Over the last few days I have reviewed some of the books on my bookshelf. These were some that I used during the writing of my stitch dictionary The Left-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion: a step-by-step stitch dictionary. There were of course, others, and we may get to them in the future.
Coming to spend three months here in Africa, I had to decide, at the beginning, what books I would bring with me. In the end I brought just one: my left-handed book! I knew that it had in it all the stitches that I was likely to need, and as it happens, I’ve been using it as a prop at my very first ever author’s talks at my daughters’ school this week! (I think it is hilarious that they want me to do author’s talks, but as you can imagine, its not every day they have access to authors here!)
Anyway, it made me think about which needlework books I would place on the pile if I was going somewhere where I could only take five.
- The Left-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion: a step-by-step stitch dictionary by Yvette Stanton (me!). I’d bring this because I put the stitches in there, so I know the wide range of stitches it has in it.
- Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches by Mary Thomas. This is a small book, jam-packed with good stuff. It would have to go in the pile. See my recent review.
- The Stitches of Creative Embroidery by Jacqueline Enthoven. This has a great range of stitches too. Not heaps of diagrams, but lots of interesting text. Good inspiration pics too.
- Three Hundred Years of Embroidery 1600-1900: Treasures from the collection of the Embroiderers’ Guild of Great Britain by Pauline Johnstone. I bought this book many years ago at the Art Gallery of South Australia. I have always liked it, and often just go back and have another look. I guess I like it because it is full of historical embroidery.
- I’m sorry, I’ve sat here and thunked and thunked, but I can’t come up with a fifth book, when I am thousands of miles away from my actual book collection…
So, what are your five most favourite needlework books – the ones that would have to go with you if you could take only five? And WHY those particular books?
If five is too hard (as it was for me), then fewer is ok. 🙂
If you come up with some suggestions that I’m not familiar with, I’ll have great delight in looking them up!
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
Jane Greenoff’s Cross Stitcher’s Bible (bound in the way you don’t like, Yvette, but it looks pretty sturdy to me and it lies completely flat!)
Eileen Bennett’s A Note Book of Sampler Stitches (may be oop). Eileen also has a Pulled Thread one that I would like.
Can’t think of any more!
Thanks Gillie! I am familiar with Jane Greenoff, though not that book and I have not heard of Eileen Bennett’s books before. Excellent – something more to look up!
Rhea replied directly to me, and here is her suggestion:
“The fifth book I would include is “The Proper Stitch” by Darlene O’Steen of The Needles Prayse. As well as the basic stitch diagrams she had included how to turn corners with a stitch, and how to add in a new thread. Most other stitch guide leave out these important issues. I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing your book, and if you have included these aspects – kudos to you.”
Rhea, some of the stitches in my book include how to turn corners. I included it where I could, and where I felt it was particularly important. Sometimes there just wasn’t enough space, and the book was already far thicker than I had intended.
Thanks for the suggestion. I have that book and it is very thorough. I’m just not that much of a counted thread stitcher (besides hardanger and merezhka) so I don’t usually need many of the stitches in that book. But for counted thread stitchers, I highly recommend it too!
I have two little Anchor stitch leaflets that I often thrust into a project bag to carry with me. Other than that – I’m not in front of my collection at the moment, but you’ve certainly got me thinking!
Where did my comment go? Did I do my comment?
‘Txixt Art and Nature
Left Hander’s Companion
Mary Corbet’s website, organized into a book and projects. (which is kind of cheating, coz it’s a webiste, not a book)
Trish Burr’s Flowers of Redoubte and one extra,
Country Bumbkin – Goldwork and Surface Embroidery
You did previously post – it was just attached to the next day’s message! I had no idea how to move it, (or even if I can!) but it is there. But thanks for putting it again here.