Schwalm Whitework by EDAC

By on 25. March 2025   /   blog   /   Leave a comment

Watch and participate – this is the motto of the European Days of Arts and Crafts held in 24 European countries every year at the beginning of April. Studios run by creatives and artisans open their doors to give visitors a glimpse into their work, encourage them to try things out, and spark enthusiasm.

Margarete Grandjot will also be participating in this year’s Arts and Crafts Days from April 4th to 6th. Her embroidery studio will be opening its doors for this event. Schwalm whitework will be the focus. This is a great opportunity for those interested to gain initial insights into this unique technique, while advanced students can benefit from the knowledge and skills of the artists.

Opening Hours:
Friday 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

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Schwalm Tulip Motifs through the Ages (1)

By on 21. March 2025   /   blog, historische Stücke, embroideries   /   Leave a comment

The tulip is one of the main elements in Schwalm whitework designs. Tulip shapes can be modified indefinitely. They have also undergone changes in Schwalm over the centuries.
This blog post aims to trace this in broad outline.

While the tulip figures in early Schwalm whitework were were multi-

Detail from a parade cushion border – 18th century

and often small-part,

Detail from a door hanging border – 18th century

the filling patterns that were now in fashion required more space.

Detail from a bed covering, dated 1793 – Museum of the Schwalm in Ziegenhain

With the rise of Schwalm whitework toward the end of the 18th century, tulips were usually depicted in a single piece and in medium sizes. Smaller tulips were also available to fill the spaces. The bases of the tulips were usually only slightly rounded, often straight. The upper edges were slightly curved, rarely showing deeper incisions. The shapes varied – from long and narrow to wide-opening at the top to short and wide.

Detail from a bed covering, dated 1793 – Museum of the Schwalm in Ziegenhain

There have also been occasional split tulip shapes.

Detail from a bed covering, dated 1793 – Museum of the Schwalm in Ziegenhain

Initially they had a drop shape in the calyx,

Detail from a bed covering, dated 1823

but soon heart and

Detail from a parade cushion border, dated 1821

tulip outlines were added as calyx designs.

Detail from a parade cushion border, dated 1821

While the tulips were initially mostly medium-sized, very large motifs were added in the following decades.

Detail from a parade cushion border, dated 1804

Detail from a parade cushion border, dated 1842

Often their proportions were not adapted to the other motifs.

Detail from a parade cushion border – 19th century

Detail from a parade cushion border – 19th century

All of these representations remained constant throughout the 19th century.
It wasn’t until the 1920s that they changed significantly. Examples can be seen in the next blog post.

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Filling Pattern – No. 581

By on 14. March 2025   /   blog, filling patterns, Openwork pattern   /   Leave a comment

Filling Pattern – No. 581

category: openwork filling pattern with Cable stitch grid
linen used: 13.5/cm thread count
threads used: coton à broder No. 30 for the Cable stitches and No. 20 for the Rose stitches
stitches used: Cable and Rose stitches
center: intersection of withdrawn thread lines (square)
one pattern segment: 34 threads

The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only. You can see it used in a shape at the end of this article.

First, establish an openwork grid with a square (an intersection of withdrawn thread lines) in the center by cutting 2, leaving 2 both vertically and horizontally.

Stabilize the established grid with Single Faggot stitches worked from the back side of the fabric. Please remember that Single Faggot stitch worked on the back side will look like Cable stitch viewed from the front.

Bring the needle up in the second square below the center. The end of the working thread remains on the front side for now.

Work a Rose stitch into this square. It’s a good idea to place the first part of the Rose stitch in the direction you want to continue stitching later—i.e., the first partial stitch upwards if you want to work additional Rose stitches above; the first partial stitch to the left if you want to work additional Rose stitches to the left, and so on. This ensures that the square’s area is well covered.

After completing the first Rose stitch, move the needle diagonally one square to the top right

and from there work three Rose stitches to the left.

In the square above the third Rose stitch and the one to the left of it, embroider two more Rose stitches, then emerge one square diagonally to the top right

and from there, work three Rose stitches to the right. After completing the third Rose stitch, emerge one square diagonally to the top left.

In this square work one Rose stitch and then move the needle diagonally one square to the right and two squares down.

From there, work two Rose stitches to the right and then move the needle one square up and two squares to the right.

To ensure that the surrounding squares remain well defined and open, the working thread is slided through a Cable stitch on the back.

The first element of the pattern is complete. From the new starting point, stitch Rose stitches diagonally to the top left.

four in total.

A second,

a third and

a fourth row of four Rose stitches each follows. This completes the second element of the pattern.

Move the needle diagonally one square to the right and two squares down and start embroidering the first element from there.

On the diagonal, element 1 and element 2 alternate constantly. If the first thread is too short and is secured, the starting thread can also be pulled to the back and secured there.

A very beautiful pattern is created,

which appears particularly effective in large areas, as here on a tablecloth from 1927.

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A Special Hem

By on 7. March 2025   /   blog, embroideries   /   Leave a comment

After Gerlind had finished embroidering the motifs of the Easter tea cloth “Bunnies between Daisies”, she looked for a suitable edge finish. She wanted to use the 2 short-2 long stitches of the daisy blossoms.

So she embroidered a few sample stitches. A single row of such stitches would have looked lost around the relatively large cloth.

Two rows of opposing and interlocking stitches were too massive (horizontal thread withdrawing 4:1:4:1:4).

Then she came up with the idea of ​​adding another row of small points to this border. To do this, she placed one stitch over 6 threads in height between two short stitches over 4 threads and two long stitches over 8 threads.

The result was amazing. The little “tufts of grass” fit perfectly into the Easter bunny meadow.

With stitches around the corner point over 4 fabric threads in height, the corner design also developed easily.

The eight different but similar openwork patterns (Openwork Pattern Samplers) for filling the surface of the bunny outlines make the embroidery varied and make the motifs appear light and airy.

The result: an all-round successful and magnificent-looking embroidery that will decorate any Easter table in a cheerful and festive way.

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Horizontal Bird Border (3)

By on 28. February 2025   /   blog, embroideries   /   Leave a comment

After pictures of the finished embroidery of the Horizontal Bird Border were shown in a first post and details of some motifs were shown in the following post, this post deals with details of the remaining elements.

The tulip, which lies slanting to the left, has a limet grid in the middle (thread withdrawing 3:1) and Diagonal Cross Filling stitches as a filling pattern (coton à broder No. 20).

The tulip, lying slanting to the right, has an openwork grid in the middle section (thread withdrawing 2:2) and “Diagonal Cross Filling – French variation/”half” as a filling pattern (coton à broder No. 20) – Openwork Pattern Samplers, pages 32, 33)

The sides of both tulips are designed the same. Satin stitch bars (coton à broder No. 20) are worked as a simple withdrawn thread pattern (thread withdrawing 3:1 once vertically and once horizontally).

The belly of the bird looking to the right receives a special Limet thread withdrawing – namely 3:1 vertically and 2:1 horizontally.

This means that the stitches in the “Narrow Pearl Pattern” Satin stitch pattern do not become too wide (Wickelstiche, page 43)

The wing also has such a thread withdrawing, but this time 2:1 vertically and 3:1 horizontally)

and a modification of filling pattern 578 (without rows of Four-Sided stitches in between) (coton à broder No. 20).

The belly of the bird looking to the left receives a Limet thread-withdrawing 3:1

and the Satin stitch pattern “Diagonal step over one plot” (Wickelstiche, page 22) (coton à broder No. 20).

The wing also receives a thread withdrawing of 3:1

and the Satin stitch pattern “Narrow Honeycomb Pattern” (Wickelstiche, page 87) (coton à broder No. 20).

The two tulips running diagonally

receive an openwork thread withdrawing 2:2. The thread grid is secured with Cable stitches (coton à broder No. 30).

The tulips on one side receive the needle-weaving stitch pattern “135” (Openwork Needleweaving Patterns, page 71) (coton à broder No. 20)

The tulips on the other side receive the needle-weaving stitch pattern “37” (Openwork Needleweaving Patterns, page 22) (coton à broder No. 20).

The belly of the next bird looking to the left receives an openwork thread withdrawing 2:2.

The thread grid is secured with Cable stitches (coton à broder No. 30).

A pattern of needle-weaving stitches with spiders (Openwork Pattern Samplers, pages 72, 73) is embroidered.

The wing of this bird also receives an openwork grid (2:2), into which the needle-weaving stitch pattern “1” (Openwork Needleweaving Patterns, page 4) (coton à broder No. 20) is worked.

The bird’s legs remain free. The cut edges of the withdrawn threads are covered with Chain stitches.

The belly of the bird looking to the right receives a thread withdrawing 2:1 and the pattern “Houndstooth” (Limerosen I, page 40) (coton à broder No. 25).

Here too, the raw edges are covered with Chain stitches.

The wing of this bird receives a horizontal thread withdrawing 2:3.

The filling pattern 562 is worked with coton à broder No. 20.

The small remaining tulips

receive a pattern of Wave stitches in the continuous area. The narrow areas of the divided tulips are filled with Satin, Blanket and Knot stitches.

The pattern of the “Horizontal Bird Border ” offers many possibilities in addition to being used as a continuous long band. You can take individual motifs or put together smaller or larger groups.

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