Global Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

The Documentation of Embroidery Types in South Western Nigeria

Adiji, Bolajoko Esther, S. R. Ogunduyile and E.B. Ojo

This paper is a documentation of embroidery types in South Western Nigeria. Relevant literatures to the study were reviewed and instruments used to collect data were Questionnaire and oral interview. Two hundred and fifty questionnaires were distributed to the sample population which included hand and machine embroidered designs. The views on hand embroidery was found to be subjective where motifs and designs were chosen based on fashion trends and not on the merit of the hand embroidery craft. The designs and motifs have distinct names and were generally inspired from utilitarian objects based on human, animals, reptiles and plants from life. The invention of machine tailored embroidery has made it possible to produce a wide range of designs; however, it has affected the art of hand crafted embroidery because it is laborious, painstaking and time consuming. This has also led to a decline in its patronage as consumers tend to favour machine embroidered design.