Below are basic instructions should you would like to learn the skill. Practice with some old scraps first, preferably a coarse piece of heavy linen. Once you've mastered it, you could try finer weaves, so long as they are plain.
To begin, insert a pin under a thread along the edge of the fabric, and pull up to open the weave. Then carefully draw this thread all the way across, easing it slowly without breaking. Always work on the wrong side of the fabric, from left to right.
Now put needle under the next 3 or 4 upright threads of the drawn section from right to left. Pull taut and insert needle in second row of threads above the drawn section and pull that tight. Continue for each row, always picking up the same number of threads and secure at end.
Now draw out thread from edge of hem and hemstitch in the same fashion as above, inserting needle in second row of threads above and through the bottom edge of hem. Repeat these sets all the way across, picking up the same number of threads each time.
You can also make a heavier twisted design, by pulling out 10 or more threads, and work plain hemstitch evenly along top and bottom of drawn section, picking up 4 threads at a time. Turn work over to the right side and secure thread at right-hand edge in the middle of the drawn section. Pick up second group of threads at left with needle pointing from left to right. Now bring group of threads over to the right of the first group by inserting needle under first group and turning it to the left, keeping second group on the needle. Continue across in the same manner, always picking up the second group of threada first.
Italian hemstitching, is based on the same basic steps as plain, except that in the second step, the needle points downward instead of upward.
To make the example top right, begin by basting hem. Now draw
out two threads just below the hem, skip three threads, draw out next two threads, skip three, etc., until you've reached the desired width. Make first row of hemstitching, picking up four threads at a time. With needle pointing downward, insert in hem first, two threads up from fold, then through all thicknesses and out at drawn section. Continue across in same manner. To make succeeding rows, insert needle in space between groups of threads of preceding row.
For middle right, baste hem. Draw out two threads just below hem, skip three threads, draw out ten threads, skip three threads, draw out two threads. Work first two rows of hemstitching as above, picking up four threads at a time. On next row, fasten thread at base of wide drawn section and work a row of plain hemstitching, picking up eight threads at a time. On last row, fasten thread in last drawn section and work a row of hemstitching like second row, inserting needle in space between groups of threads and at base of groups.
For example bottom right; again baste hem. Draw out ten threads just below hem, skip four threads, draw out two threads, skip four threads, draw out ten threads. Work as for top right, picking up nine threads at a time. Turn work around. Work second row along other edge of same drawn section, picking up three threads at a time and inserting needle in second row of threads above. Turn work around. Work third row in narrow drawn section, picking up three threads at a time and inserting needle in second row above. Turn work. Make fourth row in same drawn section along other edge in same manner. Turn work. Make fifth row in next wide drawn section, picking up three threads at a time and inserting needle in second row of threads above. Turn work. Make last row along other edge of wide drawn section, picking up nine threads at a time and inserting needle in second row of threads above. Be sure that nine-thread groups are in line with groups in first drawn section. Many other decorative borders may be made by combining examples above and drawing out different numbers of threads.
