How to Do Hungarian Embroidery

Hungarian embroidery features, bright, bold designs.

Hungarian embroidery is a bold and brightly colored, featuring various flowers and used to decorate table runners, doilies and items of clothing. This form of embroidery originates in Hungarian regions such as Kalocsa. Another form of Hungarian embroidery from the Matyo region is common on ornate wedding blouses. To complete this type of embroidery, you must be familiar with the running stitch, satin stitch, chain stitch, buttonhole stitch and the stem stitch.

Things You'll Need

• Stitching pattern
• Pencil
• Medium-white cotton fabric, 18-by-18 inches
• Embroidery hoop
• DMC pearl cotton, 1 ball of each listed in color key
• DMC embroidery floss, 1 skein blanc (white)
• Sharp tapestry needle
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Find a Hungarian embroidery pattern, then transfer the stitching to the fabric with a pencil. Before transferring the pattern, make sure you are working under a good light source.

2. Place the fabric over the bottom embroidery hoop and put the top hoop on to tighten the fabric in the hoop.

3. Thread your tapestry needle using one of the designated embroidery floss colors. The pattern instructions specify how many strands of floss to use. Stitch the design in the order given in the pattern instructions.

4. Embroider each flower in the pattern design you have chosen. Again, follow the stitching sequence described in the pattern.

5. Stitch the center of each flower, then stitch the inner petals. After stitching the centers and inner petals, stitch the outer petals.

6. Take your embroidery fabric out of the hoop. Outline the inside and outside lines with small running stitches, then work a row of chain stitches between the outside and inside lines to create a padding for the edging.

Tips & Warnings

• After you finish embroidering your design, wash it in warm soap and warm water. Rinse under cool, running water until the water runs clear. Roll your work in a thick, white terry cloth, squeezing to remove as much water as you can. Cover the design with a pressing cloth, then place both the cloth and design face down on another terry cloth to dry completely.

References

• Mary Corbet's Needle 'n Thread; Free Embroidery Patter: Hungarian Doily; Mary Corbet; September 2007

Resources

• Quilter's Muse Virtual Museum; Hungarian Kalocsa Embroidery; Patricia L. Cummings
• Interweave; Embroider a Hungarian Doily; Donna Fenton