pick up the first bundle of threads

exactly as shown - under the right side
of the loop and over the left side of the
loop.

Pull the needle through and then pull

needle and thread to the RIGHT. You
will pull with your fingers. Don't pull from the needle. Keep pulling to the RIGHT until the
knot is up against the bundle quite snug. Give it a sharp pull to seat it firmly at the center of
the bundle.

Go directly below as shown, pick up the first

threads you ignored and half the threads from
the upper bundle. In this case, I always pick
up 4, so I'm picking up the 2 ignored threads
in the top row and the first 2 threads of the
top bundle. The stitch will be slightly
slanted.

Loop the thread again as shown - just like the

first one only this time: Pull down and
slightly to the right, then give a sharp quick
pull at the center of the bundle once seated.

Pulling in the opposite direction from where

you want the eventual knot helps to keep the
thread taut until you seat it. The knot will start out about half way down the open area and
will look like it's going to knot hard there. But just before it does, you gently guide it up and
then quickly pull at the center.

Knot didn't turn out? With a sharp needle (this is why I choose to use sharps) lift up the
thread to the left of the knot - almost behind the bundle. Pull. It will loosen readily and you
can either undo the knot and start over or try to balance the threads from this point and re-
knot.

Don't get frustrated. Your mind, hands and fingers need to figure this all out. The knots are
easy to remove. Just keep going. You may have loose threads. That's okay. By the time you
get to the end of the row, you should be at least 50% proficient. By the time you finish this
sampler, you'll be 85% proficient with the knots. By the time you do this again, you'll have it
99% of the time. Nobody's perfect.
 Now, loop the thread up, left, down and
around. Pick up the next bundle of the first
row and make another knot. This time,
pull UP as you begin to tighten. It helps to
hold the loop down with the non-dominant
thumb until you're almost ready to seat the
knot.

Continue in this manner, going up and

down across the row. The threads at the
front of the row make a zig-zag pattern. As
you get to the end, figure out how many
threads are remaining. You may have to pick up one or two extra in the last few bundles to
make it come out right. You do not want to have just 1 or 2 threads in your last bundle.

We'll do a different pattern on the other open spaces.

Basic Knotting - Part Two

As you did the first time, affix your thread on the back of
the buttonhole stitches and come out as shown. Pick up
the same number of threads as you did in the upper area,
in this case, the first four.

Loop the thread DOWN as shown and knot it.

Looping the thread UP, pick up the top bundle.

Slide the needle and thread behind the area and come out
to the left of the next bundle.
 The result is a row of vertical bars which contrasts
nicely with the upper border of zig-zag knotted
stitches.

To check your work, make certain that the vertical

threads on the back of the work don't have a lot of
"play" in them. They should be fairly snug. Not drum
snug, but snug against the border.

I'm working with pearl cotton. It is a tad "fuzzy". If

you use cordonnet, you will have a crisp border both at
the top and the row we just finished.

By now, your non-dominant thumb should be able to flick the loop in the direction it needs to
go without much thinking. Don't feel badly if your stitches are loose and you're still having
trouble. It is a simple matter to undo the threads across a row and start again. I did, and still
do, many times. By the time you are finished with this sampler, you'll be much improved.

Our next step is to do fancy knotting between the areas we have just finished working.
 Fancy Knotting - Part One

At this stage, you may be a little insecure about your knotting, but that's normal. If you are
generally making secure knots, and seating them correctly 90% of the time, you're on your
way.

The following lesson uses a simple coral knot. The same one we have been practising.
However, it doesn't always hold the threads firmly, and comes a bit loose. You'll see it in the
diagrams. Dillmont doesn't caution about this phenomena until later.

If you are having difficultly with loosening knots, you can make TWO knots at each junction,
or you can use the special double coral knot as shown on the final page of this study.

This area is easier to work as shown at left with the

top of your work to your left.

Affix the thread on the back of the work and come up

at the middle of the top bundled area. Bring the
needle and thread out to the front of the first two
bundles. With the loop down (toward the right), knot
the first two bundles.

With the loop UP (left), pick up the second and third

bundles and knot them as shown. Keep the thread
pulling toward you.

Go slowly and gently. When the knot is seated in the

right spot, you can give it an extra tug toward you.

\Come straight over to the right, loop the thread

toward the right, pick up and knot the second and
third bundles.
 Loop toward left, pick up the third and fourth
bundles at the center. Make certain you pick up the
long thread from the second knot. You have two
threads showing between the bottom (left) and center
knot. If using a cordonnet, this wouldn't show.

Continue in this manner, remembering to loop right

when going right and loop left when heading to the
left. See next graphic.

This is how the border

should look at the end
of this section.
Amazing how huge
5/8 of an inch appears.

In Dillmont's book,
this is one of the first
borders taught. It can
be a bit troublesome. However, it is a good lesson in fortitude and understanding the entire
process. You'll figure out how to get those knots evenly across the row and how taut to get the
carrying threads. It is easier to keep the knots tight if you work in the direction shown. You
will notice, however, that some of mine are too loose. The better ones are toward the left in
the above graphic. There is an illustration on the double coral knot which holds these better.
Also, some teachers maintain that that pulling on the thread straight up is the key. This didn't
work for me.

There were no instructions as to how to end the border, so I attached it to the side. In the
illustrations, nothing was attached to the sides. The thread was brought into position at the
back of a bundle. Again, a cordonnet thread grips a little better.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In the next section, we will do a different pattern in the open area. You
will need to bundle up the threads in the next undrawn area. Choose one of the methods
already learned here or use four-sided stitch.
 Fancy Knotting - Part Two

Again, go up on the back side under the buttonhole stitches. This

time, go across the back of the work, picking up the knots from
previous stitching to secure the thread, and come out beside the
third bundle.

Knot bundles 2 and 3 (loop down) slightly above the half-way point
of the open area. Loop up, knot bundles 1 and 2 at the midpoint as
shown.

Loop up, knot bundles 2 and 3 directly above the bundles knotted
first.

Loop down, knot bundles 3 and 4 between the first and third stitch
and directly across from the second stitch.

You have made a diamond shape just like in the first knotted area.

Loop down, knot bundles 4 and 5 slightly lower than the center of
the open area.
 I will no longer tell you which way to place the loop. When
going up, it's loop up. When going down, it's loop down. When
going straight across, loop down OR loop up, depending upon
where you need to place the needle.

Knot bundles 3 and 4, then 4 and 5 again, then 5 and 6.

Knot bundles 6 and 7 at the same height as the first knot at bundles 2
&3

Continue in this pattern to the end of the row. See image below for
completed border.

Look at the 8th and 9th bundle in the graphic. It has been incorrectly
bundled, borrowing a thread from a previous bundle.

There are two ways to fix this. Remove the narrow row that bundled
all the threads at the bottom of this border and restitch it, or snip out
the errant thread. If you do the latter, snip out at the center, thread
into a needle and anchor on the back. Or, snip at the knotted thread,
since on this sampler, there is little risk that it will come undone.

There are two ways to fix this. Remove the narrow row that bundled all the threads at the
bottom of this border and restitch it, or snip out the errant thread. If you do the latter, snip
out at the center, thread into a needle and anchor on the back. Or, snip at the knotted thread,
since on this sampler, there is little risk that it will come undone.

Here we are up to this point. This border

doesn't work as well with colored threads
as there is a blank area between the first
and fourth stitch in each diamond wherein
no thread is connected.

The next section will be fans, and we will

bundle the threads at the bottom of the
next open area with knot chain. This is an
invaluable stitch to learn for hemming.
Easy, soothing, rhythmic.
 Fancy Knotting - FANS

The instructions show four rows of knotting for each fan shape. If this seems too tedious, you
may do three. Two rows will not be sufficient either for practice or to hold the fans in place
properly when released from the frame.

Two things have happened

in the graphic at left.

1. A knotted chain has been

placed at the bottom of the
drawn thread border.
Working right to left, affix
the thread on the back.
Pick up the first bundle and
knot it the same way we
have been knotting
bundles. Make certain the knot faces left. Continue this across the row.

2. Making the fan shapes: Use a very long length of thread.

The fans should have an even number of bundles, preferably 8 or 10. The above example has
8. If there are extra bundles at the end, knot them into the cloth as shown above. You may
need to double knot the bundles at their center. If a single knot isn't holding, make another
coral knot and pull taut. Both knots will snug up. Dillmont recommends the double knot
method for stubborn fans. Or use the not recommend in Lesson 9. 

Don't cut the thread when you get to the end. Turn the work and go on to the next step.

The work is now

turned so that you
can work right to
left.

Bring the thread to

the bottom (toward
center) of the first
fan and knot
together two
bundles across the
area. Pull the knots
toward the previous
one as you seat them. This helps to keep each space taut.

Bring the thread up to the top of the next fan and knot each bundle separately.

Continue with the next fan at the bottom, knotting 2 bundles at a time, etc. across the row.

Note the the knotting is in a rounded pattern and not straight across. To do this, each knot
goes one knot space up from the last until the middle, then go one knot space down. Just
position your knot just under (or above) the previous one.

Note the red arrow at the upper left. When you get to the end, go down (or up when
necessary) the last bundle a slight distance (starting the second row) and knot the thread. The
thread is still attached to the needle and is going off the picture at left from the second knot
on this bundle. Confused? See
the next graphic.

At left shows the first 2 rows

completed. Note on the
bottom right, the thread was
carried directly above and
knotted at the first bundle of
the fan just above the first row.
This corresponds with the red
arrow in the previous graphic.

On the second fan, knot each bundle separately. Only the first lower row knots 2 bundles at a
time.

The last, upper fan at left has been knotted slightly above to start the third row.

However, I am short of thread and won't be able to complete another row. This is the place to
stop when that happens. There are a couple ways to end it.

1. Bring the thread all the way up the bundle without knotting it to start the first row, hide it
on the back of the work, and start a new thread at this third row. This new thread will be
brought back down to the proper position from the top of the last bundle.

2. Weave the thread on the back of the knots of the second row and clip close. Start a new
thread as indicated in No. 1, knotting it in the proper position to begin the row.

Continue until you have four rows completed. Turn the work for each row. Notice below how
the fourth row is ended: going
into the side.

The first half completed.

You will now start at the right

side and again, begin the first
row at the upper right fan close
to the center. Pick up 2 bundles
for each knot stitch. Before you
dive in, however, go to the next
page.
 Fancy Knotting - FANS - Part Two

At the center of the right hand edge we begin the second half to complete the fans.

After the first fan (at right) is bundled (in twos), we knot the center thread that grouped the
fans and the thread from the previous stitching. Knot each long thread that connects the fans,
then work the top of the lower (second) fan.

When knotting the long threads, make certain you pull in the direction of the previously
made knot to maintain tension. If you pull to hard, you will distort it, if you don't pull hard
enough, it will be limp. The knots are loose enough and you can move them with your fingers
or needle to line them up if you need to slide them to balance the space.

The above picture shows the third fan worked at the center (bundles of two) and the needle
picking up the center thread and the thread from the previously worked fan.

Continue in this manner until you reach the end.

 A close-up view of the left-hand side of the fans.

In very fancy knotting, threads are carried from the fans to

the side of the work and needleweaving is incorporated.
When this embroidery turns a corner, gorgeous motifs are
placed in this open areas, either with needleweaving, or
reticella. I merely carried the threads to the side for
illustration. I lack sufficient skill to carry you through those
adventures. The focus of this stitching exercise is to further
the art of this work for those who have never attempted it before, and to have us master the
knotting. Once you master the knotting, the field of this embroidery is wide open. You can
now learn from a real master of the art, glean information from books, and not feel like you
are totally inept.

Below is the finished work. If there's enough enthusiasm left from all your hard work, you
can add a very pretty border at the bottom with little fans grouped in bundles of three and
lovely spider webs in between them.
 Drawn Thread Knotting - Double Coral Knot

Above is illustrated a graphic and actual progression on cloth in two steps. You work this
knot from left to right. When the second loop is made (right above), pull firmly toward the
right. The knot will seat beautifully with perfectly tensioned thread between the clusters.
This knot is promoted by Antonietta Monzo Menossi in her book "I Miei Sfilati". Upper
graphic provided by Stefania Bressan from the Menossi book. This book is written in both
Italian and English and Stefania is working to find a U.S. distributor. For a delightful tour of
embroidery, visit Stefania at: http://digilander.libero.it/angolostefania