With this guidebook and a bonus CD of embroidery designs from award-winning artist, Bobbi Bullard, you'll learn how to make the most of your machine embroidery to create wearable art that you can really wear. Get professional-looking results on any home embroidery machine by working with basic design principles. Includes a complete supply guide to ensure your work is successful. Whether you're embellishing hand-sewn or store-bought clothing, you'll learn how to add sophisticated designer style that is uniquely you. With your new one-of-a-kind outfits, you'll look and feel more beautiful!
Presents over one hundred lessons in machine embroidery techniques, ranging from cording and openwork to lace and beadwork, using a straight-stitch machine
Transform ordinary artist canvas into an embroidered masterpiece! With easy-to-learn stitches, your embroidery needle becomes a paintbrush to stitch creative ideas into life. Get your feet wet with small art pieces and step-by-step techniques for stitching on stretched canvas. Gather supplies to add appliqué, acrylic paint, fibers, beads, and even mirrors to your mixed-media pieces! Get tips on how to finish and display canvas embroidery art, with an extensive project gallery for inspiration. It’s like art quilting for needlework lovers! Embellish unique art pieces with fibers, sequins, beads, paper, paint, and more Amateur embroiderers and experienced needleworkers alike will love seeing their work from an artist’s point of view Get started with three small sample projects
Renowned textile artist Meredith Woolnough creates replicas of nature using a delicate system of tiny stitches. Her artwork is breathtaking, and now for the first time Woolnough offers crafters and fiberartists a lesson in how to use the "organic embroidery" technique. Look behind the scenes of her art process, from the initialfieldwork sketching and research that inspires her designs, to theproduction of her ethereal embroidered sculptures. She guides you through 12 creativity-prompting activities to help you begin your own mastery of this method. As you learn to find your desired shape or pattern in nature, from sources like leaves, shells, or coral, then use your sewing machine to turn bits into exquisite art. You'll also enjoy dozens of inspirational photos of Woolnough's ownart pieces. Woolnough's instructions offer simple but highlyversatile techniques, and allow you space for your own creative approach
Explore the possibilities of freestyle machine embroidery and its applications for quilting and fiber art with this inspirational guidebook for all skill levels. This overview of all the basic methods and stitches for each technique includes step-by-step photographs and illustrations, diagrams, close-ups of sample swatches, troubleshooting tips, and design guidance, altogether elevating crafters' skills to an artistic level. Beginning with an introduction that includes a list of necessary supplies, chapters cover adjusting thread tension, understanding fabric distortion as it relates to stitching direction, and caring for a sewing machine. This comprehensive guide is sure to move crafters beyond the basics of the stitching process to using color and texture creatively in unique designs and professional-grade finishes.
A showcase for textile artist Alison Holt's exquisite machine embroideries, this book will teach you to 'paint' your surroundings with thread. Use thread to paint the world around you with free-motion embroidery. Alongside new examples of Alison Holt's exquisite and distinctive machine embroideries, this book collects together her teachings and techniques for machine-embroidering flowers, woodlands, landscapes and seascapes. A huge range of techniques and ideas are clearly explained using step-by-step photographs, and demonstrated through a selection of inspiring projects. Learn how to create landscapes and seascapes of your own, and find inspiration through numerous examples of Alison's original work.
Step inside the enchanted world of arcane imagery and rich esoteric symbolism in this deeply imaginative embroidery art book! Author Gayla Partridge draws upon her knowledge of vintage anatomical artwork, floral design, palmistry, Ouija, and oddities from the natural world to create magical, witchy twists on an age-old craft. Through extraordinary, stylized photography and detailed close-ups of designs, the embroidery art in Stitchcraft is entirely achievable with basic stitches and easy-to-follow instructions, enchanting beginners and expert crafters alike. Stitchcraft features: • 30 intricate embroidery designs, using a combination of nine basic stitches • Insights from the author on how she created each piece • 30 basic patterns to get you started embroidering your own version of her designs From the anatomy of a snake to floral skulls, from palmistry hands to botanical hearts, readers will be inspired to recreate Partridge’s spellbinding designs and to make them their own.
If you think you know what cross stitch is, look again! Jamie Chalmers, aka Mr X Stitch, shows you how to cross stitch using simple step-by-step instructions and also takes you to the frontiers of cross stitch design. The book is aimed at stitchers of all abilities, from absolute beginners looking to learn a new craft to embroiderers and cross stitchers who want to do something different in cross stitching. For many, cross stitch conjures up images of cute kittens and country cottages, but this book shows people that theres a different side to cross stitching that its an art in its own right, and will encourage them to be a little braver with their art. Jamies writing style is fun, entertaining and highly inspirational. The book aims to appeal to men as well as women, encouraging one and all to take up the ancient craft. It teaches the basics of cross stitching, including information on materials, tools, techniques and colour blending, but also puts Jamies own individual spin on it, with urban flavours and the introduction of different materials such as glow-in-the-dark threads and stitching on metal. As well as providing exciting designs to stitch, there is guidance on how to create cross stitch designs of your own, for example by using photographs and other images for reference. Jamie also showcases the work of other contemporary cross stitchers who are pushing the boundaries of their craft, and introduces more than 20 stunning cutting-edge projects to make, showing that beauty, innovation and 'craftivism' are alive and kicking in this inspirational book.
This glorious book is filled to the brim with a wide ranging history of textiles and 350 superb illustrations drawn from many countries and sources vestments and costume, samplers and pictures, great beds and furniture. The story of embroidery and needlework is discussed within the fascinating context of the history of fabrics, of decorative costume, of interior decoration, of church and state ceremonial, of girl's education, of furniture and pastimes. Silk, cotton, linen, and the significance of colours and dyes are also considered. Two interesting chapters reveal the world-wide fascination in an influence of Chinese embroidery and Indian textiles. With a broad account of the artistic achievements of every facet of decorative needlework the book is rich with the art-historical background encompassing the most magnificent of all embroidery, the mediaeval English vestments so coveted by Popes and Bishops across Europe, to the domestic treasures created in more recent centuries. Baroque, Rococo, neo-classical and other period characteristics are each discussed with reference to works created by children, young girls, and ladies who made furniture coverings destined for posterity. The nineteenth century saw extremes of art and fashion ranging from Berlin woolwork to Art Needlework and the eclectic inspiration represented by William Morris, all leading to simpler modernist styles which evolved over the twentieth century. The author sets in political and social context the whole panoply of textiles distinguishing between the magnificent products of professional workshops and the uniquely individual and especially charming amateur embroideries that survive today amongst the most beautiful treasures of the decorative arts. Mr Synge's text is authoritative but examines with infectious enthusiasm this field which has never been sufficiently understood but now interests more people than ever before. It will appeal to all who admire beautiful things, fine workmanship, good design and lovely fabrics. 320 colour & 30 b/w illustrations