Traditional Hand Embroidery: The Essence of Embroidery

Source: Lune Bleue - Maison Duchenoy

Hand embroidery is more than just a technical skill, it is more about the dedication to creating high quality pieces that transcend functionality and become an art form.

Industrial embroidery machines: A breakthrough

Advantages of industrial embroidery machines:

• Fast speed: Industrial embroidery machines can complete an embroidery product in a short time, helping to increase productivity and meet large production needs.

• High precision: Computerized embroidery machines can perform delicate and complex embroidery with high precision.

• Mass production capability: Industrial embroidery machines help mass produce identical embroidery products to meet market demand.

Traditional hand embroidery: A thousand years of ups and downs, a colorful industry

Rich embroidery techniques

Beauvais Embroidery: A Brilliant Touch from the Orient

Beauvais embroidery, believed to have originated in China, spread throughout Europe in the 18th century thanks to the vibrant trade between Asia and Europe. Renowned for its intricate and colorful embroidery, the technique is named after the French city of Beauvais, which is considered the birthplace of embroidery.

Under the patronage of Madame de Pompadour (*), Beauvais embroidery reached its zenith in France. Initially, Beauvais embroidery was used to decorate church objects and religious works of art. Gradually, the technique was used to create decorative embroidery for noble and wealthy families: embroidered paintings, tapestries and other decorative works of art. The great popularity of Beauvais embroidery even brought it into the field of men's fashion, becoming a competitor to graphic arts. The crochet chain stitch, also known as "Pompadour embroidery" or "Beauvais embroidery", allows for the creation of shimmering color patches and the expression of diverse shades with a tight texture.

In the 19th century, Beauvais embroidery was widely used in decorative works such as wall hangings, curtain borders, bedspreads, etc. However, by the 20th century, the use of this technique gradually narrowed (mainly on household items and haute couture clothing). However, its appeal has not diminished, attracting sophisticated American collectors, even more knowledgeable than most French. The less use can be explained by the meticulousness and high technique it requires.

Today, Beauvais embroidery remains a popular embroidery technique among artisans around the world. Beauvais embroidery is prized for its exquisite beauty, vibrant colors, and masterful technique.

Characteristics of Beauvais embroidery:

• Using Fine Wool: Beauvais embroidery often uses fine, high-quality wool to create delicate and smooth embroidery lines.

• Rich Colors: This technique uses a variety of colors to create vibrant and vibrant embroidery.

• Various embroidery techniques: Beauvais embroidery uses a variety of embroidery techniques, including flat embroidery, raised embroidery, shaded embroidery, and crochet embroidery.

• Diverse motifs: Beauvais embroidery is often used to depict floral motifs, landscapes, animals and religious images.

Some interesting facts about Beauvais embroidery:

• The Beauvais Embroidery Museum (Musée de la Tapisserie de Beauvais) in France is home to Beauvais embroidery from the 17th century to the present day.

• The world's largest Beauvais tapestry measures 100 square metres and is on display at the Palace of Versailles in France.

• Beauvais embroidery was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009.

With its rich history and unique artistic value, Beauvais embroidery has always been a symbol of luxury, sophistication and class in the world of embroidery art.

* Madame de Pompadour (real name Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson) was the official mistress of King Louis XV of France from 1745 to 1751. She is widely known for her great influence on the king and 18th-century French culture. She was a lover of art and literature, playing an important role in the patronage of artists and writers of the time. She was known for her refined and elegant dress sense, leading the fashion trends in France. Although she did not officially hold political power, she was able to influence the king's decisions regarding art, culture and politics.

Kim Embroidery: Ancient and Everlasting Beauty

Needle embroidery is an ancient craft technique that uses needles and thread to create decorative images and patterns on fabrics. This technique has existed for thousands of years and has been developed in many cultures around the world. With a rich diversity, from pure white embroidery, bright colored embroidery, meticulous counted stitch embroidery, delicate hollow embroidery to unique cut-out embroidery, needle embroidery has been used since ancient times to decorate costumes and later on household items.

There are many different types of needle embroidery, each with its own unique characteristics and techniques. Some common types of needle embroidery include:

• Silent Embroidery: The most basic type of embroidery, using simple stitches to create lines and shapes.

• Embossed Embroidery: Uses special embroidery stitches to create 3D embossed images on fabric.

• Diving Embroidery: Uses subtle color mixing techniques to create smooth color transitions.

• Crochet: Use a crochet hook to create intricate lace and floral patterns.

Needle embroidery can be applied to a wide variety of materials, including clothing, homewares, paintings, and artwork. Needle embroidery is not only a decorative technique but also a way to express the artist's creativity and personality.

Hit Hity values ​​this traditional heritage, while also understanding the limitations associated with modern laundry processes. Therefore, Hity proposes the use of delicate needle embroidery techniques on both household items and clothing, to honor the ancient beauty. but still ensure applicability in modern life.

For Hity, needle embroidery is not only a craft technique, but also a symbol of luxury, sophistication and class.

Needle painting (needle embroidery): The art of embroidery as delicate as painting

Needle painting (also known as needle embroidery) is an ancient hand embroidery technique originating from the East.

The outstanding feature of this technique is the use of small, straight stitches, cleverly arranged to create a vivid effect like drawing lines. The stitches in needle painting are often cleverly stacked on top of each other, the direction changes flexibly to create blocks for the image, showing both light and dark. What is special is that the needle embroidery works are beautiful on both the front and back. Needle embroidery is often inspired by nature, photos or paintings. The artisans will embroider images of flowers, birds, butterflies and even human portraits with just a cotton or silk thread.

Needle embroidery is a delicate combination of traditional embroidery and painting. This technique requires the craftsman's skill, meticulousness and high aesthetic sense. Each needle embroidery work is a vivid picture, bringing luxury and sophistication to the living space.

Applications of needlepoint painting can be seen in tablecloths, bed sheets, napkins, embroidery, wall hangings and other works of art.

Needle embroidery requires more skill, meticulousness, sophistication and aesthetic sense of the craftsman than needle embroidery to create vivid and deep embroidery works. While needle embroidery can use many different colors and types of thread, needle painting often uses a single thread to create vivid multi-dimensional images. Each needle embroidery work is a unique work of art, bringing luxury and sophistication to fashion and living space.

With the development of embroidery art, needle embroidery is increasingly popular and widely applied. This technique is not only an elegant hobby but also a way to express the creative passion and love of art of the embroiderer.

Pulled-thread work: The delicate art of embroidery by "pulling the thread"

Pulled-thread work is a unique embroidery technique that creates beautiful decorative designs by taking advantage of the structure of the fabric itself. Unlike other traditional embroidery styles, pulled-thread work does not cut the fabric threads, but instead uses skillful techniques to "pull" groups of threads, creating open spaces and mesh-like patterns. The embroiderer will pull some of the threads vertically or horizontally to create gaps. They will then use special embroidery stitches to create patterns in these gaps.

Characteristics of thread embroidery:

• Suitable for evenweave knits: The thread drawing technique is often performed on evenweave knits, where the warp and weft threads are of similar size. This makes it easier to draw groups of threads and create regular patterns.

• Using basic embroidery stitches: Although thread embroidery creates an impressive effect, the embroidery stitches used are actually quite simple, usually satin stitch or stem stitch, chain stitch, buttonhole stitch, leaf stitch. However, the arrangement and manipulation of these embroidery stitches requires meticulousness and high precision.

• Creating an "open" effect: The characteristic of thread embroidery is to create gaps in the fabric, giving a light, airy feeling to the work.

• Versatile Applications: Drawn thread embroidery can be used in fashion, or to decorate a variety of items such as napkins, shirts, bed sheets, and even furniture. Popular motifs in drawn thread embroidery include florals, geometric shapes, and traditional patterns.

The works of hand-drawn embroidery always carry delicate and beautiful patterns, bringing luxury and elegance to the product. Each hand-drawn embroidery work is a unique product, demonstrating the creativity and skills of the embroiderer. Hand-drawn embroidery products are of high value because they require meticulousness, patience and high technique of the embroiderer.

Thread drawing embroidery is a complex technique , requiring meticulousness, patience and high technique of the embroiderer to control the needle and thread and create delicate lines. Thread drawing technique allows the embroiderer to freely create with patterns and layouts, creating unique works with personal imprint. Thread drawing embroidery takes a lot of time and effort of skilled workers, so the products have a higher price than normal embroidery products.

Thread drawing embroidery is an ancient embroidery technique, learning thread drawing helps you connect with the craft tradition and appreciate the craftsmanship of the ancient craftsmen.

Cornely Embroidery: The Art of Hand-Controlled Machine Embroidery

Cornely embroidery is a machine-based embroidery technique that is manually controlled by an embroiderer. The name of this technique comes from the type of machine used to create the embroidery. Developed in the 19th century to imitate the sophisticated Beauvais stitch, Cornely embroidery was widely used in the 20th century to decorate household items and fashion.

The Cornely embroidery machine, which is manually operated by the embroiderer, is capable of producing two main styles of embroidery:

• Double Thread Embroidery: Allows decorative materials to be added to the work in the form of braiding (with two threads).

• Three-thread embroidery: Helps create volume and highlights for braided details.

Cornely embroidery machines can work on a variety of fabrics, from cotton, thin to thick linen, even silk and rough fabrics. With the creativity and skills of the embroiderer, Cornely embroidery can be transformed into countless unique works of art, adding luxury and class to your living space.

Plumetis (Bourdon) Embroidery: High-performance machine embroidery

Plumetis (or Bourdon) embroidery is a technique of embroidery that uses machines but is manually controlled by skilled embroiderers. This technique was born in the 19th century. The name of this technique comes from the white needle embroidery term "plumetis" or "bourdon".

The Bourdon stitch is characterized by creating raised embroidery knots, giving the work a rugged and dramatic surface effect.

Plumetis embroidery is commonly used for monograms, floral embroidery, hems and appliqués. Plumetis embroidery can be applied to a variety of fabrics, from cotton, linen to silk.

Although lower in cost and faster in speed than full hand embroidery, Plumetis embroidery cannot replace the sophistication and elegance of traditional white needle embroidery.

Multi-head embroidery: Fast, precise and colorful

Multi-head embroidery is a modern embroidery technique that uses automated machines to create embroidery works quickly and accurately. This technique uses embroidery machines with multiple heads, each head can embroider a different color or type of thread, allowing for embroidery works with many colors and complex patterns. Unlike other embroidery techniques that require the control of an embroiderer, multi-head embroidery machines operate completely independently.

Outstanding advantages of multi-head embroidery:

• Speed: Multi-head embroidery machines can operate at high speeds, allowing for mass production of embroidery products quickly and efficiently.

• Accuracy: The machine is controlled by computer, ensuring high precision in each embroidery stitch, helping to reproduce complex patterns perfectly.

• Wide Color Range: Multi-head embroidery machines can use a wide range of colors, allowing for vibrant and eye-catching embroidery creations.

• Laser cutting capabilities: Some multi-head embroidery machines also incorporate laser cutting technology, allowing for the creation of unique and intricate embroidery designs.

Multi-head embroidery is often used to embroider patterns on tablecloths, bed sheets, towels... Multi-head embroidery can create embroidered paintings, tapestries and other works of art to decorate interior spaces.

Because they are mass produced, multi-head embroidery products are often less personalized than traditional hand embroidery techniques. Multi-head embroidery machines can be picky about fabrics and are not suitable for all fabrics.

However, multi-head embroidery is still an important embroidery technique in the textile industry today. With the development of technology, multi-head embroidery techniques are increasingly improved, promising to bring more sophisticated and beautiful embroidery products in the future.

Machine Embroidery: Fast and Accurate for Home Products

Machine embroidery is a modern, fully automatic embroidery technique that uses computers to control the embroidery patterns. In this technique, there is no direct human intervention in the embroidery process.

Embroidery machines generally come in two main forms:

• Frame Embroidery Machine: Suitable for embroidering images, logos or single motifs on fabric.

• Roll embroidery machine: Suitable for embroidering repeating patterns on the entire length of the fabric, commonly used for mass production of home appliances and interior decoration fabrics.

Advantages of machine embroidery:

• Speed: Embroidery machines can operate quickly and continuously, making mass production of embroidery products efficient.

• Accuracy: The machine is controlled by computer, ensuring high precision in each embroidery stitch, helping to reproduce complex patterns perfectly.

• Consistency: Machine embroidery ensures consistency in color, size and pattern across all products.

Machine embroidery is commonly used to embroider patterns on tablecloths, bed sheets, towels, bathrobes, curtains, tapestries and other fabric products to decorate interior spaces.

Because they are mass-produced, machine embroidery is often less personalized than traditional hand embroidery techniques. Machine embroidery can have difficulty reproducing very intricate or intricate designs.

Elevating hand embroidery to a hand embroidery industry

The combination of industrial embroidery machines and traditional hand embroidery techniques can create unique embroidery products with high artistic value and meet market demand. Instead of considering industrial embroidery machines as a replacement, we can apply it as a powerful support tool for the embroidery industry. Industrial embroidery machines can help improve productivity, meet market demand and create conditions for hand embroidery artisans to focus on high-end works of art.

Preserving and promoting the traditional hand embroidery art requires the joint efforts of the community. To improve, first of all, we will work together to rekindle the love for traditional cultural values, thereby stimulating the passion for learning and practicing of artisans. We will need to have systematic training programs to improve the skills of hand embroidery artisans. And we all agree that: applying science and technology to the stages of design, production and promotion of hand embroidery products will improve labor efficiency to create more works with a traditional breath.

Elevate luxury with exquisite embroidery

Hity is proud to bring ultimate beauty to fashion creations and interior spaces that require luxury through the preservation and promotion of traditional embroidery art.

At Hity, our sister, Ty Trang, has shown her passion for embroidery from an early age and she is an endless source of inspiration for research, creation and construction of special and unique embroidery works, including more than 1,000 original designs and hundreds of other designs that are constantly updated. From this invaluable resource, Hity constantly searches for new techniques, new fabrics and new patterns to innovate, surpass and honor the art of embroidery.

Each Hity embroidery work is a symbol of luxury, sophistication and class.