I often get questions about sources for cutwork embroidery patterns.

Richelieu (also called by the more generic name of “cutwork”) is an exquisite type of (usually whitework) embroidery that involves outlining areas in a design and building little “bridges” of fabric and woven bars, so that pieces of the linen can be cut away, creating a visual contrast between the white linen and the cut away parts of the design. It also often involves some surface ornamentation in whitework embroidery.

There are several publications available that are dedicated to cutwork embroidery, all of them coming from one area of Europe or another.

Today, I’ll show you one publication devoted entirely to cutwork that I really like, and tell you why I like it and where you can get it.

I really wanted to have the leaves on the Secret Garden project completely finished by today.

In my head, I set a deadline for yesterday evening. But for some reason, I’m always overly optimistic when I set stitching deadlines.

If I add a calendar year to every stitching deadline I set, I’d be more likely to hit the mark!

In any case, the leaves are moving along, and today, I want to show you my favorite leaves, and talk about a bit about the order of shading with long & short stitch.

It’s always a good sign when twenty or more years can pass, and a needlework technique and instruction book is still in demand and relevant.

Needlelace: Designs and Techniques, Classic and Contemporary by Catherine Barley is just such a book. It was first published in 1993, and while you can still find copies of the book available through used book sources for a pretty penny, you can now buy a reprint of the book, new, directly from the author.

If you are interested in needlelace – or in its application to stumpwork embroidery projects, to historical needlework projects (think detached stitches in 17th century embroidery), to contemporary whitework – Catherine’s book should be in your reference library.

Just a little house keeping here, so that you can easily find information on chicken scratch / embroidery on gingham here on Needle ‘n Thread when you’re looking for it!

This index will include all articles on Chicken Scratch, including patterns, tutorials, and other information on the technique. As more articles are added on the subject in the future, I’ll add them to this list, too, the keep them all neatly in one place.

Just a little note to wish you and yours a Happy Easter today!

Today, a little tutorial for embroidery on gingham, or chicken scratch.

Chicken scratch is suited to any level of embroiderer, but, due to its simple nature and pleasing results, it’s an especially nice technique for beginners and even for children.

You can make up your own patterns for gingham embroidery, or you can look around online for pattern sources or inspiration from vintage aprons, household linens, and so forth. You’ll find two patterns here on Needle ‘n Thread for chicken scratch: Floral Corner #1 and Floral Corner #2, both of which can be used as corner designs, or can be easily adapted for straight edges.

As promised in yesterday’s article on chicken scratch (which garnered a lot of discussion!), here’s the second gingham lace or chicken scratch pattern for a little corner design.