Brazilian Embroidery
By Adeline Panamaroff
Adeline, a freelance writer/proofreader, located in Edmonton, Alberta can be contacted at www.adelinepanamaroff.com for writing and marketing requests.
Brazilian Embroidery workshop taught by Doreen Turpie
Brazilian embroidery worked by Jeanette L.
History: Brazilian embroidery came to be with the invention of rayon thread. Rayon was the first man-made fiber, coming into factory production in Brazil in the mid-1800s. While this fiber is human made, it is a natural fiber, not synthetic, usually made from wood pulp.
In the 1960s, high gloss rayon thread was dyed vibrant colors that usually had variegated tones of the same color throughout the skein. Due to the use of variegated threads, Brazilian embroidery was originally called Vari-Cor embroidery, but later was named after the geographic center of rayon thread production. The 3D nature of this stitching technique has now led to it being called Brazilian dimensional embroidery.
The high sheen of rayon threads led to its popularity in large floral motifs that were worked onto household items like cushions, aprons and dish towels. A variety of stitches that had already been used with cotton or wool threads continued to be used with Brazilian embroidery, but its shine encouraged new developments in 3 dimensional stitches. The heavy use of bullion, French knots, and detach button hole, are just a few of the staple stitches used.
Once rayon thread started to be manufactured in the United States Brazilian embroidery took a foothold in the hearts of American needle crafters. By 1979 the American owned EdMar Company was the most prominent manufacturer of rayon floss in the global market.
In 1991 the Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery International Guild, Inc. was formed to preserve and innovate this unique embroidery style. The guild is international in scope and membership is open to anyone who wants to learn how to stitch raised designs with glossy rayon threads.
Workshops and classes are continually run through craft stores and needle craft guilds which keep Brazilian embroidery alive and evolving today.
Technique: Rayon floss has a z shaped twist to the ply, as opposed to the traditional s shape twist of cotton threads. This means working designs in the Brazilian style have to be done in the reverse direction then when using cotton fibers, so that you do not untwist the ply of the thread. Even stitches that use knots need to be wrapped around the needle clockwise, instead of counter clockwise, as is done with cotton. Rayon is not meant to have its individual stands pulled apart, which can be done with cotton embroidery floss. Different weights of rayon thread are used in the same design for heavier or lighter stitches. Before using rayon floss, it is best to pre-stretch the thread a bit before stitching.
Brazilian embroidery is worked on tight woven backing fabric, with the basic design drawn onto the material. In order to keep consistent tension in the stitches, and to prevent puckering in the material, using a hoop is a must. Making frequent knots and endings at the back of the fabric is also recommended because if a complicated set of bullions, for example, is pulled through from the top of the fabric, without knots after each set, a whole number of stitches may come undone. Also, jumping from spot to spot on the back of the fabric, without knotted and cut threads, will leave a shadow of the line of thread on the front of the work. Frequent knots and cut endings are preferred.
Brazilian embroidery uses millinery or tapestry needles for much of the stitching. These needles have an eye that is the same width as the needle shaft. Due to the slickness of rayon thread, having a needle that does not have a bulky eye allows the stitches to easily slide off the needle, especially if they are a form of wrapped surface knot.
Designs have remained focused on brightly colored flowers, with a few leaves thrown in for a contrast of color. Wandering new plant growth, in the form of vines, is also a staple of most patterns. In published patterns, the instructions will state how the outline of the design is to be worked, with what stitch, but how the interior of the shape is filled in is usually left to the creative imagination of the individual stitcher. This allows for a feeling of freedom on the part of the embroiderer.
Innovation: Today Brazilian dimensional embroidery has been combined with other forms of stitching, such as ribbon embroidery, to create completely new works of art. Seed beads have been used in place of bullions, and other mediums are continually being introduced into Brazilian embroidery. The use of tried-and-true stitches, mixed with rayon fibers, is what makes Brazilian embroidery so versatile. New technologies in fiber manufacturing can be applied to old stitching techniques to make new ways of embellishing our everyday lives.
References and Further Reading:
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