Embroidery

About

"The art of working with the needle raised and ornamental designs in threads of silk, cotton, gold, silver, or other material, upon any woven fabric, leather, paper, etc. Embroidery has been used in all ages for the decoration of hangings and garments used for statues of divinities or in religious ceremonials; but its use in ordinary dress was especially developed during the middle ages in Europe, when garments entirely ornamented with the needle were worn by those who could afford them, and heraldry offered an opportunity for embroidery upon the surcoats and tabards of men-at-arms."

--From the Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia's definition for embroidery