While I have a new book coming out, so understandably am promoting what’s in it because people are interested, I’m conscious that I don’t want to drown you all in Hardanger!
To give you some variety, this is the sampler project from my book Portuguese Whitework. It features 36 different motifs. Portuguese whitework, which is known as Guimarães embroidery or bordados de Guimarães, (embroidery from Guimarães) features a mix of counted and non-counted embroidery.
A framework of drawn thread work wrapped bars is worked first, to set up areas on which to work pretty motifs made of predominantly bullion knots and eyelets.
When this project is on display, it always seems to catch eyes! The bullions can be off-putting for some people, but I always say that a Portuguese whitework project is an excellent way to learn to master bullions, as you’ll do so many of them! The method I teach in the book, for working bullions, is different to that which many others teach, and I’ve found that it can bring success for people who haven’t previously had bullion success.
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
So happy you show and teach around the world our portuguese embroidery! Yes, I’m portuguese, living in Sintra (town in surroundings of Lisbon). Guimarães (we call this the cradle-city, for there was born our first future king). Almost every city in Portuga has it’s own traditional embroidery… Viana do Castelo…, Barcelos…, Figueira da Foz…, Nisa…, or even Castelo Branco with it’s pure silk embroidery thread)…, Arraiolos (tapestries in wool)…, Madeira…, Açores…
Thank you for disclosing our portuguese art!
Thanks for visiting my small part of the internet, Adelaide! Portugal has an amazing and impressive range of embroidery styles. I learned that when I was doing the research for my book.