(Updated December 19, 2003)
While early pieces did not feature the cross-stitch alone, there are many early pieces that utilize it. Cross-stitch embroideries have been found in many countries and in many different time periods. Assisi embroidery is an Italian style that derives its name from the town in which it originated.
The earliest examples of Assisi embroidery are from the sixteenth century; however, it was not yet known as Assisi work. There is evidence indicating that Assisi Embroidery began as early as the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. All Assisi work has several common distinguishing characteristics.
First, all Assisi embroidery is worked with certain stitches. It uses both the Holbein (double running stitch) and the long-armed cross-stitch.
The Holbein stitch is used to outline the figures and it is worked freely.
The long-armed cross-stitch is used to fill the background and it is counted.
The process of working the background of the pieces causes a negative effect frequently called voiding.
Second, Assisi work uses specified colors. The Holbein stitch used for outlining is typically done in black. The background of the piece is always monochromatic. The most commonly used color is red; however, green or brown is used occasionally.
Third, certain themes or motifs are typically seen in Assisi work. Animal and plant motifs are the most frequently used. St. Francis is believed to have introduced the style and motifs when he returned from the Holy Land in 1220 AD. It is well known that St. Francis had a special fondness for animals. Frequently, scenes from the Old Testament are used in Assisi work. Biblical illustrations and woodcuts were often the source of inspiration for many styles of embroidery. The example shown below is a teaching piece depicting the Serpent in the Garden of Eden.
Fourth, it is worked with common materials. The embroidery itself is completed with silk thread. The ground material is even weave linen.
The earliest cross-stitched pieces are found primarily on items made for the Church. Assisi work is normally used for table linen, chair backs, cushions, banners, and hangings. Practical applications, such as costume and furnishing decoration, were the primary applications of Assisi embroidery until the early part of the seventeenth century.
The unique ‘braiding’ effect of this stitch should only be worked in one direction. The entire piece should be worked in one of two ways. It should be worked right to left or left to right. If both directions are used, it produces a ‘ridged’ effect that ruins the weave of the stitch.
The long-arm cross-stitch earns its name because one half of the x is twice the size as the other half. If a normal cross-stitch is counted 2 x 2, the long-arm cross-stitch is counted 4 x 2. One nice aspect of this stitch is that it hardly warps the ground fabric. Sometimes blocking a completed piece is more of a formality than a necessity. It is an easy stitch to master and it produces incredible results.
Make certain that you work the long-arm cross stitch in one direction only. Choose to work it from left-to-right or right-to-left and stick with that direction. The braided effect of the long-arm really makes a change in the direction noticeable and frequently disrupts the flow the of the piece.
Whenever the long-arm comes into contact with the double-running stitches, it sometimes becomes necessary to fake the stitch to cover the ground entirely. This can be done fairly easily and hardly anyone notices. The important point to remember here is the angle of the stitch. If you are careful to angle your incomplete stitch, the effect will be the same as if the stitch reached its full thread count.
If you are working with a large project and you used a water-soluble ink to outline the designs. High humitidity can cause those outlines to fade quicker than you want them to fade. If you stitch an X and Y axis down the center of your embroidery with regular sewing thread of a contrasting color, it will be much easier to re-transfer your pattern design onto the ground. All you have to do is line up the ground axis with the pattern axis and the transfer can occur almost perfectly. Make certain that you stitch the axis lines before beginning the original pattern transfer or this trick will not work. It is very much worth the extra time to stitch the axis. You will not be able to find the original linen thread that you used as the center line for transfer without it.
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(Copyright 1999, Katherine Estep Stephenson)