A hundred years ago, almost in every house there was a dowry, which was decorated with embroidery hemlock. The photos in the article convey all the charm and elegance of filigree art.
What is a hemlock?
At all times, women were engaged in needlework. It was embroidery with beads and pearls, cross stitch, hemstitch, with the use of gold and silver threads, weaving lace. For years and the inability to use materials of that time, some techniques have been forgotten. But one of the types of needlework has not only survived to this day, but is also quite popular among craft lovers and modern fashionistas. This is embroidery stitch.
General Provisions
Merezhka (embroidery) represents through seams on fabric from which a certain number of threads located in one direction were previously cut or pulled out. The fabric used to carry out this technique must have a structure from which the threads can easily be pulled out. The complex and intricate weaving of the threads will interfere with the proper preparation of the fabric for work.
Embroidery stitch - an ancient form of needlework, which has survived to this day. This type of skill does not require special skills, as well as a sewing or embroidery machine. The main thing is perseverance, accuracy and a large margin of patience.
What can be decorated with a hemlock?
This pattern is used not only for dresses, men's and women's shirts, children's clothes, collars, cuffs, blouses, but also for bedding, shawls, tablecloths, towels, napkins.
The most technologically advanced stretch fabrics are linen, cambric, silk, canvas or cotton.
Tools and threads
The threads are selected based on the density of the fabric, using cotton reels in the range from No. 10 to No. 120. For thin light tissues, threads No. 60–80 are used, for coarse fabrics - threads of middle numbers. Both types of fabrics can be decorated with floss folded several times. A non-standard solution is to pull the threads from the prepared fabric, and then use them to create a pattern. The color of the finish is chosen by the needlewoman, based on her ideas and preferences. Of the tools, small sharp scissors and a needle are needed to embroider a suitable thickness.
How to take care of things with a pattern?
Embroidery (hemstitch) It requires not only careful storage, but also proper care. Embroidered items are washed by hands in warm water, and when machine washable, it is better to use the delicate mode. For greater safety, the product is placed in a special bag. It is better to iron the embroidered areas through a thin, damp cloth (gauze), pressing down with an iron on top for 1-2 seconds. Try not to drive the iron back and forth in order to avoid possible distortion of the embroidery.
Such different skirts
All kinds of hemstitches in hand embroidery performed on the basis of basic techniques. A simple hemstitch is an ordinary manual seam, which previously cut the edges of napkins, tablecloths and sleeves. Over the past decades, the seam has changed and become a “brush” hemstitch. To make this seam from the fabric, it is necessary to pull the threads out of the warp until a strip is formed 3-5 mm wide. Since the hem is embroidered without a single knot, it is necessary to fix the working thread.
How to fix a working thread?
This can be done in two ways, the first of which is suitable for the embroidery technique, the embroidery of which is done with a thread folded twice: in the eye of the needle, thread the ends of the thread folded in half, and around the loop formed at the other end, grab the right number of threads needed to create one brush. Then stretch the needle with the working thread through this loop.
However, most cases force us to use the second method - embroidery with a single thread, and here they act differently. To fix the working thread (hereinafter referred to as the PH), it is necessary to insert a needle into the future brush, and then, retreating 1-2 threads from the edge of the fabric, withdraw it. Having picked up the necessary amount of free tissue threads (hereinafter referred to as NT) with a needle, we put the PH loop counterclockwise and pull it together, holding the PH with the left hand. For reliability, you need to make another loop. With the third stitch, we introduce the needle from the wrong side over the tightened NTs and bring it to the front side. Next, picking up the same amount of NT with the needle as during fastening, we separate the second brush and tighten it.
The beauty and accuracy of the stitching directly depends on the equal number of threads for the brush and the same stitch length. In order for the embroidery to be smooth, we stick in the needle, stepping back two threads from the edge of the strip, and also stepping back one on the left side of the border of the brush. During embroidery, the pH must be pulled upward.
From simple to complex
Merezhka "Simple column"
Threads are pulled together on one side of the advanced fabric track. A "brush" is formed, and then these same threads are pulled together from the opposite side. We get the columns, drawn on both sides. If the stitching is performed according to the shared arrangement of the threads and 5 strings are pulled out, 4 of them are taken for the “brush”. If the stitching is located transversely, then 5 stitches will go to the column, and 4 need to be pulled out.
Merezhka “Column into a split”
The top edge of the column is the same as in the previous pattern, but the number of threads in the column must be even.
The lower edge of the stitching column must be pulled from half the threads of adjacent columns. In other words, it is necessary to “split” each column in half. This technique is applicable for narrow stitching.
Embroidered base
Merezhka "Snopik"
This stitching is performed on top of a “simple column”, which should be 1-2 cm wide or more. The working thread passes through the center of the hem, pulling into bundles of 2-3 columns. When pulling together two or four columns, we get a “snook” pattern. When pulling together three columns you get a “bug”. PH make a loop counterclockwise, start the needle under the PH and tighten. It is important to note that when tightening the loop, the connecting thread should not sag. Therefore, first we tighten the loop against embroidery, and just before the knot we change the direction to the opposite. Snopiki can be combined into an unlimited number of columns. This technique is used in complex steps.
Merezka “Kozlik”
It is a pairwise connection of the columns: the neighboring ones are connected in two, then from above, then from below, at a third of the height of the column. Each finished column must be connected to each new one so that each of them is connected to two neighboring ones.
By combining the two columns from above, the pH will loop counterclockwise from top to bottom. The needle is inserted into the formed loop from left to right, picking up the PH and the columns, which are simultaneously pulled together.
Combining the two columns from the bottom, the thread will make a loop clockwise from the bottom up.
When the loop is tightened, the needle with the working thread must be pulled along the hem to the right. This will allow you to get a beautiful eyelet, and the PH and alternating steps of embroidery pass on the wrong side.
Complex multi-row stitches
The embroidery “openwork mesh” pattern consists of two parts: first, a “simple column” 2-3 cm wide is embroidered, and on top of it is a “goat” in 2 rows: above and below. When performing the second row, we divide the columns combined in the first row. Leaving in the second row two “goats” from the first row, we get a wide linen hem. Stretching a bright ribbon or braid into the resulting wide holes, we give the clothes or bedding an unusual look.
Intertwined stitches pattern
Thin columns of 3-4 threads are pulled from free threads of fabric, forming a “column”. Having fixed a thick twisted thread to the right in the middle of the hem, crossing two columns. We string two adjacent columns on the needle, we direct it from the bottom up and towards ourselves, prying the second and wrapping it for the first.
Double interlacing of a hemstitch is carried out with 4 columns. Weave them in pairs: 1 and 3, 2 and 4. We string 1 and 3 columns on the needle, and 2 we pass under the needle and connect them using the “bound stitches” method. Then we take the thread against the course and string 2 and 4 columns, interlacing them in the same way.
About ready-made kits
Modern needlewomen have modernized such a technique as a hemstitch. Beading dresses, complemented by a hem, looks elegant and sophisticated. Using ready-made embroidery kits, even a novice craftswoman will create a real masterpiece of needlework.
Bead embroidery
The set includes cloths with a colored pattern that does not fade and does not wash off during washing, as well as instructions for embroidery. The scheme with which it is necessary to check is located on the blank of the dress itself, with the symbols for the necessary colors of the beads. After decoration, the corresponding details of the dress (front, back, sleeves, etc.) are cut out from the panels and sewn together. If you have difficulty working with beads, you can decorate the blank floss.
The set “Merezhka: embroidery with beads” may include beads matched to the blank. When ordering an embroidery kit through some online stores, you must separately indicate this item in the comments.
Cross-stitch
In addition to the previously described, kits "Merezhka: cross-stitch" are also interesting. Here the composition is a little different: the cotton canvas "Aida" No. 14 is white, the scheme with the designation of colors, a set of the necessary floss threads, a needle and an instruction.
The eyes are afraid, and the hands are doing
In order to master the described technique, in addition to preparing the right tools for the job, you need to read the step-by-step instructions to complete the basic simple seam. Understand this, and embroidery stitch for beginners It doesn't seem complicated to you. Remember: any pattern is always done from left to right.
- In order to independently get the first skills of embroidering a hemstitch, first of all, you need to pick up the fabric. It is better to use cotton, just pull the threads out of it.
- Then a neat small incision is made on the fabric, about 2-3 cm long.
- Based on the fabric pattern, we pull the threads from the warp using tweezers.
- Pull the strings into bundles of 6-8 pieces. You can take less, then the columns will be more subtle and elegant.
- Having finished tightening the lower and upper rows, cross two adjacent bundles, forming a “brush”. A pH must pass through the center of each “brush”.
The embroidery method is quite affordable not only for experienced craftswomen, but also for debuting needlewomen. The basis is simple tricks with which you can turn dull and uninteresting things into a work of art.