Art Of The Embroiderer

This glorious book is filled to the brim with a wide ranging history of textiles and 350 superb illustrations drawn from many countries and sources vestments and costume, samplers and pictures, great beds and furniture. The story of embroidery and needlework is discussed within the fascinating context of the history of fabrics, of decorative costume, of interior decoration, of church and state ceremonial, of girl's education, of furniture and pastimes. Silk, cotton, linen, and the significance of colours and dyes are also considered. Two interesting chapters reveal the world-wide fascination in an influence of Chinese embroidery and Indian textiles. With a broad account of the artistic achievements of every facet of decorative needlework the book is rich with the art-historical background encompassing the most magnificent of all embroidery, the mediaeval English vestments so coveted by Popes and Bishops across Europe, to the domestic treasures created in more recent centuries. Baroque, Rococo, neo-classical and other period characteristics are each discussed with reference to works created by children, young girls, and ladies who made furniture coverings destined for posterity. The nineteenth century saw extremes of art and fashion ranging from Berlin woolwork to Art Needlework and the eclectic inspiration represented by William Morris, all leading to simpler modernist styles which evolved over the twentieth century. The author sets in political and social context the whole panoply of textiles distinguishing between the magnificent products of professional workshops and the uniquely individual and especially charming amateur embroideries that survive today amongst the most beautiful treasures of the decorative arts. Mr Synge's text is authoritative but examines with infectious enthusiasm this field which has never been sufficiently understood but now interests more people than ever before. It will appeal to all who admire beautiful things, fine workmanship, good design and lovely fabrics. 320 colour & 30 b/w illustrations

Learn the art of thread painting from Instagram sensation Michelle Staub Cats and dogs seem to always have a paw planted firmly in our hearts. Capture the life in their eyes and the texture of their fur with a unique embroidered pet portrait! Insta-famous artist Michelle Staub puts a modern spin on thread painting with her easy-to-learn approach. Get started with 4 basic embroidery stitches, and follow the detailed tutorials to hone your skills. Capture awe-inspiring details of your pet with lessons in full-color thread painting or go clean with a simple line drawing—the choice is yours. Learn to personalize your art piece with names, dates, and decorative accents. With 20 sample patterns to customize, you can easily recreate any breed! Paint stunningly realistic pet portraits with just a needle and thread Try your hand at two styles—minimal outlines and incredible full-color renderings Make it modern with floral garlands, personalized banners, and crisp lettering Start today with 4 easy stitches and 20 customizable projects

Embroidery is currently enjoying a revival and has cast off its image as an old-fashioned hobby. Covering everything from smocking and stumpwork to beading and blackwork, this book explores a variety of handwork techniques as well as looking at machine embroidery styles. The first section of the book explores an extensive range of handwork techniques, giving a brief overview of each embroidery style. It includes a list of tools and materials required, and any specific fabric or thread considerations. Clearly illustrated step-by-step tutorials allow readers to try out the style for themselves, and inspirational galleries of contemporary work showcase the styles and effects that can be achieved with that particular technique. The second section of the book looks at machine embroidery techniques, including both free motion and digital machine embroidery. Profiles of contemporary practitioners dotted throughout the book offer an engaging insight into their professional working practices, as well as a new perspective on a range of embroidery techniques. A concluding resources section offers readers a wealth of further information on all things embroidery-related.

A book that anyone who is an artist, embroiderer, textile artist or simply a lover of beautiful books will want to own. The embroidery of Jane E Hall is breathtaking, and in this gorgeous book she combines her love of butterflies with her outstanding talent as a textile artist to produce three-dimensional renditions of exquisitely worked butterflies that are almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Using the finest of silk threads and needles, Jane lovingly creates her butterflies' wings using the tiniest of stitches worked on to silk. They are then carefully cut away and the edges strengthened with hair-fine wire before being attached to the bodies, carefully crafted from air-drying modelling medium and brushed with whisper-fine threads to resemble hairs. The butterflies are then placed within a setting of silk leaves and flowers, all made with the same painstaking attention to detail and expert skill as the butterflies themselves. This book provides a fascinating introduction to butterflies in nature, reflecting Jane's love and admiration for these exquisite creatures, and goes on to describe the materials and methods Jane uses to produce her incredible creations. Twelve projects, each based on a different butterfly including the Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell and the Brimstone, present the finished piece along with the materials Jane used, and the photographs, swatches, drawings and paintings that inspired it. One of the most striking features of this book is the amazing photography of Jane's work, including detailed close-ups, which, together with Jane's poetic and inspiring text, make this a book that anyone who is an artist, embroiderer, textile artist or simply a lover of beautiful books - will want to own.

"By applying the time-honoured techniques and traditions of Japanese embroidery, beautiful beaded motifs are brought to life. Discover a whole new world of beading through the pages of this superb book which includes detailed step-by-step diagrams, full descriptions of the techniques involved and fabulous photography. Nine stunning projects are included ranging from simple beginner designs to a sumptuous evening bag."--

From USA Today Bestselling author Kathryn Gauci-A richly woven saga set against the mosques and minarets of Asia Minor and the ruins of ancient Athens, 1822: As The Greek War of Independence rages, a child is born to a woman of legendary beauty on the Greek island of Chios. The subsequent decades of bitter struggle between Greeks and Turks simmer to a head when the Greek army invades Turkey in 1919. During this time, Dimitra Lamartine arrives in Smyrna and gains fame and fortune as an embroiderer to the elite of Ottoman society. However, it is her granddaughter, Sophia, who takes the business to great heights as a couturier in Constantinople only to see their world come crashing down with the outbreak of war.1922: Sophia begins a new life in Athens, but the memory of a dire prophecy once told to her grandmother about a girl with flaming red hair begins to haunt her with devastating consequences with the occupation of Greece by the Axis Powers in 19411972: Eleni Stephenson is called to the bedside of her dying aunt in Athens. In a story that rips her world apart, Eleni discovers the chilling truth behind her family's dark past plunging her into the shadowy world of political intrigue, secret societies and espionage where families and friends are torn apart and where a belief in superstition simmers just below the surface.Extravagant, inventive, emotionally sweeping, The Embroiderer is a tale that travellers and those who seek culture and oriental history will love