Embroidery Iowa

Embroidery is the art or craft of decorating a piece of fabric with designs in thread or yarn, done with a needle. Metal, beads, sequins and other embellishments can be incorporated into embroidery. There are several specific types of embroidery, some of which apply to only hand embroidery, while others can be done by hand or machine.

Free embroidery is worked on the fabric without regard to the weave of the fabric. Traditional Chinese embroidery and crewel work are two examples of this time of embroidery. Counted thread work, including cross stitch and needlepoint, rely upon the threads in the warp and weft of the fabric for structure and design. While counted thread work is often done on evenly woven fabrics with an equal number of warp and weft threads, it does not have to be.

Embroidery is also classified as surface work or canvas work. Needlepoint rugs are an example of canvas work. In canvas work, the stitches entirely cover and obscure the base fabric. In surface work, including machine embroideries, the stitches embellish the base fabric, but do not fully cover it.

While the earliest history of embroidery is not known, we do have extant examples of embroidery from ancient Egypt, the Iron Age, and the Song dynasty in China. In short, people began attempting to embellish cloth with embroidery nearly as soon as they had the tools and technical ability to do so. Embroidery on clothing and household goods has been a mark of status in many historical periods, across cultures.

One of the most famous historical embroideries is the quite inaptly named Bayeux Tapestry, dating to approximately the 1070’s. This massive piece of handwork is not a tapestry at all, but surface embroidery, using techniques akin to modern crewel work. A number of stunning Chinese embroideries have survived centuries, including the tenth century piece found at the Tun Huang, depicting the ten Buddhas.

Embroideries have also embellished clothing, textiles, and household goods in India, Persia, the Byzantine Empire, Vietnam, Korea and many other regions of the world for many centuries. In the west, embroidery has traditionally been a women’s art form, from stunningly elaborate Jacobean embroideries through the charming samplers from 18th and 19th century America, the table linens and pillowcases of the 1950’s and onto a modern revitalization of this longstanding art form. Embroidery has offered a means of both bringing beauty to everyday itxyems and also creating elaborate and exquisite works of art intended for the few as opposed to the many.

Hand embroidery takes several forms popular today. Some of these reflect back on traditional embroidering, while others are new and innovative. Today, you will find hand embroidery supplies sold at many large retailers, as well as at craft, fabric, and specialty stores. Counted cross stitch, elaborate samplers, and free surface embroidery all remain common crafts in today’s marketplace.

Counted cross stitch uses a simple cross stitch to cover large areas of a piece of evenly woven fabric. By and large, counted cross stitch pieces are framed and hung as artwork. Surface embroidery, on the other hand, is much more apt to be used for functional pieces, be they clothing or household linens. Pillowcases, dish towels, aprons and even baby clothes can all be embroidered with surface embroidery by hand.

As a craft, embroidering is easy to learn, very portable, and quite affordable. While counted cross stitch has been the most popular form of hand embroidery for some time, today more and more young women are opting for surface embroidery, choosing fun retro styled elements to decorate clothing, dishcloths, and other goods. Other crafters often use bits and pieces of hand embroidery in their work, embroidering relevant information on quilts, or using small bits in a larger collage.

Gaston Arts Council

(704) 853-2787
P.O. Box 242
Gastonia, NC
www.gastonarts.org