Hand Embroidery

Patricia Bage’s love of art and needlecraft began at the age of five, when her grandmother taught her how to knit. Her passion for knitting continued into her adult life, when she also became interested in canvas tapestries. She discovered cross stitch in the early 1990s, and in March 2000 she began her own design company, Patricia-Ann Designs. Since then, Patricia has exhibited at trade shows in the UK and the USA, and her designs are now available throughout the world. In 2002, Patricia did what she wished she had done at the age of sixteen – she enrolled at Maidstone College of Art and Design and was awarded a BTEC in Professional Development.Jill Carter is a professional tutor, lecturer and author. She has run her own successful embroidery school, Masterclass, for sixteen years, offering over fifty courses annually in all areas of embroidery. Jill learned Hardanger embroidery while living in Norway in 1967 and continues to return to Oslo for research. Since then she has used her own expertise and creative talents to take this traditional technique in new and exciting directions. Jill is a regular contributor to major exhibitions and needlecraft magazines. She has written two other books and contributed to a third.Ruth Chamberlin studied drawing and dress at Croydon Art School before moving on to the School of Embroidery, London, where she studied ecclesiastical embroidery. After leaving the school Ruth worked at the Warham Guild in London where she embroidered a cope and mitre for the Archbishop of Canterbury. Ruth now works on her own commissions, and has taught in adult education for over thirty years.Kay Dennis is a professional embroiderer and former Chairman of the Guild of Needle Laces. She has been teaching both needlelace and stumpwork for many years and is a member of the Embroiderers' Guild. She has written articles for leading needlecraft magazines and has lectured and demonstrated widely. Michael Dennis, also a former Chairman of the Guild of Needle Laces, now enjoys working in all aspects of woodworking. He assists Kay in all aspects of her work. Kay and Michael live in Northwood, Middlesex, UK.Clare Hanham trained for three years as an apprentice at the Royal School of Needlework. On completing her diploma she set up her own business, Vine Embroidery. She runs embroidery classes in her own studio and for the local education authority, as well as day classes for embroidery shops and guilds. Clare designs and stitches projects for several needlework magazines and has created her own range of kits. She also restores antique embroidery and designs and embroiders ecclesiastical pieces. She has exhibited at the Knitting and Stitching show, Stitch exhibition and various places around the South West of England.Jane Rainbow is a successful professional embroiderer, teacher and consultant. She designs and markets a range of kits, has produced her own crewel embroidery video and runs workshops for students. She exhibits regularly at exhibitions where she demonstrates her skills, showing how to build up beautiful pictures using a range of stitches.Pat Trott was introduced to Armenian needlelace by her mother at a very early age, and this led to her passion for embroidery and stitchery of all kinds. Later, as a skilled embroiderer, she was attracted to Mountmellick because of the numerous different stitches involved, and she went on to become an expert in this unique craft. Pat is a life member of the Embroiderers' Guild and holds regular workshops for many Guild branches, colleges and schools. Pat has had her work featured in Needlework Magazine and New Stitches Magazine.Lesley Wilkins discovered blackwork samplers on a school visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London when she was only ten, and has been hooked ever since. Her fascination with the craft has led her to become not only an embroiderer of extraordinary skill, but also an expert in the history of blackwork. She has collected thousands of patterns from all over the world, and her own work is inspired by historical motifs, patterns and borders. Her designs have appeared in Needlecraft and Needlework magazines, and also edited her own embroidered sampler magazine Antique Samplerstitcher for nine years which contained many blackwork designs. Now that she has retired early from local government, Lesley continues to self-publish a variety of embroidered projects online.

I was drawn to this book initially because of the variety of different needlework styles it covers, some of which I haven't tried. The instructions are clear and easy to follow, especially as they include photographs as well as illustrations. Special tips have been added to each section and samplers and templates have been added throughout. I also loved the addition of a brief history of each style of stitching. After reading this book I feel confident in trying new techniques and I would thoroughly recommend this book to both beginners and more experienced stitchers. This book is a delight to own.

• Introduction 8Where to stitch 10What to stitch 11Transferring a design on to fabric 14Framing up 16Starting to stitch 21Mounting your work 23Silk Shading 26Crewel Embroidery 46Mountmellick 72Stumpwork 96Hardanger 136Blackwork 168Drawn thread embroidery 192Goldwork 230Index 270