Encyclopedia of Embroidery Stitches, Including Crewel

Let one of the most accomplished and creative crewel and embroidery experts into you home to teach you the ABCs of these increasingly popular handicrafts. Just turn the pages of this encyclopedic handbook and you will find her precise explanations and clear illustrations on how to work 178 different stitches and their variations.

Logically organized for easy use, the book is divided into ten sections. Each is devoted to one of the basic families of stitches, differentiated from the others by its own distinctive motion. Taking one family at a time, the author classifies its various stitches into different groups -- such as isolated, isolated variations, line, angled line, grouped -- and explains them in their order of difficulty. The clear, lucid text and carefully drawn diagrams -- over 1,400 in all -- together present the step-by-step working of each stitch. Illustrations of both the front and back of finished stitches are included.

Among the 178 stitches in such families as chain, straight, knotted, couched, and woven, are such variations as the Bosnian, Cable Outline, Whipped Satin, Lazy Daisy, Eyelet Buttonhole, Double Feather, Palestrina, Raised Lattice Band, and scores of others. In addition to the detailed working instructions, the author notes the basic rhythm of each stitch, direction of work, appropriate uses, and other pertinent information.

This is an excellent workbook for all who want to learn these highly creative and satisfying stitches, and an ideal refresher course and reference for more experienced needleworkers.