Pillow with a Heart Design

By on 8. February 2019   /   blog, filling patterns, Konturenmuster, embroideries   /   4 Comments

For this year´s Valentine´s Day I present a very special pillowcase. The big heart is filled with an openwork figural pattern.

Figural patterns are a common part of Schwalm whitework filling patterns. You will learn more about this special type of filling pattern in future articles this year.

This pattern is very special because it conforms to the heart shape. The heart outline has to be established first. Unfortunately, the linen used for the example is not an evenweave; it has a thread count of 17/18 in the height and 13/14 in the width.

But how does one get it the correct size for the design? There are three different possibilities.

1. The easiest way is to adjust the design matching it to the openwork grid of the inner heart after it is established.

2. The second way is to count the threads to determine the size of the needed section:
The design measures 50 squares along the vertical center axis from the top point to the lower point of the heart and 40 squares along half the horizontal axis directly below the top point of the heart. One square needs 4 fabric threads; this means you have to count from the top point of the heart downwards 200 threads and from the top point to the left or to the right 160 threads. I recommend adding 8 threads each time you count out a section just to be safe. Mark all three points and measure the distance. Adjust your heart design to be the required size, and transfer it to the linen.

3. The third way is calculating:
Count your linen threads precisely and calculate the needed measurement. For example, for a linen with a thread count of 13.5/cm, you need 200 (208) threads in the height – 200 ÷ 13.5 = 14.81 cm (208 ÷ 13.5 = 15.41 cm). So, the inside of the heart shape should measure about 15.5 cm from the top point to the bottom point.
You need 160 (168) threads for half of the width – 160 ÷ 13.5 = 11.85 cm (168 ÷ 13.5 = 12.44 cm). So inside of the heart shape from the top point to one side should measure about 12.5 cm.

Because I think evenweave linen with a thread count of 13.5 is well-suited for openwork, I added the required size for this linen in the pdf document, which also includes a chart of the design.

First, all prep work is done: transferring; working stems, tendrils, and the pair of outlines with Coral Knot stitches; embroidering leaves, scallops, and half-eyelet scallops with Blanket stitches; working interlaced Herringbone stitches between the two outlines; and stitching Chain stitches inside the inner outline.

The openwork grid is established by cutting 2, leaving 2 – starting directly below the top point of the heart.

Now the grid needs to be secured. In the example, the grid is secured with Single Faggot stitches (Openwork Pattern Samplers). (Commonly openwork grids in Schwalm whitework are made with Cable stitches, but Single Faggot stitches make the pattern appear more clearly, and this is important for such a pattern.)
It is good to have a hoop wide enough for stretching the entire pattern into it.

Using needle-weaving stitches – in the example all the needle weaving is done vertically (i.e., from bottom to top and back again) – and occasional Rose stitches, embroider the pattern into the grid following the provided chart or your adjusted chart.

Finished as a pillowcase and filled with a coloured inlay, the pillow develops a special charm.

Back to Top

Schwalm Sampler Design

By on 20. October 2018   /   blog, Konturenmuster, Schwalm designs   /   6 Comments

Per my request, a brilliant Schwalm designer – Christa Waldmann – made the hand drawing of the beautiful design featured in the framed Schwalm sampler article. Another designer then transferred the hand drawing into a graphic. Now it is ready for all to enjoy as a downloadable document.

The six-page document presents the entire design in its original size with an enlarged picture of the needle-weaving band.


Schwalm Sampler Design
line-drawn design
6 pages
Text: English
1,9 MB file size
10.00 € (incl. 19,00 % sales tax), 8.40 € for customers outside the EU
shop

Back to Top

Schwalm Whitework – Apron Square Designs

By on 14. October 2017   /   blog, Konturenmuster, new download products, Schwalm designs, embroideries   /   Leave a comment

Deeply impressed by the beauty of the apron square designs and the number of wonderful patterns that can be created using the same main motifs over and over again, I looked for a way to modify and then apply these designs to contemporary whitework designs. With the help of my designer, I have produced seven beautiful square designs. I have shown a variation of one in a previous article. It is a design axially symmetric; all others are centrically symmetric.

The designs measure 18 cm X 18 cm each, but it is possible to enlarge them. They are pretty made up as pillowcases, square doilies, and table runners. I am using five of the designs on each side to embroider a large tablecloth. Unfortunately it is not yet finished, so I cannot show a picture.
However, it looks like it will turn out very pretty. In addition to the pillowcase I showed in the previous article, I could finish six more square pillowcases using the centrically symmetric apron square designs.
The designs are beautiful.
The shapes are large enough to accommodate a variety of filling stitches or patterns. And the added Satin stitch embroidery makes a nice contrast to the drawn thread work areas.
Did I whet your appetite for more beautiful Schwalm-inspired designs?
I now offer the 7 designs + 1 design variation as a document for downloading.


Apron Square Designs
line-drawn designs
8 pages
7 + 1 designs in a size of 18 cm X 18 cm
2,28 MB file size
item price: €25 (including 19 % sales tax), 21.01 € for customer outside the EU
download here

Back to Top

Schwalm Whitework – Sunflowers

By on 9. September 2017   /   blog, Konturenmuster, embroideries   /   Leave a comment

The impressive sunflower is old and prevalent. So it is no wonder that it shows up as a popular motif in Schwalm whitework. (The sunflower motif should not be confused with one of the main Schwalm whitework motifs – the sun. The sun, also a circle motif, is commonly outlined with scallops or 2 short-2 long.)

Sunflower fields are currently in full bloom; these inspired me to take a closer look at sunflowers in Schwalm whitework.

The images I include here are arranged chronologically. The oldest traditional embroidery in my collection that includes a sunflower motif is from about 1770. It is early Schwalm whitework without any withdrawal of threads. Others date from the beginning of the 19th century. Embroideries from the 20th century and contemporary examples follow.

The circle center of the sunflower motif can be filled with a variety of different patterns allowing for an incredible number of creative possibilities.

The focus here is the arrangement of the petals. It is of particular interest because the embroiderers were also eminently creative in this point. From the very abstract design, which is identifiable as sunflower only upon second consideration, up to the nearly realistic rendering, many interpretations and nuances are found. This applies also to the sizes; there are some small, but also some very large examples.

Please take a look for yourself!






























Back to Top

Hare Circle Dance

By on 13. April 2017   /   blog, Konturenmuster, embroideries   /   7 Comments

In Germany, the Easter rabbit places the Easter eggs into hidden nests. And so it is not surprising that my Easter projects feature not only Easter egg shapes but also hare motifs. I asked my graphic designer for a design, and she came up with several wreaths. I decided on a circle dance with crouching hares – all running in the same direction.
1_14-2017Crouching hare shapes are easy and fun to embroider. The ears and legs can be worked with Satin stitches, and the head-body section – with no small or pointed areas – can be easily and creatively embellished with various filling patterns.
2_14-2017I decided to alternate openwork filling patterns with Limet filling patterns. When working openwork, I withdrew threads and worked filling patterns in the entire head-body area.
3_14-2017Whereas when working the Limet filling patterns, the head area remained unembroidered.
4_14-2017Each of the sixteen hares got a different filling pattern. Many well-suited small openwork filling patterns can be found in my book “Openwork Pattern Samplers.”
5_14-2017For the Limet filling patterns, I exclusively used small square eyelet patterns that can be found in my Limetrosen I and Limetrosen II books. Alternating the more prominent square eyelet patterns with the more flat and open openwork patterns makes for an interesting contrast.

By the way, the eggs shown in the above pictures (except the first image) are blown out chicken eggs that have been coloured and etched. The outline designs can be found in my booklet Easter Eggs – decorated with motifs of Schwalm Whitework made by a scratch technique. The wreath I embroidered has an internal diameter of 26 cm. The tea cloth measures 52 cm X 52 cm. The linen used has a 16/cm thread count. It is possible to enlarge the design a little bit.

Here is one more nice and easy project that – because of the many possible variations – you’ll really enjoy embroidering.
6_14-2017The design is available as a download for €8. The document includes the entire design reduced (to be enlarged at your local copy shop) and as a quarter design in the original size. Please email leuchtbergverlag@aol.com me with your request.

Back to Top