Cutwork or cut work, also known as ''punto tagliato'' in Italian, is a

needlework Needlework is decorative sewing and textile arts handicrafts. Anything that uses a needle for construction can be called needlework. Needlework may include related textile crafts such as crochet, worked with a hook, or tatting, worked wi ...

technique in which portions of a

textile Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, different #Fabric, fabric types, etc. At f ...

, typically cotton or linen, are cut away and the resulting "hole" is reinforced and filled with

embroidery Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen ...

or needle lace. Cutwork is related to

drawn thread work Drawn thread work is one of the earliest forms of open work embroidery, and has been worked throughout Europe. Originally it was often used for ecclesiastical items and to ornament shrouds. It is a form of counted-thread embroidery based on remov ...

. In drawn thread work, typically only the

warp Warp, warped or warping may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books and comics * WaRP Graphics, an alternative comics publisher * ''Warp'' (First Comics), comic book series published by First Comics based on the play ''Warp!'' * Warp (comics), a ...

weft Warp and weft are the two basic components used in weaving to turn thread or yarn into fabric. The lengthwise or longitudinal warp yarns are held stationary in tension on a frame or loom while the transverse weft (sometimes woof) is dra ...

threads are withdrawn (cut and removed), and the remaining threads in the resulting hole are bound in various ways. In other types of cutwork, both warp and weft threads may be drawn. Different forms of cutwork are or have traditionally been popular in a number of countries. Needlework styles that incorporate cutwork include

broderie anglaise Broderie anglaise (French, "English embroidery", ) is a whitework needlework technique incorporating features of embroidery, cutwork and needle lace that became associated with England, due to its popularity there in the 19th century. History ...

Carrickmacross lace Carrickmacross lace is a form of lace that may be described as decorated net. A three-layer 'sandwich' is made consisting of the pattern (at the bottom), covered with, first, machine-made net and then fine muslin, through which the pattern can ...

whitework Whitework embroidery is any embroidery technique in which the stitching is the same color as the foundation fabric (traditionally white linen). Styles of whitework embroidery include most drawn thread work, broderie anglaise, Hardanger embroider ...

, early

reticella Reticella (also reticello or in French point coupé or point couppe) is a needle lace dating from the 15th century and remaining popular into the first quarter of the 17th century. Reticella was originally a form of cutwork in which threads wer ...

, Spanish cutwork, hedebo, and jaali which is prevalent in India. There are degrees of cutwork, ranging from the smallest amount of fabric cut away (Renaissance cutwork) to the greatest (Reticella cutwork). Richelieu cutwork in the middle.

Eyelet fabrics

Cutwork is also used to create eyelet fabrics by cutting small round holes in them. After that, the edges of the holes are finished with embroidered stitches. The amount and closeness of stitching, as well as the quality of the background fabric, may vary in different types. Eyelet fabrics are an ever-popular type of fabric.

History

The cutwork technique originated in Italy at the time of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...

, approximately the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. In Renaissance embroidery and Richelieu work, the design is formed by cutting away the background fabric. In the

Elizabethan era The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personific ...

, cutwork was incorporated into the design and decoration of some ruffs. In a fashion sense, this type of needlework has migrated to countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, India, and the United States. Dresden samplers contained white cutwork, along with needle lace. Cutwork is still prevalent in fashion today, and although they are different, cutwork is commonly mistaken for

lace Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is divided into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...

. The eyelet pattern is one of the more identifiable types of cutwork in modern fashion. In eyelet embroidery, the design comes from the holes, rather than the fabric.

Traditional cutwork by country

Czech Republic

Densely worked cutwork was traditional in many parts of the Czech Republic. Motifs might be circular, arc, or leaf-shaped. Because the motifs were often so close together, the embroidery looked like lace once all the motif centers were cut away.

Italy

Embroidery pattern books after 1560 focused heavily on cutwork, as it became very popular in Italy. Initially, scrolling patterns worked in

punto in aria ''Punto in aria'' band, Italy, 1601-50 ''Punto in aria'' (literally “stitch in air”) is an early form of needle lace devised in Italy. It is considered the first true lace because it was the first meant to be stitched alone, and not first onto ...

were most evident, changing at the end of the century to

. The punto in aria technique involved laying threads over a linen ground, and then cutting the ground away. It was often use for freer patterns than the more geometric reticella, where squares of the ground cloth were cut out and embroidery was then applied.

Madeira

in the 1850s, an Englishwoman, Miss Phelps, arrived in Madeira to recuperate, and she gave lessons in broderie anglaise. In the 1920s, after noting many skilled needlewomen. the Madeira Embroidery Guild was formed. Amongst its purposes was to set the pay and standards for embroiderers on the island. As indicated by the existence of the guild, many women in Madeira engaged in embroidery as a way of earning money for their families.

Netherlands

Cutwork was popular throughout the Netherlands. An especially fine form of cutwork is called snee werk, used for decorating clothing such as aprons and blouses, and household items such as pillowcases.

Poland

The eyelet form of cutwork was popular in the Polish countryside from the 1700s, if not earlier. It was used to decorate costumes and textiles for the home. The execution of this hand embroidery reached its height in the late 1800s, a prosperous time with more money for clothing. Eyelet embroidery was found on men's clothing as well as women's. For those who couldn't afford larger garments, eyelet collars that could be used to adorn different blouses were popular. Cutwork was usually done on white fabric, but around

Sieradz Sieradz ( la, Siradia, yi, שעראַדז, שערעדז, שעריץ, german: 1941-45 Schieratz) is a city on the Warta river in central Poland with 40,891 inhabitants (2021). It is the seat of the Sieradz County, situated in the Łódź Voivode ...

, a pink and white striped cloth was sometimes used. Eyelet patterns were geometrical until the late 1800s. With the introduction of machine embroidery, designs became more diverse.

Sweden

Hőlesom, or cutwork, was a traditional form of embroidery in Sweden, and used for household linens.

Hand cutwork

Hand cutworks is the most traditional form of cutwork. Here, areas of the fabric are cut away and stitch is applied to stop the raw edges from fraying.

Laser cutwork

Laser cutwork allows for more precise and intricate patterns to be created. The laser also has the ability to melt and seal the edges of fabric with the heat of the laser. This helps against fabric fraying during the creation process. Additionally, using a laser for cutwork enables the embroiderer or creator to achieve unique designs such as an 'etched look' by changing the depth of the laser cut into the fabric.

References

External links

Virtual Museum of Textile Arts
{{Authority control Embroidery Needle lace