The cutting of motives, patterns or designs through a surface is known as cutwork. Cut work is a generic term and can be used for the cutting of various materials such as paper, card, metal sheets, textiles, pottery or ceramic. In textiles cutwork is the technique where part of the fabric is cut away and the remaining hole is filled with embroidery or lace.  In ceramics, before an object is baked while still wet shapes can be cut through the clay creating patterns. Cutwork used as a pattern for printing is known as a stencil.