Pulled Thread Embroidery

Marie-Hélène Jeanneau learnt to embroider as a young child, then later in life, in the 1970s, she developed her interest in the textile arts. As she explored the world of textiles, she was increasingly drawn to embroidery and the endless possibilities it allowed in terms of the interplay of design, texture and materials. During the course of her work she came across pulled threadwork, and began to explore this technique from a contemporary angle. By the late 1980s embroidery had become her full-time pursuit. She began to create her own collections and exclusive designs for a range of items including children’s accessories and household linen. In 2008 she began to design pulled thread embroidery patterns, as well as offering courses and internships in embroidery. By seeking inspiration from multiple sources, she gave traditional techniques a modern twist, creating fresh, new designs to embellish everyday objects. Sadly, Marie-Hélène died in 2018, just before the publication of the original French edition.

INTRODUCTION



The Basic Stitches 15



SATIN STITCH 16

Pulled satin stitch

and damask stitch 17

Variations 36

Diagonal pulled satin stitch 54



FOUR-SIDED STITCH 58

Straight four-sided stitch 59

Variation 66

Diagonal four-sided stitch 68



WAVE STITCH 72

Straight wave stitch 73

Specific case: chain stitch 78

Diagonal wave stitch 81



ZIGZAG STITCH 86

Straight zigzag stitch 87

Faggot stitch 90

Double faggot stitch 98



DIAGONAL DRAWN FILLING 104

or half diagonal four-sided stitch



CROSS STITCH 110

Upright cross stitch 111

Ordinary cross stitch 115



COMPOSITE FILLINGS 121

Index of fillings 141

Biography 143

Bibliography & Resources 144