Goldwork and Silk Shading Inspired by Nature

Hazel Everett first became interested in embroidery whilst still at school, and her teacher suggested she might pursue a career in embroidery. Hazel went on to be an Apprentice at the Royal School of Needlework (RSN), and although she enjoyed learning about many different types of embroidery, she became most fascinated by goldwork. As an Apprentice she had the honour of embroidering a commission for the RSN workroom – a new pulpit fall in real, 18-carat Japanese gold thread. As her career developed, fate played a part and she was offered a number of commissions involving goldwork, including a mitre for Cardinal Hume. Hazel went on to teach goldwork embroidery all over the UK and worked on numerous commissions, including ecclesiastical work, embroidering items for leading fashion designers and assisting with the reconstruction of the Coronation Robe of King George VI that was exhibited at Kensington Palace, London. In 2011, Hazel wrote her first book, Goldwork: Techniques, Projects and Pure Inspiration, published by Search Press, which became one of the foremost guides to goldwork published in the English language. Sadly, Hazel died in late 2018.

I love the front cover and the beautiful illustrations makes you excited to turn the cover. The inside cover introducing the author is really informative and the illustrations on adjoining page are stunning. The acknowledgement pages and contents pages whet your appetite as to the awaiting projects. I love the bat on the foreword page and the clearly explained introduction.The first chapter discusses in clear details the equipment needed to undertake these beautiful craft projects. The successive chapters cover the use of different sized needles, the fabrics and frames which will be required for gold work, how to transfer a design, and include illustrations of padding your project to provide area and depth to your finished piece of work.I love the stunning dragonfly illustration on the appliqué page on 22. Mounting your work is clearly explained in easy details and the goldwork is explained with some beautiful illustrations along with order of work details. Metal threads and their categories of use are discussed with helpful notes.Goldwork techniques such as purl chippings are beautifully illustrated and stem stitch information is discussed. The section on Handmade twists is informative, and is discussed along with Pearl purl, Elizabeth twist, Broad and whipped plate. I love the embroidered butterfly in this section. The goldwork wild rose, is beautiful and the colours of the goldwork violet is stunning.The three-dimensional goldwork is outstanding, especially the Christmas rose. Silk shading threads are usefully explained on page 59, along with silk shading techniques on page 60. Silk shading and the beautiful tulip flower and gold and silk work iris is brought to life in this part of the book. Flowers and the author’s stunning use of them in her work is also discussed.Trees and their use in embroidery is then discussed, with leaves, seeds and berries being shown in intricate and detailed images to enhance your craft projects. One leaf is portrayed in many ways. Fronds and fungi help bring textures and shades to embroidery pieces and are illustrated beautifully.Butterflies, bats and dragonflies,  which are the author’s favourite are clearly defined. I love the bat and can’t wait to work on this project. Seasonal projects inspired by summer, autumn and winter are brought to life by the author.

• Foreword 6Introduction 7Equipment 8Needles 10Fabrics 12Frames 13Transferring a design 18Padding 20Mounting your work 23Goldwork 24Rules for goldwork 25Order of work 26Metal threads 27Basic goldwork techniques 31Purl chippings 31Shading with chippings 32Fuzzy effect 32Graded cutwork 33Stem stitch formation 34Purl loops 35Couched threads 36Twists 39Handmade twists 40MIlliary 41Plunging threads 43Pearl purl 44Elizabethan twist 46Kid 47Broad, 11’s and whipped plate 48PROJECT: Wild rose 50PROJECT: Goldwork violet 52Three-dimensional goldwork 55PROJECT: Christmas rose 54Silk shading 56Rules for silk shading 57Order of work 58Silk shading threads 59Silk shading techniques 60Split stitch 60Silk shading 61PROJECT: Silk-shaded wild rose 66PROJECT: Silk-shaded violet 68Adding a three-dimensional element 70PROJECT: Three-dimensional Christmas rose 70Goldwork and silk shading combined 72A few basic rules 72Order of work 72Complimentary stitches 74PROJECT: Combined wild rose 78PROJECT: Combined violet 80Adding a three-dimensional element 82PROJECT: Three-dimensional Christmas rose 82FLOWERS 84SAMPLER: Flowers 84Taking a simple flower further in metal threads 94Taking a simple flower further in stranded cotton 95PROJECT: Gold and silkwork iris 96TREES 99SAMPLER: Trees 100Small trees 104PROJECT: Bonsai tree 106Leaves, seeds and berries 108SAMPLER: Leaves 108PROJECT: One leaf, many ways 114SAMPLER: Berry and seed 116PROJECT: Acorns 124Fronds and fungi 126SAMPLER: Fronds 126SAMPLER: Fungi 132Butterflies, bats and beasts 138PROJECT: Three Butterflies 138PROJECT: 3D Goldwork and silkwork butterfly 142PROJECT: Three Bats 144PROJECT: Bat 146PROJECT: Bats 148PROJECT: Three Dragonflies 150PROJECT: Large Dragonfly 154Seasonal projects 156PROJECT: Clematis Early Semi-Double Dr Ruppel 156PROJECT: Sumer Wildlife Garden 160PROJECT: Autumn 164PROJECT: Robin 168Templates 172Glossary 192