Modern Hand Stitching
Dozens of Stitches with Creative Free-Form Variations
Chandler offers colorful embroidery stitches and techniques for beginners and beyond.
Those who are new to using embroidery and those with some experience will enjoy Modern Hand Stitching: Dozens of Stitches with Creative Free-Form Variations, by Ruth Chandler.
The book is a stress-free, encouraging, and educational guide to creative free-form hand stitching, one that covers the basics while showing how they can be bent to suit any project.
Illustrated instructions for thirty-eight different stitches are included, as well as examples of how to vary the effect by, for instance, changing the size or spacing of stitches, using different colors, or stitching with different materials. The directions for the stitches are clear, with large photos showing the step-by-step process of forming each stitch. These instructions will help even new stitchers succeed, and they include not only many common stitches but also some that are less often seen in guide books.
Chandler advises stitchers to make a sampler book to practice the different stitches before using them on a project, which makes a fun and practical reference for later.
This is a beautiful and helpful book for embroiderers of all skill levels. Embroidery fans are going to want to keep it close, to return to the lessons, tips, and inspiring photographs. Finished projects made by the author and other artists show how different stitches and fabric treatments can be used to make stunning projects, inspiring stitchers to take to their needles and thread.
Reviewed by
Sarah White
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
