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The colour gold and golden yellow in combination with Schwalm whitework has a long tradition. Because mainly gold tones were used to design the crowns.

Nowadays, the warm colour is also used for Christmas embroidery.

Its sparing use accents elements,

sets highlights,

ensures a harmonious rounding off and supports the effect of specific points.

Rarely, a delicate gold tone is used more lavishly, as here in the nativity scene.

All outlines and most of the filling patterns are embroidered in gold.

Patterns from the early Schwalm whitework were used as well as simple and Limet withdrawn thread patterns. The patterns of early Schwalm whitework, which do not require thread pulling, are particularly suitable for designing small areas.

Some single designs were embroidered in two colors in some areas of the robes of the Wise Men.

Merry Christmas!

Heavy, blue and white damask linen with different patterns was also woven in the Schwalm (e.g. see background fabric here).
It was used for bed linen (last three pictures), bed and window curtains and tablecloths.

During a visit to the Schwalm Museum a few years ago, Gertrude Vorwerk discovered a remaining lot of such linen with the so-called “tree pattern”. She immediately bought up the entire stock.

First she made curtains (to be seen in the picture on bottom) and embroidered a corresponding swag with Schwalm motifs. She then used parts of the fabric to create a matching bedspread. In combination with hand-woven white linen embroidered in Schwalm whitework, she created a beautiful, huge bedcovering for a double bed.

The center features a popular crown motif, complemented by the embroiderer’s initials. A narrow strip of damask fabric was attached around it. For this she used the striped part of the pattern, which is also used as the edging.

The next strip, which is embroidered and arranged in a square, shows a circumferential wave motif. This stripe has been bordered with a slightly wider stripe of the damask weave.

An even wider stripe followed – embroidered with an elaborate whitework border.

A particular challenge was the continuation of the embroidery over the attachment seams. Gertrude mastered this brilliantly.

Another very wide strip of damask fabric was followed by an unembroidered strip of white linen, bordered with a narrow strip of damask linen.

It took Gertrude about 3 years to embroider her favorite patterns onto the old linen. In connection with the blue and white damask linen, a very unusual and unique blanket was created, which the embroiderer enjoys looking at every day.

Thank you for sharing!

Schwalm Whitework and Blue (1)
Schwalm Whitework and Blue (2)
Schwalm Whitework and Blue (3)
Schwalm Whitework and Blue (4)

Another way to design Schwalm whitework additionally with blue thread is to include it in the hems.

In the example shown here, in addition to the motif embroidery blue thread was integrated into the needle-weaving band of the hem. Some bridges of the 5-unit A-pattern were designed in colour.

Leaned on embroidery that was worked on blue striped linen, there was also work on white striped linen that was stitched with blue thread.

In the example shown here, three graduated shades of blue were used –

dark blue for the Coral Knot stitches and the small leaves,

medium blue for the half-eyelet scallops and the large leaves

and light blue mainly for the filling patterns.

Embroidering the filling patterns in colour is very unusual. You have to have a lot of experience to do this, because every small, not completely cleanly worked area would immediately catch the eye.

The table cloth shown here is made from hand-woven striped linen. This linen was usually only woven in widths of around 80 cm. So here two lengths of linen were joined.

Matching embroideries that were worked on blue striped linen, other pieces were also embroidered, but then often on white linen.
A particularly beautiful example is the counterpart to the table runner from 1993.

Christa Waldmann has embroidered a family tree as a wall hanging, using the same blue linen thread for the outline stitches and the surface embroidery.

Different withdrawn thread patterns

as well as very varied and

imaginative patterns that come from the early Schwalm whitework were worked into the motifs.

The name of the embroiderer can be found in the motifs.

The year of creation was placed at the bottom – with the individual digits separated by typical small Schwalm Cross stitch elements.

A 4-unit needle-weaving band is worked at the edge.