The Needlework Craft of Swedish Weave, Also Known as Huck Weaving or Huck Embroidery

A very old art dating back to the 17th century that was popular in America during the 1930s and 1940s is becoming popular once again. 

This needle craft is Swedish Weaving, also known as Huck Weaving or Huck Embroidery.  You can weave beautiful designs on fabric using yarn, embroidery floss, or various threads including metallic threads to create afghans, wall hangings, towels, pillows, curtains, table runners and more.

Swedish weaving is a type of embroidery that combines surface embroidery with weaving.

How to Swedish Weave

The most common material used for projects such as this is huck cloth, but you can also use aida cloth, waffle cloth, or popcorn fabric.

Some of these fabrics will need to be prewashed before beginning. They are all woven a little differently, so the technique changes a bit for each type of cloth that is used.

There are basically two stitches that are used; looped and straight stitches.  The yarn, thread, or embroidery floss that is chosen creates beautiful patterns using these two stitches by weaving the strands over and under the stands of the fabric.

All of the stitching is done on the top of the fabric and cannot be seen from the back of the project.

There are many choices of fabric and strands to use, be it either yarn, embroidery floss, or the many other threads that are available today. 

Other materials to have on hand is a pattern (see our free patterns), safety pins, a blunt needle, an embroidery hoop, a magnifier, and embroidery scissors.

Although this technique may appear difficult, it is actually quite simple.  Given the larger, blunt needle that is used, it can be a good beginning needlework project for children.

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