The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-07
gOCTE T'Y
BY EMMA TouLMiN REID.
Bell Telephone 1897
ORIGIN OF EMBROIDERY.

! Embroidery was an important art Of
: the oriental countries. even common
among savage tribes The red Indians
ornamented their blanket wrapper with
embroidery and much embroidery was
done by Indian women with strands Of
/ their own hair, and beautiful card cases
are relics of their design.
/ The Laplandors on reindeer skin en-
/ broidered with needles of reindeer bone
and thread made of sinews and strips of
hide. The Anglo-saxon had a continental
I reputation and between the eleventh and
sixteenth centuries the art of pictorial
needle work was of highest Importance
as recreation and industry
The Jew acquired the art from the
Egyptians. Homer makes frequent allus-
ions to embroidery--it was greatly in de-
mand in Rome. Hndoos. Persians and
Turks excel in the industry. though the
/ Chinese make the most tedius and elabo-
rate design
Embroidery was imported to the Japa-
nese from China via Corea by Buddhist
missionaries. and now it is in Japan a
profession among men and boys, few
women pursuing the art
The first machine for embroidery was
exhibited at the French Industrial exhi-
btion in 1S54. There were in operation
then between so and 40 needles This
machine embroidery became popular and
could be made so rapidly, including beau
! tiful designs cheapened the price, while
it has always been used in trimmings, 1t
was so easily purchased at a small cost.
the art became less common among wom-
en- until now. when nothing is more
dainty and elegant than our velvet and
French embroidery; in fact. it has be-
come a fad. There are times when every
woman has some especial design of needle
work ON hand and she can scarcely stop
counting her stitches or measuring her
space to become interested in casual
events, Hand embroidery. the beautiful
stitches in silk and linen that once made
our grandmother's gown so famous, our
table covers so elegant, that added so TO
the charm of generous hospitality, have
been again revived. and nothing is more
admired today than the beautiful hand
embroideries.
There are centerpieees and doilies that
occupy no insignificant utility in the
home.
Good taste is never more appreciated
than in the decoration OF the home. The
costly articles are not always the most
artistic, There is no need for discomfort
when dainty work can be so interesting
and so useful and affords SO much pleas
ure to others. Every woman does some
special work. What child has not been
taught during the long winter evenings to
gather around the flreside and pursue
something useful, some stitch that when
woven together creates an article of
which she is justly proud, and with girlsh
Joy shows her accomplishment to her
playmates and stimulates desire in them
to do just as well?
Example is "A wonderful power 1t is
not the lack of courage or enterprise that
makes one cling to someone -else's pat
| tern, but a want of confidence in ones
own ability suggests another to take
| the lead
! Thus Il fad is born and with Its erea-
ton Industries spring No matter how
simple the art, how original the idea,
when you have succeeded in starting a
fashion you will find that people will be
fashionable"
Hence the revival of embroideries, of
hand made garments and dainty hem
stitching are attractive sources of EN-
ployment and pin money making.