Yantai Drawnwork

Yantai Drawnwork

　　Drawnwork is an embroidery craft that blends Chinese and Western techniques. It uses linen or cotton fabric as the base material. Based on the design of the pattern, certain warp or weft threads in the decorative sections are drawn out, and then the remaining threads are connected with needlework to form lace-like, openwork decorative patterns. Hence the name “drawnwork.”

　　Historical evidence from curtains, tablecloths, and parasols used in temples and ancestral halls during the Sui and Tang dynasties shows that folk embroidery in Jiaodong had already reached a high level as early as the 6th century AD. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, embroidered quilt covers, pillows, garments, sedan chair covers, and cushions featured over 20 different stitching techniques. At that time, folk artisans also created mesh lace using cotton or silk threads, with weaving methods similar to today’s crochet and knot stitches. After the Opium War in 1840, European folk embroidery and knitting crafts were introduced to Yantai. According to the 1915 publication “Zhili Industrial Magazine,” hand-made drawn thread lace first appeared in Yantai in 1894. By the early years of the Republic of China, drawnwork lace production had spread throughout the Jiaodong region. The 1931 book “China’s Important Commodities,” published by Shanghai Huatong Book Company, noted: “The center of China’s lace industry was thriving in Yantai and its surrounding areas in Shandong Province.”

　　It involves creating geometric decorative patterns on linen or cotton fabric through techniques such as drawing, pulling, carving, and knotting, or purely by weaving cotton yarn. The resulting products are mostly items like tablecloths and napkins. There are typically two types: checkered lace, which is mainly exported to Australia, and mesh lace, which primarily targets the U.S. market. The designs feature richly varied patterns and expressive techniques, balanced layouts, innovative compositions, and diverse hand-stitching methods.