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Han Chinese women's foot binding is a traditional form of foot manipulation associated with China, and with the Han Chinese in particular. The aim of the footbinding was to create a very small foot by manipulating and if necessary breaking the bones in a young girl’s feet. A feature of foot binding was the wearing of very small shoes (the 'lotus shoes') that were often embroidered, in order to emphasise the smallness of the wearer’s feet.

Mina Zweigart was the American born wife of Paul Zweigart, one of the founders of the German textile manufacturer, Zweigart and Sawitzki Company. Paul and Mina Zweigart were married in 1878 and she had a strong influence on the company. It would appear that it is due to her that the production of decorative needlework textiles played such a prominent role in the range of goods produced by Zweigart and Sawitzki.

The Zweigart und Sawitzki company is a German firm based in Sindelfingen (near Stuttgart). It produces a wide range of textiles suitable for decorative needlework, as well as soft furnishing textiles for homes and hotels. The firm has a long history, dating back to the late nineteenth century.

See Algerian eyelet.

This stitch is very similar to the Algerian eyelet, but worked from the top right-hand corner in an anti-clockwise direction across an even number of threads. WV

The long and short square eyelet is a variation of an eyelet in which eight, individual stitches are set at 45 degree angles. Unlike the square eyelet, however, the length of the diagonal stitches is deliberately much longer than the vertical and horizontal stitches. GVE

Feathers are skin growths (similar in idea to human skin hair) that form the outer covering (plumage) on birds. Feathers are made from a protein called keratin. There are normally two layers of feathers, namely the upper layer that is for protection and an under layer used to keep the bird warm.

The threaded back stitch is a variation of the back stitch. It is made on a foundation of ordinary back stitches worked in a line. This line of stitches is then threaded with a second and/or third thread, which is usually in a different colour to that used for the back stitches.

See extended tabby.

See extended tabby.