The art of decorating fabric with various kinds of stitches is known as embroidery. Embroidery is done on cotton, wool and silk. Embroidery encompasses many different types of fabric decoration, some so beautiful and detailed that it is difficult to believe that a needle and thread created them. Like any craft, embroidery is best learned by starting with the basics. But once you have mastered the few easy stitches and embroidered a design successfully, you will have the confidence to tackle more ambitious projects and later will feel inspired to create your own pattern.