With time the art of embroidery developed as well. This was influenced by constant desire to create something new and unusual. Eventually embroidery included beads, strings and ribbons. Needlewomen knew a number of techniques. The most popular ones included whitework embroidery, shadow work embroidery and handanger, also cross stitching, tapestry stitching and crewel work. The art of embroidery was rather popular and Lithuanian women had mastered and widely used this craft until the late 20th c. Eventually cross stitching and shadow work gained their positions too. Shadow work was used for clothing, tablecloths, coverlets, scarves, pillows, head wear and other things. The most popular types of embroidery involve floral motifs — flowers, leaves, berries and fruit. Embroiderers used various fabrics and yarn, usually flax, wool, cotton or silk.
Embroidery was used to decorate clothing, fabrics, liturgical textiles (flags, canopies, clerical vestments, antependiums, bursaetc.), war tents and flags, furniture covers, wallpapers, curtains. Embroiderers also used precious metal threads. 19th c. introduced dark aprons, embroidered with colourful blossoms or leaves. There were also dark underskirts with floral ornaments embroidered on their edges. White cotton skirts used to be decorated with white openwork. These stitches were much larger and coarser than that on headscarves embroidered using the same technique. The latter — white cotton headscarves — were actually very delicate and beautiful. The two opposite corners of a head scarf usually featured two different ornate ornaments. A wearer of such headscarf would put a different corner on top every second Sunday. Not everyone had enough skill to do such delicate work.
