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Embroidery Articles - HedeboReturn to Embroidery Articles Index
The Traveling Thread This month we travel to Denmark to investigate Hedebo (pronounced Hay-ta-bo) embroidery. Hedebo is another form of cut and drawn thread whitework. It began as decoration for peasant men’s shirts, women’s collars and cuffs, and bedclothes. It originated in a specific flatland region of Denmark between Copenhagen and Roskilde known as the Heden, or heath. As with much embroidery, the countryside flora suggested the floral motifs that were used in the embroidery. HerstoryThere are a number of distinct forms of Hedebo embroidery, each being popular during a specific timeframe and then declining in significance while another form took precedence. The oldest form dates back to the 1700’s and consists of flat, counted-thread whitework embroidery of diamonds and stars on men’s and women’s blouses. The next form was popular from about 1750-1800 and consisted of drawn thread work where every second pair of horizontal and vertical threads was withdrawn so that a grid remained. A whipping stitch strengthened the network of remaining threads and the motifs were embroidered on the network of remaining threads. This drawn thread area was first bounded by one or more rows of chain stitch. The next Hedebo form was popular from about 1820-1840 and consisted of small areas of cutwork where most or all the threads were removed. The edges of the cut areas were bound by the Hedebo buttonhole stitch, a slightly different buttonhole stitch than what we commonly do today. Connecting threads were attached to the buttonhole edge, many times in arcs, and drawn thread fillings, somewhat like we know in Hardanger, were embroidered over the connecting threads. Around 1840 the fourth form of Hedebo became popular. It too was a drawn thread technique but was influenced by Italian reticella embroidery where needlelace motifs embellished the remaining drawn thread network. Extravagant flat, counted-thread embroidered floral motifs were added to soften the geometric needlelace motifs. The final form of Hedebo is one that many of us associate with Hedebo today. Rings of thread are wound around a couronne stick (or pencil or knitting needle, depending on the size of the ring desired). Hedebo buttonhole stitch (also known as knotted buttonhole stitch) is worked all around the ring and then the ring is further embellished with more Hedebo buttonhole stitch at intervals around the ring. Finally, needlelace and picots may be worked on the outer buttonhole stitches. When the embellishment is complete, the ring is attached within an open area of cutwork. Hedebo TechniqueHedebo is done on evenweave linen with linen or coton perlé thread, size 8 or 12, depending on the linen count. Since this is historically a whitework technique, the thread color is very close to that of the linen. When doing a drawn thread technique, the outer area may be bounded by two or three rows of very close chain stitch or with Hedebo buttonhole stitch. When doing a cutwork technique, the area is slashed, turned to the back, and bounded by Hedebo buttonhole. When the cut area is secure, the excess fabric is trimmed on the back close to the buttonhole stitching. The original row of buttonhole stitching serves not only to bind the cut area but as a foundation for adding bars and additional buttonhole stitching which is then embellished with filling stitches. Resources
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