The Embroidery Book

About Christen Brown

Christen Brown has been creating with fibre and fabric since childhood. She studied fashion design in college and has been creating wearable art since 1986. Her ribbon work has been featured worldwide in galleries, fashion shows, and magazines such as Martha Stewart Weddings. Christen lives in California, USA. For more information visit www.christenbrown.com.

Workshop on the web

This is an unusual and rather charming book. It describes itself as a Visual Resource of Colour& Design. It takes readers through the basics of fabrics, stabilizers and embellishments, all colourfully depicted with well-illustrated examples.

Colour theory is covered with the inclusion of a colour board of fabric, threads and beads explaining hues, tints, shades and values. Design and construction are also covered - the book has a vintage feel and this is very evident in this section. Design basics are well explained but bigger pics would have been better here as in other parts of the book although larger versions are shown elsewhere. A very good idea is the Colourful Creations section where an
embroidery is shown together with a chart showing the components and colours. Many techniques are explained and there is a huge section on stitches and how to form them.

This book has an old-fashioned approach to colour and stitch that works well although I think that rather too much has been crammed into it to do justice to the delightful work.

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Sew

March 17

For a traditional approach of slow stitching to create luxurious seams and lavish embellishments, look no further. This title is a spectacular encyclopedia of embroidery, sharing valuable techniques passed down through the generations from mother to daughter. A highlight is the visual guide section , with labelled smaples of all 149 stitches and where to find instructions - you'll wonder how you ever worked without it. Buy this book to learn what embroidery can do for you!

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myshelf.com

The photograph on the front of this book definitely possesses the wow factor, and invites the reader to delve into a colorful world of enjoyable stitching pleasure.  Perhaps a better name for it could be The Crazy Patchwork Book as this is what the book is mostly about; using the 149 stitches and ideas to decorate scraps of fabric sewn together.  This is not exactly a primer, as there are no step-by-step projects in here but that is not the aim of the book.  Instead you are given the tools to create your own masterpiece, by which I mean stitch diagrams, lots of examples and information about how the finished pieces have been made.

 

The book starts off with a handy chart showing all the stitches arranged in groups.  These include not only the usual freestyle stitches but also ribbon embroidery, using beads and buttons plus various ways off adding decorated trims.  The instructions for these are all at the back, shown as photographs and drawn diagrams.  There is a short section on what materials and tools you need, some basic color theory, help on choosing a palette and how to lay out a rough sketch of what you are going to do.  Following on are chapters on getting started and ideas on how to use the stitches, plan a simple project and more.  All this is illustrated with a wealth of finished examples, and the rest of the book follows suit with lots of ideas on design, color and form.  Total beginners might find it all a bit daunting but this is more a book aimed at the improver and up; the stitcher who wants more than transfers and tracings and enjoys a freer look at the hobby.  I found it stimulating to see and read about the various pieces and was keen to learn a few more stitches and get started.  This is a great way of using up oddments of fabric, yarn, embellishments and even found objects to make something new and exciting.  One for the keeper shelf.

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YarnsandFabrics.co.uk

A superb reference of 149 embroidery stitches for all types of surface decoration. This comprehensive guide includes materials, colour, design, creations, applications, the reference stitch guide, basics and resources. It is a visual guide to stitch. It is illustrated throughout with numerous examples of fine embroidery that show what can be achieved. I love the white on white piece. The stitch guide has clear illustrations showing how to make each stitch. Colourful, practical and inspiring.