In general, embroidery - a way of decorating clothes and interior items with the help of a pattern of colored threads - has existed for a very long time. Already in the Ancient World, many methods and types of embroidery were known. Basically, it symbolized certain beliefs of one or another people, was a kind of talisman from the dark forces and evil spirits. Also, for example, in ancient Egypt, a certain embroidery meant a person's social position: the most beautiful, multicolored, rich embroidery was made on clothes only from the royal family, the pharaohs; among the lower strata of society it was much more modest or nonexistent.
Of course, embroidery was common not only in Egypt, but, for example, in Ancient Greece, where homemade items were found, on which are depicted women embroidering on the embroidery frame. Preserved to this day and the ancient Chinese products of silk, which are skillfully embroidered with gold and silver threads.
The Slavic peoples originally had embroidery of a religious nature, was the so-called amulet of evil. No wonder the embroidery was on the edge of the sleeves, the collar, the hem, that is, in those places where the body is open. Very different, certain patterns were meant for festive, ritual and wedding dresses. Embroidered products were given to the child at birth, it was believed that they protect it from evil forces.
Later, embroidery was used not only as symbols of the deity, amulets, but also as an ornament of clothing and household items - curtains, tablecloths, bed linen, hats, shirts, towels and so on. Women could embroider a wide variety of patterns: from geometric figures to various scenes from everyday life. Very famous for embroidery from Byzantium, where the masters reached unprecedented heights in the depiction of plant ornament.
The technique of embroidery is strongly influenced by the structure of the fabric, perhaps, therefore, cross-stitching was especially common, as an easier method. However, embroidery on the surface is also an ancient method. Also, great importance was attached not only to the ornament, but also to the color scheme of the embroidered pattern. Often, certain colors or combinations of colors were a kind of visiting card, a village, a city, and sometimes an entire nation.
In general, embroidery was very common in the countryside and is associated mainly with cultural customs, while in the city it could be found much less often and mainly among the notable population. The city's embroidery was more influenced not by cultural traditions, but by the fashionable trends of that time.
Hand embroidery and now, in the world of high technology and computer labor, has not lost its relevance and popularity. Things decorated with embroidered ornaments, pillows, towels, acquire unusualness and originality. Paintings embroidered with a cross are often appreciated above painted by oil on canvas. Therefore, if you master the basic techniques of embroidery with a smooth and a dagger, you can create wonderful products without much expense and labor.