Crewel work is a very old, traditional and historically important embroidery technique, which can also be used with great success in modern design. Whether you are a newcomer or improver to embroidery, if you want to expand your skills and learn some of the beautiful hand stitches available, crewel work is the ideal technique with which to begin. It employs a wide variety of stitches which you can also use in other forms of embroidery. These stitches include stem, chain, satin, long and short, and laid work. Shaded effects and graduation of colour and tone are achieved in varying ways.