A Discussion Of Embroidery Designs And Styles

Embroidery designs can be used to decorate everything from pillowcases to glass cases

to beach bags -- just about everything you can imagine in fact!

If it has a border, trim, hem or lapel it can be embellished with embroidery designs.

Traditional places for embroidery are shirt cuffs, lapels, lapel pockets, the inside of coat linings, the centers and edges of table cloths, the edges of pillowcases and sheets, the hems of skirts and towels.

Embroidery is also used to create decorative pillowcases and as it is considered to be a cross between a handicraft and fine art, embroidery designs can also be framed and put on a wall to decorate a home.

There are millions of embroidery designs. Just about any idea, theme or object in the world can be made into a concept for an embroidered project. However embroidery designs can involve the use of many styles including blackwork, canvas painted projects, Hapsburg lace, Mountmelluck, fine white work, gold work and modern Jacobean work.

Blackwork is a hand embroidery technique in which simple and intricate patterns are worked on a counted fabric such as line using different thickness of black embroidery threads. The effect of these designs is very dignified and modern and labor-intensive examples almost resemble charcoal or pencil drawings. You can get free blackwork designs, and lots of other embroidery techniques, at www.needlework-tips-and-techniques.com.

Canvas painted kits are custom embroidery kits that are based on your own designs. You come up with the idea or concept for the image and a company or an artist paints your idea with permanent paints onto 14 or 18 count mono canvas. This template can be worked by you using a variety of hand embroidery stitches.

You can buy the canvasses on their own or trimmed with crewel wools. An excellent and reputable provider of canvas painted custom embroidery designs is www.berlinembroidery.com

Hapsburg lace is an intricate form of European embroidery. Embroidery patterns for this type of labor intensive, intricate work are usually sold in a kit such as the Hapsburg lace kits sold at www.berlinembroidery.com. Bright white lacy patterns are worked onto pearl color cottons to create a classy and elegant archival portrait of antique lace styles. Sometimes ribbons or beads are inserted between some rows of the Hapsberg lace patterns to give the entire project a touch of visceral interest.

Mountmellick is a bold form of white work that originated in Ireland. The embroidery is worked on a heavy white satin jean fabric with variegated thicknesses of white embroidery threads. This technique is ideal to work into a cushion cover or table cloth as Mountmellick embroidery patterns are hardy enough to be tossed into the washing machine.

Modern Jacobean is a hand embroidery technique that incorporates traditional Jacobean designs with modern materials, to produce rich and textural embroideries. Dragon flies, birds of paradise and unicorns are popular motifs for these type of embroidery.

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