Embroidery may conjure up images of ladies stitching granny doilies and tablecloths.
Nothing could be further from the truth, says a spokesperson from the Thames Valley Embroiderers’ Guild.
The guild is having its biannual display,The Art of Stitch in, Katikati and hopes to dispel those myths.
Embroideryis an ancient craft thought to date back as far as the 5th century BC. Throughout the centuries it has been used for both function and decoration, a spokesperson says.
“For example, the large tapestries in French chateaus were both a wonderful depiction of that age, but also provided wall coverings against the cold. The Japanese technique of boro, now popular with modern-day stitchers, was originally developed as a way of repairing and reinforcing worn fabric such as clothing.”
Countries around the world have developed their own characteristic types of embroidery, the spokesperson says, and all of which create decorative depictions of their cultures.
Today, embroidery and stitching cover all kinds of techniques and styles.
An example of reticella.
The Art of Stitch will have works inspired by traditional techniques such as reticella from 15th-century Italy, whitework, cross-stitch, sashiko and schwalm, to contemporary wool embellishment, fabric collage, creative free-form embroidery and the increasingly popular slow stitching.
