If there is one thing left that we know of fashion, it is about how timeless it can be. It is thus little surprise that a fashion concept which was in play many years ago can surface and become a hotcake again. Such concepts that fall into this category are embroideries.
Being one of the earliest forms of designs for the high class and those that wanted something special, embroideries have now become even more sophisticated these days. That is to be expected though – what with the advancement in technology and all.
For those that have been considering getting some embroidery job done, this
article promises to expose all the things you have always wanted to know, but been shy to ask.
What is Embroidery?
It would be wrong to define what embroidery is without referring to what it was. After all, isn’t that where the whole story started?
Thus, it is just right to say embroidery – in its traditional form, that is – involves the stitching of material strands onto yet another material. In most cases, the material used for stitching is a thread. In some other cases, a ready-made design is transferred onto the material of choice by stitching.
The main purpose of embroidery was, and still is, to transfer words and images onto a surface without using ink at all. That makes it unique and different from the duo of screen printing and direct-to-garment printing techniques.
How is Embroidery carried out?
Traditional embroidery was done by hand and would require many days to get a design done. These days, such designs can be done in mere minutes with the aid of specially-designed machines.
Machine embroidery can also be used to mean two different things. It could be using a sewing machine to make embroidered designs. It could likewise be used to mean using of a specially-designed machine to transfer embroidery patterns inputted into it onto another surface.
What can be embroidered?
One of the best things about the embroidery technique is in how it can be applied to any and all clothing and accessories. That allows wide applications on shirts, garments, caps, hats, handkerchiefs, and towels, to mention but a few.
You can also add a special touch to household fabric with embroidered designs. It is thus not uncommon to see table clothes, curtains, bedsheets and related fabrics with embroidery on them.
Types of Embroidery
There are three main types of embroidery patterns that you can opt for on your project:
- Flat embroidery: This type of embroidery is mostly used for small details. As the name implies, they are knitted as close to the surface of the material as possible so that they don’t create much of a physical bump.
- 3D puff embroidery: Unlike flat embroidery, the 3D puff is slightly raised with the aid of a foam under the characters/object represented on the material's surface. 3D puff embroideries find application in the creation of big shapes.
- Partial 3D puff embroidery: This is a specialized technique which combines the processes of flat and 3D puff embroidery to create a unique design.
Importance of Embroidery
Embroidery is a very unique form of fabric art, allowing the artist and client a higher level of control over the design. It is also good that embroidery can be done on almost any type of fabric – polos, caps, shirts, trousers, etc.
You will equally enjoy all the benefits of having a unique feel in a pool of people that have opted for standard ink printing techniques.
Perhaps the biggest advantage you get from embroidered fabric designs is in the durability and quality of the design. Done right, a single embroidery can last many years, withstand abuses and come out of every wash session without a scratch.
If you’d like to maintain a solid impression on the people you meet with a unique design, choosing embroidery won’t be out of place. Giving off the feel of a high-value purchase too, the reasons backing embroidered designs are just too much to be ignored.
Little wonder it has stood the test of time till this very moment while still holding so much more potential for the future.