Kimono Embroidery

I love embroidery and have been embroidering on a professional (non-career) level for more than 20 years. Embroidery is probably my most done hobby. I embroidery everything I touch. I'm currently undergoing a massive embroidery project, which involves the hand decoration of not one, but 4 furisode kimonos. While I have it on my mind, it seemed best that I create a Squidoo lens about it, so, here it is!

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

PLEASE READ!

During the week of August 10th, this lens will be undergoing some major changes, edits, and updates. Several modules are temporarily empty while I edit them off-line. Things might look skimpy for a bit while I move stuff around, but I'll have the content back up soon. Probably around September 20th. I'll let you guys know when I'm done with the updating, by sending out a squid cast about it.

Japanese Embroidery

The Art of Painting With Thread

Kimono Embroidery: Satin Stitch Rooster

What Is This Lens? Why Should I Read It?

What Is This Lens?

A few months back, I set out to make a Lord Sesshomaru costume, and started a lens, to write myself a "how to manual" for making this costume, as there were no instructions to be found for making such a costume. That lens, just kept getting bigger and bigger, becoming the biggest lens on Squidoo, and eventually getting so big, that it no longer loaded properly and had to be divided. The result was a whole set of lenses. This is one of those lenses.

For those not in the know, Lord Sesshomaru is a 16th century Japanese Demon Samurai Warrior (pictured at right --->)from a fictional book series that ran for 54 volumes, and later a TV show based on the books which ran for 8 seasons, and finally 4 movies based on the tv show. In order for me to recreate a costume of this character, I had to throw myself into a massive study of the history of Japanese clothen.

The end result was me writing a section on Furisode Kimono making, as I will need to make an elborate Furisode as part of this costume. That section of the lens, got so long that it was later removed and became a free standing lens of it's own. However, that lens, likewise got to big and had to be divided in two. One lens for the construction of the Furisode and another for the embroidery of it. This is that lens.

Myth & Magic Of Embroidery

Why Should I Read It?

This lens well be dealing with the embroidery of a Furisode style Kimono. You would want to read it, if you are planning to make a Furisode Kimono of your own.

Reasons to read this lens:

What Background Do You Have In Embroidery, That You Could Write This Lens?

In addition to sewing costumes, another hobby of mine is embroidery.

My embroidery skills include:

Helen M. Stevens' Embroidered Birds
(Masterclass Embroidery)

I took up embroidery when I was about 8 years old and have created every thing from tiny purses and doll house chairs to such big projects as a king sized crazy quilt and a giant 4 foot by 5 foot tapestry that took more than 10 years to complete!

In all my years doing embroidery, I can say from personal experience, that Japanese Kimono stitches are the most tedious and time consuming to accomplish.

A Quick Introduction To Kimono Embroidery

If you are making your own kimono, and you want to be historically accurate, than you have no choice but to hand embroider each and every one of those plum blossoms, birds, and crests on your kimono.

If you have embroidered before, than this should be no problem for you, though if you've never attempted Japanese embroidery, you should note that it is a bit different from European style embroidery, so you will need to study up on it.

The biggest difference you are going to notice, is the thread used. You will need two different types of thread: silk and gold.

Be sure that you use real 100% silk thread, not silk/cotton mixes, cottons, or wools, as these threads are heavier and thicker than the base fabric on which you will be sewing, and you want to use the thread that matches as closely as possible to the threat of the cloth. Kimono stitches when finished, should look like the design was woven into the fabric.

You can use cotton, blends, wool, etc, to embroider your kimono, but know that the end result will be different than if you had used silk. It will look like European or Jacobean Crewel work rather than Japanese Silk Stitching. European embroidery is three dimensional and stands out from the cloth, but Kimono stitches should not do this.

Painting with a Needle:
Learning the Art of Silk Embroidery with Young Yang Chung

In addition to silk threads, you are going to need gold threads. Traditionally made from fine strands of spun gold, modern gold threads usually have very little if any real gold in them. If you want to go 100% authentic, than you will have to put out quite a bit of money to buy real gold thread. The cost of real gold thread will vary depending on the current market value of gold, but you can plan on spend several hundred dollars on only a few skeins of thread. Since it is highly impractical to use real gold thread, (not only is it expensive and hard to find, it is also very fragile and easily damaged), it is recommended that you use imitation gold thread instead, which you can easily find at craft-stores, Jo-Annes, or Wal-Mart, for about $4 per skien.

Another alternative to metal gold threads is to use gold colored silk thread or gold colored rayon thread, instead. This will be cheaper and easier to work with.

Real metal threads can not be sewn through the cloth like regular thread, and instead must be attached to the cloth using the Couching Stitch instead.

If you have never embroidered before, you should know that embroidery is an art that can take years to learn, depending on the type of embroidery you intend to pursue. Japanese embroidery is considered an advanced form of embroidery not to be perused by beginners, but I tend to disagree with this, as once you know the basics of embroidery, most all methods are pretty much the same steps done with slight variations.

Embroidery requires good eyesight, a steady hand, very clean and very soft hands, a whole lot of patience, and 4 or 5 hours of free time every day. It's not hard to do, but it is slow and tedious, and takes a very long time to do. Most folks who give up on an embroidery project, give up not because it was too hard to do, but rather because they wanted quicker faster results and did not have the patience to stitch only a few square inches per hour.

Beginner's Guide to Goldwork
(Beginner's Guide to)

With my history in needlework, embroidering the birds and flowers and family crests onto my Kimono is not going to be hard at all, however, hand embroidery is called "The Lost Art" for a reason, and that reason is because less than 3% of today's population practices it anymore. With that in mind, I must assume that the average CosPlayer is not going to be embroidering their kimonos. However, for those of you who are, if you have never embroidered before, I would recommend that you look into getting a few books on doing so and than make a few small practice project first, before moving on the attempting to embroider silk.

Silk embroidery is difficult and is considered a very advanced form of embroidery that can send a beginner to tears. Most types of embroidery work is done with thick heavy canvas cloth, with a wide weave that allows you the count stitches to make each of your stitches evenly spaced. Silk embroidery is done on fine, slippery, lightweight silk, which runs and tears easily and can be quickly ruined if you make a mistake and have to start pulling out stitches. Also in silk embroidery you have no wide weaves threads to count and use as a guide for making your stitches neat and even; you will have to rely totally on you hand and eye coordination to make the stitches come out neat and smooth.

If you have never done it before, try doing it on several small projects first: a hanky, a doll's kimono, a miniature pillow, etc. Once you feel you have mastered silk embroidery, than you can move onto embroidering an actual full sized kimono.

NOTE: If you intend to hand embroider your kimono, know too, that this is a project you may end up devoting at least 2 or 3 months to (or more if you plan on going very fancy) so plan that much time into the time frame you allow for creating this costume.

The alternative to embroidery is appliqué, which is the method most CosPlayer choose to use, and turns out quite nice.

Equipment Needed

Silk fabric
Silk thread or floss
Wooden scroll frame at least 9" x 18"
Fine embroidery needles
Dressmakers chalk, tailor's chalk, or marking pencil
Embroidery scissors
Thimble (optional)

Choosing Your Fabric: Buying Bolts of Kimono Silk

For kimono embroidery, your choice of fabric was already chosen for you when you decided you wanted to embroider a kimono. When making a traditional kimono, you will need to order a bolt (2 bolts if you are making a Furisode Kimono) of kimono silk.

Kimono silk is specially woven for use with kimonos. It is made the same way it has been made for nearly 2,000 years now, in long skinny strips.

A bolt of kimono silk is sold in 14", 15", or 16" widths, 14" being the most common. It is sometimes found in 18" widths, though this is very uncommon and usually special made.

Bolts of kimono silk are sold, per bolt, and range anywhere from 7 to 50 yards per bolt. Most bolts have about 8 to 15 yards on them. Always ask how many inches are on the bolt, so you know how many yards of fabric you are buying.

For the typical "bathrobe style" kimono, you will need one bolt of at least 7 yards of 14" - 18" silk. This will be the type of kimono, most American sewers would be making.

For the more elaborate Furisode Kimono, you will need a minimum of 13 yards. The longer the sleeves are to more you will need. Always purchase 2 bolts of silk when planning to make a Furisode. It is better to have too much fabric, than not enough, as it will be nearly impossible for you to match the weave with a bolt bought later.

When buying multiple bolts of silk for a single project, be absolutely certain that both bolts were made at the same time, to ensure they have matching weaves and dye lots. Most bolts of kimono silk are woven in small runs, meaning only 4 or 5 bolts were made with that exact weave and dye lot. You will not be able to go back a few weeks later and buy matching bolts, so be sure to buy enough bolts all at once.

Chinese Silk:
A Cultural History

Kimono silk bolts are sold either bleached or dyed.

Bleached are white, ivory, or cream depending on the bleaching process that was used, and each batch will produce a different shade of white, so again, buy your bolts in matching batches. A bolt of white kimono silk typically sells for $20 - $75 per bolt, depending on weave, depth of whiteness, and yardage on bolt. You can leave this white or you can dye it yourself.

Dyed, are dyed in any one of various methods, including a full solid color dye, a shibori tie dye, or hand painted patterns dyes. Some may also be embroidered. Usually on 3 or 4 bolts are dyes at a time, so if you want to buy dyed kimono silk, you should try to buy every bolt made from that batch. Keep in mind, that all kimono silk is considered to be a one-of-a-kind item, and even bolts dyed during the same batch-dye lot, may not match each other. Still, they will be better matches than those bolts made during the next batch. It is nearly impossible to match kimono silk, dyed from different batches. Keep this in mind when purchasing your bolts. Dyed kimono silks range in price from $20 to $400 per bolt depending on weave, dye used, dye method used, and any extra embellishments added.

Kimono Silk on eBay

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What If I Do Not Want To Buy (or Just Can't Find) Kimono Silk?

Unless you live in Japan, purchasing bolts of kimono silk, is not an easy thing to do. You can't just go to your local Jo-Anne's and pick it out. For those not living in Japan, basically the only way you will be able to buy bolts of kimono silk is via eBay. This is what I do. The problem with overseas buying is that shipping bolts of silk from Japan to the US, can cost more than the price tag of the silk itself. It'll cost at least $20 for a small package from Japan to the US, and $100 shipping charges for multiple bolts of silk is not unusual. After you've paid a few hundred dollars for your fabric, you may not be too willing to pay a few hundred more to have it shipped to you. So what to do?

There are alternatives to buying bolts of Japanese Kimono Silk. Namely, buying silk yardages from your local fabric store. The silk sold in fabric stores is usually from India or Italy, and is heavier, denser, and lacks the soft buttery touch of Japanese silk.

Handpainting Fabric:
Easy, Elegant Techniques

The drape is not as fluid, and will affect the hang of your kimono. The biggest difference will be, the actual sewing method you'll use, though. Indian and Italian silks are usually sold in 48" and 52" widths, so you will need to cut it down to 14", 15", 16" or 18" strips, before you can make your kimono. You will also need to bind the edges. Japanese silk has selvaged edges, because it was woven at 14" wide, but silk you've cut down to 14" wide, with have raw edges that will ravel and fray like mad if you do not bind them. For this I recommend, making your own seam binding, by cutting on the bias of your chosen silk, and using the self made seam binding to bind the selvages with the Hong Kong Seam.

While not all kimonos are made out of silk, it is rare than an embroidered kimono is made out of anything other than silk. This does not mean, however that you must restrict yourself to only silk. You can use any fabric you so desire, to make your kimono. Some popular choices include: polyester, cotton, rayon, velvet, and terry cloth.

If you are going to use a fabric other than silk, it is important to match your thread to your cloth: wool thread on wool fabric, rayon thread on rayon fabrics, etc. The secret to getting the "look" achieved by kimono embroidery, is in the fact that you are using the same threads to embroider as was used to weave the fabric.

Mounting The Fabric

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F.A. Edmunds Multiple Size Cross Stitch Scroll Frame Set

Amazon Price: $32.99 (as of 12/11/2009)
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The Scroll Frame Set comes with variable size frames including 6" x 12"/18"/24" and 9" x 12"/18"/24". This set is perfect for cross stitch, needlepoint, crewel and embroidery. The Split rail dowels allow for easy insertion of your work and then just advance the pattern by rolling onto the bars. Your work will stay taut and clean. The frame is easy to handle and convenient to carry and store. You'll use it over and over again. The frame is unassembled and no tools are required.

Release Date: 12/31/1969

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Needlework Frame Sit-9"X18"

Amazon Price: $29.85 (as of 12/11/2009)
List Price: $36.60
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* 9" x 18" Split Rail Scroll Frame
* Sit-on frame height adjustable from 12" to 18"
* Rotates for easy access to back of work
* Use in favorite chair or while traveling
* Perfect for cross stitch, needlepoint, crewel & embroidery

Release Date: 12/31/1969

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Using The Hoop Method

For most of my embroidery work, I prefer working with a 9" wooden hoop. It's simple to use, easy to move from one spot on the fabric to another, and small enough to take with you in the car and to doctor's appointments. I have several hoops: big ones, small ones, medium sized ones, wooden ones, plastic ones, fabric wrapped ones . . . I love hoops, and use them for Crewel, Jacobean, Bargello, needle point, counted cross, crazy quilting, bead work, ribbon embroidery, petti point, French work, and free hand embroidery. However, when doing Japanese embroidery, I never use a hoop, nor would I recommend you do either.

While the hoop method can be used for Japanese embroidery, with success, it is not recommended that you use an embroidery hoop when embroidering silk, as the hoop will damage, mar, and possibly tear the delicate (and vastly expensive) fabric.

When embroidering on silk, you must have the fabric pulled taunt, tight as a drum, in order for the stitching to be smooth as the silk you are stitching on. This kind of tightness simply can not be achieved with a hoop, no matter how tight you pull the fabric. A hoop is not made to hold the fabric drum taunt.

Silk tears easily. Hoops are made to be used with tough canvas cloth, cotton, or wool. No matter how smooth the edges of your hoop are, a hoop can never be sanded down smooth enough to not damage delicate kimono silk. Even wrapping the hoop in fabric will not be enough. If you must use a hope, ONLY use a plastic hoop.

The biggest drawback to using a hoop, is the shear size of the fabric you will be embroidering. Most European embroidery is done on small pieces of cloth, rarely ever bigger than 24" x 24", with 9" x 12" being the average cloth size used. When embroidering a kimono, you will be working with six strips of cloth, each measuring approximately 14" x 63". Attempting to embroider fabric of that size, with a hoop, is just plain cumbersome.

A final drawback is the designs typically used in Kimono embroidery, themselves. Embroidery hoops come in sizes from 4" to 16" in diameter, meaning they are used to stitch designs ranging in size from 2" to 14" across (you never stitch to the sides of your hoop as this will cause desperate damage to your stitching when removing the hoop.) In Kimono embroidery, a single flower cluster can measure more than 24" in diameter, while a typical sand hill crane will stand 16" tall and have a 32" wing span. Hoops simply are not big enough to support designs sewn in such magnitude.

Overall, yes, you can use a hoop if you had to, but when you have already spent several hundred (or even thousands of) dollars to buy a bolt of kimono silk, and another few hundred dollars on silk thread, it seems silly to skimp and use a hoop, especially since a scroll frame usually costs under $20.

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Embroirdered Antique Kimonos, Momoyama Period, 16th century

Choosing Your Design

Japanese Kimono Designs
(International Design Library)

I choose my designs from various sources, usually from Dover's clip art book series. I first look through various books to see how designs were layed out historically, and what designs were used and how they were used.

Embroidering a kimono, is a true work of art however, and you are not limited to sticking with traditional Japanese motifs is you do not want to. It's your kimono, so you can stitch whatever designs you want to on it.

Traditional Chinese Embroidery Designs CD-ROM and Book
(Dover Full-Color Electronic Design)

Traditional Japanese Crest Designs (Dover Design Library)

Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 12/11/2009)
List Price: $6.95
Used Price: $1.67

Release Date: 12/31/1969

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Transfering Designs To Fabric

How you transfer your design, will depend on a lot of factors: the design itself, size, fabric color, fiber content, etc.

If you are using iron on transfers, you have the choice of ironing it, or tracing it. For silk, do not iron!

Some fabrics will accept dressmakers paper and a tracing wheel, but if using silk, I would not recommend it.

There are a wide range of water or air soluble marking pens, but I have never had very good luck with them actually washing out, so I don't recommend using them.

My personal preferred method is tailor's chalk. This comes in powdered, stick, block, wedge, or pencil form. This is colored chalk, some times with wax added. It comes in white, silver, blue, red, or pink. I prefer the pencils because they can be sharpened to a fine point and are great for drawing freehand or tracing over designs.

Traditional Chinese Designs Iron-on Transfer Patterns
(Dover Needlework Series)

As to the actual steps for drawing the design to the fabric, here is what I do:

I take a sheet of copy paper, and draw the design (or trace it from a pattern) with a pen. Than a trace it over again, with a BIC Mark-It permanent marker. Once this has dried, I take a cardboard cutting board and lay it out on the floor. Lay the fabric out on the cutting board. Slide the pattern under the fabric. (the marker lines will show right through on all but the darkest colors). Next I take a bunch of glass head pins (20 or 30 at least) and pin the fabric down to the cardboard, by driving the pin straight down through the fabric, the paper, and the cardboard, and right into the carpet on the floor. I outline the entire edge of the design, about 1/2" all around it's outer edge. Next I take a tailor's chalk pencil and trace the pattern onto the fabric. I repeat this for each and every motive on the fabric until the entire cloth is covered. Once this is done you are ready to embroider.

Quilter's Marking Pencil Silver

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This amazing Quilter's Marking Pencil in silver is ideal for making sure your quilting crafts are precise and unique without the marks! Mark on any colored cloth with this silver pencil.

Release Date: 12/31/1969

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How Much Thread Should I Buy?

The answer to this question lies in the thread you plan to use. All threads have varying thicknesses. Machine spun thread is going to have a much more even consistency of strand thickness, than hand spun threads will. Likewise, cotton thread from one company will have thicker strands than another company, just as cotton threads may be thicker or thinner than silk threads.

Another factor will be the amount of strands you use per stitch. Most embroidery floss is sold "6 strand" which means that for most of your projects (including kimono embroidery) you will be dividing the strands up, and sewing with a single strand. In other words, when you cut an 18" thread off of your skien of floss, you now have six 18" strands to sew with, not 1.

Your design choices will also affects how much thread you'll need to buy, as well you stitch choices. For example, a raise bullion stitch, takes from 4 to 7 times as much thread to cover the same amount of area as the satin stitch would use.

Here is how I determine how much to buy:

I am currently sewing up my Lord Sesshomaru costume, starting with his pink flowered court robes. These robes, being the ones he wears at home around his palace, are much more elaborate than the ones he wears while traveling, and will require much more floss than the other kimono will and as such, I started on this one first. On this particular kimono there are 31 very large lotus blossoms, each blossom approximately 8" across. These blossoms are scattered at precise points across the kimono, to give the appearance of be swirled up and around it by a gust of wind. Running down the collar is a row of tone on tone butterflies the same color as the delicate silk being used as the body of the kimono. Along the bottom of the kimono hem and sleeves is a band of "dragon robe" ocean wave stripes.

The blossoms are being made in 3 color patterns: a deep magenta (for 16 blossoms), a dust rose (for 5 blossoms), and a dark-toned pink (for 7 blossoms). Each blossom uses 6 different colors of floss. I am using DMC 6 strand cotton and 6 strand rayon/satin floss and DMC light effects precious metals for this project. All of these are sold in 8.7 yard skeins. The cotton and satin threads are being divided into single strands, while the gold metal floss is not being divided and the entire 6 strand thread is being couched down.

The silk I am using is very thin and very close woven, so no more than 2 strand thickness could be used at all, and 2 strands have a hard time going through the weave.

I started by buying one of each of the 6 colors needed for one of the blossoms, and than mounting up the cloth and stitching one blossom. Each 2"x4" petal took 4 hours to fill in using a single strand in long and short stitch. When I got done I had used the following:

In other words it took 3 1/2 skeins to make one flower for this kimono. However, 3 1/2 skeins are the total of 6 different colors, so it actually took 6 skeins to finish one flower.

I took how many flowers I need to make, by how many colors needed and came up with the following total:

That is the list of floss I will be taking with me to JoAnne's when I buy my floss.

That list considers only the large flowers that make up most of the design. It does not consider the butterflies, which are sewn at a rate of 2 butterflies per skien, nor does it take into consideration the large expanse of background covered in the dragon-robe stripes.

The flowers alone, require 95 skeins of floss, butterflies will add another 20 to that list, while the dragon robe stripes will add an addition of no less than 180 skeins to the list, for a grand total of more than 300 skeins of floss to be used on this one kimono. And this is not even a fully embroidered kimono. The colors I am using cost from .35c to $2.09 per skien, bring my cost for thread total for this kimono to just under $200.

When you look at a fully embroidered kimono, and think you want to make one, consider how much floss it requires to make and how much said floss costs. If I was making this kimono fully embroidered, I would need 4 times the amount of floss I am using now, some 1,200 skeins at a cost of nearly $800.

Choosing Your Thread

Silk is a wonderful thread. Very beautiful. Very easy to work with. Very expensive. Note that silk is very expensive thread. There is no thread more expensive than silk. Silk thread costs more than gold thread. For most projects you would not be fully aware of just how expensive silk thread is as you would only need one or two skeins for the entire project. For a kimono, especially a fully embroidered kimono, buying enough silk thread to complete your project could easily require you to take out a second mortgage. This is not a joke or a cute turn phrase, but a simple fact of just how expensive it is to make a kimono. It is not unheard of for the maker to spend as much as $20,000 in making a single kimono. Before you can take on a sewing project of this magnitude, you must first consider how much money you can afford to spend on it, as this will effect not only the type of thread you will use, as well as how much thread you can afford to purchase.

Thread for hand embroidery is sold in skeins or hanks. Thread for machine embroidery is sold on spools and can also be used for hand embroidery, but it tends to twist and tangle easier than thread sold in hanks. For kimono embroidery, you will most likely be using thread sold in hanks or skeins.

Metal Thread Embroidery

You have many content choices: cotton, linen, silk, rayon, and wool, or a blend of two or more of these are the most commonly used.

As a general rule, you match the thread content to the fabric content. If you are sewing a wool kimono, than you embroider it in wool thread. If you are sewing a cotton kimono, than you embroider it with cotton thread, and so on.

Rayon thread is unique, in that it is a form of imitation silk, and can easily be used to embroider your silk kimono. Rayon lasts longer, is more durable, is more colorfast, and has better wash ability than silk thread, making it a better choice for a kimono that you plan to wear often.

When embroidering your kimono, use one or two strands of thread. Most thread is sold twisted into 6 strand, and will have to be unraveled before being used. This is a simple matter and takes all of a few seconds to do.

Cost of thread and the sheer amount of thread you will need to use on your kimono, will greatly effect your choice of thread to use. A typical 8 yard hank of cotton thread costs between .25c to .75c depending on the brand name and dealer selling it. On the other hand an 4 yard hank of silk thread will cost from $5 to $35 or more depending on brand name, dye used, and dealer selling it, with the average being at $12. Hand spun and hand dyed silks will cost even more. Designer hand dyed, hand spun silks can easily cost more than $100 per skein. Note also that most silk hanks are sold as 4 yards, not 8 like cotton, so not only are you paying a lot more, you are getting only half as much and thus covering less square inches per hank.

For a small project like a doll house rug, you wouldn't bat an eye at the price, because you would be using only 2 or 3 skeins. For a kimono, on the other hand, you will need at least 75 skeins, and as much as 400 skeins for an elaborate fully embroidered kimono.

Threads come in all price ranges, from very cheap bargain prices, to ultra super outrageous expensive prices only millionaires can afford to buy. It is truly an art that can be adapted to anyone of any income.

With cotton thread .75c times 200, 8 yard skeins is going to cost you $300, while $12 times 400, 4 yard silk skeins will cost you $4,800. The expensiveness of silk thread does not stand out, until you decide to use a lot of it all at once. It is the sheer cost of the thread, that results in so few fully embroidered kimonos being made, and why most modern kimonos are now dyed and painted rather than embroidered.

You may want to look into buying thread bulk, by the case, or wholesale, especially if you will need large amounts of a single color.

The Yarn Lover's Guide to Hand Dyeing:
Beautiful Color and Simple Knits

Now granted those numbers above are just averages, meaning that you may only need 50 skeins of thread for your kimono, and you may be content to purchase the cheaper .25c per skein cotton thread, in which case you would spend as little as $12.50 for your thread. I showed you those higher figures, to show you that before you start your project, you must plan ahead, know what you want to achieve, know what materials you want to use, and know to do your research and look around at all of your options and all of the prices, before you put down your money.

As a general rule, I would recommend you buy the best thread you can afford to buy, and plan on buying a few extra skeins for each color, just in case. There is nothing worse than running out of thread before you finish your design. Know that matching dye lots is next to impossible, and the second batch of thread you buy will not be the same color even though it was sold by the same company and listed as the same item number. Always buy all of your thread by dye lot numbers and always purchase more thread than you plan to use. It will save you lots of heartaches later on.

Another option you have is to spin your own thread, or buy undyed thread and dye your own. Either way is a lot of work, but could also be a lot less money, and you not only can create your own unique colors, you will end up with a much more "authentic" kimono if you are striving for historical accuracy in your project.

Thread Length

One of the most common mistakes made while embroidering, is cutting your thread too long. At first this may seem to be harmless. You cut your thread the recommended length, but than think, if I cut it just an inch longer, I won't have to change threads so often. Soon you add yet another extra inch, than another, and another, and before you know it you are cutting out knots and tangles and have a ragged frayed frizzy mess, which can only be fixed by cutting and removing your stitching and starting over again.

Kimono embroidery is different from other forms of embroidery. In most forms, your goal is to create a three dimensional design, that stands off the fabric. Your goal in kimono embroidery, however, is to create immaculate, smooth, shinny stitches that glimmer when the light hits them and are so flat that they appear to be a part of the fabric's weave.

The Timeless Art of Embroidery
(Helen Stevens' Masterclass Embroidery)

The secret to achieving this smooth shimmering look, is to use a shinny thread, satin stitches, short thread lengths, and to change threads often.

The following guidelines are the generally recommended thread lengths, used by the average embroiderer:

As noted, these are general guidelines used for most projects. For a kimono, you may want to consider using even shorter thread lengths. Why? Simple answer. You want the finished surface to be smooth and shinny. The more times the thread passes through the fabric from front to back, the duller it becomes, and the more frayed it becomes. Thread cut longer than recommended will go one step farther, by shedding off pilling, lint, and fuzz.

Another disadvantage to using longer thread lengths is that each time you push the thread up through the top and than pull it back down again, you force the thread to turn around back on itself creating a tiny loop or twist in the thread. After a few stitches the thread begins to twist very tightly, and after only a dozen or so stitches, you will feel the thread pulling against the fabric and becoming more and more difficult to pull through. No matter how much thread you have left on your needle, once the thread starts to pull against you, cut it and start a new thread. If you do not cut it, it will twist back on itself into several tiny knots, which once pulled unravel the fibers of the thread. The result of this is the thread will at best tangle, most likely break, or worst tear your fabric requiring you to do some massive repairs to the base fabric of your kimono before you can continue. Remember: silk is a delicate fabric and it will not take much stress before it will tear.

Cut your threads short, and you'll reap the rewards of a beautiful kimono. Cut your threads long and you'll make more work for yourself, and risk ruining your project all together. Safe is better than sorry. Always use short thread lengths.

Types of Silk Embroidery Thread

WhereTo Buy Silk Thread

A List of Online Sellers

Aurora Silk: Suitable for hand sewing, machine sewing and embroidery (most machines), very fine hand needlework, fine weaving. 100% Naturally Dyed colors. 120 colors.
Jewels in Fiber: Silk Thread, Kanagawa Hand Embroidery 1000 Denier Thread: The Kanagawa / a.k.a. YLI 1000 denier is a 3 ply twisted continuous filament silk thread of the highest quality. It also known as 1000 denier YLI 100% pure filament silk thread. Although designed mainly for hand embroidery and needlepoint, this silk thread is great for beading, half-hitching, micro-macrame and cavandoli tapestry knotting. It is a colorfast thread with a super high sheen.
Needle In A Haystack-Ribbons & Threads: We carry a huge selection of threads and have our walls covered with thread - we call them our "walls of threads". We generally carry complete lines of all threads with the exception of Rainbow Gallery, of which we have a large assortment, but not every thread type in every co . . .
Caron Collection Threads: Caron Collection have four ranges of overdyed threads, all sharing the same colour pallet.

Impressions 50% silk 50% wool - 33m skein.
Watercolours 3-ply pima cotton - 9m skein.
Waterlillies 12-ply silk - 5.5m skein.
Wildflowers single strand cotton - 33m skein.
Kanagawa 1000 Denier Embroidery Silk Color Chart: KANAGAWA 1000 DENIER SILK EMBROIDERY THREAD COLOR CHART :: www.store.jewelsinfiber.com. Colors available highlighted in red :: discontinued colors highlighted in grey. While every attempt was made to reproduce thread colors accurately, colors on your . . .
Kreinik Metallics Blending Filament, Braid, Silk Mori, Silk Serica, Ribbon, Soie D'Alger, etc: Needlework, Cross stitch, stitchcraft, embroidery, threads, silks, skeins, thread, Silk, silk serica, silk, Silk Mori, silk mori, Silk Serica, Kreinik, kreinik, Kreinik Metallic, blending filament, fine braid . . .
A complete source for Kumihimo - marudai, braiding disks, braiding kits and braiding supplies: Kumihimo, marudai, braiding disk, braiding plate, kumihimo instruction, braiding board, braiding books, silk threads, braiding supplies . . .
Embroidery Galaxy: Embroidery Galaxy offers ready made products, plus beautiful rayon threads in every color.
Silk Embroidery Thread,Exporters Of Silk Embroidery Thread,Silk Embroidery Thread Suppliers,Suppliers Of Silk Embroidery Thread: Star Silk Exports - Supplier and exporter of silk embroidery thread, silk embroidered thread, Chinese dupion silk yarn, matka 4 ply silk yarn, spun silk yarn, silk embroidery threads, embroidery threads, silk threads, designer embroidery threads, unique embroidery threads, silk yarn, sari silk yarns . . .
Needlework Corner - Crewel Embroidery Felt Applique Stockings Needlepoint: Hello- We have moved our website here from www.needleworkcorner.safeshopper.com. Offering quality mail-order crewel embroidery, needlepoint, cross stitch, quilting and knitting kits, yarns and supplies. Featuring Elsa Williams, Needle Treasures, Dimensions, Bucilla, and Beth Russell. We have a large selection of crewel embroidery kits. Established in 1997.
Threads, Fibers, Buttons, Beads, Sewing, Custom Frames | Craftcenter Stitchery: We are always adding to our thread department. The walls are a rainbow of colors. We carry cottons, silks and wool. Used in Crochet, embroidery, needlepoint and cross stitch.
Threads: Threads & Flosses: We carry a broad selection of threads and flosses for hand and machine embroidery as well as smocking, duplicate stitch, heirloom sewing by machine and hand, and many more types of embroidery.
Rajmahal Art Silk Floss: Rajmahal is perfect for hand embroidery and needlecraft of all styles, including silk ribbon, stumpwork, miniature and Brazilian work, smocking, lace-making, cross stitch, crazy quilting, canvas work, petit point, weaving, fringe and tassel-making, and braiding.
NeedleGraphics-DownUnder: Global craft supplier and stitch-a-photo or photo-to-graph conversion.
YLI: Unleash Your Imagination: In America and throughout the world, YLI is synonymous with silk. Now you can offer your customers Pure Silk Floss from YLI. This six strand floss is available in 84 lustrous colors and is packaged in convenient 5 meter put ups, ready for peg board or the attractive YLI carousel display.

YLI Silk Floss is very versatile. It adds a special elegance to any heirloom embroidery and shadow embroidery project. But wait until you see the excitement it adds to cross stitch, smocking, crewel and tapestry.
Laurel's Stitchery: Caron Collection: Welcome to Laurel's Stitchery: Caron Collection
Laurel's Stitchery is an online cross stitch and needlework shop in Norfolk, VA. We carry lots of charts, books, fabric, floss and other items for all your stitching needs. If you can't find what you're looking for, be sure to let us know because we can probably order it for you!
About the CARON Collection Threads: The CARON Collection's threads range from exquisite hand-dyed variegated threads in cotton, silk and wool-silk to exotic metallics and shimmering nylon. With a palette of colors that rival nature in depth and subtlety and a dazzling range of texture, the CARON Collection's threads have . . .

Embroidery Floss on eBay

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Tire Silk Thread Sampler Pack - 6 Dark Colors

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What Do You Use?

The Type of Thread I Use For My Own Projects and Why I Use It

There are dozens of thread makers out there, and thousands of choices as to content, blends, strand size, ply count, textures, special effects, and colors. For someone new to embroidery, the infinite number of choices in thread alone is enough to send them running for the shadows. I have had practice using most brand names and styles within brand names, and only one brand name comes out on top as the best thread maker: DMC.

Embroidery Floss Pack-Popular Colors 36/PK

I first started using DMC floss in about 1982, and have used little else since than.

For Kimono Embroidery I recommend their Rayon or Satin floss (the same thing sold under two different names). The floss has changed name, but most craft stores still have large quantities of the older name still in stock, so you will often see both names being sold side by side, but they are in fact the exact same thread.

DMC Satin Floss (Formerly DMC Rayon Floss) is sold in standard hank size or 8.7 yds. (8m) per skein. It is a 6-strand divisible rayon floss and is washable by hand or machine or dry cleanable. It is amazingly colorfast: many my embroideries are nearing 30 years old, and the ones made with DMC floss have not faded a bit and are still as bright as when I first made them! I can't say the same thing of most other companies, many of whose colors fade desperately over time. DMC Satin floss is available in the 100 most popular colors of the Cotton Floss line (which at last count had 471 colors in it).

Embroidery Floss Pack-Holiday 30/PK

For use on kimono silk, I'd recommend separating the 6 strands, and using 2 strands as you sew.

DMC also makes a wide array of special effects floss, including metallics, glitters, 12 shades of gold floss for couching, neons, glow-in-th-dark, pearlescents, shimmers, pearl cotton, linen, flower cotton, variegated, and more. All of their threads can be used with each other, and dye lots always match, with the same dye lots being used for all types of floss throughout their collection.

DMC floss is sold by dye lot numbers, rather than by color names, so that you can always match your floss if you run short on a project. You don't have to worry about buying too few skeins, because you can always buy more later, and they will always match. The advantage of the always matching dye lots, is that if you sewed something 30 years ago, and today it needs to be repaired, you can go out and buy the exact same dye lot number and mend your work, and no one will know the difference. I know you can do this, because I have done it myself.

DMC has another advantage over other brand names: an affordable price. Because they mass produce millions of skeins per dye lot, which are shipped out to all point of the globe, and sold at such places as Jo-Ann's and Wal-Mart, they are also able to sell their thread for less than half the price of other brand names.

The average price rage for DMC brand threads are as follows:

To anyone beginner or pro seeking advice on what thread to use, I always recommend DCM threads for every type of embroidery, cross stitch or needlepoint project. There is no thread of better quality, better colorfastness, better dye lot match ability, better wash ability, better wear ability, or affordable price range.

DMC Linen Floss 12 COLOR PACK Includes 10 Designs

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DMC Color Variations Motif Floss Pack

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Kimono Embroidery: Long & Short Satin Stitch

Needles To Use

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World of Embroidery

Threading a Needle

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Using Stab Method Embroidery

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Embriodered Kimono: Cranes and Chrysanthymums

Where To Start?

And a Look at Tone on Tone Embroidery

When working on a very large project, such as a kimono, even the most experienced embroiderer may find themselves daunted as to where to begin. Many stitchers are quick to avoid a large project, simply because it seems that no matter where they start, they will never reach the finish. This is a common, though unnecessary fear, which can be thwarted, simply by picking up needle and thread and starting your project. But than begs the question: Where to start?

It doesn't really matter too much, where you start working. Personally I prefer to start in the middle of the design and work my way outwards to the edges in a circular motion, so that the design appears to grow an ever expanding circle, regardless of what shape the design is. This method works especially well if you are using a hoop, since hoops are round in shape.

When working with a scroll frame, you can start at the lower corner and work your way across the fabric filling in everything as you go. Many stitchers do this, and it is probably the most common method. Again, however, I choose to start in the center of the design and work around and out. I find this to be the easiest method. What you choose to do is up to you, as there is no right or wrong place to start.

In regards to the actual design vs the background, it depends on the look you are going for. An example of this would be, the project I am working on right now. As stated earlier, this lens was started because I am currently working on 4 different furisode kimonos. All 4 have the same basic look, and similar designs, the biggest change between them being the colors used. To work out the patterns and stitches I plan to use, I drew up a few detail drawings of the kimonos and the designs I'll be using on them (see one of those drawings pictured at the upper right of this section ---->). As you can see from this drawing, on this kimono I am using only two separate colors: red and white. It seems at first to be nothing more than a simple design and a large blank area filled in with a solid color. A closer look at the kimono will reveal however, a highly detailed pattern of birds and flowers, stitched tone on tone against a background of the same color.

Motifs for Crazy Quilting:
Techniques for Embroidering and Embellishing Crazy Quilts

What this means is, that I am stitching on pure white silk, using white thread to stitch pure white designs, which can only be seen up close. What looks like solid white, is actually a very detailed bit of embroidery. In this case it is tone on tone using white thread on a white fabric, and therefor there is no need to fill in the background. See photo below to see what this looks like.

On this kimono are also large bands of red, approximately ten inches wide. On a first look, it seems that these are simply plain red bands, however, closer observation revels that there is a design or foreground made up of red birds and flowers, with the background filled in with a completely different, though similar shade of red. This is called tone on tone stitching, where the design and the background are both stitched from the same color thread, and it effects the way you will stitch the design.

To begin tone on tone stitching, again, you can start anywhere, but I recommend starting in the center of the design and working out in a circular motion, however stitch ONLY the design or foreground, not the background. If you stitch the background at the same time as the design it will be very easy for you to "lose" the design, making it very difficult for you to finish it. In tone on tone stitching always stitch the design first, and only go back to stitch the background after you have completed the foreground design.

When undertaking any embroidery project, big or small, multi colored or tone on tone, it is best to pick the biggest, hardest to achieve, or most detailed part of the project and get that out of the way first. Getting over the mountains first, makes the foothills a breeze on your way down, and will make your project seem to move along much faster.

Tone on Tone Embroidery

Choosing the Right Stitch

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Chinese Embroidery:
Traditional Techniques

Starting a Thread

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The Embroiderer's Countryside
(Helen Stevens' Masterclass Embroidery)

Kimono Embroidery: Crane and Maple Tree

Starting A Couching Thread

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Close Up of Couching Stitch on Kimono

Ending A Thread

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The Stitches

You have three basic stitches that you will be using on your kimono:

Long and short stitch

Satin Stitch

Stem Stitch

If you are planning to use gold, metal, or gold colored thread, than you will be using this stitch as well:

Couching

Goldwork

Other stitches sometimes used by modern day costumers include:

Running Stitch

French knot

Most other embroidery stitches (not listed) are completely unseen on kimonos, and the stitches on the second list, are not commonly used for kimonos.

The stitches on the first list are used almost exclusively in Japanese kimono embroidery, thus creating a smooth, shiny surface that appears to have been woven as the pattern of the cloth, rather than added on afterwards.

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Other Stitches To Try Out

Here are some other stitches that you may want to try:

Buttonhole Wheel

The Embroidery Stitch Bible

Woven Circle

Ray Fan

Diamond Eyelet Stitch

Leaf Stitch

Rice Stitch

I have never seen any of the stitches on this third list used on a kimono before, however, they all lend themselves beautifully to kimono embroidery and there is no reason why you can not experiment with using them.

Fixing Mistakes

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Blocking Your Work

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Finishing/Piecing Together Your Kimono

Kimonos are big, often with as much as 7 yards of fabric used on a single garment. Many kimonos are elaborately embroidered, with nearly 75% of the cloth covered in hand sewn stitches. Look at the kimono shown at right ---> and than look at the close up of the same kimono shown in the photo below. Note how the embroidery design was planned to move smoothly from one panel of the kimono to the other. This is a very important part of kimono embroidery. Each panel of the kimono was embroidered separately, before the kimono was sewn together, and yet, the end result looks as though the kimono was embroidered after it was stitched together, allowing for huge designs up to 35" across, to spread across the entire back, without being interrupted by the center back seam.

In order for this effect to be pulled off, you must do quite an extensive bit of pre-planning, keep careful track of what you embroider where, and piece your finished work together using the embroidery and not the seam lines as a guide. This is not as easy as it sounds. It is highly unusual for a kimono embroidery design to NOT extend seam lines. While the center back seam is the one that will stand out most prominently, the side seams, sleeve seams, front panel seams, and collar seams will all be affected by overlapping embroidery designs.

To make this work, always follow these steps when making an embroidered kimono:

Following these steps will ensure that your finished kimono, will have a design that moves smoothly across the panels uninterrupted by the seam lines.

Note How The Embroidery Was Planned To Move Smoothly From One Panel of The Kimono to The Other

Cleaning Needlework

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Caring For Your Embroidered Kimono

You will be spending a lot of time and money on your kimono, and you will want to make sure that it lasts for centuries. A well cared for kimono, can last for hundreds of years. Many of the antique kimonos in existence today, were sewn in the 1500 - 1600's. They lasted this long because they were well cared for.

Do not store your kimono in air-tight chests or closets for a long time. Make sure that the air in the storage container is exchanged often. Lack of air circulation and various forms of gass in the storage container cause discoloration on kimonos. The trapped moisture and gas are absorbed by the fabric and break down the dye. Take the kimono out of storage regularly and air them in a shaded, open location.They are best hung as a display piece of the wall of a dimly lit room, when not being worn.
Avoid humidity extremes. Mold will grow where there is a lack of air circulation and a presence of moisture. Once mold builds up on a kimono, it is almost impossible to remove. Prevention is better than cure. Sudden humidity changes, especially during the heating and cooling months of the year, must also be noted with caution.
Avoid direct sunlight. Dyed fabrics, (including embroidery threads) especially those using a blue dye or including blue (purple green gray) are sensitive to light, but direct sunlight can be detrimental. Avoid direct sunlight and ultra violet rays from florescent lights.
Handle your kimono with special care. Silk becomes weaker with age and with exposure to ultraviolet rays. Older kimonos are more fragile than contemporary kimonos but both need to be handled with care when worn or displayed. Consideration must be given to the exposure of sunlight and humidity.
Cleaning. With the exception of a few cotton or synthetic kimonos, most Kimono are made of silk and you should not launder them unless you know a good dry cleaner. You should note that the contraction between the lining and outer fabric is different, metallic threads, embroidery and other embellishments can easily come off, cotton filling can move independently and old fibers are very delicate.

Embroidered Kimono: Pheasant and Peony Blossoms worked in Satin and Long & Short Stitches

Great Stuff on eBay

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Great Stuff on CafePress

I Love Embroidery Button

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2.25" Button

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I Love Embroidery Sticker (Bumper)

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BusyBodies Cross Stitch Hooded Sweatshirt

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Rooster in Long & Short and Satin Stitches

Furisode on eBay

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Recommended Books For Your Sewing Library

Though the info I have provided here should be enough to get you started, it is by no means as complete or as detailed as it could be. The info I have provided, will get you started and help you if you are making a small wall hanging or an obi using the Japanese stitching method. If you are seriously considering embroidering a full kimono, than I would suggest you buy one or two books on the art, before you make an attempt at it.

Traditional Japanese Embroidery
(Handicraft Series)

The best books on kimono embroidery are of course the ones from Japan, however, these are quite hard to come by, and very exspensive when you do find them, usually selling in a price range from $50 to $300 each volume. Another drawback is that they are written in Japanese, requiring you to either be able to read Japanese, or have a very good prior knowledge of embroidery, so that you can go by the pictures alone (as I do, because I can not read Japanese.) The best place to find these books is on eBay, but note that shipping from Japan to the US is a minimum of $20 PER BOOK. A set of 5 books will cost you a minimum of $100 to have shipped from Japan to the US.

For those of you just starting out and looking for books for the beginner, there are several books of American origin, that should do quite nicely, and are readily available via Amazon. Here are the books I recommend you look into first:

The Fine Art of Kimono Embroidery

The Fine Art of Kimono Embroidery showcases the art of the talented embroidery artist Shizuka Kusano.

Shizuka Kusano's canvases are kimono, obi (the kimono sash), and tapestries, on which she creates extraordinary compositions in brilliant color and subtle tones, with a rich contrast in textures. Her themes are drawn from Japanese poetry, literature, and art, as well as traditional seasonally-oriented motifs such as trees, flowers, birds, and streams. Working exclusively with silk threads and fabric, and delicately balancing the use of space in her composition, Kusano's designs achieve the sophistication for which the best Japanese art is known.

The Fine Art of Kimono Embroidery

by: Shizuka Kusano

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Selected works are shown here in full color with explanatory captions, while a separate section covers the primary techniques used to create each piece. In addition, Kusano writes about how she came to be interested in embroidery and how she developed her art, and provides commentary on her themes and inspirations. She also includes an essay on the history of embroidery in Japan from the time it was introduced into the country from China in the sixth century up until the present.

Kusano's insight and fresh perspective on this unique art will inspire embroidery enthusiasts, textile collectors, and art lovers worldwide.

Release Date: 12/31/1969

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Painting with a Needle: Learning the Art of Silk Embroidery with Young Yang Chung

by: Young Yang Chung

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Long and Short Stitch Embroidery: A Collection of Flowers (Milner Craft Series)

by: Trish Burr

Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 12/11/2009)

In this stunning, color-illustrated collection of floral embroideries, the author of Redout%uFFFD's Finest Flowers in Embroidery introduces needleworkers to her unique long- and short-stitch needlepainting style of portraying flowers like a botanical painter. Five starter projects show novices how to create the illusion of brushwork in thread and use basic techniques, from preparing fabric and transferring designs to blocking and mounting. Sixteen easily achieved but challenging larger projects enable beginners and experts to bring to life meticulously detailed sunflowers, magnolias, bearded irises, an Icelandic poppy, roses, and more. With diagrams, full-size templates, and stitch directions included, this is a must-have for any embroiderer's library.

Goldwork

by: Valerie Campbell-Harding, Jane Lemon, Kit Pyman

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Release Date: 12/31/1969

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The Techniques of Japanese Embroidery

by: Shuji Tamura

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With its intricate patterning, silken and golden threads, and traditional symbolic motifs, Japanese embroidery is unlike any other embroidery technique. The term "lost art" is all too often applied to intricate textiles and needlecraft, but fortunately not to this exquisite artistry, which is still going strong even after a thousand years. This volume traces the history and applications of an ancient and fascinating form, and provides extensive instructions for achieving these beautiful designs. Though the techniques require patience and practice, many of the seemingly complex stitches are actually composed of surprisingly simple elements, and all is clearly explained here.

Release Date: 12/31/1969

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Beginner's Guide to Goldwork

by: Ruth Chamberlin

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Beginner's Guide to Traditional Japanese Embroidery

by: Julia D. Gray

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For Julia Gray, silk is the finest of natural fibres and is full of life and shine. Embroidery on this beautiful fabric has been worked in many countries, but Julia finds the perfection aspired to in traditional Japanese embroidery a wonderful challenge. She learned in Japan by copying the work of a master, and found not only a way to stitch, but also a philosophy that allowed her to achieve balance and harmony in her everyday life. In this inspirational guide she shares her passion and in depth knowledge of the history and practice of this eastern art form. It covers everything from handling flat silk and twisting your own threads to working the different stitches and finishing off an embroidery. Japanese design is influenced by the four seasons, but traditional designs also use the colors and symbols associated with festivals-trees, dolls, fish, birds, and mythical figures. A series of simple step-by-step projects, which include the story behind each motif, help the reader to develop their techniques and learn about the symbolism of a great tradition.

Release Date: 12/31/1969

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Traditional Japanese Embroidery: Instructions for the Basic Techniques

by: Shuji Tamura

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Embroidery Books on eBay

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Large Cranes Embroidered on Kimono

Meet The World's Top Manufacturers of Embroidery Floss

Official Websites

About the CARON Collection Threads: The CARON Collection's threads range from exquisite hand-dyed variegated threads in cotton, silk and wool-silk to exotic metallics and shimmering nylon. With a palette of colors that rival nature in depth and subtlety and a dazzling range of texture, the CARON Collection's threads have become a favorite of designers everywhere. Read about the threads below or click on COLOR CHARTS to view the colors in the collection. See USAGE CHARTS and THREAD EQUIVALENTS for guides on using the threads. Discover imaginative uses of our threads in GALLERY (use the navigation on the left) where we profile monthly the artistry of those using our threads. The CARON Collection threads are widely available through shops and mail order sources.
Coats & Clark: Explore our world of colorful yarns and threads, books and gadgets to help you discover how creative you can be!
DMC Creative World: DMC to continue selling the best quality and most recommended Embroidery Floss for another 262 years!

New Satin Floss!
A beautiful Specialty Thread to add sheen to your stitching .
Kreinik: Kreinik Thread, Iron On, Threads, Silk Thread, Education, Metallic Thread, Beads, Gifts, Store, Design, Color, Scrapbook . . .

Embroidered Kimono: Colorful Crane

My Other embroidery Lenses:

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New Wikipedia

Category: File - :Kazakh rug chain stitch embroidery.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Traditional embroidery in chain stitch on a Kazakh rug, contemporary.

Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins.

A characteristic of embroidery is that the basic techniques or stitches of the earliest work?chain stitch, buttonhole or blanket stitch, running stitch, satin stitch, cross stitch?remain the fundamental techniques of hand embroidery today.

Machine embroidery, arising in the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, mimics hand embroidery, especially in the use of chain stitches, but the "satin stitch" and hemming stitches of machine work rely on the use of multiple threads and resemble hand work in their appearance, not their construction.

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Resources

Where to find out more about the craft of embroidery, find local charters, and join guilds.

West Kingdom Needleworkers Guild: Welcome to of the Society for Creative Anachronism. The purposes of the Needleworkers Guild of the West Kingdom are:To promote the art
and enjoyment of historical needlework;To further our knowledge and develop our skills in different needlework styles;--and to have fun doing it!
West Kingdom Needleworkers Guild: Projects: Members' Projects
All members of the West Kingdom Needleworkers
Guild who have completed historically based projects are invited to e-mail Guild Minister. If you have projects or photos you'd like to have displayed . . .
Athena's Thimble Home Page: Keepers of Athena's ThimbleGuild

The Keepers of Athena's Thimble is the Embroiderers' Guild of the East Kingdom of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.
Embroiderers Guild: welcome: Embroiderers' Guild - the UK's leading crafts association sharing opportunities for discovery and creativity . . .
Royal Needlework Guild of Artemisia: Royal Needlework Guild of Artemisia
SPN -%uFFFD Join our Chapter: The purpose of this organization
shall be to foster the highest standards of
excellence in the practice of the art of
embroidery through an active program of
education and study and to preserve the heritage
of the art of embroi . . .
Barony of Carolingia, Boston, MA: The Carolingian Needleworkers Guild provides an open forum for discussion and teaching of embroidery, weaving, spinning, dyeing, lace making, basketry, tapestry and all related arts. The Needleworkers Guild can provide garb help by appointment. You don't need to be a member of the Guild to avail yourself of this service.
The Embroiderers' Guild of America: The purpose of this organization shall be to foster the highest standards of excellence in the practice of the art of%uFFFDembroidery through an active program of education and study and to preserve the heritage of the art of embroidery.
About Us Chapter%uFFFDDirectory EGA%uFFFD
Japanese Embroidery Gallery: The Japanese embroidery gallery pages are an Internet showcase to display the work and designs of Japanese embroidery students throughout the world.
Lincoln Needleworkers' Guild, EGA: Lincoln Needleworkers' Guild provides many excellent opportunities to learn more about the needle arts. LGN is an affiliate chapter of The Embroiderers' Guild of America. All stitchers are welcome.
Ontario Network of Needleworkers - About Us: OUR MANDATE IS

* To encourage communication among guilds and groups of needleworkers.
* To share information about available resources: teachers, speakers, suppliers, etc.
* To have an awareness of travelling instructors, to coordinate visits and share costs on some ventures.
* To exchange information on current and upcoming fibre events: shows to visit, calls for entry, etc.
* To help raise the profile of needlework to the general public.
Stan Hywet Needlework Guild: The Stan Hywet Needlework Guild is a support group of Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens which promotes education of its members in stitchery techniques, sponsors a needlework show each year, stimulates inter . . .
The Hobart Embroiderer's Guild Inc: Welcome to The Hobart Embroiderers' Guild Inc. Through these pages we would like to share with you something of our Guild. The Guild was formed so that all people with a love for embroidery, no matter what their skill level may be, can meet to share ideas, be inspired by one another and just enjoy taking time out to stitch, chat and be with other like minded people.

We welcome new members, or interstate Embroidery Guild Members visiting Hobart. We also invite anyone who would like to get to know us better before joining to come along for three meetings, paying only a nominal amount, and then deciding if they would like to become a member.

The Hobart Embroiderers' Guild Inc. has a close association with other embroidery guilds within the state of Tasmania, as well as those in mainland states. You will find addresses of these guilds on our links page.

Enjoy reading on, and if you decide to come to one of our meetings a warm welcome is assured.
The Japanese Embroidery Center: Japanese Embroidery, embroidery supplies, silks, metallics, metallic thread, beads, koma, needlework, couching, beads, beading, beadwork, silk and metal thread embroidery and information about Japanese arts can be found at The Japanese Embroidery Center Web site http://www.japaneseembroidery.com.
Information: Every year in spring, exhibition by Kurenai-kai members are held. The intermediate and advanced students's pieces will be on display (including kimonos, obis, and interior pieces)
Embroiderers' Association of Canada Inc.: The idea for a national Embroiderers' Association began with a small group of dedicated embroiderers who met in Winnipeg, in the studio of Leonida Leatherdale. Letters were sent to needlework groups and guilds across Canada. The first formal organizational meeting was held September 27th, 1973. With the aid of competent legal advice, bylaws were drafted and approved by the federal government, and in November of 1974 the Embroiderers' Association of Canada, Incorporated officially came into existence. Head office was in Winnipeg, Manitoba - the geographic centre of Canada - where, it was felt, EAC could grow to the east and to the west.
National Embroidery Teachers' Association: The National Embroidery Teachers Association is an organization open to all teachers, active or retired, and to prospective teachers of embroidery and other textile arts. The purposes of the organization are:

1. To unite into one organization all persons actively engaged in the profession of teaching embroidery and those teachers who have retired;
2. To further the professional improvement of the members;
3. To serve as a clearing agency for promoting education and disseminating information pertaining to teaching embroidery;
4. To foster the promotion and perpetuation of the professionalism of its members;
5. To work toward the advancement of professional education in embroidery.

By increasing the exchange and flow of information NETA endeavors to maintain high standards among the members.
Needlework Guild of MN Home Page: The Needlework Guild of Minnesota is a non-profit educational organization founded to promote high quality in the art of needlework and to provide an opportunity for the interchange of ideas among people interested in stitchery with all levels of expertise welcome.
The Embroiderers' Guild of South Australia Inc. - Home: The Embroiderers' Guild of South Australia Inc. was formed in 1965 to promote the practice, study and appreciation of embroidery in all its forms and to encourage excellence by practice and example.
The Embroiderers' Guild N.S.W. Inc.: Embroiderers' Guild New South Wales our aim is to encourage embroiderers in the art of embroidery>
The Embroiderers' Guild Queensland Home Page promoting embroidery and allied arts: We are a group of kindred spirits who meet to share our interest in Embroidery. We all start out at some point to learn and value the work of the needle and thread. The Guild is the home for beginners as well as the advanced. If you enjoy this beautiful work, do come and visit us and learn more about all the different forms of Embroidery.
Embroiderers Guild, Victoria, Australia: The Embroiderers Guild, Victoria is a not-for-profit organisation open to all lovers of embroidery and textiles, whether beginner or expert. The Guild commenced in 1960 and has approximately 2000 members throughout Victoria, Australia, including 11 Country Branches.
~ ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND EMBROIDERERS GUILD ~: Association of New Zealand Embroiderers Guild