Judith Baker Montano's Essential Stitch Guide

About Judith Montano

Judith Baker Montano is an award-winning and world-renowned Canadian fiber artist, photographer, author, and teacher who is recognized as the consummate expert in crazy quilting, silk ribbon embroidery, and embellishments. She grew up on the historic Bar U Ranch in Alberta, Canada. Her love of fabrics and embellishments reflects her Indian, French, and German heritage. She attributes the rich, embellished ethnic influence in her work to living between an Indian reserve and a Hutterite colony where she observed beautiful handicrafts. Living in England, Germany, and Japan for eight years was another profound influence on her artwork and outlook. Judith attended California State University, Chico, and graduated with a degree in art and journalism. Upon graduation, she painted with the San Francisco Art Guild. Experimenting with materials and her sewing machine, Judith created the Montano Center Piece Method, a copyright-protected machine method of crazy quilting. Judith was presented with the Governor General's Centennial Award of Canada in recognition for her artwork as a Canadian living abroad. She has designed for Butterick/Vogue, Bucilla Company, Mokuba Ribbons of Tokyo, Fox Hill Designs, Treenway Silks, Robert Kaufman Fabrics, Kanagawa, and Mokuba ribbons. Her work has been featured at the Denver Art Museum, Denver, Colorado; Profiles Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; The Dairy Barn, Athens, Ohio; Mitskoshi Department Show, Tokyo, Japan; Profiles and Visions, Alberta, Canada; and the La Conner Quilt Museum, La Conner, Washington. Judith has been a guest artist at countless Australian Stitches and Craft Trade shows and the Tokyo Hobby Shows. Her designs have been featured in many international and national magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens, Quilts Japan, and The Quilt Life. She has appeared on the Carol Duval Show, Simply Quilts, The Quilt Show, and Good Morning Australia. She has produced award-winning tutorial videos and DVDs. Teaching takes her throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Classes range from clothing design, crazy quilting, embellishments, and mixed media to free-form textile art. Every year, from May to September, Judith offers eight exclusive seminars in her private studio. Visit her website, www.judithbakermontano.com, for more details. Judith resides in the small town of La Veta, Colorado, a conclave of artists, writers, and musicians. She lives in a restored 1876 cottage with her husband, Ernest Shealy, and an ever-increasing menagerie of pets.

East Kent Embroiderers Guild

Judith Baker Montano, experienced needle worker and author, presents this concise stitch dictionary, combining her previous best sellers into one basic reference book.  Chapters on materials, suppliers and techniques are followed by comprehensive instructions, with colour illustrations, for over 180 stitches that can be worked in thread, yarn or ribbon.  The compact format, handily spiral-bound, ensures that this is the perfect companion for every embroiderer whatever their skill level.

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Crochet Addict UK

Judith has brought together her vast knowledge to share it with you. It's an honour opening up this book. The book has been designed beautifully. I love the fact that it is spiral bound and it makes it so easy to keep it open on the instructions you are reading and following. Judith takes you through all the basics they you could ever possibly need. I am knew to embroidery but I am amazed at the vast array and amazing things you can do with it. The quantity of different materials you can use to create so many different amazing effects. I love the fact that Judith also she her knowledge and tips on everything, including how to store your tools and materials.
This book is so much more that just an instruction book. My favorite section of all is the design ideas
section. Judith makes you want to pick up your pencil and start to put down your ideas. I love the fact she makes it look so simple and already shows you how using different methods and materials, you can create some amazing effects. The embroidery stitches are taken through step-by-step. You have clear broken down instructions as well as pictures and diagrams to support you and to help it easier to follow. I just couldn't believe there are so many amazing stitches to learn! Whether you are wanting to create your own embroidery designs
or you want help with your projects, you are sure to pick this book up time and time again to support and guide you. This book really is an inspiration. It's already set-up on my sewing table and I have already used it  numerous times whilst I am learning the different stitches in my projects. It really is an honour opening up this book.

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Karen Platt- yarnsandfabrics.co.uk

This book has excellent content and inspiration for any stitcher and my opinion is based on that. Its particularly of interest if you do not have her other books. This book contains material from the earlier books. It has many embroidery stitches, silk ribbon stitches and much more. It enables the reader to choose the right stitch for a project and to be aware of the many options. There are 180 stitches in all and 70 combinations. It has everything you need to know about stitching materials, design and of course the stitches. The book has a spiral binding that means it lies flat and is easy to use.