Embroidery is the art of decorative stitching in fabric. There are many different forms of embroidery that can be used to produce different garments and decorative pieces. Embroidery can feature pictures, images or patterns. Patterns are often available in magazines or to print out online and to rescale and transfer as desired.

Sewing is traditionally performed using a needle and thread but increasingly more people are now using sewing machines. Sewing can be used for a number of purposes. Sewing can be used to create clothes, quilts and cushion covers and also for repairing damage to clothes by darning.

Knitting is a method used to make textiles such as clothes. Knitting involves using two long needles to connect threads into joined rows which are then formed into a garment or other creation.

The material you use as thread is referred to as the yarn and there are a broad variety of materials which can be used. Traditional yarns are usually fibres from plants or animals such as cotton and wool and synthetic materials such as acrylic. Depending on how adventurous you would like the end product to be almost any material that has the right qualities can be used. Knitters in the past have used lengths of ribbon, wires, strips of paper, beaded threads and even rope to create artistic pieces.

Crocheting is a form of needle work that is carried out by interlocking looped stitches with a hooked needle.

The origins of crocheting are a much discussed topic amongst crochet communities. Due to the simplicity of the process its suggested that crochet could have been practiced early in mankind's development.

Modern crocheting is performed using hooks to catch the thread. Many experts have noted that the process could be emulated easily by using our fingers to hook the material. This theory is supported by the fact that there are no remnants of early crochet equipment as none were necessary.

Some find this theory a little dubious due to a lack of supporting evidence either way. Regardless of speculation of early crocheting production it is established that crocheting became extremely popular in nineteenth century Europe and still remains a popular and productive past time.