The first pieces of the Embroiderer's Guild collection were donated by Queen Mary, patron of the Guild from 1924 to 1953, and since then members have been giving their treasured pieces of embroidery, collected from Britain and around the world, to be appreciated by others. The collection, housed at Hampton Court Palace, now contains about 10,000 pieces from many different cultures, and this book shows a selection of about 150 of them. Included are fragments from Chinese court costumes, Turkish sashes, richly-patterned Indian shawls, North American beadwork and patchwork, European peasant embroideries and a British section spanning four centuries of work. Each piece is described in detail - the type of stitch, thread, fabric and design, accompanied by social background.