Embroidery is derived from the French word broder meaning 'to embellish'.

A plain fabric is typically used as the backdrop for a variety of embroidery stitches to produce designs such as pictures, patterns, or words. The cloth is usually held taut with a wooden/plastic hoop or frame so that the stitches produced lie evenly on the fabric's surface.

An amazing array of ideas can be expressed via embroidery. With a little imagination you can give a plain garment your original touch, or perhaps present a personal wedding keepsake.

Note that any of the stitch dictionaries listed in the Basic Techniques section may also contain stitches relevant to canvaswork.