Editing Embroidery

{{short description|Art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn}}
{{about|handcraft|Bradbury's short story|Embroidery (short story)}}
[[File:Kantha_(Quilt)_LACMA_AC1994.131.1.jpg|thumb|Traditional [[Nakshi Kantha]] of Bangladesh]]
[[File:Alice Maywood sampler - DPLA - 2557c943b8ce3dce40b0fc265d5765ad (page 1).jpg|alt=Embroidery sampler by Alice Maywood, 1826|thumb|Embroidery [[Sampler (needlework)|sampler]] by Alice Maywood, 1826]]
[[File:Bayeux Tapestry scene55 Eustach.jpg|thumb|upright|Laid threads, a surface technique in [[wool]] on [[linen]]. The [[Bayeux Tapestry]], 11th century]]

'''Embroidery''' is the art of decorating [[Textile|fabric]] or other materials using a [[Sewing needle|needle]] to stitch [[Yarn|thread or yarn]]. It is one of the oldest forms of [[Textile arts|textile art]], with origins dating back thousands of years across various cultures.'''<ref name=":03">{{Cite book |last=Fowler |first=Cynthia |title=The Modern Embroidery Movement |date=April 25, 2019 |publisher=Bloomsbury Visual Arts |isbn=978-1350123366 |edition=1st |location=London}}</ref>''' Common [[Embroidery stitch|stitches]] found in early embroidery include the [[chain stitch]], [[Buttonhole stitch|buttonhole or blanket stitch]], [[running stitch]], [[satin stitch]], and [[cross stitch]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Top 12 Basic Hand Embroidery Stitches|url=https://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/reference/for-hand-embroidery-beginners/12-basic-stitches/|website=Sarah's Hand Embroidery Tutorials|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> Modern embroidery continutes to utilize traditional  techniques, though many contemporary stitches are exclusive to machine embroidery.

Embroidery is commonly used to embellish accessories and garments is usually seen on quilts, clothing, and accessories. In addition to thread, embroidery may incorporate materials such as [[Pearl|pearls]], [[Bead|beads]], [[Quill|quills]], and [[Sequin|sequins]] to highlight texture and design. Today, embroidery serves both decorative and functional purposes and is utilized in fashion expression, cultural identity, and custom-made gifts.

== History ==
[[File:Chinese silk, 4th Century BC.JPG|thumb|Detail of embroidered [[silk]] gauze ritual garment. Rows of even, round [[chain stitch]] used for outline and color. 4th century BC, [[Zhou dynasty|Zhou]] tomb at Mashan, [[Hubei]], China.]]

=== Origins ===
The process used to tailor, patch, mend and reinforce cloth fostered the development of sewing techniques, and the decorative possibilities of sewing led to the art of embroidery.{{sfn|Gillow|Sentance|1999|p=12}} Indeed, the remarkable stability of basic embroidery stitches has been noted:

{{blockquote|It is a striking fact that in the development of embroidery ... there are no changes of materials or techniques which can be felt or interpreted as advances from a primitive to a later, more refined stage. On the other hand, we often find in early works a technical accomplishment and high standard of craftsmanship rarely attained in later times.<ref>Marie Schuette and Sigrid Muller-Christensen, ''The Art of Embroidery'' translated by Donald King, Thames and Hudson, 1964, quoted in {{harvnb|Netherton|Owen-Crocker|2005|p=2}}.</ref>}}

The art of embroidery has been found worldwide and several early examples have been found. The earliest surviving embroidered cloth comes from Egypt. The Egyptians were skilled at embroidery, using appliqué decorations with leather and beads. <ref>{{cite book |title=Needlework |date=January 2018 |publisher=Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia }}</ref> Works in China have been dated to the [[Warring States period]] (5th–3rd century BC).{{sfn|Gillow|Sentance|1999|p=178}} In a garment from [[Migration period]] Sweden, roughly 300–700 AD, the edges of bands of trimming are reinforced with running stitch, back stitch, stem stitch, tailor's buttonhole stitch, and Whip stitch, but it is uncertain whether this work simply reinforced the seams or should be interpreted as decorative embroidery.<ref name="Coatsworth">Coatsworth, Elizabeth: "Stitches in Time: Establishing a History of Anglo-Saxon Embroidery", in {{harvnb|Netherton|Owen-Crocker|2005|p=2}}.</ref>

=== Historical applications and techniques ===
[[File:A pair of Chinese shoes for bound 'lily' feet Wellcome L0035542.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|A pair of Chinese shoes for [[Foot binding|bound 'lily' feet]]]]
[[File:Elizabeth1book.jpg|thumb|upright|Embroidered book cover made by [[Elizabeth I]] at the age of 11, presented to [[Katherine Parr]]]]
[[File:Ramallah Dress (Palestinian Thobe).jpg|thumb|upright|19th century women's ''[[thobe]]'' from [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]]]]
Depending on time, location and materials available, embroidery could be the domain of a few experts or a widespread, popular technique. This flexibility led to a variety of works, from the royal to the mundane. Examples of high status items include elaborately embroidered clothing, religious objects, and household items often were seen as a mark of wealth and status. 

In medieval England, [[Opus Anglicanum]], a technique used by professional workshops and guilds in medieval [[England]],{{sfn|Levey|King|1993|p=12}} was used to embellish textiles used in church rituals. In 16th century England, some books, usually bibles or other religious texts, had embroidered bindings. The [[Bodleian Library]] in [[Oxford]] contains one presented to [[Elizabeth I|Queen Elizabeth I]] in 1583. It also owns a copy of The Epistles of Saint Paul, whose cover was reputedly embroidered by the Queen.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Needlework : an illustrated history |date=1978 |publisher=Paddington Press |author1=Harriet Bridgeman |author2=Elizabeth Drury |isbn=0-448-22066-0 |location=New York |oclc=3843144 |page=42}}</ref>

In 18th-century [[England]] and its colonies, with the rise of the merchant class and the wider availability of luxury materials, rich embroideries began to appear in a secular context. These embroideries took the form of items displayed in private homes of well-to-do citizens, as opposed to a church or royal setting. Even so, the embroideries themselves may still have had religious themes. Samplers employing fine silks were produced by the daughters of wealthy families. Embroidery was a skill marking a girl's path into womanhood as well as conveying rank and social standing.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/ngv-embroidery-exhibition-imagine-a-12yearold-spending-two-years-on-this-20150324-1m699n.html |title=NGV embroidery exhibition: imagine a 12-year-old spending two years on this... |last=Power |first=Lisa |date=27 March 2015 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=30 May 2015}}</ref>

Embroidery was an important art and signified social status in the Medieval Islamic world as well. The 17th-century [[Turkish people|Turkish]] traveler [[Evliya Çelebi]] called it the "craft of the two hands". In cities such as [[Damascus]], [[Cairo]] and [[Istanbul]], embroidery was visible on [[handkerchief]]s, uniforms, flags, [[calligraphy]], shoes, [[robe]]s, tunics, horse trappings, slippers, sheaths, pouches, covers, and even on [[leather]] [[Belt (clothing)|belts]]. Craftsmen embroidered items with [[gold]] and [[silver]] thread. Embroidery cottage industries, some employing over 800 people, grew to supply these items.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200703/the.skill.of.the.two.hands.htm |magazine=Saudi Aramco World |title=The Skill of the Two Hands |last=Stone |first=Caroline |date=May–June 2007 |volume=58 |issue=3 |access-date=2011-01-21 |archive-date=2014-10-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013230148/http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200703/the.skill.of.the.two.hands.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the 16th century, in the reign of the [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Akbar]], his chronicler [[Abu al-Fazl ibn Mubarak]] wrote in the famous [[Ain-i-Akbari]]:
{{blockquote|His majesty [Akbar] pays much attention to various stuffs; hence [[Iran]]i, [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]], and [[Mongolia]]n articles of wear are in much abundance especially textiles embroidered in the patterns of ''Nakshi'', ''Saadi'', ''Chikhan'', ''Ari'', ''Zardozi'', ''Wastli'', ''Gota'' and ''Kohra''. The imperial workshops in the towns of [[Lahore]], [[Agra]], [[Fatehpur Sikri|Fatehpur]] and [[Ahmedabad]] turn out many masterpieces of workmanship in fabrics, and the figures and patterns, knots and variety of fashions which now prevail astonish even the most experienced travelers. Taste for fine material has since become general, and the drapery of embroidered fabrics used at feasts surpasses every description.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/201104/mughal.maal.htm |magazine=Saudi Aramco World |title=Mughal Maal |access-date=2011-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222152801/http://archive.aramcoworld.com/issue/201104/mughal.maal.htm |archive-date=2016-02-22 |url-status=live |last=Werner |first=Louis |date=July–August 2011 |volume=62 |issue=4}}</ref>}}

Conversely, embroidery is also a [[folk art]], using materials that were accessible to nonprofessionals. Examples include [[Hardanger embroidery]] from Norway; [[Drawn thread work#Poltava-style drawnwork|Merezhka]] from [[Ukraine]]; [[Mountmellick embroidery]] from Ireland; [[Nakshi kantha]] from [[Bangladesh]] and [[West Bengal]]; [[Achachi (embroidery)|Achachi]] from [[Peru]]; and [[Brazilian embroidery]]. Many techniques had a practical use such as [[Sashiko]] from [[Japan]], which was used as a way to reinforce clothing.<ref>{{cite web|title=Handa City Sashiko Program at the Society for Contemporary Craft|url=http://www.japansocietypa.org:80/event-2293412|website=Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania|access-date=25 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705152304/http://www.japansocietypa.org/event-2293412|archive-date=5 July 2017|date=7 Oct 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seamwork.com/issues/2016/04/sashiko|title=Sashiko|website=Seamwork Magazine|publisher=Colette Media, LLC|language=en|access-date=2018-01-26|first=Kat|last=Siddle}}</ref>

Historically, embroidery was often perceived primarily as a domestic task performed by women, frequently viewed as a leisurely activity rather than recognized as a skilled craft.<ref name=":04">{{Cite book |last=Fowler |first=Cynthia |title=The Modern Embroidery Movement |date=April 25, 2019 |publisher=Bloomsbury Visual Arts |isbn=978-1350123366 |edition=1st |location=London}}</ref> Women who lacked access to formal education or writing implements often used embroidery to document their lives through stitched narratives, effectively creating personal diaries through textile art, especially when literacy was limited.<ref name=":12">{{Cite book |last=Barber |first=Elizabeth Wayland |title=Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years: Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times |date=April 1, 1994 |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=978-0393035063 |edition=1st |location=New York}}</ref>

In marginalized communities, embroidery has also served as a tool of empowerment and expression. For example, in Inner Mongolia, embroidery initiatives arose in response to economic pressures intensified by climate change, including desertification, allowing women to express themselves and preserve cultural identities through traditional embroidery skills.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Community threads together |url=https://www.chinadailyhk.com/hk/article/252552#Community-threads-together-2021-12-20 |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=chinadailyhk}}</ref> Embroidery has also preserved the stories of marginalized groups, particularly women of color, whose experiences were historically underrepresented in written records. In South African communities, embroidered "story cloths" have captured and preserved critical perspectives and events otherwise missing from historical narratives.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Merwe |first=Ria van der |date=2017 |title=From a silent past to a spoken future. Black women’s voices in the archival process |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/23257962.2017.1388224 |journal=Archives and Records: The Journal of the Archives and Records Association |volume=40 |issue=3 |pages=239-258 |via=Taylor & Francis}}</ref>

=== 21st century ===
[[File:Japanese embroidery on festival cart.jpg|thumb|Japanese free embroidery in silk and metal threads, contemporary]]
[[File:Hardanger embroidery.png|thumb|[[Hardanger embroidery|Hardanger]], a [[whitework]] technique. Contemporary]]

Since the late 2010s, there has been a growth in the popularity of embroidering by hand. As a result of visual social media such as [[Pinterest]] and [[Instagram]], artists can share their work more extensively, which has inspired younger generations to pick up needlework. <ref>Kouhia, A. (2023). Crafts in the Time of Coronavirus: Pandemic Domestic Crafting in Finland on Instagram’s Covid-Related Craft Posts. M/C Journal, 26(6). https://doi.org/10.5204/mcj.2932  </ref><ref>Mayne, A. (2020). Make/share: Textile making alone together in private and social media spaces. Journal of Arts & Communities, 10(1–2), 95–108. https://doi.org/10.1386/jaac_00008_1 </ref>

Contemporary embroidery artists believe hand embroidery has grown in popularity as a result of an increasing need for relaxation and digitally disconnecting practices.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lekadre.com/embroidery-modern-art-form/|title=History of embroidery and its rise in popularity|last=Elin|date=2019-06-11|website=Charles and Elin|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-25|archive-date=2019-07-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725210010/https://lekadre.com/embroidery-modern-art-form/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Many people are also using embroidery to creatively upcycle and repair clothing, to help counteract over-consumption and fashion industry waste.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How a traditional craft became a Gen-Z statement |url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20240405-how-a-traditional-craft-became-a-gen-z-statement |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Modern hand embroidery, as opposed to [[cross-stitch]]ing, is characterized by a more "liberal" approach, where stitches are more freely combined in unconventional ways to create various textures and designs.{{fact|date=April 2024}}

Modern canvas work tends to follow symmetrical counted stitching patterns with designs emerging from the repetition of one or just a few similar stitches in a variety of hues. In contrast, many forms of surface embroidery make use of a wide range of stitching patterns in a single piece of work.{{sfn|Reader's Digest|1979|pp=1–19, 112–117}}

== Classification ==
[[File:Cross stitch embroidery.jpg|thumb|Tea-cloth, [[Hungary]], mid-20th century|left]]
Embroidery can be classified according to what degree the design takes into account the nature of the base material and by the relationship of stitch placement to the fabric. The main categories are free or [[surface embroidery]], [[counted-thread embroidery]], and needlepoint or canvas work.<ref>{{ cite web|url =http://www.needlenthread.com/2016/10/needlework-terminology-surface-embroidery.html|title =Needlework Terminology: Surface Embroidery|last =Corbet|first =Mary|date =October 3, 2016|access-date =November 1, 2016}}</ref>

In free or surface embroidery, designs are applied without regard to the weave of the underlying fabric. Examples include [[crewel embroidery|crewel]] and traditional Chinese and Japanese embroidery.

[[Counted-thread embroidery]] [[patterns]] are created by making stitches over a predetermined number of threads in the foundation fabric. Counted-thread embroidery is more easily worked on an [[even-weave]] foundation fabric such as embroidery [[canvas]], [[aida cloth]], or specially woven [[cotton]] and [[linen]] fabrics. Examples include [[cross-stitch]] and some forms of [[blackwork embroidery]].

While similar to counted thread in regards to technique, in [[canvas work]] or [[needlepoint]], threads are stitched through a fabric mesh to create a dense pattern that completely covers the foundation fabric.{{sfn|Gillow|Sentance|1999|p=198}} Examples of canvas work include [[Bargello (needlework)|bargello]] and [[Berlin wool work]].

Embroidery can also be classified by the similarity of its appearance. In [[drawn thread work]] and [[cutwork]], the foundation fabric is deformed or cut away to create holes that are then embellished with embroidery, often with thread in the same color as the foundation fabric. When created with white thread on white linen or cotton, this work is collectively referred to as [[whitework]].{{sfn|Reader's Digest|1979|pp=74–91}} However, whitework can either be counted or free. [[Hardanger embroidery]] is a counted embroidery and the designs are often geometric.<ref>{{cite book|author= Yvette Stanton|title= Early Style Hardanger|date= 30 March 2016|publisher=Vetty Creations|isbn=978-0-9757677-7-1}}</ref> Conversely, styles such as [[Broderie anglaise]] are similar to free embroidery, with floral or [[Abstract art|abstract designs]] that are not dependent on the weave of the fabric.<ref>{{cite book|author=Catherine Amoroso Leslie|title=Needlework Through History: An Encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lEiGeSLKLjMC&pg=PA58|access-date=13 September 2013|date=1 January 2007|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-33548-8|pages=34, 226, 58}}</ref>

==Traditional hand embroidery around the world==
{{Dynamic list}}
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
!Traditional embroidery
!Origin
!Stitches used
!materials
!Picture
|-
|[[Embroidery of India|Aari embroidery]]
|[[Kashmir]] and [[Kutch district|Kutch, Gujarat, India]]
|[[Chain stitch]]
|Silk thread, fabric, beads or sequins
|
|-
|[[Art needlework]]
|[[England]]
|
|
|[[File:Embroidered_Panel_Morris_and_Company_detail.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Assisi embroidery]]
|[[Assisi]], Italy
|[[Backstitch]], [[Cross stitches|cross stitch]], [[Holbein stitch]]
|Cloth, red thread, silk, stranded perlé cotton
|[[File:AssisiBorder.JPG|frameless|155x155px]]
|-
|[[Balochi needlework]]
|[[Balochistan, Pakistan]]
|
|Beads, cloth, [[Shisha (embroidery)|shisha]], thread 
|[[File:سوزندوزی_پرکار_بلوچی.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Bargello (needlework)|Bargello]]
|[[Florence]], Italy
|Vertical stitches (e.g. "flame stitch")
|Linen or cotton canvas, wool floss or yarn
|[[File:Purse_(USA),_18th_century_(CH_18457595).jpg|frameless|287x287px]]
|-
|[[Berlin wool work]]
|[[Berlin]], Germany
|[[Cross stitches|Cross stitch]] or [[tent stitch]]
|Linen or cotton canvas, wool floss or yarn
|[[File:Woman's_Purse_Berlin_Wool_Work_M2007_211_280_2.jpg|frameless|188x188px]]
|-
|[[Blackwork]]
|[[England]]
|[[Backstitch]], [[Holbein stitch]], stem stitch
|Linen or cotton fabric, black or red silk thread
|[[File:English_cover,_AIC.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Brazilian embroidery]]
|[[Brazil]]
|Bullion knots, cast-on stitch, drizzle stitch, [[Knotted stitch|French knots]], [[featherstitch]], fly stitch, stem stitch
|Cloth, [[rayon]] thread
|[[File:Brazilian_Embroidery_Flowers.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Broderie anglaise]]
|[[Czech Republic|Czechia]]
|[[Buttonhole stitch]], [[overcast stitch]], [[satin stitch]]
|White cloth and thread
|[[File:Boy's_frock_broderie_anglaise.png|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Broderie perse]]
|[[India]]
|
|[[Chintz]], thread
|[[File:Quilt_LACMA_M.87.125.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Bunka shishu]]
|[[Japan]]
|[[Punch needle]] techniques
|Rayon or silk thread
|
|-
|[[Candlewicking]]
|[[United States]]
|[[Knotted stitch]], [[satin stitch]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-27 |title=The History and Technique of Candlewicking and Whitework |url=https://www.needlepointers.com/main/ShowArticles.aspx?NavID=3927 |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=Needlepointers.com |language=en}}</ref>
|Unbleached cotton thread, unbleached [[muslin]]
|[[File:Candlewick_Spread,_c._1825,_Eastern_United_States_(cropped).jpg|frameless]]
|-
|[[Korean embroidery|Chasu]]
|[[Korea]]
|[[Chain stitch]], [[couching]], leaf stitch, long-and-short stitch, mat stitch, [[Backstitch|outline stitch]], padding stitch, [[satin stitch]]es, seed stitch
|
|[[File:MET DP14467.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Chikan (embroidery)|Chikan]]
|[[Lucknow]], India
|[[Backstitch]]es, [[chain stitch]]es, shadow-work
|Cloth, white thread
|[[File:Chikan_embroidery_on_a_saree_pallu.jpg|frameless|200x200px]]
|-
|[[Colcha embroidery]]
|[[Southwestern United States]]
|
|Cotton or linen cloth, wool thread
|[[File:Embroidered_coverlet_(Colcha)_MET_DP268047.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Crewel embroidery|Crewelwork]]
|[[Great Britain]]
|Chain stitch, couched stitches, knotted stitches, satin stitch, seed stitch, split stitch, stem stitch
|Crewel yarn, linen twill
|[[File:Crewel_curtain_c_1696_England_leaf_detail.jpg|frameless|228x228px]]
|-
|[[Goldwork (embroidery)|Goldwork]]
|[[China]]
|[[Couching]], [[Holbein stitch]], [[Backstitch|stem stitch]]
|Cloth, [[Metallic fiber|metallic thread]]
|[[File:Ախալցխայի_տարազ_մանրամասն.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Gota (embroidery)|Gota patti]]
|[[Rajasthan]], India
|
|
|[[File:Kota_sari_with_gota_patti_by_ashish_01.JPG|frameless|200x200px]]
|-
|[[Chinese embroidery#Other styles|Gu Xiu]]
|[[Shanghai]], China
|
|Silk cloth and thread
|[[File:Gu_embroidery.jpg|frameless|200x200px]]
|-
|[[Hardanger embroidery]]
|[[Norway]]
|[[Buttonhole stitch]], cable stitch, [[Featherstitch|fly stitch]], [[knotted stitch]], [[picot]], [[Straight stitch|running stitch]], [[satin stitch]]
|White thread, white [[Balanced fabric|even-weave]] linen cloth
|[[File:Forkle_-_Norsk_Folkemuseum_-_NF.1913-1552_-_bilde_2.jpg|frameless|199x199px]]
|-
|[[Hedebo embroidery]]
|[[:da:Hedeboegnen|Hedebo]], [[Zealand]], Denmark
|
|White linen cloth and thread
|[[File:Tællesyning.jpg|frameless|200x200px]]
|-
|[[Kaitag textiles]]
|[[Kaytagsky District]], [[Dagestan]], Russia
|Laid-and-couched work
|Cotton cloth, silk thread
|[[File:Kaitag.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Kalaga]]
|[[Myanmar|Burma]]
|
|
|[[File:Mandalay-Sein_Myint_Tapestry-12-Wandteppich-gje.jpg|frameless|258x258px]]
|-
|[[Kantha]]
|[[East India|Eastern India]]
|
|Old saris, thread
|[[File:Kantha_(Quilt)_LACMA_AC1994.131.1.jpg|frameless|203x203px]]
|-
|[[Kasidakari]]
|[[India]]
|[[Chain stitch]], [[Darning|darning stitch]], [[satin stitch]], [[Backstitch|stem stitch]]
|
|
|-
|[[Kasuti]]
|[[Karnataka]], India
|[[Cross stitches|Cross stitch]], double running stitch, [[Straight stitch|running stitch]], zigzag running stitch
|Cotton thread and cloth
|[[File:Kasuti embroidery.jpg|150x150px|Motifs of kasuti embroidery]]
|-
|[[Khamak (Embroidery)|Khamak]]
|[[Kandahar]], Afghanistan
|[[Satin stitch]]
|Cotton or wool fabric, silk thread
|
|-
|[[Kuba textiles]]
|[[Republic of the Congo|The Congo]]
|Embroidery, [[appliqué]], cut-pile embroidery
|Raffia cloth and thread
|[[File:Brooklyn_Museum_26549_Raffia_Cloth.jpg|frameless|250x250px]]
|-
|[[Kutch Embroidery|Kutch embroidery]]
|[[Kutch district|Kutch]], [[Gujarat]], India
|
|Cotton cloth, cotton or silk thread
|[[File:Tuch_meqwar.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Lambada embroidery]]
|[[Banjara|Banjara people]]
|
|
|[[File:Blouse_(kanchali)_and_skirt_(ghaghara),_Banjara_community,_Saurashtra,_Gujarat,_India,_view_1,_mid_20th_century,_cotton,_glass_mirrors_-_Textile_Museum_of_Canada_-_DSC00975.JPG|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Mountmellick embroidery|Mountmellick work]]
|[[Mountmellick]], [[County Laois]], Ireland
|[[Knotted stitch]]es, padded stitches
|White cotton cloth and thread
|[[File:Runner,_table_(AM_1992.250-5).jpg|frameless|200x200px]]
|-
|[[Opus Anglicanum|Opus anglicanum]]
|[[England]]
|[[Backstitch|Split stitch]], [[Couching|surface couching]], underside couching<ref>{{Cite web |title=Technique - Opus Anglicanum |url=http://medieval.webcon.net.au/technique_opus_anglicanum.html |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=medieval.webcon.net.au}}</ref>
|Linen or velvet cloth, [[Metallic fiber|metallic thread]], silk thread
|[[File:Opus_Anglicanum_(Chasuble)_MET_cl1982.432.R.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[http://medieval.webcon.net.au/technique_opus_teutonicum.html Opus teutonicum]
|[[Holy Roman Empire]]
|[[Buttonhole stitch]], [[chain stitch]], goblien stitch, pulled work, [[satin stitch]], [[Backstitch|stem stitch]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Technique - Opus Teutonicum |url=http://medieval.webcon.net.au/technique_opus_teutonicum.html |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=medieval.webcon.net.au}}</ref>
|White linen cloth and thread<ref name=":0" />
|[[File:Kloster Lüne Textilmuseum 2.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[http://medieval.webcon.net.au/technique_or_nue.html Or nué]
|[[Western Europe]]
|[[Couching]]
|Fabric, [[Metallic fiber|metallic thread]], silk thread
|[[File:Clevelandart_1953.129.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Orphrey]]
|
|
|
|[[File:Four_fragments_of_Orphrey_Bands_Made_into_a_Panel_MET_DP-14399-001.jpg|frameless|250x250px]]
|-
|[[Needlepoint]]
|[[Ancient Egypt]]
|[[Cross stitches|Cross stitch]], [[tent stitch]], brick stitch
|Linen or cotton canvas, wool or silk floss or yarn
|[[File:Motifs_pour_Broderies_-_1re_série_-_Planche_21_(cropped).jpg|frameless|254x254px]]
|-
|[[Phool Patti ka Kaam]]
|[[Uttar Pradesh]], India
|
|
|
|-
|[[Phulkari]]
|[[Punjab]]
|[[Darning|Darning stitches]]
|Hand-spun cotton cloth, silk floss
|[[File:Patiala Phulkari.jpg|200x200px]]
|-
|[[Piteado]]
|[[Central America]]
|
|Ixtle or pita thread, leather
|[[File:Corona_Piteada_2016.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Quillwork]]
|[[North America]]
|
|Beads, cloth, feathers, feather quills, leather, porcupine quills
|[[File:Huron_Moccasin.png|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Rasht embroidery]]
|[[Rasht]], [[Gilan province|Gilan Province]], Iran
|[[Chain stitch]]
|[[Felt]], silk thread
|[[File:Iran,_Rasht,_19th_century_-_Prayer_Rug_-_1916.1297_-_Cleveland_Museum_of_Art.tif|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Redwork]]
|[[United States]]
|[[Backstitch]], outline stitch
|Red thread, white cloth
|
|-
|Richelieu
|Purportedly from 16th century [[Italy]], revival in 19th century [[England]] and [[France]]
|[[Buttonhole stitch]]
|White thread, white cloth
|[[File:Cutwork_embroidery_depicting_a_flock_of_birds_on_pillowcase_made_of_post-war_coarse_fabric.jpg|frameless|222x222px]]
|-
|[[Rushnyk]]
|[[Slavs]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=K |first=Roman |date=2012-08-07 |title=FolkCostume&Embroidery: Rushnyk embroidery of southern East Podillia |url=https://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2012/08/rushnyk-embroidery-of-southern-east.html |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=FolkCostume&Embroidery}}</ref>
|[[Cross-stitch|Cross stitch]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=K |first=Roman |date=2014-07-01 |title=FolkCostume&Embroidery: Ukrainian Rose Embroidery |url=https://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2014/07/ukrainian-rose-embroidery.html |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=FolkCostume&Embroidery}}</ref> [[Holbein stitch]], [[satin stitch]]<ref name=":1" />
|Linen or hemp cloth, thread
|[[File:Ukrainian_Embroidery_offered_at_Soyuzivka.jpg|frameless|226x226px]]
|-
|[[Sashiko]]
|[[Japan]]
|[[Straight stitch|Running stitch]]
|Indigo-dyed cloth, white or red cotton thread
|[[File:MET_RT792C.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Sermeh embroidery]]
|[[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid Persia]]
|
|[[Termeh]] cloth, velvet, cotton fabrics, various threads
|
|-
|[[Sewed muslin]]
|[[Scotland]]
|
|Muslin, thread
|[[File:Dress,_women's_(AM_1995.8.14-10).jpg|frameless|275x275px]]
|-
|[[Sichuan embroidery|Shu Xiu]]
|[[Chengdu]], [[Sichuan]], China
|
|Satin, silk thread
|
|-
|[[Smocking]]
|[[England]]
|Cable stitch, honeycomb stitches, [[knotted stitch]]es, [[Backstitch|outline stitch]], stem stitch, trellis stitch, wave stitch
|Any fabric supple enough to be gathered, cotton or silk thread
|[[File:Smock,_child's_(AM_1995.8.1-5).jpg|frameless|200x200px]]
|-
|[[Stumpwork]]
|[[England]]
|
|
|[[File:Mirror_MET_DP158572.jpg|frameless|196x196px]]
|-
|[[Suzhou embroidery|Su Xiu]]
|[[Suzhou, Jiangsu|Suzhou]], [[Jiangsu]], China
|
|Silk cloth and thread
|[[File:Shuzhou.manufaktura.jedwabny.haft.artystyczny.JPG|frameless|243x243px]]
|-
|[[Suzani (textile)|Suzani]]
|[[Central Asia]]
|[[Buttonhole stitch]]es, [[chain stitch]]es, [[couching]], [[satin stitch]]es
|Cotton fabric, silk thread
|[[File:Jiva,_Itchan_Kala_12.jpg|frameless|229x229px]]
|-
|[[Tatreez]]
|[[Palestine (region)|Palestine]],<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=The Los Angeles Times | date=October 25, 2017 | page=E3 | last=Ollman | first=Leah | title=Quiet power of embroidery hits eloquently | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-tatreez-palestinia/123734331/}}</ref> [[Syria]]
|[[Cross stitches|Cross stitch]]
|Cotton fabric, silk thread
|[[File:Embroidery from Beersheba Dress (Palestinian Thobe) (2).jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Tenango embroidery]]
|[[Tenango de Doria]], [[Hidalgo (state)|Hidalgo]], Mexico
|
|
|[[File:ElviraClementeGomez030.jpg|frameless|275x275px]]
|-
|[[Velours du Kasaï]]
|[[Kasaï Province|Kasai]], [[Republic of the Congo|the Congo]]
|
|
|[[File:Velour_du_kasaï.jpg|frameless|176x176px]]
|-
|[[Vietnamese embroidery]]
|[[Vietnam]]
|
|
|[[File:Tranh thêu Đà Lạt.jpg|frameless|200x200px]]
|-
|[[Xiang embroidery|Xiang Xiu]]
|[[Hunan]], China
|
|Silk cloth, black, white, and grey silk thread
|
|-
|[[Cantonese embroidery|Yue Xiu]]
|[[Guangdong]], China
|
|Silk cloth and thread
|
|-
|[[Zardozi]]
|[[Iran]] and [[India]]
|
|Cloth, [[Metallic fiber|metallic thread]]
|[[File:Wedding_outfit_from_Delhi,_India,_Honolulu_Museum_of_Art,_2016-43-01_a-c.JPG|frameless|150x150px]]
|-
|[[Zmijanje embroidery]]
|[[:sr:Змијање|Zmijanje]], Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
|Blue thread, white cloth<ref>{{Cite web |title=UNESCO - Zmijanje embroidery |url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/zmijanje-embroidery-00990 |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=ich.unesco.org |language=en}}</ref>
|[[File:Zmijanje_embroidery_in_BL_store_2.jpg|frameless|267x267px]]
|}

== Materials and tools ==
=== Materials ===
[[File:Embroidery- Crewel Wool, early 18th century (CH 18432103).jpg|thumb|upright|Multi-colored [[crewel wool]] threads on a panel of [[linen]] [[Warp (weaving)|warp]] and [[cotton]] [[Warp and weft|weft]], 18th century English]]

The fabrics and yarns used in traditional embroidery vary from place to place. [[Wool]], [[linen]], and [[silk]] have been in use for thousands of years for both fabric and [[yarn]]. Today, [[embroidery thread]] is manufactured in [[cotton]], [[rayon]], and [[novelty yarn]]s as well as in traditional wool, linen, and silk. [[Ribbon]] embroidery uses narrow ribbon in silk or silk/[[organza]] blend ribbon, most commonly to create floral motifs.{{sfn|van Niekerk|2006}}

Surface embroidery techniques such as [[chain stitch]] and [[couching]] or laid-work are the most economical of expensive yarns; couching is generally used for [[Goldwork (embroidery)|goldwork]]. Canvas work techniques, in which large amounts of yarn are buried on the back of the work, use more materials but provide a sturdier and more substantial finished textile.{{sfn|Reader's Digest|1979|pp=112–115}}

=== Tools ===
[[Image:Borduurring.jpg|upright|thumb|An embroidery hoop]]
A [[sewing needle]] is the main stitching tool in embroidery, and comes in various sizes and types. The tips may be sharp or blunt, depending on the type of material the needle needs to be drawn through. Tapestry needles are blunt and larger than a chenille needle which is sharp and shorter than a standard embroidery needle.<ref name=gloss>{{cite web |title=Glossary of Embroidery Terms |url=https://egausa.org/glossary-of-embroidery-terms/ |website=Embroiderers' Guild of America |access-date=28 April 2025}}</ref>

In both canvas work and surface embroidery, an [[embroidery hoop]] or frame can be used to stretch the material and ensure even stitching tension that prevents pattern distortion.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Materials Required for Hand Embroidery|url=https://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/reference/for-hand-embroidery-beginners/materials-required-for-hand-embroidery/|website=Sarah's Hand Embroidery Tutorials|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> Frames can come in a square or rectangular shape and prevent the canvas from distorting. The two types of frames used are scroll and artist's stretcher bars.<ref name=gloss />

[[Beeswax]] is often used to treat thread. It smooths and strengthens threads, especially silk and metallic threads.<ref name=gloss />

== Machine embroidery ==
[[File:Brother Innov-is V7 machine, embroidering.jpg|thumb|[[Brother Industries|Brother]] Innov-is V7 computerised Sewing/Quilting/Embroidery machine embroidering onto cloth held in a hoop]]
[[File:Machine chain stitch.jpg|thumb|Commercial machine embroidery in [[chain stitch]] on a [[voile]] curtain, China, early 21st century]]
[[mass production|Mass-produced]] machine embroidery emerged in the early 20th century. As embroidery shifted from personalized craft to mechanical output during the [[Industrial Revolution]], the craft developed into a structured industry centered on large-scale production.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Adamson |first=Glenn |title=The Invention of Craft |date=Jan 10, 2019 |publisher=Bloomsbury Visual Arts |isbn=0857850644 |edition=1st |location=London}}</ref> The first embroidery machine was the [[hand embroidery machine]], invented in France in 1832 by Josué Heilmann.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://trc-leiden.nl/trc-needles/tools/embroidery/hand-embroidery-machine|title=Hand Embroidery Machine|last=Willem|website=trc-leiden.nl|language=en-gb|access-date=2019-02-19}}</ref> The next evolutionary step was the [[schiffli embroidery machine]]. The latter borrowed from the sewing machine and the [[Jacquard machine|Jacquard loom]] to fully automate its operation. The manufacture of [[St. Gallen Embroidery|machine-made embroideries]] in [[St. Gallen]] in eastern Switzerland flourished in the latter half of the 19th century.<ref>Röllin, Peter. ''Stickerei-Zeit, Kultur und Kunst in St. Gallen 1870–1930''. VGS Verlagsgemeinschaft, St. Gallen 1989, {{ISBN|3-7291-1052-7}} (in German)</ref> Both St. Gallen, Switzerland and [[Plauen|Plauen, Germany]] were important centers for machine embroidery and embroidery machine development. Many Swiss and Germans immigrated to [[Hudson County, New Jersey|Hudson county, New Jersey]] in the early twentieth century and developed a machine embroidery industry there. Shiffli machines have continued to evolve and are still used for industrial scale embroidery.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3qkQAQAAMAAJ|title=Machine Made Embroideries|last=Schneider|first=Coleman|date=1968|publisher=Globe Lithographing Company|language=en}}</ref>

Contemporary embroidery is stitched with a [[computer]]ized embroidery machine using patterns digitized with embroidery software. In [[machine embroidery]], different types of "fills" add texture and design to the finished work. [[Machine embroidery]] is used to add [[logo]]s and [[monogram]]s to business shirts or jackets, gifts, and team apparel as well as to decorate household items for the bed and bath and other linens, draperies, and decorator fabrics that mimic the elaborate hand embroidery of the past.

Machine embroidery is most typically done with [[Rayon|rayon thread]], although [[Polyester|polyester thread]] can also be used. [[Cotton]] thread, on the other hand, is prone to breaking and is avoided.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2008/11/02/choosing-machine-embroidery-threads|title=Choosing Machine-Embroidery Threads|date=2008-11-02|work=Threads Magazine|access-date=2018-11-27|publisher=The Taunton Press, Inc|language=en-US}}</ref>

There has also been a development in free hand machine embroidery, new machines have been designed that allow for the user to create free-motion embroidery which has its place in textile arts, quilting, dressmaking, home furnishings and more. Users can use the embroidery software to digitize the digital embroidery designs. These digitized design are then transferred to the embroidery machine with the help of a flash drive and then the embroidery machine embroiders the selected design onto the fabric.

== In literature ==
In [[Greek mythology]] the goddess [[Athena]] is said to have passed down the art of embroidery (along with [[weaving]]) to humans, leading to the famed competition between herself and the mortal [[Arachne]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Art of Embroidery: History of Style and Technique|last=Synge|first=Lanto|publisher=Antique Collectors' Club|year=2001|isbn=9781851493593|location=Woodbridge, England|pages=32}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Nakshi Kantha, Sonargaon Folk Art and Craft Museum.jpg|[[Nakshi Kantha]] from [[Sonargaon]], [[Bangladesh Folk Arts and Crafts Foundation]]
File:Kazakh rug chain stitch embroidery.jpg|Traditional embroidery in chain stitch on a [[Kazakhstan|Kazakh]] rug, contemporary.
File:Cover, silk embroidery on cotton. Iran, Caucasus; 1st half of 18th century. Stored at The David Collection, inventarnummer 37-1969.jpg|[[Caucasus|Caucasian]] embroidery
File:English cope.jpg|[[English embroidery|English]] [[cope]], late 15th or early 16th century. Silk velvet embroidered with silk and gold threads, closely laid and couched. Contemporary [[Art Institute of Chicago]] textile collection.
File:St. Galler Stickerei Muster c.jpg|Extremely fine underlay of [[St. Gallen Embroidery]]
File:Turkish embroidery.jpg|Traditional Turkish embroidery. Izmir Ethnography Museum, Turkey.
File:Croatian embroidery.jpg|Traditional Croatian embroidery.
File:EMBROIDERED EGGS BY I FOROSTYUK.jpg|Decorated [[Easter egg]]s from the [[Luhansk]] region of [[Ukraine]]
File:Ախալցխայի տարազ մանրամասն.jpg|Gold embroidery on a ''gognots'' (apron) of a 19th-century [[Armenians|Armenian]] bridal dress from [[Akhaltsikhe]]
File:Korean embroidery patterns.jpg|Brightly coloured Korean embroidery.
File:Uzbekistan embroidery.jpg|Uzbekistan embroidery on a traditional women's ''parandja'' robe.
File:Woman headdress Kalash.jpg|Woman wearing a traditional embroidered Kalash headdress, Pakistan.
File:Bedouin bookmark.jpg|Bookmark of black fabric with multicolored [[Bedouin]] embroidery and tassel of embroidery floss
File:Woman's Robe a l'anglaise with Petticoat LACMA M.66.31a-b (4 of 6).jpg|Chain-stitch embroidery from England {{Circa|1775}}
File:Bulgarian embrodery from Sofia and Trun.jpg|Traditional Bulgarian Floral embroidery from Sofia and Trun.
File:Pedro Bruno - A Pátria.jpg|A 1919 painting depicting the [[Brazilian flag]] being embroidered by a family.
</gallery>

==See also==
<!-- All of these are PART OF embroidery and should be incorporated in article text, reffed, removed from here-->
<!--This list is NOT for examples of embroidery, which should (of course) go in the article.-->
<!--See also items are meant to be tangentially related – in embroidery's case, that might be e.g. Applique-->
* [[Broderie de Fontenoy-le-Château]]
* [[Chikankari]]
* [[Chinese embroidery]]
* [[Embroidery of India]]
* [[Khamak (Embroidery)|Khamak]]
* [[Mary Ann Beinecke Decorative Art Collection]]
* [[Sachet (scented bag)]]
* [[Sampler (needlework)]]
* [[Sichuan embroidery]]

== Notes ==
===Citations===
{{reflist|28em}}

===Bibliography===
*{{cite book
  |last1=Gillow |first1=John |first2=Bryan |last2=Sentance
  |title= World Textiles
  |year= 1999
  |publisher= Bulfinch Press/Little, Brown
  |isbn= 0-8212-2621-5
  }}
*{{cite book
  |last1=Levey |first1=S. M. |first2=D. |last2=King
  |title= The Victoria and Albert Museum's Textile Collection Vol. 3: Embroidery in Britain from 1200 to 1750
  |year= 1993
  |publisher= Victoria and Albert Museum
  |isbn= 1-85177-126-3
  }}
*{{cite book
  |editor1-last=Netherton |editor1-first=Robin |editor2-last=Owen-Crocker |editor2-first=Gale R. |editor2-link=Gale Owen-Crocker
  |title= Medieval Clothing and Textiles, Volume 1
  |year= 2005
  |publisher= Boydell Press
  |isbn= 1-84383-123-6
  }}
*{{cite book |ref={{harvid|Reader's Digest|1979}}
  |author=
  |title= Complete Guide to Needlework
  |year= 1979
  |publisher= Reader's Digest
  |isbn= 0-89577-059-8
  |url-access= registration
  |url= https://archive.org/details/readersdigestcom00colt
  }}
*{{cite book
  |last= van Niekerk
  |first= Di
  |title= A Perfect World in Ribbon Embroidery and Stumpwork
  |year= 2006
  |publisher= Search Press
 |isbn= 1-84448-231-6
  }}

==Further reading==
*{{cite web
  |last= Berman
  |first= Pat
  |title= Berlin Work
  |work= American Needlepoint Guild
  |year= 2000
  |url= http://www.needlepoint.org/Archives/01-01/berlinwork.php
  |access-date= 2009-01-24
  |archive-date= 2009-02-06
  |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090206185513/http://needlepoint.org/Archives/01-01/berlinwork.php
  |url-status= dead
  }}
*{{cite book
  |author1=Caulfeild, S.F.A. |author2=B.C. Saward
  |title= The Dictionary of Needlework
  |url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofneed06caul |year= 1885
  }}
*{{cite book
  |last= Crummy
  |first= Andrew
  |title= The Prestonpans Tapestry 1745
  |year= 2010
  |publisher= Burke's Peerage & Gentry, for [[Battle of Prestonpans]] (1745) Heritage Trust
  }}
*{{cite book
  |author = Embroiderers' Guild Practical Study Group
  |title= Needlework School
  |year= 1984
  |publisher= QED Publishers
  |isbn= 0-89009-785-2}}
*Koll, Juby Aleyas (2019). [https://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/product/ebook/ Sarah's Hand Embroidery Tutorials].
*{{cite book
  |last= Lemon
  |first= Jane
  |title= Metal Thread Embroidery
  |year= 2004
  |publisher= Sterling
  |isbn= 0-7134-8926-X
  |url-access= registration
  |url= https://archive.org/details/metalthreadembro0000lemo
  }}
*{{cite book
  |editor1=Vogelsang, Gillian |editor2=Vogelsang, Willem
  |title= TRC Needles. The TRC Digital Encyclopaedia of Decorative Needlework |url=http://www.trc-leiden.nl/trc-needles/
  |year= 2015
  |publisher= Textile Research Centre
  |location=Leiden, The Netherlands}}
*{{cite book
  |last= Wilson
  |first= David M.
  |title= The Bayeux Tapestry
  |year= 1985
  |publisher= Thames and Hudson
  |isbn= 0-500-25122-3}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline|Embroidery}}
{{wikt|embroider}}
*The History of [https://www.cross-stitch-pattern.net/Embroidery_History.aspx Embroidery]

{{embroidery}}
{{sewing}}
{{Decorative arts}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Embroidery| ]]
[[Category:Decorative arts]]