Crewel work is a very old, traditional and historically important technique, which can also be used very successfully in a modern design. If you are a newcomer to embroidery and would like to learn some of the lovely hand stitches available, crewel work is the ideal technique with which to begin, as it employs a wide variety of stitches which can also be used in other forms of embroidery techniques. These include stem, chain, satin, long and short, and laid work. Shaded effects and graduation of colour and tone are achieved in varying ways.