Embroidery is the art of ornamenting woven fabric into designs in needle-work. Embroidery differs from tapestry in that the design is stitched on the top of a woven material, whereas in tapestry the design is woven into it.
In embroidering stuffs a kind of stretching-frame is used because the more the piece is stretched the easier it is worked. The art was common in the East in very ancient times. The Jews appear to have acquired it from the Egyptians; Homer makes frequent allusion to it; and Phrygia was celebrated for its embroidery, which was in great demand at Eome. The Anglo-Saxons had a continental reputation, and from the llth to the 16th century the art of pictorial needlework was of the highest importance both as a recreation and as an industry. Embroidery is commonly divided into two classes: white embroidery applied to dress and furniture, in which the French and the Swiss excel; and embroidery in silk, gold, and silver, chiefly in demand for ecclesiastical vestments, etc. The Chinese, Hindus, Persians, and Turks traditionally excel in such work. Research Embroidery
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
General Information
Research Embroidery
