A Guide to Working the Fundamental Techniques of 19th Century Ayrshire Whitework

Description

Ayrshire whitework developed in 19th century Scotland and flourished as a successful cottage industry. It was used extensively to adorn baby gowns and bonnets, but also adult garments and items such as handkerchiefs. These were and still remain famed for their extreme delicacy, ethereal beauty and intricacy of workmanship. The workers used a lightly twisted cotton thread to ‘sprig’ a sheer cotton lawn ground fabric with delicate satin stitch leaves and flowers.

The work was further enhanced with delicate openwork in the form of ladder stitch and eyelets, filled with the famed needlelace fillings, together with miniature drawn thread work. This book illustrates all the fundamental techniques of Ayrshire whitework including Ayrshire style satin stitch and trailing, eyelets, ladder stitch, round and horizontal needlelace fillings and Ayrshire style drawn thread work. An indispensable book for anyone wishing to learn this historic technique.

You may also be interested in whitework threads and a stiletto, essential for making eyelets.