<P> Embroidery was an important art in the Medieval Islamic world . The 17th - century Turkish traveler Evliya Çelebi called it the "craft of the two hands". Because embroidery was a sign of high social status in Muslim societies, it became widely popular . In cities such as Damascus, Cairo and Istanbul, embroidery was visible on handkerchiefs, uniforms, flags, calligraphy, shoes, robes, tunics, horse trappings, slippers, sheaths, pouches, covers, and even on leather belts . Craftsmen embroidered items with gold and silver thread . Embroidery cottage industries, some employing over 800 people, grew to supply these items . </P> <P> In the 16th century, in the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, his chronicler Abu al - Fazl ibn Mubarak wrote in the famous Ain - i - Akbari: "His majesty (Akbar) pays much attention to various stuffs; hence Irani, Ottoman, and Mongolian articles of wear are in much abundance especially textiles embroidered in the patterns of Nakshi, Saadi, Chikhan, Ari, Zardozi, Wastli, Gota and Kohra . The imperial workshops in the towns of Lahore, Agra, Fatehpur and Ahmedabad turn out many masterpieces of workmanship in fabrics, and the figures and patterns, knots and variety of fashions which now prevail astonish even the most experienced travelers . Taste for fine material has since become general, and the drapery of embroidered fabrics used at feasts surpasses every description ." </P> <P> The development of machine embroidery and its mass production came about in stages in the Industrial Revolution . The earliest machine embroidery used a combination of machine looms and teams of women embroidering the textiles by hand . This was done in France by the mid-1800s . The manufacture of machine - made embroideries in St. Gallen in eastern Switzerland flourished in the latter half of the 19th century . </P> <P> Embroidery can be classified according to what degree the design takes into account the nature of the base material and by the relationship of stitch placement to the fabric . The main categories are free or surface embroidery, counted embroidery, and needlepoint or canvas work . </P>

Where does the embroidered dress tradition come from