Embroidery is the art of stitching decorations on a fabric or similar material with a needle and thread. Stitches can be combined to make an unlimited variety of designs, including flowers, animals, people, and abstract patterns. The design may be drawn on the fabric and then embroidered. It may also be created during the embroidery process, using a chart or the embroiderer’s imagination. There are many different styles of embroidery. Styles are defined by such factors as fabric structure, thread, and cultural origin.
Since prehistoric times, most cultures have developed their own embroidery styles. People embroider clothing and use embroidered furnishings to decorate their homes and public buildings. Embroidered clothing ranges from simple undergarments to royal robes decorated with gold and silver threads. Embroidered furnishings include bed linens, chair covers, tablecloths, and wall hangings. Thousands of hours may be needed to richly embroider a garment or furnishing with millions of tiny stitches.
Traditionally, craftworkers and hobbyists embroider by hand. Today, however, machines do most embroidering of factory products. Home sewing machines can be equipped with special attachments for embroidery. Computerized home embroidery machines or combination home sewing and home embroidery machines embroider digitized images.
Materials.
Fabric used for embroidery is called backing fabric or ground fabric. It can be any fabric through which the embroiderer can pull embroidery thread without damaging the fabric or thread. Common backing fabrics include cotton, linen, silk, and wool. Some people use cardboard, leather, and other materials as backgrounds as well as attachments for surface embroidery. Fabrics whose threads can be easily counted are used for such techniques as counted cross stitch. Non-countable fabrics are used for crewel, silk and metal embroidery, and surface stitchery in various forms. See Crewel. Embroidery threads range from thin strands to thick yarns. The most widely used threads include cotton, silk, and a variety of threads made from artificial fibers. Various sizes of sewing needles are used for embroidery. The size chosen depends on the kind of backing fabric and thread being used.
Embroiderers select materials that are best suited for the finished product. For example, embroidered chair covers that get heavy use are made from durable fabrics and sturdy threads. Wall hangings are exposed to less wear than chair covers and can be made from any materials. Some people attach buttons, shells, or other objects to their embroidery. Embroiderers often stretch their backing fabric tightly across a stretcher frame or hoop before starting to stitch. This method is especially helpful for embroidering fine, detailed work. When working with large stitches on heavy fabrics, the embroiderer can spread the fabric loosely.
Embroidery stitches.
There are only a few basic embroidery stitches, but hundreds of variations of them have been developed. Most stitches belong to one of four groups: (1) flat, (2) knotted, (3) chained, and (4) looped. Flat stitches lie straight and flat against the fabric. They can be made in any length and direction to fill in an area. Knotted stitches form knots of thread on the fabric surface and give textural effects to the embroidery. Chained stitches form loops that link together. Looped stitches are curved. Chained and looped stitches are used to outline and fill in designs.
