Like weaving, embroidery consists of the use of strands of thread for the decoration of fabrics. But unlike in weaving, in which the fabric itself is created, in embroidery the decoration is applied to an already existing surface by use of a needle. The technique is therefore especially suited for the application of ornaments and borders. Embroidery contains a rich collection of such ornaments and borders, with imagery from the natural world, such as animals, leaves and flowers, but also religious and heraldic symbols and some complete embroidered alphabets.