VALUABLE CRAFTS
EMBROIDERY, KNITTING, LACEMAKING AND WEAVING

Alongside knitting and crocheting, embroidery is the new trend in the crafting world. Whether people are creating wall decorations or embellishing old items of clothing, cushions, throws and the like, embroidery is more popular than ever. Embroiderers still decorate fabrics as they used to a hundred years ago. Many embroidery techniques (cross stitch, whitework, multi‑colour embroidery, tapestry, hardanger embroidery,...) decorate fabrics by pulling thread through them or sewing thread onto them. They are used to create invaluable works of art all over the world, with fine craftsmanship being used to apply patterns, ornamentation, coats of arms and lettering to flags, rugs and wall hangings. Lace-making is a technique that uses thread wound round spindle-shaped bobbins, mostly made from wood, to make a range of different pieces. Bobbin lace is created by systematically alternating between twisting, weaving, knotting and interlacing threads. The basis of every piece of “real lace” is its pattern. There are many types of lace, and in Austria these include Graz and Tyrol lace. Knitting has also become very current again in urban areas, with knitting circles making fantastic items of clothing, ensuring that the art is surviving in the Vulkanland region. Weaving is one of the oldest techniques and involves crossing vertical and transverse threads with each other to create artistic fabrics.