Cutwork Embroidery

Initial stages of cutwork technique

Example of Cutwork embroidery

Cutwork embroidery involves cutting away areas of evenweave fabric along pre-designed lines of button-hole or satin stitches.  Initially a line of running stitches is made, (top) to cushion or raise the lines of stitching.  It is sometimes called embroidered lace but is not actually a true lace, with cut away areas supported by button-hole bars of stitching providing support, and which are also incorporated into the design.
This type of embroidery evolved from drawn thread work carried out by nuns for ecclesiastical textiles; popular during the renaissance it was highly valued by royalty and nobility, and alongside other forms of embroidery, reflected the power of the church and the state.
There are different types of cutwork, one of which is the more familiar Broderie Anglais.  The technique was traditionally stitched in white thread on white fabric and used for table linen, and collars and cuffs.