Embroidery Through Out the World

Sometimes referred to as “painting by needle” embroidery is an art form that has shown up, with surprisingly little variation, in all parts of the world both ancient and modern.

Embroidery is believed to have originated in the Orient and Middle East with samples found among fossilized remains dating as far back as 30,000 B.C. The Egyptian Pharaohs and Emperors of the Zhou Dynasty in China employed vast numbers of sewers to decorate their clothing, create carpets and wall hangings and detail their bed coverings.

Richly colored silk or pure gold threads were used on linen fabric, often accented with beads made from semi precious stones, shells and ivory. One of the best known pieces of royal embroidery is the magnificent Dragon Robe worn by a secession of Chinese Emperors.

Embroidery was also used for religious clothing and sanctuary decorations. The Jews probably learned the art during their time as slaves in Egypt. When the famous Jewish King Solomon built his temple, he ordered one set of curtains to be sewn from azure colored material covered with purple and scarlet cherubim embroidery.

In eighteenth and nineteenth century England, embroidery was a skill taught to all young girls of upper class families. If these young women didn’t marry, it was common for them to join a convent, one of the few appropriate careers open to these women. The beautiful vestments, alter covers, carpets and other embroidered religious objects were often a result of their diligent handiwork.

In India, embroidery has been a common clothing embellishment for centuries drawing from both nature and religion to create the soft flowing multi-colored garments associated with this part of the world.

Embroidery is common in traditional folk clothing in places as diverse as Mexico, Switzerland, Poland and Vietnam. The shades, designs and patterns add color and brightness to necklines, sleeves and skirt hems. In the past, they could also represent the economic status of the wearer, whether one was married or single and could even reflect the town of origin or family group.

Today embroidery is as popular as ever. Brightly colored threads and beading add style and personality to jackets, vests, skirts, formal gowns and jeans. Though some embroidery is still done by hand, much is now accomplished by the use of computerized embroidery machines.

Beautiful patterns or designs make any piece of clothing a one of a kind garment, and with the embroidery experts from Stitchin’ Chicks designing and creating these unique works of art, you can be certain of high quality products that will keep looking beautiful for years.