Many years ago, an organiser of a yearly needlework teaching event said to me, “We can’t sell whitework classes.” Historically, they hadn’t had much success in getting people to choose whitework classes from amongst their class selections. This has always interested me. I’ve always wondered why.
I’ve wondered whether whitework is seen as the purview of guild groups and therefore people are less likely to sign up for a class in it, when they feel they could just learn it from someone in a group they’re in. I’ve wondered whether the demographic for whitework is such that people who enjoy it don’t go to conferences.
I’ve wondered whether people are scared of whitework, or at least scared of learning it in a class setting, and would prefer to learn it from a book.
I’ve wondered whether people look down a list of classes and get dazzled by all the lovely colour and don’t even notice the projects that are white.
I’ve wondered if people get dazzled by the prospect of a teacher from far away and choose them in preference to someone who is available locally to them. (And if this is the case, is this cultural cringe at work?)
Do you choose to take whitework classes? What makes you choose them: the project, the technique, the teacher, or something else? Why would you NOT choose a whitework class at an event; preferring a non-whitework technique?
I’m making the assumption that if you’re here, reading a post by me (sometimes known as the Whitework Queen!) that you may have some level of interest in whitework! I’m really interested in hearing your thoughts!
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
I’ve been doing a deep dive into whitework embroidery for the past couple of years, so I pay more attention to the whitework courses than the colorful ones. What I like about whitework is the many techniques involved, especially pulled work. So I’ll skip over a course if the project is too simple, or if it just involves surface stitches.
Thanks for your input, Liz!
Part of whitework’s PR problem might be the difficulty of photographing it well. I will try just about any technique for the project itself (technique, stitches, finishing details, utility) or a well regarded teacher, but whitework’s special appeal is its wealth of textures, which can be difficult to show to advantage in a brochure or online.
Yes, I agree this might be a problem for some. However, good photography of whitework is not a problem I have – my photographs are excellent, if I do say so myself 😉 – and yet my classes at big events often don’t fill. I suspect there is more to it…
Hi,
Although I have for many years admired white work embroideries, and have acquired quite a few books, I was reluctant to make a start. The work looks so detailed, generally very fine, gives the impressions that hours of preparation are required before you can even make a start, and then an unbelievable number of hours to finish. Then add in – counting and the fear of being ‘out’ by the time you get around the square or come to do the next design that hinges on the first and you realise you have counted wrong! When you look at the beautiful designs and stitching – there can often be very little fabric visible. So much stitching. I know many people who simply will not try because of the essential need for counting threads. I am just now starting some pieces – but they are small pieces and in reality I will have little use for them other than to say ‘I made this’. So I think the usefulness factor is also an issue. Cushions and tablecloths and quilts that are hard wearing and can handle some rough handling and the washing machine and are relatively quick to complete are where the interest lies. Perhaps also it is a colour factor. I have completed the Frisian sampler. The colours are beautiful. In white, the stitching would still be beautiful but the overall look would not be as appealing to me and I don’t think I would have been enticed to do it. I purchased the Frisian needlework book because of the photo on the front cover – the red and white is brilliant. I once started some hedebo work in a workshop. At home though, I managed to do the stitching around the areas to be cut out back to front and didn’t realise until I had made the cut-outs. All that work and I couldn’t finish. I think white work is destined to be a specialist area that only a few will take up with verve but many, like myself will dabble in if something particularly appeals, and then many others will admire but not be tempted to even dabble. I have just stitched the Petite Doily from the Sardinian knotted embroidery book. I had to reverse stitch and restart so often that in the time it took me to make one, I could have made at least two and started a third. I persevered because it was for a competition in a group of which I am a member.
There you go – a bit of a ramble, but some of my thoughts – and you did ask 🙂
I haven’t been to any events like you are describing.
I’m primarily a cross stitcher. I only found out about white work and pulled thread work more recently. I saw a pretty cross stitch done on linen with a hardanger border (one if the kits from the cross stitch guild.) I initially thought the fabric came that way and tried to buy some. It was only after some digging that I realised it was a technique. I put it in the too hard basket, but after a while I decided to give it a go. I think there is appeal to giving an extra pop your work. It helps that it is worked on linen so can be combined with cross stitch. To me, counted thread is more approachable than other forms of embroidery as I already have experience.
Hardanger also peaks my fancy from the perspective of historical costume, which I don’t have skill in but have been learning about.