Countries with strong embroidery tradition

[Elizabeth]

I'm considering going on to do the City & Guilds level 3 diploma when I've finished my certificate and part of the work is to do illustrated studies of 3 countries with strong traditions of embroidery. Not a problem in itself as there are several that fall into this category, but most of them really have been done to death. I mean, almost everyone does China, Japan, India or Norway. I want to do something different. I've already thought about Korea and Brazil, but can anyone think of others? I need places with information that's easy to find (preferably in English, although I can manage in Romance and Germanic languages) and I would rather like one in each of 3 different continents.

[Romilly]

Elizabeth - I'm partial to Germany. There's a strong medieval tradition of whitework on lightweight linen and pulled thread work, and of course applique.

There is of course, France, with it's 18th century goldwork, and 14th century or nue techniques...

The Ukraine and Russia have a strong counted thread tradition, and there's those beautiful flowers in Hungary. And Turkey does some amazing stuff with a form of pattern darning that ends up looking like tent stitch...

OK, I don't know of a country that DOESN'T have a strong tradition of embroidery. I think embellishment is a human need.

[Elizabeth]

Thanks both of you.=)

Germany! What a great idea! I'm even married to a German who could help with finding resources. There's be Berlin Woolwork as well, no? It certainly would be something fresh for our teacher.

Keep ideas coming though ladies, as I've by no means settled on any of the lands yet.

[sharonb]

Scandinavia? They have a fantastic design traditon

[Elizabeth]

Indeed they do, but Scandinavia is a region of 3 countries, (Denmark, Sweden and Norway), and I have to pick single ones, (although I did consider doing them as a trio....), and everyone does Norway!!!=)

Anyone know much about Swedish or Danish work?

[Romilly]

If you're looking for sources, you could try these two locations on medieval german:
http://medieval.webcon.net.au/technique_opus_teutonicum.html
http://www.bayrose.org/wkneedle/Articles/Whitework.html

Both of them have lovely photos and closeups of the whitework technique. Very pretty and worth looking at in any case. Hmmm. I feel a blog post coming on. :)

[Elizabeth]

Thanks a lot, I've saved both of those links.=)

[Jen]

Agreed. I was in Puerto Rico last year and they have many crafts, but no style of embroidery that's all their own. I did learn some stitches though that they use for unusual embellishment. I'm sure all the Caribbean islands have a little something. One or two might even have something worth researching, and there's enough in English to get by.

Also, babelfish can translate text fairly easily from other languages into English. It's not completely accurate, but it's pretty good.

[Elizabeth]

No probs with translation - I can read German OK and my hubby is a native speaker.=)

Don't know if I'll ever get to use all these great ideas and links now as, today at college, we found out that the 3rd and 4th year (which was formerly C&G Diploma level work) is going to change totally thanks to the new programme that C&G is insisting is being used in colleges in order to get funding from the government. So, no more histories of English embroidery and no more studies of 3 countries.

[Lorelei Terry Halley]

Elizabeth: How about Hungary? They have a tradition of multicolored cross stitch in some very complex patterns (published and I can give a reference - book is in Hungarian, but x st charts are universal), also geometric cutwork in white (one of the DMC pamphlets on drawn thread embroidery includes some designs they specify as Hungarian), and there is also a tradtion of Halas lace -- a needlelace technique, I believe. If you want specifics, let me know.

[Jane]

What about the UK? We have a very long and strong tradition of embroidery.

[Elizabeth]

Jolly good point! C&G have got that covered though. The 'Written Illustrated Study' comes in 2 parts:
English embroidery 900AD - the present and shorter studies of 3 different countries!!

I think I may just go for Brazil, Germany and Korea, but there are 2-3 years to go yet.....

[Guzzisue]

just realised that the diploma is the old part two... we did Africa as a class inspite of us advising the tutor that it was a continent not a country!! ( got away with it though but it was a lot of work)