Counted Thread Embroidery Fabrics 101
Plain weave, even-weave, Aida, Hardanger, linen, Lugana, canvas. These are words we hear when discussing counted thread embroidery fabric—that is, fabric for cross stitch, blackwork, Hardanger, needlepoint, etc. Have you ever wondered what some of these words mean? It’s time to find out.
“Plain weave” refers to the way the warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) fibers of a fabric are woven together. Plain, satin, and twill are the fundamental textile weaves. In plain weave fabrics, the weft fibers cross warp fibers by going over one, under one, over one, under one, and so on.
The weave can be loose or tight. Most plain weave fabrics for counted thread embroidery have very loose weaves so we can count the fibers or spaces between them, but muslin, taffeta, and the cotton calico we use in quilting are plain weave fabrics, too.
“Even-weave” refers to fabrics in which the number of vertical fibers is the same as the number of horizontal fibers in a square inch. The weave is even, vertically and horizontally, so our stitches are predictably square and even. Cross stitch fabrics are even-weaves.
Oh, and to make things really easy, these words might be written as “plainweave” or “evenweave” or “even weave.” Two words, one word, hyphenated . . . whatever. We’re creatives–with fabric and fiber and spelling!
Herta is a 100% cotton Zweigart® fabric similar to Aida. Groups of threads intersect to form clearly delineated squares over and around which stitches are made. Herta squares are larger than Aida squares; i.e. there are fewer squares per inch.
Aida cloth (100% cotton, and all sorts of blends: cotton/modal, linen/polyester, etc.), like Herta, is not a plain weave, but it is an even-weave. Groups of threads intersect to form squares over and around which stitches are made.
“Hardanger” is the name of an embroidery style as well as the name of a fabric. Hardanger embroidery is a kind of open work that originated in the Hardanger region of Norway hundreds of years ago. As you would guess, Hardanger fabric (100% cotton) is commonly used for Hardanger embroidery, but that’s not strictly necessary. Other fabrics can be used for Hardanger embroidery, and Hardanger fabric can be use for other kinds of counted thread embroidery.
Note that warp and weft threads are paired. Because of this pairing, some may categorize this as a baskeweave instead of a plain weave, but even so, that’s merely a variation of plain weave. It is also an even-weave.
Zweigart’s Ariosa (60% modal, 40% cotton) fabric is a plain weave. If you look closely at the fibers, you’ll see that they’re irregular, wider in some places, skinnier in others. The fiber count is still even–or even-enough–but some stitches will be slightly larger than others. This is the nature of the fabric.
Lugana (52% cotton, 48% modal) from Zweigart® is another plain weave fabric, but the fibers are uniform. It’s as even as even-weave gets.
“Linen” refers to both fiber and fabric. It’s is made from the flax plant. Slightly irregular fiber diameters and slubs are common and part of the fabric’s charm. It results in stitches of slightly different sizes now and then. Counted thread embroidery uses loosely woven even-weave linen, but crewel embroidery is often worked on more tightly woven linen twill–one of the other fundamental textile weaves.
This 100% cotton monocanvas from Zweigar® has an open and even plain weave. Canvases come in a variety of weaves and structures, including double mesh and interlock with twists that secure thread intersections.
I have my favorite fabrics, of course, as I’m sure you do. My fabric choice is guided by
- the embroidery technique and fiber I’m using
- the color I want
- the feel of the fabric
- what’s on hand
We have all kinds of embroidery fabrics available to us. When you get down to it, I’ve used relatively few. Perhaps it’s time to broaden my horizons and try some new ones.
What are some of your favorite fabrics, and how do you go about choosing fabric for a project?