History of Embroidery

By utilizing a thread and yard, embroidery is used to decorate fabrics and materials with a specific stylised design. This design is executed with very clever intricate stitches. It usually incorporates different material into it, such as pearls, beads, and sequins.

Currently, embroidery can be found on many items of clothing and is becoming more popular in high street fashion as we progress through fashion. Hats, coats, blankets, dresses, shirts and denim can be found with embroidery on them. The process, which is used to tailor, reinforce, mend and patch clothes have developed through time, and its techniques have changed, but however it changes, the remarkable method still remains a worthy one.

Origin

Embroidery dates back a long time and has been proved that the technique has been practiced for decades. The process can be traced back to 30,000 BC. After a recent find, believe it or not, fossilised remains were discovered showing proof of heavily hand stitched garments such as clothing, boots and a hat. Not just embroidery, but most needlework’s are said to have originated in the Orient or middle east, as they found that as well as it being a skill for joining animal skins together, it can be used to embellish garments.

From paintings dating back in history, various people are seen wearing thread embroidered clothing, although some historians aren’t sure whether it is reinforced seams and stitching or decorative embroidery. Embroidered clothes, religious items, and household objects were often seen as a mark of status and wealth, especially in 18th century England within its colonies. It was a skill which mainly marked a woman’s path into ‘womanhood’ as well as showing a certain standard of social stature and rank.

Embroidery in Culture

Different types of styles and practices in embroidery can differ in different cultures and countries. For example, the English in the 1800s used fine linen as trimming under clothes and washing dresses, whereas the French in the 1700s used linen sheeting as household linens, trim on clothing and simply decorative uses. Mexicans in the 1800s used silk or Pyrenean wool threads with simple embroidered stitches to produce washing clothing, tea towels, table clothes and bed linens. Embroidery was also very important in the medieval Islamic world. A single Turkish traveller called Evliva Celebi called it the “craft of two hands” because it was a show of status in society and became very popular in major cities. It was visible on uniforms, flags, robes, tunics and horse covers and pouches.

Past, Present & Future

There are numerous types of hand sewing embroidery, ranging from a straight embroidered stitch to buttonhole/blanket stitch but as the past, sewing machines didn’t exist; hand stitching was the only way to do it. The art is believed to be developed from the mundane task of having to fix clothing. As thousands of people began to do so, they realised the endless possibilities of sewing.

Even though embroidery arts were born from simple stitching as their foundation, the biggest development in the modernisation of the tradition was definitely the invention of the embroidery machine in the 19th century through the industrial revolution. After this, mass produced machine embroidered goods became available to economic sectors, however, the home embroidery machines didn’t become common until the 20th century.

In this contemporary time, embroidery is stitched with a computerised machine using digitalized patterns within the software. A number of fills you can choose from to add texture to a design is endless. You can now add logos and monograms to mostly any fabrics, with these machines making decorating household linens or any draperies extremely easy.  Even though there has been a huge development in this art of sewing, there has always been the question of whether hand sewn is better than a machine, even though both ways create very different effects and styles.

At Stocks Sewing, we love exploring different techniques, and especially the intricate and wonderful skill of embroidery. We have engineers based nationwide to help you maintain your sewing machine and help you keep up that amazing embroidery work. Contact us today by calling 0113 242 9378 and we will more than happy to answer any questions you may have.