What is in the book
I just recently bought a hand embroidery book to expand my embroidery skills, and I am excited to go through it with you guys! The book I got is a hand-embroidery dictionary with over 500 stitches, as well as tips, techniques, and design ideas. This book is 160 pages filled to the brim with embroidery information. In the book, there are visual guides on stitches and what they should look like, why the author got into embroidery, how to get started in embroidery, terminology, how to get the perfect stitch, embellishment stitches (beadwork), designs, tools, tips, and tricks. The main categories she goes over in the book are the straight, chain, outline, barb, blanket, buttonhole, fly, feather, fleet, cretan, cross, herringbone, capped, knotted, woven, whipped, chevron, and lazy daisy stitches.
What are the different categories of stitches?
Straight = 23 different straight stitches are shown in the book. The basic idea of a straight stitch is when the needle is brought up through the fabric and back down to create a straight line. It is the first and most common stitch.
Chain = 35 different chain stitches. A chain stitch creates a series of interlocking loops that form a chain-like design.
Outline = 36 different outline stitches. An outline stitch creates a rope-like line that outlines designs and shapes.
Barb = 30 different barb stitches. The barb stitch is a fancier way to do the blanket stitch. It is two rows of the blanket stitch it usually has two different colors of thread to make it look like a barbed-wire fence.
Blanket, buttonhole = 52 different blanket and buttonhole stitches. The blanket is a mix of a straight stitch and a vertical stitch. It is often used on the outside of the design. A buttonhole stitch is a looped stitch that strengthens the edge of the fabric.
Fly = 42 different fly stitches. The fly stitch is also known as the open loop stitch, which creates a Y or V shape.
Feather = 50 different feather stitches. The feather stitch is a technique where multiple interconnected in a V or U shape.
Fleet = 22 different fleet stitches
Cretan = 30 different Cretan stitches. There are multiple names for this stitch, which is also known as the long-armed feather stitch, quill stitch, and Persian stitch. It is mostly used to fill in backgrounds.
Cross = 37 different cross stitches. The basic idea of a cross stitch, which is also talked about in my post on different needleworks, is that it makes a little X.
Herringbone = 31 different herringbone stitches. The herringbone stitch is a series of parallel lines that cross at both the top and bottom, which creates a design that resembles fish bones.
Capped = 19 different capped stitches. Some of the stitches look like capitalized letters.
Knotted, Woven, Whipped = 28 different kinds of these stitches. These stitches are used to get a 3-D feel to the design. See image below.
Chevron = 24 different chevron stitches. The chevron stitch creates a zig-zag-like pattern.
Lazy Daisy = 36 different lazy daisy stitches. This stitch creates a loose and simple flower design that involves loops.
Main vocab from the book
The book goes into greater detail, but I will put the main vocab from the book below.
Individual stitches = These stitches can stand alone or work with other stitches to create a larger design. An Example of this is a cross stitch.
Continuous stitches = These stitches are defined when they are created around another stitch, usually as a border. An example of this is an outline stitch.
Hybrid stitches = These stitches are created when a continuous stitch is combined with an individual stitch. An example of this is a feather and chain stitch.
Some of my favorite stitches from the book
I am a big nature and flower person, so these were my top stitches in the book that I can not wait to try!
Why you should get a book like this
I am absolutely in love with this book. I would have never known or thought about over half of the stitches. Even just glancing through the book, I have learned so much, and I am excited to try the new stitches so my designs can come to life in a new way! Not only am I learning new stitches and getting ideas it also goes into how to create these stitches and what they will look like.
Where to buy the book
I purchased the book from Amazon. I can link it below.
Here are some other posts to check out!
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