Photos by Mary Hurlbut
Embroidery’s history spans millennia, originating around 30,000 BC with Cro-Magnon peoples using bone needles and sinew for decorating clothing, later progressing to a status symbol – for royalty and officials – in ancient China, the Near East and Viking cultures.
Fast forward to 2026, technology has now produced elaborate embroidery machines incorporating a dazzling array of colored threads. The evolution of this extraordinary craft now flourishes at Laguna Embroidery, a new shop launched by Leslie S. Christen in the Lumberyard Plaza.
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