February is known in some sewing circles as National Embroidery Month, and it’s designed to show appreciation for the art that has been a part of human society for a long time. According to historians, human beings have been embroidering for approximately 30,000 years.

This is when Cro-Magnons made hand-stitched boots, hats, and decorated clothing to keep themselves warm from the cold. That makes embroidery older than beer, which was invented a mere 10,000 years ago, and even older than soup, which was invented only 20,000 years ago.

That means embroidery is one of the first arts that humanity invented and one that continues to engage us to this day.

The History of National Embroidery Month

Although embroidery might go back tens of thousands of years, the month that celebrates it only goes back to the early 1990s. This is when National Embroidery Month was established in 1992 by a group of hobbyists. However, who invented it still remains a mystery that we have yet to solve.

Interesting Facts About Embroidery

Let’s take some time and go over some of the cool facts about embroidery that we discovered on the Internet. What’s that, you say? You didn’t know that embroidery was cool? Well, if that’s the case, then you might want to brace yourself because we think the following facts will change your mind.

• The 30,000+ year-old embroidery archaeologists discovered was found at the archaeological site Sungir in Russia.
• It’s unknown which culture invented embroidery because it’s been found in China, Egypt, and Northern Europe.
• In Damascus and Istanbul, embroidery became especially important and was a status symbol among wealthy Muslims.
• During the 19th century, machine embroidery took off and revolutionized the art.
• Embroidery can be classified in a number of different ways, including surface embroidery, canvas work, and needlepoint work.
• In traditional embroidery, a variety of materials were used, including wool, linen, and silk.
• Modern embroidery often uses a variety of threads manufactured from rayon, cotton, and other materials.

Observing National Embroidery Month

How this month is celebrated depends on whether a person can embroider or not. If a person can, then they can take on a new embroidery project, teach someone else to embroider, or give embroidery supplies to someone they love.

If someone doesn’t ordinarily engage with this hobby, they can use this month to learn how to do it. People are also encouraged to spread the word about this month using the hashtag #NationalEmbroideryMonth.