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This delightful book from best-selling author and knitting designer Sue Stratford provides patterns for 21 charming birds for you to knit. Featuring beautifully clear colourwork charts that make patterns super-easy to follow, you'll be amazed at how quickly and easily you can create your own flock of characterful knitted birds. Whether you choose a seagull, puffin, flamingo, bullfinch or parakeet, your bird will take on a personality all of its own and no sooner will you finish one than you'll want to start on another little feathered friend to keep it company. As well as the birds themselves, there are ideas for how to display them, and at the end of the book are instructions for a hanging nest, a felt nest box, branches, flowers and leaves, in addition to all the templates you need to make them.

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Embroidery is back! This book by Cristin Morgan, founder of the popular hand embroidery company Marigold + Mars, contains a stunning collection of contemporary embroidery motifs with bold colour palettes for you to stitch away at for hours on end. The 50 motifs include abstract and geometric patterns, botanical motifs, hand-lettered designs and much more, and will inspire you to get stitching in fresh and imaginative ways. Beginners will learn to master the 10 basic stitches and skills needed to create the motifs inside, all clearly explained in an attractive, approachable way; then, whether you're new to embroidery or the more experienced stitcher, your hand stitching skills can flourish by stitching the motifs onto 20 beautiful and practical projects inside, all featuring easy-to follow step-by-step instructions, lovely photography and helpful templates. Hoop Art will help you bring embroidery out of the hoop to add a touch of stylish handmade flair everywhere.

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Papercutting is a perfect craft for beginners, as you can achieve amazing results with the most basic of materials – a pencil, eraser, craft knife or scalpel, a piece of paper and a cutting surface. Sarah King’s art encapsulates the beauty of the English countryside, particularly the towns and villages around the Kent coast where she lives. Her use of fresh, vibrant colours and delightful compositions evoke memories of happy times, and expert papercrafters as well as those new to papercutting will find the charming, naïve style of Sarah’s work irresistible. Sarah’s down-to-earth approach to her art makes it enjoyable and accessible to all. In the book she includes sections on choosing your materials and colours, and there is step-by-step guidance through all the basic techniques you need before embarking on the twelve gorgeous projects on the seaside, town life, the wilderness, and more.

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This comprehensive guide to traditional and contemporary techniques provides the reader with all the information they need to produce beautiful quilting and patchwork projects. For beginners, there is how-to-start advice and step-by-step photographs, diagrams and instructions to guide them through each stage of their work, and for more experienced quilters there are advanced techniques that they can dip into for help with a particular problem. For the busy but creative quilter, a section on rotary cutting and speed pieceing shows how to achieve satisfying results in no time. The book ends with a gallery of stunning items that will inspire the reader to create amazing patchwork and quilting projects of their own, whatever their ability.

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This beautiful, instructive book from The Great British Sewing Bee’s Jenniffer Taylor shows you how to make and adapt your own clothes without the need for shop-bought patterns. Using Jenniffer's fun and imaginative ideas, this book will teach you how to get started transforming unloved items of clothing into new and exciting outfits; how to customise clothes with doilies, tassels, tie-dyeing and block printing; and finally how to measure yourself, create patterns and make clothes from scratch, including dresses, skirts, tops, trousers and a coat. The book is packed with all the tricks of the trade that Jenniffer has learned along her sewing journey, and it will get you started on your own #sewingrevolution!

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Hand-stitched Landscapes and Flowers is a beautiful exploration of the potential of embroidery in depicting the natural world. Katrina Witten, who is a regular on crafts channel Hochanda, uses no more than six simple stitches for each embroidery, plus delicate embellishments and an array of techniques and fabrics to portray pastoral scenes of fields, flowers and creatures with eye-catching three-dimensional effects. There are ten detailed projects to try, depicting, among others, a hedgerow, a bluebell-emblazoned woodland, sunflowers, a poppy field and a summer scene of buddleia, butterflies and bees.

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Learn how to use traditional watercolour techniques to produce beautiful, contemporary paintings that are full of light, colour and life. Packed with inspirational finished paintings and step-by-step projects, this engaging book teaches you how to use watercolours in their purest form, without the addition of any other media, to create art that has a radiancy and luminosity that cannot be achieved in any other way.

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Leading international doll-maker Ray Slater reveals her secrets to creating vibrant and dynamic faces in cloth. Brimming with ideas and practical advice, this is an invaluable guide for cloth doll-makers everywhere. The face is the key to bringing life and personality to a cloth doll. Often thought of as being the hardest part of the making process, creating the face is, in fact, relatively easy and enjoyable to do. Just by following a few simple rules a whole world of wonderfully expressive, fun characters can be created. Ray will show you how, taking you from the initial inspiration sources, the design and drawing process, to the final colouring, sewing and embellishment of the head. Using just three basic face designs – flat, three-dimensional and collaged – you'll learn how to create a fantastic collection of characters. With tips on how to adjust proportions, hues and positioning of the features, you will learn how to make a whole host of faces with different looks and expressions. Fully illustrated step-by-step instructions break down the process of making each kind of face, and there are techniques to help you make your own unique doll. Finally, Ray shares two body patterns in her book to suit all three head types, and body templates are included.

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30 easy-to-make, stylish decorations all made from felt. The book includes templates, a comprehensive techniques section, guide to embroidery stitches and beautiful hand-drawn illustrations to accompany every project. The fabulous projects include mug hugs, hanging decorations, seasonal decorations, pillows, ornaments, wall-organisers, brooches, children’s toys and much more.

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The latest title from sewing guru Debbie Shore has arrived – and it’s her most fun yet! Packed with 20 colourful, inventive projects, it contains something for children of all ages. It contains a fold-away easel for a budding artist, a magnetic fishing game for an intrepid naturalist, and a colourful backpack for the young explorer. Why not make some spooky Halloween bunting to get ready for trick-or-treating, make a pirate cuddle pillow for a swashbuckling bedroom, or line up some funky monkey skittles for a game or two? The book contains all the guidance a beginner sewer will need – containing useful tools and techniques sections at the beginning, and plenty of tips throughout – while its fresh, exciting designs will also inspire experienced sewers.

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Nothing is more adorable than a tiny pair of mittens for a new baby – and now you can knit your own for family and friends with these irresistible designs. Inside are 20 patterns in a range of colours and styles for boys and girls, from traditional stripes and cables to whimsical rabbits, frogs and ladybirds. Each design can be knitted in three different sizes suitable for 0-3, 3-6 and 6-12 month-old babies, with the option of including thumbs in the largest size. The patterns use small amounts of either baby- or fingering-weight yarn, and knit up quickly and easily using the clear, step-by-step instructions and full-colour charts provided. Each project comes with a list of the yarns and needles required and a stunning, full-colour photograph of the finished mittens, providing everything you need to create these gorgeous handmade gifts for babies.

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It can be difficult to find bag designs that really inspire you: you might want the shape and pockets of one combined with the size and handles of another. But how do you put all these different elements together to create your perfect bag? Let sewing superstar Debbie Shore equip you with all the techniques you need to create 12 beautiful, customizable projects, and then show you how to apply these techniques and ideas to create your own unique designs. The projects are wide-ranging, giving you plenty of ideas and techniques to try out, including a large, square-bottomed beach bag, a zipped, curved-top shoulder bag, an oilcloth tote, a pleated cosmetic bag, and a three-pocket cross-body bag with a magnetic fastener. Learn how to complete a range of techniques, from adding piping and making eyelets to inserting zips, adding handles and straps and creating a square bag base. What you create next is up to you! Mix and match techniques, fabrics and ideas to create a truly personal bag. All the techniques and stitches you need are clearly explained, and the projects can all be made on a basic sewing machine. The book is packed full of Debbie’s friendly help and advice, with all the projects shown using clear step-by-step photography and easy-to-follow instructions.

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The Embroiderers' Guild was founded in 1906 and has in its collection embroideries from all over the world. These wonderful works, which somehow survived through the ages, could be said to be one of the most important group of embroideries assembled in one place. Stitched pieces and fragments and were gathered together by early members of the Guild and inserted into portfolios that were circulated among members. Nature has always been a huge source of inspiration to embroiderers and this fantastic book showcases the Embroiderers' Guild's huge collection of embroidered flowers through the ages. Featuring full-colour photographs , items are shown in full and also with detail images to show off the flowers at their best. These wonderful embroidered treasures are as varied as wall hangings, children's dresses, bridal bags and samplers, some of which date back to the 17th century. The images are shown with extended captions. Collected from many different countries, this is an opportunity to see fabulous works that are very rarely seen in public.

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This title is the third in the successful theme-based Stitched Textiles series. It contains a comprehensive techniques section, six beautiful step-by-step projects and galleries of inspirational pieces that are vibrant, contemporary, and beautifully executed. Very much aimed at the contemporary textile artist, this beautiful book is designed to inspire and encourage and contains all the information a beginner needs. Birds are an enduring theme in art and textile work and this book will appeal to any textile artist interested in exploring their design possibilities. It features a range of birds including much-loved garden blackbirds, characterful chickens, cute and curious puffins and cheeky seagulls. Fresh and innovative in its approach, it covers the design process itself, from inspiration to final design, and provides information on the materials used and step-by-step demonstrations of a whole range of techniques including dyeing, using dissolvable fabric, using found objects, piecing and stitching.

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Where do you find inspiration for an abstract painting? How do you start? What materials should you use? Are composition and perspective important? These questions and others are answered in detail in this impressive book, with a clarity that guarantees success. Whether you want to purely abstract your ideas, thoughts and feelings into colour and mood, or whether you want to base your pictures on subjects that interest you, such as landscapes, flowers, or music, you will find much to guide and fascinate you here. Rolina van Vliet is an enthusiastic teacher, and she offers a brilliant insight into what makes good paintings, with 50 stunning projects, each accompanied by expert tips and a full palette of exciting and fun techniques. With help on what materials to use and how to use them, she includes many photographs illustrating different ways to create smooth, textured, collaged, vibrant, powerful and atmospheric abstract art. Beginners will love the way Rolina encourages experimentation - there are no rules, and more experienced artists will find much here to inspire them.

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Dogs can be a pleasure to draw, whether they are dignified, elegant, cute or scruffy. Suzie Hodges shows you how to capture the character of a great selection of popular dog breeds. This delightful introduction to drawing dogs completely demystifies the drawing process. It shows how images can be built up easily, from initial geometric shapes right through to the finished animals. Susie Hodges includes a good selection of popular breeds and she uses a helpful two colour method that clearly shows every line and curve of the step-by-step pictures. Even absolute beginners will find themselves creating great drawings when they use this book and there is much to inspire more experienced artists too. An invaluable guide for anyone interested in this subject.

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Explore the world of Bobbin Lace with this book, which takes you through simple Torchon ground pieces to scarves, purse and bags. Bobbin lace may look complicated when you see a pillow set up with dozens of bobbins, but it will seem far less daunting when you realise that only four bobbins (two pairs) are in use at any one time, and there are only two moves – twist and cross – that you can do. While the basic lace stitches are common to all types of bobbin lace, different lacemaking traditions developed different ways of putting these stitches together. Bruges lace, for example, uses less than a dozen pairs of bobbins and a relatively coarse thread to create curved braids and flower-like motifs which are linked to form the fabric; on the other hand point ground laces, such as Chantilly or Bucks Point, are worked from one end to the other in fine silk or cotton and may need a hundred pairs or more.

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Make 20 stunning flowers and floral arrangements in felt.

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A collection of vintage-inspired floral designs to embroider, love and cherish.

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Make 20 beginner friendly works of rock art - all you need is paint, a brush and a pebble!

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Packed with everything you need to know about creating super-sweet chibis, this step-by-step guide contains 40 ultra-cute figures and animals, bursting with personality and fun. Each of the step-by-step sequences includes a basic line-work drawing you can copy, scan or trace, so that even the complete beginner can get started straight away. Learn the basic styling and simple visual tricks you need to create this ultra-cute world; discover how to simplify and exaggerate, how to draw out the distinctive elements that will make your figures unique; and discover how to create a collection of lively characters, small in size but big in personality!

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Crochet Peter Panda and his amigurumi friends: 10 quirky animals to brighten your day.

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Tunisian crochet has experienced a great revival in recent years – a surge in popularity that is showing no signs of slowing down. Anna Nikipirowicz outlines a wide variety of new and unique stitches in this beautifully produced reference work. This Tunisian crochet stitch collection offers classic and new stitches, designed to keep needlecrafters of all skill levels occupied for years to come. Tunisian crochet produces a fabric that is similar to a knit but worked on a hook. It’s a lot quicker, combining the best of knitting and crochet, creating a dense, durable fabric. Packed with 150 stitches for beginner and intermediate to advanced, you can start with basic stitches which are organized into themed sections. With actual-size swatches, you can see straight away if you are getting it right. It also includes charts and step-by-step photo instructions. The Tunisian Crochet Stitch Dictionary is designed to get crochet fans discovering new stitches and creative ways of working crochet.

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Capture the spirit of a cosy Nordic Christmas with eleven crocheted decorations to create. Nordic Christmas Crochet is a mix of classic and modern-style Christmas decorations, based on the simple, natural, Nordic aesthetic that characterises Krea Deluxe, the company owned by Heidi and Pia, the authors. The book is full of beautiful, styled photographs of the crocheted decorations in situ on a Christmas tree, in the window and around the home, all the time giving a very personal touch to the festive season. Each project is accompanied by clear instructions, and templates and diagrams are also included to aid the reader in the creation of these exquisite embellishments, which include: stars, drums, pennants, birds, mistletoe and Christmas trees.

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This is origami at its most simple and elegant. With a special focus on photographic step-by-step instructions, this book makes it easy to create over 50 different paper projects, from sea lions to sailing boats. Detailed illustrations show exactly how and where to place your hands at every step and projects are given a difficulty rating for ease of reference. Simply follow the diagrams and watch origami creations of all kinds come to life at your fingertips. Brought to you from the Parisian boutique of Adeline Klam, this book is full of beautiful designs, fun toys, useful tips and paper surprises of every shape and size.

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This is a clear, comprehensive guide to colour mixing in the three most popular mediums: watercolour, acrylics and oils. This portable, pocket-sized companion introduces simple colour theory and colour wheels, with templates provided so that readers can paint their own. The Colour Mixing Companion then shows the reader how to mix the perfect colour in all three mediums through a vast array of swatches and explanations of colour relationships. There is vividly illustrated guidance on complementary, warm and cool colours, tone, using a limited palette, dull and bright colours and factoring in local colour, followed by an array of essential colour mixes using widely available paints. The Colour Mixing Companion is a beautifully presented and practical guide to understanding and mixing colours; artists from beginners to more experienced painters will find this a handy, comprehensive guide. The contents of this book have been compiled and refreshed from the hugely popular Colour Mixing Guides, which have sold 40k copies globally.

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'This is botanical illustration at the highest level.' – The Artist Christabel King is the foremost botanical artist at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, world leaders in the study and preservation of plant species. Here she shares her passion for depicting plants, both in scientific illustrations and in looser botanical art. This inspiring guide covers everything you need to know: choose a subject and create a vibrant composition; accurately sketch, shade and colour leaves, flowers, cacti and more; finally, press and preserve your own treasured specimens. A chapter on travel drawing gives a flavour of the author's worldwide experience, and there are many of her beautiful plates from the prestigious Curtis's Botanical Magazine. There is a helpful section on suitable subjects for beginners and a glossary of terms, to get you started in the beautiful art of botanical illustration.

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26 charming characterful little sea creatures to crochet in amigurumi style! Create your own underwater wonderland with these cute and colourful tiny sea creatures. Crochet 26 fun and easy-to-make projects, including sharks, whales, jellyfish, an octopus, seahorse, turtle and plenty of vibrant fish. These colourful little projects are great for using up small amounts of yarn from your stash. Give your tiny creations as gifts, or make them into keychains, bag pendants or baby mobiles. Clear and easy-to-follow crochet techniques and diagrams make it simple to get started.

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From best-selling author and crafting queen Claire Gelder, this gorgeous mini guide is packed full of knitting know-how, practical illustrations and comes with four simple projects. Perfect for complete beginners, Claire clearly explains everything you need to know about knitting: how to read a ball band, how to get tension correct, how to choose needles and yarns, how to cast on and how to read abbreviations and knitting patterns. It is structured as a simple three-step course that will help you progress from bronze to gold as your skills and confidence grow. Start with the basic stitches and simple joining, build up a few more stitches for your collection, then finally add in some simple shaping and some pompoms. Before you know it you'll be knitting a garter stitch scarf, herringbone stitch blanket, a loop stitch cushion and a pompom hat. Filled with positive affirmations and beautifully illustrated, this wonderful book is a perfect introduction to knitting for a complete beginner.

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This charming book contains 25 characterful little birds to crochet in amigurumi style! These cute and colourful tiny birds, including a peacock, swan, owl, toucan, penguin, flamingo and even a mini egg, can be crocheted with small amounts of yarn and are perfect for using up your stash. Each of the little fun birds can be used as keychains, baby mobiles, bag pendants or simply to make and collect! Clear and easy-to-follow crochet techniques and diagrams make it easy to get started.

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These are definitely not your usual granny squares! Bursting with colour and ingenuity, these exciting and adventurous crocheted blocks, designed by Celine Semaan and Leonie Morgan, will really get your creativity flowing. With more than 40 bright and contemporary designs, blocks are the best way to try out new stitches and colour combinations. There are also four gorgeous projects showing you how to combine your granny squares into larger items, including a blanket, cushion and wall hanging. A useful colour section will help you to select fabulous colour combinations, and all the granny square patterns have written instructions, charts and photos showing the stitch detail.

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If you want to draw dogs but don’t know where to start, this is the book for you! 10 Step Drawing: Dogs will help you turn simple shapes into beautiful dog drawings in just ten steps. Each drawing starts with easy, geometric shapes and simple guide lines, and the dogs are drawn in a variety of poses that typify the particular breed. Each drawing includes a helpful colour palette so readers can easily find the right colours to finish their drawing. There are even instructions for adding simple details to give each creature its own personality.

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Create sweet and memorable gifts for your lucky giftees, and crochet 20 adorable amigurumi-inspired covers for all their chocolate treats! In this delightful little project book, crochet a whole array of cute cozies to suit even the trickiest of recipients – from a happy snowman and a cheeky monkey through to a smiley stegosaurus and a graceful kokeshi doll. There are three different cozy sizes to choose from – a larger one for orange-sized chocolate treats, a medium-sized cover for small chocolate eggs, and a tiny cover for bite-sized goodies such as truffles and round, hazelnut-filled confectionery. The cozies require very little yarn and are quick to make, perfect for last-minute scrap-busting presents. These are wonderful petite gifts to crochet for any festivity – birthday parties, Easter, Christmas, Halloween and more.

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From the authors of Needle Felting for Beginners, awarded BEST CRAFT BOOK in The Craft Business Awards 2021. The Woolly Felters – Roz Dace and Judy Balchin – bring you another fun-packed needle felting book, this time with dolls that are vibrant, quirky and full of character! Learn how to sculpt fairies, kawaii characters, a royal family, and even yourself or your friends. There are ten varied projects, each with needle felted clothing, hair and accessories. Roz and Judy provide practical ideas for designing your own dolls, familiarizing you with the basic doll to get you started and including an accessible 'help me' section for reference. Techniques like creating an inner core, working with a partial or full armature and both wet and dry felting are also covered. The dolls have a range of props such as a bag, spectacles, a toy rabbit, and even an armchair for Knitting Nigel to sit in! What makes these dolls so appealing is the expression and character they exude, and the authors show you how to capture this. Learn how to create realistic figures or more exaggerated caricatures, as well as how to inject personality through your choice of features, hairstyle, embellishments and pose! Enjoy mastering this beguiling craft under the expert instruction of two award-winning authors.

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Niina Laitinen is one of the most popular knitting designers in Scandinavia. This stunning collection of sock designs is inspired by the four seasons. Each of the 20 gorgeous patterns is accompanied by a beautiful description of the Finnish countryside that evokes the spirit of the Nordic seasons. The designs feature elements of nature in the shape of leaf patterns and beautiful lace and cable textures, to gorgeous colourwork featuring a geisha, a butterfly and heart patterns. They are knitted with the changing moods of the seasons in mind and include lightweight ankle-length designs for spring and summer, and heavier knee-length patterns for the colder winter weather. All the patterns have detailed charts to follow and range in difficulty from easy to more complex designs suitable for more advanced knitters.

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The time has come for a fresh, fun take on the classic granny square. Featuring 20 popular animals (including dogs, cats, bears, sheep, pigs, lions, turtles, ladybirds, sloths and more), this book has a 3D animal to suit every taste! Use different stitches to create textured elements such as fluffy manes, shaggy fur and frilly tentacles, and crochet three-dimensional elements such as ears, eyes, horns, beaks and wings to bring the animals to life! Once you've made your favourites or the whole menagerie, turn your tactile squares into a gorgeous blanket, the instructions for which are included at the end of the book.

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The Royal School of Needlework teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard, developing techniques in new and innovative ways. Written by RSN apprentice and tutor Lizzy Lansberry, this book contains an extensive stitch guide, as well as guidance on the materials and equipment you need; how to design your own whitework embroidery; framing up; and positioning and transferring your design. Each stitch is clearly illustrated with step-by-step photography, along with expert instruction on how to form the stitch and use it in your needlework. With an introduction to the RSN and a brief history of whitework, together with numerous traditional and contemporary examples, this book provides an essential guide to this classic form of embroidery.

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The Royal School of Needlework teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard, developing techniques in new and innovative ways. Written by RSN apprentice and tutor Kate Sinton, this book contains an extensive guide to stitches and techniques, as well as guidance on the materials and equipment you need; how to design your own stumpwork embroidery; framing up; and positioning and transferring your design. Each stitch is clearly illustrated with step-by-step photography, along with expert instruction on how to form the stitch and use it in your needlework. With an introduction to the RSN and a brief history of stumpwork, together with numerous traditional and contemporary examples, this book provides an essential guide to this classic form of embroidery.

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A collection of Half Yard™ sewing projects for springtime style, designed by the award-winning and best-selling author Debbie Shore. Debbie has chosen her favourite spring designs from her much-loved Half Yard™ series, including five brand-new projects for you to sink your needles into. Whether you're spring cleaning and tidying, working in the garden or entertaining, this book contains everything you need to do it in style! Choose from useful bags, boxes and storage solutions to give your inside space a new lease of life; create gorgeous bags for days out and table decorations for days in entertaining; and finally, make your outside space just as inviting as inside, with a peg bag for your laundry and a gardener's kneeling pad for all those spring jobs in the garden. Each item requires no more than half a yard of outer fabric, plus all the necessary hardware, trimmings and lining. As always, every project features Debbie's friendly, easy-to-follow instructions and a beautiful photograph of the finished make.

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Create bespoke garments that fit and flatter! In this comprehensive, informative book, Helen explains how to create beautiful, customized dresses for every shape and size. Choose the exact size that fits and flatters you from a bespoke sizing chart that takes into account differences in body size across bust, waist and hips. Trace off your pattern pieces, then create a sample (toile) in calico which you can then adapt to create the dress of your dreams, in your own choice of fabulous fabric. There are four style options each for sleeves and necklines, including a flared sleeve, a capped sleeve, a sweetheart neckline or a boatneck; and five skirt options, including a fitted pencil-style skirt, a zhuzhy circle skirt, and an A-line, with or without pleats. You can also choose to add a sweet, classic Peter Pan collar, or inseam pockets, to your garment. Alternatively, you can even create a skirt as a separate garment, simply by adding a waistband or facing. The language of sewing and dressmaking is demystified at the beginning of the book, as well as the equipment you need to get started. Nothing is left unexplained; and stunning images of the finished dresses, on a mannequin and on a model, are interspersed throughout the book to inspire your own finished pieces. Extra copies of the full-size pattern sheets/pattern templates exclusive to Dressmaking: The Easy Guide by Helen Rhiannon are available here.

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Also known as 'counted thread openwork' or 'drawn fabric embroidery', this beautiful whitework technique is achieved by simply pulling on the threads of the fabric, without cutting or drawing them. It is worked on loosely woven fabrics using a fine tapestry needle, and involves accurately counting the threads to create intricate, geometric designs. Pulled thread embroidery is well suited to modern-day decorative use, either on its own or combined with other techniques such as hand embroidery, patchwork and quilting. Create gorgeous, delicate edgings for table linen, or beautifully simple yet intricate designs for cushion covers, lampshades or purses. With clear instructions, stitch diagrams, charts and photographs for over 140 stunning designs, plus inspiring photographs of finished pieces, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in this exquisite form of openwork embroidery.

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Now available in paperback! Andrew Forkner's book provides you with all you need to paint a range of birds in acrylics; taking in birds of prey, songbirds and waterbirds from all over the world. It contains information on the materials and preparation you will need to capture the delicacy and majesty of the subjects.

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This is a must-have instructional and inspirational book for anyone interested in free-motion embroidery. Drawing on new material, as well as that previously published as The Beginner’s Guide to Machine Embroidered Flowers, The Beginner’s Guide to Machine Embroidered Landscapes, Machine Embroidered Seascapes and Machine Embroidered Woodlands, this book provides a showcase of Alison Holt’s exquisite machine embroideries. Learn how to create beautiful machine-embroidered pictures of all aspects of the landscape, from formal gardens and flowers to romantic seascapes, landscapes and woodlands using various combinations of just two simple machine stitches. Information on silk painting and colour mixing is also included. All the techniques are broken down into clear, step-by-step instructions, with numerous helpful photographs and a great range of inspirational pieces. Alison 'paints' her threads on to hand-coloured backgrounds, blending her stitches and achieving stunning results. This book covers everything, including the materials required; how to compose a picture from photographs that have inspired you; achieving perspective; light and shade; painting backgrounds; and all the basic stitch techniques you need to know. There are stunning step-by-step projects so that the reader can put into practise his or her newly-acquired skills.

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Inspired by the past, Lesley Wilkins illustrates her techniques with a whole host of wonderful designs – flowers, plants, birds, animals and figures. She covers everything – from the materials to use and working with a chart, to getting started and how to stitch. Patterns are created by small stitched units which are combined in many different ways – some heavily textured, some delicate and light. Borders can be built up by repeating and joining motifs. Clear step-by-step photographs accompany the author's comprehensive instructions, and the motifs, borders, fill-in patterns and images are all charted, with inspirational pictures of embroideries showing how to build up finished designs.

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Alysn Midgelow-Marsden shows how to use both textile-based and mixed media techniques to create beautiful artworks using metal in the form of shim, foil and woven fabric alongside many other materials. She shares her expertise in an inspiring variety of techniques from free machine stitching to gilding, embossing, needle felting, beading, printing, appliqué, making stitched foil fabric and using dry decal transfer images. There are seven beautiful projects to inspire and instruct textile artists everywhere, including a lampshade, bauble pods, decorative panels and a tablet cover. Artists can take inspiration from the individual surfaces that make up the pieces, the completed projects, and from the developments from each project, which have full, instructive captions. This is an invaluable resource for textile artists looking for new and beautiful ideas. This book was previously published as part of the Textile Artist series.

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Embroidered Birds and their Habitats explores the author’s fascination with birds and the ways they interact with their surroundings. The book is divided into three parts: Part 1 covers the basic requirements of what the reader needs, including design requirements, embroidery materials and additional equipment. It also includes a section on research and choosing a suitable bird and its habitat, and information on drawing up a design related to the bird and its placement in the wider landscape. Part 2 explores processes and techniques used in designing and working more complicated elements through two projects. These guide the reader through the entire process, from inspiration through to working design. The reader learns techniques for layering the background and stitching; picking up all the skills and techniques needed to complete a hand-stitched, low-relief panel. This includes elements embroidered both on- and off-frame. Part 3 includes further examples of the author’s embroideries, and drawn designs that could be used in future works. This section also includes information on finishing the work (mounting and framing), a stitch glossary, reference section and acknowledgements.

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From around 1875 to 1950, Dutch fishermen wore sweaters with characteristic knit and purl stitch patterns, sometimes cable. These jerseys, known as ganseys, became an intrinsic part of the identity of the Dutchmen who wore them. Many of the children in these fishing families wore ganseys too, and numerous photos have been discovered in recent years of schoolchildren dressed in the knitwear seen on their fishermen fathers. Stella Ruhe returns with over 40 sweaters to knit from 30 different Dutch villages – this time, for your little ones to wear and ramble in. Based on the original designs shared by families and discovered in archives, Stella has created recreations of these historically important garments for our contemporary life that ooze classic style with modern minimalism. With these designs, you are offered not only a chance to pay homage to the women who lovingly knitted the jumpers and to share in a beautiful Dutch tradition, but also give something for your child to treasure for years to come. The sizes of the ganseys run from 1- to 14-years old, but can easily be adjusted to any child’s size by following Stella's straightforward measuring instructions in her chapter on knitting know-how. In the same chapter you learn that every gansey is a standard shape, meaning the beauty of each sweater is in the variation of pattern motifs and finishing details, which varies from village to village. In the gallery of knitting designs, each jumper is accompanied by knitting charts – the pattern repeat clearly shown for easy garment adjusting, a diagram of the jumper and styled, modern photography. With a wealth of fascinating background information and historical photos of the original designs alongside every design, this is an inspiring book for the ambitious knitter looking for unique, classic knitwear, and a brilliant read for anyone interested in craft, culture and heritage.

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Love rabbits? Love knitting? Then this book is for you! Packed with 20 brilliant, bouncing bunnies to knit and love, this book has a carrot-crunching character for everyone! From fluffy, cuddly rabbits and bean bag bunnies to egg cosies, finger puppets and even a bunny bride and groom, this fun book includes projects for knitters of all abilities. It contains practical advice, basic techniques and a handy list of abbreviations. Using a mix of yarns and weights, from fluffy and textured to cottons and naturals, she shows how to create different looks and how to maximise bunny personality. The patterns are suitable for beginners and more advanced knitters, with techniques ranging from easy basic stitches to more decorative ideas. Including fun photography and clearly written patterns, these different bunny characters have wide appeal and are almost too cute to handle!

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