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Africa

A wide variety of cloths are used in African embroidery from the felted bark of the fig tree to goat and camel wool and woven cotton and silk. Raffia too is used for making cloth.

The indigo plant is used extensively for dyeing cotton. Blocks and stencils are used for printing and flour is used as a resist.

Many designs are Muslim in origin, however European nuns and missionaries introduced their own stitches and techniques to native girls.

Whether embroidery is used in appliqué, quilting or for embellishing garments and items for the home each individual culture has been passed down the generations and continues to be handed down today.