I learned how to embroider in Girl Guides many, many years ago. It is a pastime that I find very relaxing and endlessly creative. Plus, I love floss. And all things considered (in our chosen hobby/work/art/craft) it is super cheap.
Embroidery can be simple, or complicated, but either way it is not difficult. Earlier this fall I took a wonderful 2-day course to hone my skills and learn some new stitches. The excellent (and extremely patient) teacher, Bonnie Adie, recommended a reference book called The A-Z of Embroidery Stitches by Country Bumpkin Publications. Unfortunately the book was very hard for me to find locally, so I contacted the publishers and guess what? They sent a copy all the way from Australia for me to share! Now you can learn, too!
This guide comes with a brave claim on the front cover that it is "One of the great reference books of all time". I don't know about that, but I do know everyone capable of holding a needle can learn every stitch contained in this book. Beginning with the Algerian Eye Stitch, and ending with the ZigZag Stitch, every page is stocked with full-colour photos to guide you through each stitching step required.
Look, you can do Shisha!
Helpful tips are inserted along the way in text boxes, including tips for lefties, needles, using hoops, knotting your thread and finishing you work. I love it when publishers are clever enough to bind crafting books with a spiral so they will stay open and flat on your work table - makes following step by step instructions so much easier.
After learning a basic stitch, you'll be ready to combine techniques for beautiful effects like this loopy blanket stitch rose, above. This book doesn't have a lot of fluff - it's full on useful information from page 1 and I know I will refer to it often. There are no project ideas, it's strictly technique for over 150 stitches.
I love the two-colour chain stitch!
I had never heard of Country Bumpkin before (not surprising they are in Oz, land of beautiful stitchery!) and have learned that they publish beautiful magazines and many other reference titles. So, how'd you like to add A-Z of Embroidery Stitches to your crafting library? Just leave one comment for your first entry and then sign up for Country Bumpkin's e-newsletter and comment that you've done so for a second one. Please, please make sure there is an email link in your comment so I can contact you.
Happy Stitching!
(random winner will be chosen Saturday, December 3rd)
Comments are now closed, thanks for visiting!
114 comments:
Heading for an epic fail as comment no.1! Great looking book x
Just signed up as a bumpkin x
I love embroidery as well. I learned as a girl and have picked it back up over the years. I also find it relaxing unfortunately for me now day time is the best time for embroidery. My eyes just aren't what they used to be and lighting is so key for me.
Ooh! I love embroidery and would love to add to my stitch knowledge! Please count me in. :)
I just acquired from my mom's house some unfinished embroidery projects from when I was a kid. I would love to brush up on my skills and learn some new ones, too.
This is a fun giveaway Krista! Thanks. :)
Signed up for their newsletter :)
Oh, I'm hoping!! I did sign up for the newsletter, so, a second entry please. Thanks so much for hosting this great gifting and thanks for pointing us all to this site and their newsletter. I'm looking forward to receiving it.
I've been wanting to try embroidery for quite awhile - the book looks great! Thanks for the giveaway :)
I signed up for their newsletter!
I only know the bare bones basics so this book looks fab!
Ok....I am in! Always ready to try something new! Thanks!
Learning how to embroider properly is on my to do list. I would love to win the book. Thanks.
This book looks AMAZING! Please choose me at random :).
That book looks absolutely AWESOME. Trust Australians to have written it ;-). Just what I need right now as I am battling with my stitching fitness. More training required. Off to join the mailing list, I need all the help I can get. Thanks for the chance to win (P.S. love that first stitchery you have there, I have some of those little mirrors somewhere, must fish them out.)
OK, have signed up for the newsletter too. If I don't win the book hopefully it will help!
I've really been wanting to learn more embroidery lately. Thanks for the giveaway!
looks like a great book! thanks for the giveaway
butler83ataoldotcom
My interest in embroidery has been revived recently. I would love to win that book. Thank you for the opportunity.
Just signed on for Country Bumpkin's e-newsletter. Can't wait to see what they have in store.
I love embroidery. What a great book! Thank you for the opportunity.
I signed up for the newsletter. Thank you!
You really do nice work; I'm not surprised that you receive so many compliments. And what a lovely book! I'd love to learn embroidery because, even though I do it sometimes, I've never actually been taught how. I just "wing it" and hope for the best.
(And because I'm nothing if not consistent - I just want to remind you again how much cheaper postage would be to send this book to Alberta, one little province away, than to somewhere else. wink wink nudge nudge.)
I signed up for the Country Bumpkin newsletter.
This would be fun to learn, thanks for a chance to win.
zucchinisummer at gmail dot com
Oh I have really been wanting to improve my. embroidery. My first attempt was ok but I have a long way to go.Thanks for the giveaway!
I've only dabbled in embroidery with the help of some library books. This would help for sure.
That looks a lovely book with more than just the basic stitches!
I would love this embroidery book. I learned basic stitches as a child and remember loving the art. Somehow I drifted ... and an wanting to learn again to embroidery. Thanks for the opportunity.
learning some embroidery is on my must-do list for this winter, this book would be so helpful! I love the step-by-step photos! :) thanks so much for this giveaway!
I have been looking for a book like this. Just stitches. Wow. I've never really embroidered, but I really like hand sewing and so have thought I'd like to try. I also have lots of embroidery floss because I used to cross-stitch before I had kids. :) Now it's too hard to keep my place and keep track of them. Thanks for the chance and being one of my favorite places to go for great ideas.
Thanks for the oppportunity! I've never embroidered before but I'd love to learn how. :)
I subscribed to the Country Bumpkin newsletter. Thanks for sending me their way!
I signed up for the newsletter. Thanks!
This book looks fantastic! I hope I win :)
I signed up for the web email as well. I love that I get to gaze at that red stitchery as I work in my sewing room.
Looks like a wonderful book, thanks for the give away!
I love that they call it one of the great reference books of all time! Sounds like something I need.
I'd love to win. Just getting started on embroidery.
I so want to learn this skill! Amy @ gasudimack(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
I'm always keen to improve my embroidery skills! Thanks for a chance to win.
Looks like a great embroidery resource. Thanks for the giveaway.
Wow, those photos look fabulous! And color too. I would seriously love this book - thanks very much for the opportunity to win!
I'm all signed up for the e-newsletter! Thanks again.
I'd love to win a copy of this book. The step by step pictures look great. Thanks for the chance.
Incredible. The embroidery is very cool in the oval frame. Very lovely!
Hi Krista. Looks like a great reference book. I'd love to win it.
Hope you had a great holliday.
I signed up to be a bumpkin!
Looks like a great stitch learning resource. Would love to master some more stitches! Your embroidery projects are beautiful!
Signed up for the newsletter, too
Looks like a fantastic book!! I love to embroider...and I too learned at Girl Guides...did you make a pot holder sampler of all the stitches?? Hmmm I wonder what ever happened to those pot holders?? It was just a few years ago...
Thanks for the chance!
Paulette
The little bit I learned in Guides is a long gone distant memory! I could use this lovely book to start fresh. Good job getting the book Krista! Thanks for the giveaway.
Looks like a fun hobby! I've tried a bit here and there and tried to teach my girls too . . . I bet this book would really help. Thanks for the chance!
I'd love to learn this wonderful craft.
I would love to improve my embroidery! What a great looking resource. Thanks for the chance to win!!
I would love to improve my embroidery too. Even my backstitch, which seems like a no-brainer, but I always notice that after not doing it for a few days/weeks, it takes a while to get back into a good rhythm to get even stitches. I suppose it is that way with anything worth doing. Practice, practice, practice!
I'd love to add this book to my reference library! Thanks for sharing!
love embroidery...and there is always something new to learn!
I've got the book and several others they have printed. It is an excellent reference book.
oh pick me! pick me! I'm trying to teach myself embroidery and would love a really thorough guide book.
I'm up for learning embroidery--I really like what I'm seeing on the pouch swaps!
That looks like a valuable resource! I know the basic embroidery stitches but I sure don't know anything out of the ordinary. I kinda like those shishas! :)
I used to do embroidery- my mother taught me some stitches but it is a long time ago now. I still have embroidery floss but would love to win the book.
Thanks for the chance Krista.
Regards,
Anna
I love embroidery! And being an Aussie, I'm bit of a country bumpkin myself! Thanks for the giveaway!
And signing up for the newsletter can only help, right?!!!
What a wonderful book this would be to help my sorry looking stitches!
doreen.seal@gmail.com
Brushing up on my embroidery skills is one of the top 10 things I would like to do as soon as we write 2012 and such a book would be a great starting point. Thanks for the chance to win, Krista!
Great book! Just started getting into embroidery and am loving it!
Just signed up for Country Bumpkins newsletter.
What a lovely clear and comprhensive book - would love to add it to my library. thank you. C
And for those who are interested, Helen Stubbins had offered a weekly Sunday tutorial on embroidery stitches starting with her 6/20/11 post on her "Hugs From Helen" blog (http://hugsnkisses.typepad.com/hugsfromhelen/). The posts are still there if people want another education source.
I haven't done embroidery in many, many, many years but have been loving what it adds to the designs Sue Spargo does and plan this winter to start on some wool projects so I think an embroidery refresher will be in my future!
What a great book to add to the bookshelf. I enjoy learning new stitches because it takes me back to watching my grandmother's busy hands making so many pretty embroidered gifts, many I still have today.
I just checked out CB and signed up for the newsletter. Thank you for referring me to such a lovely site.
This looks a great book - I'd love to embroider!
I've signed up for the newsletter!
Oh wow, that book looks great! And it's spiral bound which is always a bonus. Thanks for the chance.
I'm just learning how to embroider and would love this book as a resource for me!
This looks like just about the best instructional embroidery book i've ever seen! While i've embroidered for a long, long (too long) time now, i'm always having to find references for the stitches I don't use often, and I love having a good book to go to. Even if i'm not the lucky winner, I am going to have to get a copy of this book for myself!
The book looks great! I'm always looking at people's beautiful embroidery online - I'd love to have this book to help me do some of my own.
What an amazing book!! I just started up on embroidery again this past summer and, let's just say, I could use a refresher!!
Looks like a lot of great detailed pics in the book to learn to embroider. I'd love to win it! Thanks for the chance.
Oh, I would love to learn more about embroidery! The book looks super!
sigrunmoller@web.de
...and I signed up :O)
sigrunmoller@web.de
Hmmmm...21 comments on your EPIC day with D and Cory; 83 comments on a give away.....
I believe I have this book somewhere in my collection but am entering just in case. Give away or no give away I am a fan of your embroidery, so precise and even. I aspire to be so capable.
Thanks for the opportunity Krista!!
Well here it is comment # 85. I signed up for the Country Bumpkin newsletter and will peruse their website at my leisure this evening.
Thanks for the new eyecandy link!!
I love good reference books! I especially love that the book is spiral bound! Thanks for the introduction to a great new book. monique
...and I signed up for the newsletter. I ticked off the "friend referral" ;)
moniquelunde(at)me(dot)com
I may need to start a new stitching hobby...
I don't know if this is open to US readers but if so I'd love to add this to my library. My go to friend for help has moved.
I signed up for the CB newsletter.
awesome book! I'd like to learn more embroidery stitches so that my next quilt postcard looks better!
Would love this book - would add so much to my quilts - thanks for offering the give away!
Thanks for this super cool giveaway, Krista! I love to embroider and could use a guide to learn some new stitches.
Embroidery intimidates me to n o end, but I would SO love to learn and be confident in it. This looks like an amazing book... thanks for the chance! xo
Just signed up for the newsletter... they have some amazing stuff over there! :o)
I could always use more embroidery know-how!
corvus.melloriATgmailDOTcom
Thanks for the giveaway, Krista! I've just gotten back into embroidery, which I hadn't dine since I was a child. I find it very meditative and relaxing...
Wow! This book sounds amazing. I would love to learn but being left handed always makes me nervous. I love the fact that this book has tips for lefties! Thanks for the opportunity.
Great giveaway as usual Ms.K. Thanks! I'd love to win this book to expand ony stitchy skills. Been looking for a good stitch dictionary for a while now. So please put my name in your hat. Ta!
This looks like a great book! I've done some very basic embroidery and love seeing what you do!
Looks like a nice book and I can use all the help I can get! Have done some embroidery but am no expert on the subject.
This book looks fantastic! I put a pearl cotton set on my Christmas list for embroidery, and boy, would this help! I know several stitches, but could use some more. I love the really explicit pictures.
Wow what a cool looking book. I would not mind perusing yours, unless I were to win one. Your embroidery is so beautiful. I love your stitching and colour selection.
I have signed up for the CB newsletter. Cool! Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for the chance to win the book -- it looks awesome. You're right that it's difficult to find!
Hello,
Thanks for giving a chance count me....i have Signed up for newsletter
Rayeesa Munshi
Picture directions. I just might be able to learn from this book. Cool. Sign me up, please, and, thanks!
This book looks great. Thanks for the chance to win!
I signed up for your newletter too!!
I love embroidery too, but I don't do it very often. I need to work it into more of my quilts. This book looks like the perfect reference! Thank you for the giveaway!
I've signed up for the CB newsletter. All of their A-Z books look great! Thanks!
ooh, i think this book needs to go on my xmas list! i like that it's spiral bound, that seems much more practical than the stitch dictionary that i have (and rarely use, because it's a pain!)
i've been doing less and less embroidery, as quilting has taken over my life, but i really miss it. i need to get back into it!
What a great book! Thanks for this giveaway!
I've been searching for a good hand embroidery stitch learners guide. I remember a few stitches for when I was a young girl. This book looks like it is the ticket to getting back into hand embroidering. I'm into a new project and it will require some embroidering. Thanks for the pic's from inside the book... It really helped me see that this is the book I need. Thanks purplesageoriginals.blogspot.com
Post a Comment