Christen Brown - Embroidered & Embellished: 85 Stitches Using Thread, Floss, Ribbon, Beads & More Step-by-Step Visual Guide

The very beginnings of embroidery arent certain, but what is certain is that embroidery has been used for almost as long as people have sewn cloth into clothing. The basic outline, straight, and buttonhole stitches are some of the earliest recorded stitches, possibly used at first for garment assembly rather than for decoration. The embroideries of the Middle East and India are known for symbolic geometric forms worked in bold, rich colors. The chain and buttonhole stitches are used both as borders and as fill-in stitches, along with the satin stitch. Shisha mirror embroidery, India The cross-stitch, so popular today in counted canvas work, is used throughout Europe and the Middle East as a border and fill-in stitch, without the help of a counted canvas or grid. Cross-stitch, South Asia The satin stitch shows up in rich polychromatic silk shawls from Spain and China.

The artistic use of color and a single type of stitch throughout a design is referred to as needle painting or thread painting. The satin stitch, void stitch (satin with a thin line separating the sections), and knotted stitch are liberally used in rich, symbolically themed embroideries from China. From China, blue fabric satin stitch and Chinese knot, with chain and outline stitches on the ribbon trim Laid and couched threads have been used with many different materials over the centuries. In the beginning, real metal was used to create rich, opulent, and exquisitely embellished textiles, often incorporating glass or real jewels. Now the threads are made of synthetic fibers and materials, though they still retain a rich opulence. Kalaga tapestry, Burma Goldwork embroidery, China Tambour embroidery is a technique that came to us from France.

The continuous decorative chain stitch is worked on fabric held taught in a frame, and is formed using a tambour hook. The hooked needle is stabbed through the right side of the fabric to catch the thread lying underneath. The stitch is formed with the thread pulled through the hole, forming a small loop. The needle is stabbed back through the fabric and through the loop a short distance away to create each stitch. Chain stitch embroidery, Afghanistan and India This form of embroidery was adapted in the early twentieth century as a technique for applying pre-strung strands of beads and sequins to fabric. The process is reversed, with the strand of beads held against the right side of the fabric, which is held upside down in the frame, and the chain stitch on the wrong side of the fabric.

Bead embroidery can be found in both Native American and African cultures, on garments, accessories, and ceremonial items, often in combination with natural elements such as porcupine quills and shells. Especially recognizable is the continuous stitch or backstitch, used to cover an area entirely with beads.