The Last Straw?

Have you ever picked up an embroidery thread you haven’t used before and, upon first thought, believed it too coarse to use? Now, imagine stitching with straw.

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Natalia Lashko, an artist hailing from Ukraine, has done more than just imagine so, she’s crafted a successful embroidery career using it!

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It is believed that straw was first used in Russia during the 16th Century in place of gold embroidery threads. The technique, however, had been lost over time and few resources were available to guide those wanting to take up their needle and straw. Through a process of trial and error, however, Natalia came to create her own technique for stitching with it.

‘Straw is a flexible material. Working with it is difficult, but at the same time enjoyable.’

Natalia’s pieces have taken as long as five years to complete, with some measuring 1.5m (5’) in length. Such is the success of her work, many of her designs can be found in private collections throughout France, Israel, Poland and Russia.

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You can read more about Natalia Lashko and her amazing work HERE.

We have to thank Cristina Casoli who pointed us in the direction of Natalia’s work, for without her we may never have thought to add straw to our stitching repertoire!