Embroidery Articles - Shadow Work

The Sharp Needle
© 2002

Shadow work is an embroidery technique done on very sheer fabric such as organdy, batiste or lawn. Because the ground fabric is so sheer, the opaque threads on the reverse side of the embroidery show through the sheer ground to create a very subtle shadow effect on the front of the embroidery.  In this embroidery, it is the effect of the threads showing through the ground fabric, rather than a particular stitch, that defines the work.

The earliest literary references to shadow work come from the 3^rd century BC when some Greek travelers documented embroidery on fine muslin that they came across in ‘Indian’ lands.  Shadow work is sometimes referred to as chikankari, chikan meaning ‘fine’ in Bengal, India.  In Persia, chikan is a derivative of chikeen, a small coin, the amount for which the embroidery might have been sold.  Folklore about the origin of shadow work also comes from both India and Persia.  One story is told that a traveler in India asked a poor peasant for some water.  The peasant showed the traveler such warm hospitality that the traveler taught the peasant the art of shadow work so that the peasant would never have to go hungry.  Another story tells of Queen Noor Jehan from Persia being inspired by Turkish embroidery and introducing shadow work to her attendants.  As with much needlework, shadow work fell out of favor for many years but has once again become popular.  With its resurgence, it is no longer exclusively white on white, as it was originally, but may now be done with colored threads on a white, transparent ground, or even with metallic threads.  Most shadow work patterns are flowers and leaves with long tendrils.  Shadow work is very popular on table linens, bed linens and christening garments.  It is surprisingly sturdy.

The first step in shadow work is to lightly trace a design onto the sheer ground fabric.  The design may then be stitched in one of three ways.  In the first method, the embroiderer works a herringbone stitch back and forth across the design on the reverse side of the work.  In the second method the embroiderer works a double back running stitch on the front of the ground fabric.  A small back stitch is taken on one side of the design element and then a corresponding back stitch is taken parallel to the first stitch, on the other side of the design element.  The double back running stitch creates a herringbone stitch on the back of the embroidery.  In the third method, the embroiderer stitches the entire design in back stitch and then turns the work over and darns from one side of a back stitch to the other parallel back stitch.  In all three methods, the front of the piece has the design element outlined in very fine back stitches and the back of the embroidery is covered with herringbone or darned stitches.  It is the density of the opaque thread on the back showing through the sheer ground fabric highlighted by the small back stitches on the front that create the subtle shadow effect.  And since this is The Sharp Needle, it is of course stitched with a sharp needle.

Needle Arts, Volume XXVII, Number 1, March 2001, page 22.  Hint of Hydrangeas by Diane Clements

Anchor Manual of Needlework. Interweave Press: Colorado. © 1990. pp 166-183.

http://www.india-crafts.com/textile_products/chikankari.html

http://www.virtualgardens.net/SafeHaven/lessons/shadow_work.htm - excellent description

http://www.heritageshoppe.com/heritage/stitches/advanced/advanc05.html - excellent stitch diagrams

http://www.dnai.com/~kdyer/faqs/nf_tech.html#shadow

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