Embroidered wardrobe elements

The oldest preserved embroidered elements of women’s clothing date back to the mid-19th century. It was white embroidery with stylized plant motifs, made on linen or cotton canvas (white or striped), as well as on tulle. Striped fabric usually had small white and red stripes. Black embroidery appeared only on red petticoats, called piekielnice (helldresses). For embroidering used were cotton threads.

The stitches used to create Pałuki embroidery include: blanket stitch, string stitch (also known as water stitch or needle stitch), buttonhole stitch, padded satin stitch. For pads used were stitches in front of the needle (basting) and a chain. Pałuki embroidery also includes batiste, linen and tulle applications. Sometimes there is a looped stitch.

Until 1939, the largest embroidery center in Pałuki was Kcynia, and smaller ones were Żnin and Wągrowiec. The most famous embroidery studio belonged to the Łapczyński sisters – Konstancja and Władysława (born in the mid-19th century), which was later run by Konstancja’s (married name Purall) daughters – Wiktoria, Leokadia and Helena. The last of the family, Helena, married name Pezacka, embroidered until her death in 1966.  Before World War I, the second studio in Kcynia was run by the Łakner sisters, about whom, unfortunately, there is scant information. During the same time, in Wągrowiec, bonnets were embroidered and maintained by Franciszka Nowak.