Crafts Recent Picks
October 2004
Embroidery
The underlined title links will take you directly to our catalogue.
Some featured items are linked via a book cover to enable you to read more reviews.
 | When this you see by Elaine Reichek ; with an essay by David Frankel. (2000) "Most of the works in this book are modern interpretations of traditional samplers dating from the mid- seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. Created by girls and women as an educational exercise and pastime, samplers generally framed truisms, homilies, and lessons within decorative patterns and motifs. Reichek replaces these familiar sayings with quotations from mythology, literature, science, art, history and popular culture to witty and pointed effect." (Cover)
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 | The embroiderer's floral : designs, stitches & motifs for popular flowers in embroidery by Janet Haigh ; photography by John Heseltine. (2002) "A unique guide to embroidering flowers in a variety of styles, from crewel work and cross-stitch to hand and machine applique. Offers a directory of twenty popular garden flowers to embroider, introduces simple designing techniques for developing many different embroidered fabrics, contains a full step by step stitch glossary of all the stitches and templates from which to copy flowers used in the embroideries." (Cover)
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 | Beginner's guide to stumpwork by Kay Dennis. (2001) "Kay Dennis is passionate about Stumpwork. This intricate, raised and padded embroidery has its origins in the seventeenth century, and is enjoying a revival amongst embroiderers and lacemakers. It is wonderfully versatile and will appeal both to the novice and imaginative needleworker. Using a mix of flat, padded, wired and free-standing elements, it employs a wide range of embroidery techniques. This comprehensive and colourful book covers both basic and needle lace techniques - sections on each containing a series of elaborate step-by-step demonstrations showing how to work individual techniques, followed by a project combining all the methods." (Amazon)
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 | Creative embroidery by Dilys Blackburn. (1999) "Creative embroidery provides an introduction for the beginner and the keen amateur. Dilys Blackburn shows you how to master basic stitches, then progresses at a pace anyone can follow to more complex techniques. She explores many different styles and periods of embroidery, illustrating each with a well described and clear project: Jacobean embroidery, cut and shadow work, quilting and creating textures. In the second part of the book the reader is encouraged to broaden their designs to include painting the fabric before embroidering, and working from photographs and imagination, to complete complex and effective embroidered gardens, birds, landscapes and other designs." (Cover)
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 | Art nouveau cross stitch by Barbara Hammet. (2002) "A step-by-step instruction book for 80 cross stitch designs influenced by artists of the Arts and Crafts movement and the Art Nouveau period, including Rennie Mackintosh, Tiffany and Lalique. The designs range from simple pincushions and cards to more complicated projects. The famous Mackintosh rose is reinterpreted as a pair of cushions, Tiffany glass glows from the lid of a needlework box and a library of small motifs and border designs is packed with a host of ideas to provide extra inspiration. All designs are illustrated with colour charts." (Cover) |
Celtic art in cross stitch by Barbara Hammet. (2002)
"This book brings the world of our celtic ancesters within the reach of every cross stitcher. Talented designer, Barbara Hammet, has interpreted over 75 original Celtic designs to create a wealth of projects for your home, including amongst others, the Book of Kells Peacock Picture, the Durrrow Circle firescreen, Lindisfarne Gospels Cushions and La Tene Table Linen." (Cover)
From breadballs to Brazil, and beyond by Bonnie Kennedy-Grant ; with photographs by Ralph Talmont. (2004)
"This is not your average embroidery book. It is a delightful collection of craft, embroidery and patchwork inspirations interspersed with anecdotes, snippets of history and personal recollections. As she 'flits from flower to flower' we get the strong feeling that it's all about having fun. It is also a personal plea to all readers to have the confidence to create their own designs, to go beyond their comfort zones and reap a very real reward of self achievement." (Book flap)
"Eclectic, eccentric and enchanting, Bonnie Kennedy-Grant's embroidery and sewing transcend ordinary work to become art. Her eye for colour is natural, her taste exquisite, her skill extraordinary." Shona Koea.
Beginner's guide to Mountmellick embroidery by Pat Trott. (2002)
"This beautiful richly textured, white-on-white embroidery was developed in the early nineteenth century in Mountmellick, Ireland, where designs were inspired by nature and the lovely flowers growing around the area. The embroidery is traditionally worked on close-woven cotton with cotton thread and it has a great elegance. Flowing floral patterns intertwine with stems and leaves, the smooth satin stitches contrasting wonderfully with the padded, knotted stitchery and untextured background. These natural designs are often fairly large and the sculptured patterns have an appealing bold quality, which is enhanced by the absence of colour and the addition of knitted fringes. Pat Trott explains all the techniques with clear step-by-step photography and inspiring easy-to-follow projects. This book will be welcomed by beginners and also embroiderers of all skill levels." (Amazon)
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