A-Z of Embroidery Stitches 2

Embroidery Stitch Dictionaries are handy books to have on your shelf, if youre a die-hard embroidery fanatic. Even if you only dabble in hand embroidery as an occasional hobby, youll never be sorry you have a stitch dictionary or two at hand they are wonderful reference tools to have on hand, especially when you want to expand your stitching horizons a bit. One of my favorite series of how-to books for embroidery is the A-Z series, which used to be published by Country Bumpkin, but is now (as of 2014) published by Search Press. Today, I want to show you one of their stitch dictionaries A-Z of Embroidery Stitches 2. Its a terrific stitch dictionary for stitchers wishing to increase their stitching repertoire. As the title suggests, this is the second A-Z book on embroidery stitches. The first one, A-Z of Embroidery Stitches, is excellent, too, but I especially like this second one because it delves into stitch combinations, variations, and so forth that are not as commonly seen as those stitches found in the first book. A-Z of Embroidery Stitches 2 features over 145 embroidery stitches, variations, and combinations, each shown in detail with step-by-step photos of the actual stitch in progress. The book begins with a long index of the stitches included within! Before the stitching instructions begin, in the front of the book youll find some excellent information for the embroiderer. For example, there are several pages devoted to needles used in embroidery, including what types are used for what, and a page of actual sized photos of the various types of needles. How many times have you wondered if youre using the right needle for your work? Or which needle to choose before you start? This is a great resource that helps answer those questions! Theres a good section on using an embroidery hoop, binding a hoop, and keeping your work clean excellent information for beginners and beyond. But the real meat of the book, of course, is in the instructions. The step-by-step photos of the various stitches are what make the book perfect for learning. Besides regular surface embroidery stitches, youll find some ribbon embroidery techniques included throughout the book and in this particular book, youll find lots of interesting composite stitches, filling stitches, and stitch variations. A-Z of Embroidery Stitches 2 has been on the market for a while Im not reviewing a new book here! but since lately Ive found myself returning to it over and over again for stitch ideas, I thought it would be a good one to review. Combined with the first A-Z of Embroidery Stitches, these two books make up a very thorough resource for embroidery stitch instruction. If youre looking for a good stitch dictionary that will allow you to add some variety to your stitches, you cant go wrong with this book. -- Mary Corbet * Mary Corbet's Needle 'n' Thread * Add variety to every needlework project with this treasury of techniques, containing more than 145 new stitches. Combined with the original A-Z of Embroidery Stitches, this book completes a comprehensive dictionary of embroidery stitches and techniques. It offers every embroiderer a perfect way to add variety and interest to every new stitching project. Step-by-step photographs make it easy to learn and historical insights and beautiful embroideries add to the inspiration. * Sewing World * September 2015 Newly published as a Search Press Classic, the subtitle '145 NEW stitches to add to your repertoire' sells this book short. One of its biggest strengths is its detailed information about subjects not normally covered in such depth. For example do you know the difference between S twist and Z twist embroidery threads? Or why it's important to mark the 'flat sp

Compiled by the expert team at Country Bumpkin, renowned Australian publishers of embroidery books and magazines.