Embroidery Books

For Julia Gray, silk is the finest of natural fibres and is full of life and shine. Embroidery on this beautiful fabric has been worked in many countries, but Julia finds the perfection aspired to in traditional Japanese embroidery a wonderful challenge. She learned in Japan by copying the work of a master, and found not only a way to stitch, but also a philosophy that allowed her to achieve balance and harmony in her everyday life. In this inspirational guide she shares her passion and in depth knowledge of the history and practice of this eastern art form. It covers everything from handling flat silk and twisting your own threads to working the different stitches and finishing off an embroidery. Japanese design is influenced by the four seasons, but traditional designs also use the colors and symbols associated with festivals-trees, dolls, fish, birds, and mythical figures. A series of simple step-by-step projects, which include the story behind each motif, help the reader to develop their techniques and learn about the symbolism of a great tradition.

This celebration of centuries-old hand embroidery technique puts accurate duplication of the stitches and patterns within reach of any willing embroiderer. It includes drawn thread work, Richelieu cutwork, pulled work, and shadow work, as well as Broderie Anglaise, and Mountmellick techniques—all with detailed diagrams, color photographs, and simple directions. There's a tool and equipment list, material buying suggestions, a history of each stitch, and an illustrated glossary. The stitches are shown both in diagrams and within finished pieces. While the legacy of ancient embroidery styles is honored, the book also features a survey of the most exciting new experimental techniques being used today, which can produce unusual and impressive results.

This is the first book on the subject of recycling materials in your embroidery projects. Techniques for hand and machine embroidery are covered, and there are plenty of ideas for using different types of salvaged material such as fabric, paper, dried flowers, tree bark, metal waste, plastic, and broken jewellery.

Book is illustrated with beautiful colour photographs of work by some of the leading contemporary embroiderers.

Goldwork, the technique of embroidering with metal threads, has a long history. In its traditional form, as used on historical costumes and for the Church, goldwork has always been expensive and precious. But today, there are cheaper versions of metallic threads available and now anyone can create a glittering work of art.

This guide presents a history of goldwork, helpful instructions on a multitude of different techniques, a chapter on embroidering for the Church, and guidance for the use of jewels, glass and stones. It demonstrates the craft of goldwork, with its many possibilities.

Illustrated with over 150 photographs, 70 charts and 65 illustrations, this book is an ideal gateway for any textile worker, from weavers to embroiderers wishing to incorporate this ancient and beautiful style of braiding into their work.

The author's step-by-step instructions have been developed to make the designs easily accessible, and the contents serve as an excellent and comprehensive introduction to the art.

Featuring new and exciting techniques on how to dissolve, melt, and distort fabric both before and after stitching, this guide explores the evolving and innovative materials that are introduced into the textile market and instructs fibre artists how to use them creatively and effectively. Whether dissolving, melting, punching, slashing, or distorting textiles, crafters can achieve fascinating effects using the handbook's easy-to-follow steps, design tips, and diagrams.

The book's organization around three themes—stitch, dissolve, and distort—allows experienced embroiderers to easily incorporate fresh ideas into their favorite stitching styles.

These two highly-respected embroiderers give a unique vision of how stitching can be used to interpret designs.

Using the wide range of fabrics, threads and materials now available, the authors give aspiring and knowledgeable alike, the inspiration to experiment with the basic hand stitches to create infinite stitch interpretations.

Includes over 90 sumptuous photographs, a comprehensive stitch glossary, and a gallery containing an overview of the work of leading embroiderers.

In this book, Janet Edmonds explores the textile design processes and building methods that take the image off the drawing board and into three-dimensions. Whether working with the discipline of geometric shapes or with the freedom of free-form construction, the author shows how textile artists and embroiderers can build and shape three-dimensional structures and combine them with decorative surfaces.

This is the first book to cover three-dimensional textiles in detail. Topics covered include: Design; Materials and equipment; Constructing with flat pieces; Continuous lengths; Manipulated methods; Beads; Finishing Techniques.