An all-in-one volume covering crewelwork, canvaswork, and six other types of hand embroidery, from the renowned school established in nineteenth-century England. This beautiful book is a rich source of embroidery techniques, stitches, and projects, covering eight key subjects in detail: crewelwork, bead embroidery, stumpwork, canvaswork, goldwork, whitework, blackwork, and silk shading. Collecting all the books in the trusted, bestselling Royal School of Needlework Essential Stitch Guide series, plus a new section on mounting your finished work, this fantastic book—heavily illustrated with photos—is a must-have for all embroiderers.
The distinguished reputation and specialist knowledge of the Royal School of Needlework are combined in this colourful and inspirational introduction to the most popular hand embroidery techniques. A detailed introductory section provides all the practical information needed for setting up and finishing pieces of embroidery, selecting your design, fabric and treads and preparing and framing up for working. The next four chapters examine the popular techniques of silk shading, gold work, crewelwork and black work, all introduced with a historical overview and a comprehensive stitch glossary. Each stitch technique features four exquisitely worked embroidery projects with step-by-step instructions and photographs explaining their development and stitching. The 16 projects include a Jacobean leaf sampler in crewel work, an Iris in blackwork, a tree bark design in silk shading and a sampler in goldwork. 'Royal School of Needlework: Embroidery Techniques' is an essential guide to stitching for embroiderers – it is a valuable source of reference and a beautiful book for the needlecrafter's library.
Blackwork has a rich history that has developed over the years into an iconic and sophisticated style of embroidery. This practical book presents a number of ways to approach blackwork embroidery, from forming basic stitches and patterns to developing complex shaded pieces with confidence. Through an assortment of exercises, it introduces the principles of shading along with several projects to further explore the potential of blackwork. Detailed instructions on designing and developing shaded pieces of blackwork embroidery are given along with guidance on how to choose suitable images for translating into stitch. Step-by-step instructions on how to form basic stitches and how to form patterns are included as well as almost 250 shaded patterns, indicating how differing patterns appear when worked in different thicknesses of thread. Finally, patterns are grouped by family for easy identification and pattern blending.
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 practical, contemporary guide to the exciting and varied world of raised embroidery is written by Kelley Aldridge, an expert teacher with the Royal School of Needlework. Part of a new series showcasing the RSNs traditional techniques, technical excellence and contemporary flair, it contains a complete grounding in raised embroidery stitches and techniques, three beautiful projects and galleries of inspiring work. The book features an introduction to the RSN and its prestigious heritage. It reveals the history and context of raised embroidery and showcases galleries of inspiring raised embroidery work. This is primarily a practical, instructional guide that offers a complete grounding in the techniques you need for raised embroidery: it contains a comprehensive stitch guide and leads the reader through each technique using clear step-by-step photography and easy-to-follow expert guidance. The book contains three beautiful projects that put these techniques into practice and showcase additional advanced techniques.
Ribbon embroidery is a simple, beautiful and versatile technique that dates back to the seventeenth century. This book brings it up to date with fresh instruction on floral classics, as well as stunning contemporary designs. With over 400 colour step-by-step photographs to guide the reader through each stitch, Ribbonwork Embroidery demonstrates the speed and simplicity of ribbonwork, and explains how it can be combined with other techniques to add detail and depth to a piece of embroidery. Step-by-step photographs guide the reader through each stitch, and detailed instructions explain how ribbonwork can be combined with a range of other techniques. Help and advice is provided throughout on working with silk ribbons and projects demonstrate how to use the stitches in designs. There are ideas for creating using pieces and advice on displaying embroidery. Beautifully illustrated with 436 colour step-by-step photographs.
An introduction to the sixteenth century embroidery technique in which beautiful patterns are created by stitching geometric designs onto evenweave fabric. Inspired by the past, Lesley Wilkins illustrates her techniques with a whole host of wonderful designs flowers, plants, birds, animals and figures. She covers everything from the materials to use and working with a chart, to getting started and how to stitch. Patterns are created by small stitched units which are combined in many different ways some heavily textured, some delicate and light. Borders can be built up by repeating and joining motifs. Clear step-by-step photographs accompany the author’s comprehensive instructions, and the motifs, borders, fill-in patterns and images are all charted, with inspirational pictures of embroideries showing how to build up finished designs. “The designs in this book are amazing. Some are very simple and others have a look of intricacy in them. There are figures, flowers, borders and much much more, this gives a lot of inspiration if you want to design your own piece.” —Postcard Reviews “A comprehensive book about the blackwork technique, covering the materials to use, how to use a chart, getting started and what designs we could do.” —Mr X Stitch
Master the textures and shapes of topiary, hedges, walls, paths and water features, to produce beautiful miniature gardens that are blooming with flowers and bursting with colour. Specialist techniques and simple instructions combine in this practical guide that inspires the reader to create their own textured, three-dimensional designs on canvas. From the spectacular reds, browns and burnished gold of autumn to the vibrant greens and refreshing blues of spring, these exquisite embroidered gardens encompass a variety of styles and historical periods – there is a design here to suit all tastes and abilities. Step-by-step instructions guide the reader through the appropriate stitches and techniques needed to achieve these stunning effects. The techniques covered include canvas stitches, stump work, ribbon embroidery, knitting and wire work, each one is easy to follow and fully illustrated with detailed line drawings.
A new, larger format edition of the classic Royal School of Needlework's essential guide to beadwork. The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard and is well respected all over the world. It not only upholds the traditions of English embroidery that go back many hundreds of years, but is constantly taking embroidery forwards in new and innovative ways. This series of Essential Stitch Guides has been produced in close collaboration with the RSN with the aim of providing a set of definitive works on traditional embroidery techniques. All of the authors were chosen by the RSN and all are graduate apprentices of the Royal School. Shelley Cox presents an expert guide to all aspects of bead embroidery, including information on counted thread beadwork, bead embroidery, beaded surface embroidery, and fringing. Here you will find stitches and technique for every sort of needlework that involves beads. Decorative effects are explored too, making this a fantastic source book and an invaluable reference for beadwork.
