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Pulled Thread

Also known as Fil Tiré, Punch work

Pulled thread embroidery is a form of whitework, where threads are pulled tightly together to form designs.

The stitches are normally worked on a relatively open evenweave fabric so that the stitches can pull the fabric apart to create a pattern of holes.

Pulled thread work is also known as fil tiré (a literal translation from the French) and punch work, presumably because the overall effect is of holes punched into the fabric.

N.B. Some authors use the term ‘drawn thread’ for what we call pulled thread stitches - see the entry for drawn thread stitches.

 

Related Techniques

Whitework Counted Thread Drawn Thread

Pulled Thread Stitches

Algerian eye stitch Barred buttonhole wheel Chessboard filling (pulled thread) Cobbler filling stitch Coil filling stitch Diagonal chevron stitch Diagonal cross filling Diagonal drawn filling Diamond eyelet (pulled thread) Diamond Eyelet (single) Double faggot filling stitch Festoon filling stitch Four-sided stitch Greek cross filling stitch Honeycomb darning Honeycomb filling Ladder stitch (pulled thread) Round eyelet (pulled thread) Single faggot stitch Small round eyelet (pulled thread) Square eyelet (pulled thread) Three-sided stitch Wave stitch filling (pulled thread)