Drawing inspiration from over 1200 years of history, this book provides a collection of 75 embroideries alongside sketches from the author's workbook. It includes full instructions for all techniques and stitches.
In this third collection of her glorious embroidery, Helen M. Stevens offers a fascinating window on the past. Fables, fashions, and pastimes, rural life, animals, birds and insects--the subjects of her work are brought vividly to life in the superb color plates, and all the techniques and stitches she employs are explained in detail.
This is the fifth title in "The Masterclass Embroidery Series" showing how to create stunning embroideries designed by internatio- nally acclaimed textile artist Helen M. Stevens.Helen explores a range of beautiful garden settings, from the intimate and personal cottage garden, to the stately splendour of the formal country park, using pure silk embroidery threads to achieve astonishingly realistic effects.Each of the five chapters builds toward an in-depth masterclass project including landscape templates and close-up detailed colour templates of garden wildlife, as well as colour keys and step-by-step stitching instructions.Easy-to-follow colour photographs illustrate the working stages of each masterclass embroidery, ensuring that perfect results can be achieved when recreating the picturesque designs.
It's a question asked by many budding textile artists: how can I be more creative? You've got a few ideas and know some techniques, but you're not sure how to get started or make your work hang together. This book shows you how. It explains the creative process from the very beginning: where to find inspiration and how to harness those ideas; how to gather source material; how to pull together what you have. The authors then take you on a journey to develop a design. Learn how to put elements together to make a cohesive whole and develop a theme, learning established design rules along the way. Part Three, Moving into Stitch, gives you a range of techniques and easy experiments with which to turn your design into stitched-textile work. From choosing what fabrics to use, to layering, creating texture and adding embellishment, it covers the key techniques to try. This is a terrific book for those starting out in textiles who really do want to be as creative as they can possibly be.
An amazing reference for needleworkers with projects, instructions, and photos: “A terrific stitch dictionary . . . excellent.” —Needle ’n’ Thread Master more stitches than you ever knew existed! Combined with the original A-Z of Embroidery Stitches, this newly redesigned classic completes a comprehensive dictionary of embroidery stitches and techniques. It offers embroiderers a perfect way to add variety and interest to every new stitching project. Ultra-clear visuals make it easy to learn new techniques—and historical insights and beautiful embroideries add to the inspiration. It’s the ultimate reference guide for needleworkers with enjoyable projects, detailed step-by-step instructions, and stunning photographs.
Drawn thread work is a form of decorative embroidery that has been practised for many centuries. Traditionally worked on fine linen, it achieves its effect through the contrast of open and closed areas created by removing threads from the fabric. In this study, the author has borne in mind the traditional aspects of the craft, but also pays attention to the exciting and experimental innovations of recent years. An introductory section explains how to withdraw stitches and secure ends. Different stitch types and various borders are then examined, clearly illustrated with line drawings and photographs throughout. As well as basic techniques such as ladder and zigzag hems, more experimental styles, including working with colour and weaving with fabric strips, provide plenty of new design ideas. Chapters on the many drawn thread techniques - needleweaving, reticella, Russian drawn ground, Hedebo and Hardanger - continue the exploration of both new and old approaches. A final section on experimental machine work provides many new ideas for modern embroidery.
An overview of tools, techniques, and materials used in bead embroidery. Includes instructions for twelve step-by-step projects, ranging from beginner to advanced.
Embroidery artist Helen M. Stevens lives and works in the heart of the Suffolk countryside, which inspires her embroideries of wild animals, birds and flowers. This book reproduces in colour a collection of 75 examples of her work, and also contains a discussion of the techniques used.