Why write a left-handed stitch dictionary?

Let me tell you a little of the background of my latest book The Left-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion.

I am left-handed. I have always been left-handed. I hate using scissors because I am left-handed, and the left-handed scissors that my mother bought me as a child unfortunately disappeared into the ether at some point. I have no specifically left-handed products, though sometimes I think left-handed knives and scissors would be nice.

Interestingly, my identical twin sister Prue is right-handed. We are mirror image twins, though not as mirror image as some. (My internal organs are on the normal side!) That’s me on the left, and Prue on the right. I don’t think we look that much alike, but we often do get mistaken for each other, so we must be alike to other people!

When I teach embroidery I teach the right-handed stitchers in a right-handed way, and I teach left-handers in a left-handed way. I love teaching lefties. I also enjoy teaching right-handers, even though their way of stitching is unnatural to me. However it is something I have to do because right-handers need to be taught in a right-handed way, just as lefties do.

I have noticed over the years that my left-handed students love having a left-handed teacher. For once they can be shown the correct way, rather than being told things like:
– just stand opposite me, and do it the opposite way to me.
– I’m sorry, I can’t help you. I can’t teach left-handers.
– You’ll just have to use a mirror to see it the other way round.

And these really are things that are said to left-handers in classes or books. I can’t imagine how disappointed and annoyed you would feel if you’d paid your money for a class and the teacher said they couldn’t help you. Isn’t that their job?

So I decided to do something about it. I decided it was time for a comprehensive left-handed stitch dictionary. And because I love stitches, and love writing books about embroidery, who better to do it than me?!

I first had the idea some years ago, but it was only late last year when I was beginning to recover from a serious illness that I began to write the book. I needed something to work on that didn’t initially require much stitching, but where I could spend most of my time sitting at a computer being physically quite passive. As the other book that I had been working on was requiring a lot of stitching which was very physically active, a stitch dictionary, where much of the work was computer work, seemed like the perfect idea. (While there was eventually a lot of stitching to be done for the book also, I left this for later in the process, when my health had improved greatly.)

I contacted Carolyn Pearce, a renowned Australian embroidery designer and teacher, for her input. Carolyn uses the widest range of stitches in her work, of anyone I know, such as in her project, The Doll’s House Workbox. So if anyone knew which stitches should be included, it was Carolyn. She graciously provided me with a great long list of stitches that she felt were difficult for left-handers to figure out for themselves. Many of them were already on my list of stitches, but she made some very useful additions.

I also posted enquiries on this blog and various internet forums asking left-handers which stitches they would like to be included. This was a great way of making sure that what I was putting in the book was what was wanted by real, live, left-handed stitchers (other than me)! Mary Corbet of Needle’nThread directed many of her left-handed readers to me for their suggestions. I also received other great suggestions, like the idea of putting in a right-handed diagram for each stitch so that right-handers who are using the book for teaching a left-hander can see the difference between what they do and what their student will need to do.

Towards the end of the process (or so I thought) I spent a day with Kirsten Edwards, who is the editor of “The Gift Of Stitching” magazine. She’s left-handed too, and focuses mostly on counted stitches. Kirsten encouraged me to include lots of counted and needlepoint stitches. And so the book grew some more!

In dreaming up a title for the book, I went through many many possibilities. Some I liked for their succinctness (is that a word?), others for the feel they gave, and others for their clarity in explaining what the book was about. Eventually I settled on “The Left-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion: A step-by-step stitch dictionary”. Its not the most succinct title, but it clearly explains what the book is and I feel is very friendly, warm and welcoming. I want the book to be a left-handed stitcher’s constant companion – a book that left-handers will refer to again and again, and will come to rely on. Its the one book that will need to stay in your workbasket ALWAYS!

“The Left-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion” has ended up being much more comprehensive than I ever dreamed! But I wanted it to be a book that would be the final word in left-handed embroidery. And so I hope it will be.

From the feedback that I have received from stitchers and embroidery teachers who have seen the book, and emails from around the world, it seems that I have been correct in thinking there is a need for this book. So many lefties have been so encouraging, and so ready to buy the book!

You can pre-order your copy of The Left-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion from Vetty Creations now. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.