Why increase your stitch vocab published by C&T

With my next book Creative Stitches for Contemporary Embroidery, Volume 2 coming out soon my publishers C&T asked me to write an article for their blog. I tackled the subject of why you would want to add more stitches to your repertoire – and came up with some solid reasons. …

TAST Week 23

For TAST week 23 I have a stitch that is new to TAST this week. It is Interlaced Band which is worked between two lines of Back stitch. This stitch is great for using novelty yarns and thicker threads. My main tip for this stitch and any stitch where you are …

TAST Week 22

The stitch for Take a Stitch Tuesday (TAST) week 22 is an interesting version of Chain stitch, called Cable chain stitch. This is a pleasant stitch to work because you can develop a good easy-paced rhythm. It is also a very useful stitch, as it is a linear stitch that …

I have a copy of my new book in my hands!

I have a copy of my book (due out in July) in my hands. I am totally delighted with Creative Stitches for Contemporary Embroidery Vol 2. as C&T have done a wonderful job. This next volume is a practical reference book for stitchers and like the first volume I feel people will actually use it.

Creative Stitches for Contemporary Embroidery, Volume 2 with samples

Like the first volume this is a modern stitch reference book of more than New 114 surface embroidery stitches. These are all new stitches that are different from the first volume. Every stitch has clear step‑by‑step photographs for both left and right‑handed stitchers so readers can follow along easily and refer back whenever they need. There is a visual table of contents of thumbnail images of stitches which helps readers quickly find what they need.

Loop stitch sample in Creative Stitches for Contemporary Embroidery, Volume 2

For anyone who has read my blog or taken part in TAST you will know that I always focus on a contemporary approach to embroidery while also presenting teaching materials in a way that the information is useful for traditional crazy‑quilt and surface‑embroidery projects. This book is no different. I have also included lots of eye candy as inspirational stitched sample pieces are throughout the book. I hope to show how to combine stitches into rich, modern surfaces and give you loads of ideas. As always my aim is to encourages self‑expression and “creative embroidery” rather than copying rigid patterns.

Check out the video for a flip through review.

My New Book: Creative Stitches Volume 2 — Now Available

Book cover of Creative Stitches for Contemporary Embroidery, Volume 2

Explore a further 114 NEW hand embroidery stitches with clear, step-by-step photos, and practical, straightforward instructions for both left and right-handed stitchers! Try out inventive techniques, and gain confidence to play with stitches. Experiment with stitches and apply them to your own contemporary designs. My book is perfect for anyone who loves hand embroidery, crazy quilting, or slow stitching. And I have included loads of photos to inspire your creative journey.

TAST Week 21

The stitch for Take a Stitch Tuesday (TAST) Week 21 is Oyster Stitch which looks difficult until you understand how it works. Once you understand the mechanics of it, this stitch is quick and easy to work. And it produces a nice textured chain stitch that you can use in …

TAST Week 20

The stitch for TAST week 20, is Bullion Knot. I know many people feel intimidated by this stitch, but read the tips in my tutorial for Bullion Knot Stitch and hopefully, they will help you. In the tutorial, there are many illustrations to help you see where those tips can be …

TAST Week 19

TAST Week 19 is Coral stitch. This stitch is an old embroidery stitch but it’s a very quick and useful stitch that creates a knotted line. Coral stitch can be used for outlines, as it follows a curve well so experiment a bit with it — as it’s a great substitute …