Stitched Textiles: Flowers

Introduction 6

Materials & equipment 10

Drawing & design 24

Techniques 46

Stitching 88

Project 1: Pincushion 104
Project 2: Flower Cushion 108
Project 3: Daisy Hanging 112
Project 4: Needlecase 118
Project 5: Honesty 122

Finishing 126

Index 128

About Bobby Britnell

Bobby Britnell's first full-time job was working for Lord St John Roper, a theatrical costumiers in the West End of London, where she made elaborate costumes for both television and theatre. She later worked for Sir Bernard Weatherall, a high class tailors, where she learnt the skills of tailoring. In 1972, Bobby decided to train to be a teacher and, after qualifying, she spent 12 years teaching in a large comprehensive school. Whilst teaching, Bobby studied Embroidery, and in 1986 she moved to rural South Shropshire, UK with her husband, two sons and an endless collection of different animals.

Bobby is now a professional textile artist and tutor both in the UK and abroad, and she has her own studio and runs classes in art, design and stitched textiles, which is attended by students from all over the world. She is a member of the Embroiderers' Guild and of the Textile Study Group, and her work is exhibited and held in private collections worldwide. Visit her website www.bobbybritnell.co.uk.

Guild of Silk Painters

Summer 2018 - Issue 94

This is not a new book but there are Silk Painters who love to combine painting and stitch. The ideas are simple and the stitch uncomplicated.

Bobby Britnell's Book is an intelligent approach. This very inspirational book incorporates principals of design, looking and recording through drawing, then moving from paper to fabric and stitch.

Her approach to colour and mixing isn't just a colour wheel but exercises and the leanings of colours to each other. This leads to format and texture often pointing out what we know but often fail to remember or see. 

A slightly different approach to many surface design techniques encouraging the pushing of boundaries. I have used many of these techniques myself very effectively on silk but love another idea to pursue. At times our memory needs a nudge to move in another direction, this book does this, it is a joy to browse through and act on!

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Library Journal USA

Birds are the theme of the latest title in this series, functioning as a muse for textile artist Sumner in colorful artworks created with fabric and thread. An impressive variety of painterly pictorial effects can be achieved using cloth, thread, and sometimes found materials. The bulk of this book is divided into three sections on capturing the character, depicting a scene, and telling a story. Each section contains two step-by-step projects that detail technical processes such as dyeing, using dissolvable fabric, piecing, machine sewing, and embroidery. VERDICT Borrowing heavily from crafts and applied art techniques, this guide presents a fresh method for making fine art that can be enjoyed by readers of all skill levels

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Stitch

Oct/Nov 13

Rarely does an embroidery book offer something for every embroiderer at every skill level, but Bobby Britnell has achieved exactly that. Flicking through the pages, there's an image or technique to inspire on every page. Beautiful line drawings inspire readers to stitch and also to pick up a pencil and draw. Essentially, this is a real workbook, written by a textile artist for textile artists. The book does include some projects, which are accompanied by clear step-by-step instructions and photography, but tips and wrinkles abound, making even the project pages feel more like you're attending a workshop with Bobby. Most embroiderers will work with floral motifs at some point, but the myriad techniques covered here encourage a wide variety of approaches and interpretations. techniques range from the simplest hand-stitched lazy-daisy to layered free-machine embroidery worked on hand-dyed, foiled and painted bases, finished with reinterpretations of classic hand stitching, such as loopy French knots. With additional techniques such as bonded appliqué, block printing, stencilling, foiling, fabric piecing, mono printing, discharge printing and dyeing graded colour schemes, there is value here for any student of art and design, whether they choose to interpret flowers or not. Just a few experiments inspired by this book could have a novice textile artist addicted to the medium of the rest of their lives.

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SEWING WORLD

Oct 13

For the latest title in the 'Stitched Textile' series, Bobby Britnell turns her attention to flowers, which provide a huge source of inspiration for the textile artist. The strength of this series is the step-by-step presentation of techniques for the reader to follow. Learn fabric surface techniques including dyeing, printing, foiling, photo-transfer printing and stitch ideas. Bobby shows you how to apply your new skills to make five projects including a pincushion and a needlecase. If you like experimental techniques then this book will provide you with plenty of ideas to practice.

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Myshelf.com

Sept 13

This book shows you how much fun you can have with fabric. Paint it, dye it, sew on it and more to make colorful pictures, cushions and more to decorate your home. What else all the projects have in common is that they all have a floral theme. Apart from describing materials you might need the book starts with a good section on designing your work, elements of design, looking for inspiration and drawing. This is not a book on how to draw flowers (Search Press already publishes several books on this topic) but there is a good look at design in here to whet the appetite. The section on materials looks rather daunting, and for those who only want to make items that can be washed many things can be discarded apart from the initial drawing stage. I wished that there was a table stating what mark-making items can and cannot be washed but this must be discovered through trial and error. There are certainly lots of hands-on projects to try out, from making all kinds of prints to dyeing methods, painting, stencils, hand and machine embroidery, foiling, discharge paste and more. All these projects are illustrated with large format staged photographs making the processes far more accessible than the wee print on manufacturers labels, and it is easy to have fun with your fabric without too much prior experience. At the back are a few items to make up such as a cushion, pincushion, needle book and wall hanging but this is primarily a book on how to use all the wonderful mark making products currently on the market. One for the keeper shelf!

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Karen Platt Yarnsandfabrics.co.uk/crafts

June 13

Here is another fabulous book in the Stitched Textiles series. I know textile artists, especially students will embrace the work in this book. The theme of flowers is a popular one and the techniques shown are widely used in textiles. There is a good introduction with all the materials you need plus an excellent design section. In dyeing, you will learn how to dye graded colour fabrics using a tray and small plastic bags. The book also shows discharge printing, monoprinting, block printing, resists, masks and stencils, applique, bondaweb, foiling, photo transfer printing as well as hand and machine stitching. All the techniques are basic and explained relatively briefly. There are 5 projects which show examples of the techniques in use. The projects are pincushion using a stencil, cushion using printing, daisy hanging using applique, a needlecase with painted bondaweb, honesty seed panel using photocopies. This is a good book introducing some useful textile techniques, mainly suitable for the beginner. The whole book is well supported by good design and photographs and step by step instructions.

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Workshop On The Web

June 13

A long awaited first book from this popular artist, this is an excellent offering that will delight Bobby fans everywhere. Part of a series entitled Stitched Textiles, where leading textile artists present their work, the source here is flowers and concentrates on simple design exercises, similar to the one described in this issues workshop. These are translated into stitch using tried and tested techniques such as dyeing, printing and appliqué, which are given the 'Bobby' treatment to present them in the best possible light. There is also a very good description of photo transfers and how to use them. The rendering of these techniques into finished pieces is also thought-provoking, aided by the section on stitching, especially the methods of simple but effective piecing and some lovely examples of hand and machine stitching. There are also several projects included to reinforce the message. You will find a great variety of styles here and they give the book a wide-ranging appeal and most of the techniques are shown as step by step photos so it is an excellent starter book for those new to textiles and the design section, a subject close to Bobby's heart is splendid.

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East Kent Embroiderer's Guild

May-June 13

In the latest book in this series well-known tutor Bobby takes us on a creative journey, using a much-loved floral theme. Using the principles and elements of drawing and design we gain confidence to create work from the things around us that inspire. Using many of the new materials available today we learn techniques for adding colour, pattern and texture to fabric in a contemporary way. A modern approach to stitching, both machine and hand, follows and finally there are five projects to help reinforce the skills learned. Lavishly illustrated, this book is highly recommended for anyone wishing to develop their work and take it to a higher level.