Crafts

Shadow Work

Shadow work as the name implies, is the shaded part of a design worked on the wrong side of a fabric. Shadow work is usually done on fine transparent fabric like Organdy, Organza etc. and the Stitch used for shadow work is Closed Herring Bone Stitch, also known as Double Back Stitch. The colour of the thread appears delicately through the fabric giving the design a shadowy appearance.

Materials Required

Embroidery frame
Embroidery Thread (Double Shade or dark&light shade
Thread-different colours)
Tracing Paper
Carbon Paper
Scissors
Needle

Methods

Shadow work seen from the wrong side

First trace out the required design (usually flowers) on the wrong side of the cloth using carbon and tracing sheet. Take two strands of embroidery thread, put a knot at one end and start stitching.

There are two methods of stitching :

Method 1

Bring the needle to the right side at 1, in at 2, out at 3, in at 4, out at 5 and so on.

Method2

Bring the needle through A take a small back stitch and insert the needle at B
Bring the needle through C, insert the needle at D
Bring the needle through E and Insert at A
Bring the needle through F and insert at C
Bring the needle through G and insert at E