History of Hand Embroidery + Sewing Machines Los Angeles

The art of embroidery has been around for centuries. Women have always sewn delicate flowers, birds and initials onto clothing. This makes clothing more personal, special and definitely prettier. Threads, yarns and needles are often used in embroidery. Other materials like beads, buttons, stones and sequins are also used for added decoration.

When did Hand Embroidery Begin?

Hand embroidery can be dated back to the time when people started wearing clothes. When man first made clothes by sewing furs together, it was discovered that decorative patterns could also be sewn to the furs. Later, men also experimented and tried using stones and gems to sew onto furs. This was the start of embroidery and up to present times; the art still lives on.

Variations of Embroidery

Embroidery by hand exists throughout the world and variations of techniques and styles are apparent. An expert embroiderer can determine where the clothing was sewn due to the technique used. When embroidering a design, some people do free hand where they make a design as they go along. Others go for a pattern and studiously count the stitches they make. The type of thread and the materials used also differ from each region. Embroidery is an art and many lovely embroidered pieces are found in art museums.

Hand Embroidery Versus Machines

Modernization has paved the way for machine embroidery. A lot of clothing companies now use machines to embroider and decorate clothing. Machines are pretty convenient as they simply have to make a picture of the design in the computer. The machine will do the rest and embroider the design on the clothing. Embroidery machines can now make delicate designs on clothing and they can do it at a faster rate compared to people.

The invention of the embroidery machines may have caused a setback for hand embroidery but the art still lives on. High fashion designers and the elite class simply love delicately sewn designs by hand. There is also embroidery classes offered in various schools to teach people, usually women about the art of embroidery.

Embroidery Withstands the Test of Time

People thought that embroidery by hand would be long gone by the 21st century. Fortunately, there has been resurgence due to the interest of people with art and history. Embroidery is not only a part of history but also a part of modern culture. Take time to discover more about embroidery and know the different materials used for the art.