Embroidery
On the other hand, we often find in early works a technical accomplishment and high standard of craftsmanship rarely attained in later times.
[5] Depending on time, location and materials available, embroidery could be the domain of a few experts or a widespread, popular technique.
[7] 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.
In cities such as Damascus, Cairo and Istanbul, embroidery was visible on handkerchiefs, uniforms, flags, calligraphy, shoes, robes, tunics, horse trappings, slippers, sheaths, pouches, covers, and even on leather belts.
[9] 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: His majesty [Akbar] pays much attention to various stuffs; hence Irani, Ottoman, and Mongolian 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 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.
As a result of visual social media such as Pinterest and Instagram, artists are able to share their work more extensively, which has inspired younger generations to pick up needle and threads.
[16] Modern hand embroidery, as opposed to cross-stitching, is characterized by a more "liberal" approach, where stitches are more freely combined in unconventional ways to create various textures and designs.
In contrast, many forms of surface embroidery make use of a wide range of stitching patterns in a single piece of work.
[17] Training women in traditional embroidery skills in Inner Mongolia, was begun by Bai Jingying as a reaction to the financial pressures caused by the impact of climate change, including desertification, in the region.
[18] 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.
Counted-thread embroidery patterns are created by making stitches over a predetermined number of threads in the foundation fabric.
[22] Conversely, styles such as Broderie anglaise are similar to free embroidery, with floral or abstract designs that are not dependent on the weave of the fabric.
Today, embroidery thread is manufactured in cotton, rayon, and novelty yarns as well as in traditional wool, linen, and silk.
Many Swiss and Germans immigrated to Hudson county, New Jersey in the early twentieth century and developed a machine embroidery industry there.
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.
