Embroidery is an ancient textile art which uses strands of embroidery floss or wool to create a picture in thread on canvas, linen or other cloth. It forms a part of needlework.
Embroidery uses various stitches and combinations of stitches. Each embroidery stitch has a special name to help identify it, and although they are mostly simple to execute, when you put them together the results can be extremely complex.
- back stitch
- for outlining shapes
- blanket stitch
- as the name implies, an edging stitch to prevent fraying, but also decorative.
- chain stitch
- cross-stitch (or X-stitch)
- couching
- Attaching a thread to a piece of fabric by sewing it on. Specialist couching stitches: Pendant couching, Bokhara couching, Square laid work.
- fly stitch
- Looped stitch, suitable for either repeat or random patterns.
- Holbein stitch
- knots:
- bullion knots
- Used as filling stitch or in a line. Worked by twisting thread around the needle.
- French knots
- bullion knots
- lazy daisy stitch
- running stitch
- stem stitch
- Used for lines and stems, but also used as an infilling stitch.
- whip stitch
- Specialist stitches such as the Quaker stitch used on the Quaker tapestry
There are many different styles of embroidery, often with regional variations. Cross-stitch is both an embroidery stitch, and a style of embroidery.
Some embroidery styles include:
- Assisi Embroidery
- Bargello or Florentine embroidery
- Blackwork Embroidery
- Canvas work
- Counted-thread embroidery
- Crewel embroidery
- Cross-stitch
- Drawn thread work
- Goldwork
- Hardanger embroidery
- Whitework
Today some artists, eg. Annemieke Mein, use machine and/or hand embroidery to create beautiful and original pieces of textile art.
One of the world's most famous pieces of embroidery is the Bayeux Tapestry.
Other notable embroideries on public display:
- Bradford carpet
- Hastings Embroidery
- Maidenhead Charter Hanging
- Greenwich Heritage Panel
- Chester Embroidery
- Bunyan Embroidery
- Thames Ditton Wallhanging
- Toronto Historical Embroidery
- Newcastle 900 Anniversary Panel
- Croydon Centenary Panel
- Overlord embroidery
- Pebble Mill Heritage Tapestry
- Quaker tapestry
- New Forest embroidery
Famous embroiderers
- Beryl Dean
- Kaffe Fassett
- Ann Macbeth