Hungarian Written Embroidery with Sarah Pedlow 

This class is part of the six-part virtual World Embroidery Series III. Classes may be purchased à la carte at $75 or as a six-part package for a discounted price of $400. 

Írásos, "written" embroidery, a true expression of Kalotaszeg and Transylvanian culture and the pride of its people, adorns textiles primarily for use in the home and for decoration.  The first pieces date back to the 18th Century. Some stitching decoratedclothing while wall hangings were produced to commemorate ceremonies and as gifts for the church. Girls would sew their dowries, comprised of pillows, sheets, and bedspreads, as well as elaborately decorated dresses that included ribbons and beadwork. 

- excerpted fromThreadWritten

This class will teach the basic stitches of Hungarian Written Embroidery, a folk style that originated in Transylvania, Romania in the late 18th Century. As the basic chaining stitch is learned and mastered, a beautiful pattern will emerge. Students will stitch a folkloristic design on a piece of linen that can later be sewn into a small bag, pin cushion, or decorative hanging, or added to a quilt or clothing. Sarah will share her knowledge of the culture and history of Transylvanian textiles and her extensive travelexperiences in Hungary and Romania.

Date + Time

Thursday, September 11th, 2025, 12-12:30 pm ET

Location

Zoom, a link will be emailed to participants the day before class.

Cost

$75 for the individual class
$400 for the series

Materials

• Small piece of cotton muslin or linen for practice
• Mid to heavy-weight linen fabric
• Water-soluble pencil or heal-sensitive embroidery pen
• Short darning needle
• Thread from Transylvania or No. 2, sport-weight cotton yarn
• Ruler
• Scissors

Scholarships

There are scholarship spots available for this workshop. Please email info@tatter.org to learn more.

Our Teacher 

Sarah Pedlow, the founder of ThreadWritten, is an artist working with embroidery and cultural preservation through workshops, textile travel tours, and fine art. ThreadWritten supports women artisans, traditional and contemporary textile practices, and the preservation of heritage through research, education, and the cultivation of a global community of makers. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Sarah moved to Amsterdam, NL, in 2019, and recently to Rotterdam where she now lives and works. She has taught and lectured at the Fashion Institute of Technology, The Textile Arts Council at the de Young Museum, San Francisco School of Needlework and Design, TATTER (Brooklyn, NY), WildCraft Studio School (Portland, OR), The Embroiderers’ Guild of America, The John C. Campbell Folk School, Wereldmuseum Rotterdam, Crafts Council Nederland, and Selvedge. She holds an MFA in Visual Arts from Rutgers University (US) and her work has been featured in Uppercase, Veranda, House & Garden UK, Piecework, and Selvedge magazines. Find her artwork at sarahpedlow.com.

*This class session will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to all those who register following the live session. This link is live for one month for you to watch at your convenience.