Remarkable as the Suzhou embroideries are in terms of their execution, the embroidery tools employed to produce them are relatively simple. The needles used by Suzhou embroidery artists are long and thin with a sharp tip and tapered eye. After tying a thin strand of silk embroidery floss to the eye of the needle, the first stitches are quickly laid onto the support silk fabric without visible knots or ties; all the embroidery artists sew with both hands. Traditionally only straight needles have been used, but curved needles are now also employed for specific purposes in the random stitch embroideries.
Other simple embroidery tools include slate frame to attach the support silk fabric to make the silk embroidery, fine scissors for cutting silk embroidery floss, clear plastic sheets to protect the support silk fabric and silk embroidery stitches from dust and skin oils while the embroidery work is in progress, and maulsticks used as armrests during stitching.

Suzhou embroidery slate frame

Silk threads for embroidery

Suzhou embroidery needles, thin and long

Tying silk floss to needle eye

Sharp scissor to cut the silk floss

Plastic sheet to protect the ready-made embroidery from dust

Maulstick for resting while embroidering
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