What is Crewel Yarn?
Crewel yarn is a 2-ply yarn, usually wool, that is chiefly used for crewel embroidery, from which it gets its name, and needlepoint. Recommended by some for Persian rug repair, it is finer than Persian yarn and thicker than pearl cotton. Crewel embroidery and needlepoint with crewel yarn are used for pillows and chair seats, for curtains and wall hangings, and for ornamenting clothing and other items. In crewel embroidery, a design is transferred to a base fabric, and then worked with crewel yarn using suggested stitches from the crewel embroidery repertoire. There is another important use of the word crewel that you should know: there is a stitch called the crewel stitch, also known as the stem stitch and the South Kensington stitch. It is used, as the second name suggests, for making flower stems, but also for outlining. However, it is only one of many stitches used in crewel embroidery.
