Xiang embroidery uses pure silk, hard satin, soft satin, glass yarn and nylon as its material, which are connected with colorful silk threads. The thin silk thread can be divided into up to many strands that are barely visible. The embroider can split the hair-thin colored silk thread into filaments--half, quarter, 1/12, 1/64 or more of its original thickness and uses these to create subtle and refined visions of beauty. The stitches are very disciplined and critical. The various colored threads are mixed together showing a gradual change in color with a rich and harmonious tone. Xiang embroidery is high detailed and there is more handwork involved to complete these artistic pieces.
The designs of Xiang embroidery mostly derive from traditional Chinese paintings, landscapes, portraits, flowers, birds and animals or famous western oil paintings. It features techniques of painting, engraving, inscription, calligraphy and embroidery. Absorbing the spirit of Chinese paintings, Xiang embroidery reaches a high artistic level. It is the kind of painting with needles. A flower seems to send off fragrance, a bird seems to sing, a tiger seems to run and a person seems to breathe in Xiang Embroidery. Tigers appear strong and bold, revealing their power and menace as the king of animals.
Xiang embroidery is famous for its rich color gradient and short stitches. There are over 700 different thread colors and over 100 different stitch techniques can be used by embroiders. Xiang embroidery uses 16 shades for each color, so the color looks much richer. Shorter stitches mean more work, and thus better details in the embroidery.
Recently a new technique of double-faced embroidery, in which images and colors are all different on double sides of one transparent silk material has become popular. It shows how stunning embroidery can be and how amazingly the techniques have evolved. This is really unbelievably beautiful Chinese traditional art. Xiang embroidery has won awards from several international fairs.
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