The history of embroidery is hard to trace before the 6thcentury AD. We believe that embroidery was known in India from prehistoric times. The earliest surviving examples of Chinese embroidery are Tang dynastygarments. Chinese emperors wore black silk robes adorned with traditinalmotifs. We believe when embroidery was first done, there wasn't a name for it.We know from paintings, sculptures, and literature that embroidery was appliedto clothes and all types of fabrics from very early times. The oldest surviningembroidered cloth is Egyptian and has been preserved because of the dry desertclimate. The Egyptians and ancient Mediterranean people were skilledembroiderers. Fine embroidery developed in other ancient lands such asBablylon, Isreal, Syria, and Persia. Later medieval Europeans made embroideredcourt garments and altar clothes. In medieval Byzantium, these garments weredecorated with pearls, gold, and silver threads.
The earliest embroidery that has survived from England, is a stole from St. Cuthbert's tomb at Durham. An 11th century Bayeux tapestry, technicallyan embroidery rather than a tapestry, is the most famous and the largestembroidered hanging to come from the medieval period. In colored wool in linenground, it portrays the events leading to the Norman conquest of England. Opus anglicum or English work, was famous all through Europe. Religious vestmentsand textiles were embroidered in silks and metal thread with Images of saintsand other designs found in paintings or manuscript decorations.
Later, gold was used more often in embroidery. In or around1300, there was a movement to produce embroidered pictures or needle paintingsthat would resemble the quality paintings by contemporary artists such as Janvan Eyck. Gold was then used in a Burgundian technique called nue or shadedgold. Pictorial representations, were made from cloth covered with gold andsilk thread.
In the 15th and 16th centuries in Italy, needle paintingsreached it'ts peak. Famous painters designed scenes to be sewn by embroiderers.By the mid 16th century, much of the vestments and scroll work with embroiderywere made in convents and monestaries.
The Spanish style of embroiderey was white linen stichedwith wool from black sheep. This black on white become the popular Elizabethanblackwork. White on white embroidery was worked with various stitches on linenaltar cloths and clothing for peasants. By the 15 th century, white on whitecutwork gave rise to reticello, or in Itallian, little net, which was the beginningdevelopment of lace making. In Germany, embroidery was used on domestic itemsand crewel embroidery became popular. In central Europe became a folk art andadorned pillows, towels, sheets, and other items.
In the 17th and 18th century, two techniques becameimportant. Stump work, designs were raised against a ground of silk or wool.These were often biblical scenes with fiures in 17th century dress and werefound on boxes or mirror frames, and other objects. The other techniques wasJacobean woolwork which was used for curtains, bedspreads, wall hangings, andother furnishings. Repeating patterns became the new trend and was used ofrupholstery. embroidery of clothing reached a peadk in the 17th and 18thcenturies.
In America, settlers brought with them the crafts from Europe. American designs came from English designs, but were simpler. The English stylethat became popular in America, was called Turkey work because of its knottedpile. It was a type of canvas used for upholstery. Quilting was also practiced in America in colonial times. As the colonies prospered, the applique quilt become thefavorite type, with embroidery stitches used to apply the pieces of coloredcloth that formed designs.
In the early 20th century, the taste for natural lookingdesigns gave rise to shaded silk embroidery.This is a flat satin stitch onlinen in fine shaded colors. From the middles of the 1960s to early 1980s,there was a renewed interest in embroidery crafts. By 1985, crewel work hadbeen started again by serious embroiderers. Also, quilting became popularagain. Now in the 21st century, embroidery has become a popular way to not justadorn clothing, but to also advertise and create awareness of organizations orcompanies in a distinguished manner.
Facts for this article were taken from Encarta OnlineEncyclopedia
"Needlework," Microsoft r Encarta r OnlineEncyclopedia 2007 http://encarta.msn.comc 1997-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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