Scarf (shawl) with Etamin embroidery – grey

What is the Scarf (shawl)

A scarf, plural scarves, is a piece of fabric worn around the neck or head for warmth, sun protection, cleanliness, fashion, or religious reasons or used to show the support for a sports club or team. They can be made in a variety of different materials such as wool, linen, silk or cotton. It is a common type of neckwear.

History shawl & Scarf 

Scarves have been worn since ancient times.The Statue of Ashurnasirpal II from the 9th century BC features the emperor wearing a shawl. In Ancient Rome, the garment was used to keep clean rather than warm. It was called a focale or sudarium (sudarium from the Latin for “sweat cloth”), and was used to wipe the sweat from the neck and face in hot weather. They were originally worn by men around their neck or tied to their belt.

Historians believe that during the reign of the Chinese Emperor Cheng, scarves made of cloth were used to identify officers or the rank of Chinese warriors.

In later times, scarves were also worn by soldiers of all ranks in Croatia around the 17th century. The only difference in the soldiers’ scarves that designated a difference in rank was that the officers had silk scarves whilst the other ranks were issued with cotton scarves. Some of the Croatian soldiers served as mercenaries with the French forces. The men’s scarves were sometimes referred to as “cravats” (from the French cravate, meaning “Croat”), and were the precursor of the necktie.

The scarf became a real fashion accessory by the early 19th century for both men and women. By the middle of the 20th century, scarves became one of the most essential and versatile clothing accessories for both men and women.

Embroidery

is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen on caps, hats, coats, blankets, dress shirts, denim, dresses, stockings, and golf shirts. Embroidery is available with a wide variety of thread or yarn color.

Some of the basic techniques or stitches of the earliest embroidery are chain stitch, buttonhole or blanket stitch, running stitch, satin stitch, cross stitch.^[1] Those stitches remain the fundamental techniques of hand embroidery today.

What Is Hand Embroidery

All the beauty in Embroidery

Embroidery is so much a part of our lives that we may not even notice it. However, when a shirt or skirt features fancy stitching, when a baseball cap has a stitched logo, or when a sweater is monogrammed, embroidery is the cause. Granted, this kind of embroidery is done by machine, but beautiful stitching is also possible through the age-old art of hand embroidery.

History of Hand embroidery

Hand embroidery, of one kind or another, is thousands of years old. It was used in Ancient Egypt to decorate the hems of royal robes, in tapestries in the Middle Ages, and in ladies?samplers during the Colonial and Victorian eras. It continues as an art form today. Many people are familiar with counted cross stitch ?a cousin to hand embroidery ?and it seems that counted cross stitch has nearly eclipsed it. However, there are many people who still love to work hand embroidery, and it decorates wall hangings, pillowcases, quilts and table runners.

What is Etamin?

Etamin is a light, transparent fabric with a grid-like look. Etamin is woven in plain or mock leno weave. Cotton, viscose or silk are used as yarns.