Blackwork , anybody?

[deirdreofthesorrow]

I have been doing this for years, that is until I discovered paper crafting! But I have never met any one else who even knows what it is, far less does it. Just wondered if there was anyone one out there who has been tempted?

[lady-jane]

i was tempted onice, when i got broad with cross stitching but then i found papercrafting

[Dawn]

 ???Well you have me intrigued if no-one else
Go on tell us more - What is Blackwork??

[Lyn52]

I still do blackwork and love it, I use it with my papercrafting sometimes.
Dawn, blackwork is said to be one of the oldest forms of decorative embroidery, bougt to England by Katherine of Araragon, its a form of cross stitch done in one colour, black to the purist, though some people use other colours today, most patterns are symetrical and very delicate, it can look almost as delicate as the finest lace. I have seen some truly beautiful pictures done in blackwork, I have done a MillHouse in shades grey and black for my MiL.

[Dawn]

Thanks for that, I bet it looks wonderful. We must push for that gallery. (Lets hope the boys don't read this one  )
I have done some cross stitch, in fact I have a dragon in the cupboard that still only needs the finishing touches doing. Think I bought that 1 before Jade was born & she's 8 now

[sdixon]

I did blackwork for a long time and have pictures of Henry 8th and 6 wives plus Mary Rose ship which was named after his sister. They have been done in black and gold.

Sylvia

[Isabel M]

Hi

I did a bit of Blackwork at a day-school workshop quite a few years ago.  It was just a practice piece but I enjoyed doing it as it was a change from doing c ross stitch.   Always meant to try it again, but sadly haven't gotten round to it, as patchwork and quilting became my "thing" shortly afterwards.
xx Isabel M

[deirdreofthesorrow]

Very simple, and it doesn't have to be black. I have one that I have done it is laid out like a formal garden and done in 9 shades of green.

[jenny5mum]

I have done black work, i did a sample of a christmas carol Away in the Manager, with the musical notes. It looked brilliant, never had chance to any more not with another baby in the house. But it did look stunning. This one was done on white aida with black anchor thread. It has pride of place ever Christmas, mind you we have to find it as it is packed away with the christmas decorating. The only thing was I never had chance to get it framed, hence the reason why it is rolled and up and put away for another year.

If you use gold thread then it called gold work, again both are beautiful to look at. And when finished you really have to stand back to see the whole picture, and yes when Katherine is old enough for to start again I will gladly source some new patterns and have another go

Anf yes it is very easy, you start from the middle just like you would a normal cross stitch and work you to edge. I find that if you draw two lines through the chart marking the centre friom top to bottom & right to left, then counting from the middle of canvas how many squares. Thew hardest bits is having no knots, but if you make sure that your first piece of thread is a double piece and loop you needle through it, there is no need for a knot

[Susiel]

It's something I've wanted to try for a while now but never got round to it.

[deirdreofthesorrow]

I would never use knots in any kind of needlework !
I have mastered a special weaving technique that was shown to me by a lovely lady who was a master needle woman, what this lady couldn't do wasn't worth knowing.  I nursed her for some time before she died, and she taught me many useful needlework tricks, I have been doing many different types of needlework for years, but the favourite has always been blackwork. That was until I developed a cardmaking obsession, needlework NEVER cost me this much!!!

[Dawn]

You have the Gallery section now, Would love to see some examples

[maisie]

ive done blackwork and still cross stitch, i like to have more than one craft on the go also i have more than one cross stitch project on the go.

[pipers]

Blackwork is very dramatic - fantastic effect.
havent done any for a while but still cross stitch - mainly wedding ring pillows.

[jenny5mum]

This piece of blackwork is done and aida and it has the first part of Away in a Manager as well as the notes