Oct 27, 2010

Library Time and a Giveaway.....

I've got piles of books about embroidery, but every time I find myself at the thrift store, or, better yet, a library book sale (aren't those the best?) I look for more.  My friend Janae Easton found  this gem at a flea market in Florida and it's one of my favorites, if for no other reason than it's got a beautiful linen cover (but it gets better).
Mariska Karasz's drawings are whimsical and inspired, and the directions are clearly illustrated and easy to understand.  The wide selection of chain stitches is particularly lovable.   I recently found another book about the artist at the library and discovered more of her work....
From beautifully illustrated posters advertising her fashion designs, to whimsical embroideries and beautiful line studies, this book is a treasure.   The peach in the collection is surely this beautiful portrait of her daughter, Roszika.  I love the patterned background and those perfectly embroidered lips.
What are your favorite books on embroidery?  Do you have a special go to guide when you can't remember the bullion stitch or the woven picot?  Is there an artist who's work makes you swoon?   Leave a comment with your book recommendation, and when the new sampler comes out (Tomorrow!) I will pick one at random to receive a free copy at 8pm Central Time.  One comment per person, but please feel free to leave more than one book tip. 

29 comments:

  1. My favorite book is of Cecile Dreesmann. Printed in 1966, it is a basic embroidery stitchbook with lots of small samplers. My book is in Dutch but if you google with her name you also can find books in other languages.

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  2. Hi Rebecca, so excited that another design is coming. My favorite is The Embroidery Stitch Bible. It is a good resource for most embroidery stitches. If I can't find something there - I can usually find it via google.

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  3. I'm having so much fun doing your last sampler and can't wait for this one!! I don't have a favorite book - I love all of the Japanese embroidery magazines/books - I love the beautiful photography and you don't need to read Japanese to be able to follow the patterns and stitches.

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  4. I have been working on the sampler I bought, and I cannot wait to get the next one! My favorite embroidery book is Doodle Stitching bt Aimee Ray and Embrodered Effects by Jenny Hart.

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  5. I love The Work Basket Embroidery Book by Ruth Wyeth Spears. Charlotte Lyons mentioned it on her blog one day and I went straight to amazon.com to order it. Great illustrations and very small for holding and taking along while you stitch. Love your samplers. Eager to see your new one. Kris

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  6. vogue sewing, revised and updated is my go to guide. i don't really own an embroidery only book.
    when i was younger i just ironed on a pattern and made up stitches to fill it.

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  7. Finished the first sampler and working on the limited edition pink cake one as we speak.... this time using perle cotton only, loving it! One of my favorite is Rainbow of Stitches by Agnes Delage-Calvet, love all the projects and the stitch guides.

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  8. Yay!!! I love your samplers! I've even given one as gifts. They amaze me! My favorite embroidery book is Doodle Stitching by Aimee Ray. I also love the See and Sew by Tina Davis which is for kids but which explains stitches in the easiest to understand way!

    Okay, I'm totally keeping my fingers crossed!

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  9. Can't wait to see the latest sampler. My favorite book is Floral Stitches by Judith Baker Montano.

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  10. I love the last two samplers you designed and I stitched. I can't wait until tomorrow to see what's next! I enjoy Pin Tangle's online stitch dictionary. The hard cover books are fun for inspiration, but I have a hard time following the instructions. Please enter me in your contest! Thank you!

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  11. I'm happy you have everyone commenting on their favorite books as I'm always looking for new inspiration. I usually use Jacqueline Enthoven's The Stitches of Creative Embroidery or Jenny Hart's Sublime Stitching books & patterns.

    Really looking forward to your new sampler!!

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  12. There is an old but much loved and much used book. It's the Readers' Digest Complete Guide to Needlework. There something of everything in here so proves extremely useful.

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  13. The Embroiderer's Handbook by Margie Bauer. Thanks for the opportunity to win your new sampler!

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  14. What a co-incidence as the only book I have is mentioned above by Greedy Nan!
    The Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Needlecraft was passed on to me by my mother - she was an amazingly talented and inspirational seamstress who could make anything. Her embroidery was exquiste and she taught herself at 8yrs old.
    I belong to the Auckland Embroiderers Guild which has a great library where I can borrow other embroidery books. I'm making a list of the books mentioned here in the "comments".
    I'm still enjoying working on your original sampler!
    I would love to win your new sampler.
    Thanks for this opportunity.

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  15. I go to the DMC Embroidery book. Its big clumsy and heavy but I have always been able to find exactly what I need
    Thanks for a great giveaway!

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  16. I love all the Sublime Stitching books. There are fun and whimsical with lots of great new and retro designs.

    -Amy
    Crafting by Candlelight

    bibanon1 [at] gmail.com

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  17. Best embroidery book ever .........Inspiration for Embroidery by Constance Howard.... so good I've got 2 copies!

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  18. I have two vintage, very retro embroidery/design books that I love! The first is Creative Embroidery by Joan Nicholson (circa 1970)... and Let's Start Designing by Pat Scrase (1966). I had seen both of these at my university library and found copies through an online used book seller. Very cool! Jamie V in MT
    http://rem-nants.blogspot.com
    amzanioli@yahoo.com

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  19. Okay, my only embroidery book that I own is Coats and Clark's 100 Embroidery Stitches. I bought it for .50 cents at my favorite thrift store and I love it! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  20. I have several books, my most comprehensive is The Complete Encyclopedia of Stitchery. It has a huge section on embroidery, lots of unique stitches. But it was Primrose Design's blog that gave me my start in embroidery, I printed out so many tutorials and just dove in! I purchased your latest sampler, and am working on it as we speak! Hope to get it finished before 2010 is over!!! Thanks for your beautiful work and for the chance to win another project!
    Monica Fullerton

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  21. Can't wait for your next one! Love stitching my other two. Janey

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  22. for inspiration: Sketching Embroidery of Kazue Sakurai. it is a japanese book published by Ondori. ISBN9784277311632
    amazon.co.jp link
    http://www.amazon.co.jp/桜井一恵のスケッチ刺しゅう-桜井-一恵/dp/4277311636/ref=pd_sim_b_3
    yeah rebecca!

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  23. I have been using my Complete Book of Handcrafts to work through my sampler, but I am drawn (pardon the pun!) to the Doodle-stitching books by Aimee Ray.

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  24. I like Jenny Hart's book best. It seems the illustrations are easier for my brain to understand. Usually though I will google it. I love your samplers.

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  25. Forgive me if this makes multiple posts....I am having trouble!!
    Still enjoying the sampler and would love to be in the giveaway. I use the Embroidery Stitch Bible or the Encyclopedia of Needlework as sources for stitches, but will love looking at the above recommendations.
    rhondaroebuck@mac.com

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  26. I don't have a favorite go to book so this post will be great! Glad you have a another sampler ready to go...thanks!

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  27. I have only started back into embroidery after 30yrs away; but I am thoroughly enjoying your site. I bought your last sampler. AND--I love the colors of the new one! I have been looking at the Doodle-stitching book and the Embroidery Stitch Bible---both of which I invested in. I would love to be in the drawing. QUESTIONS: the sampler I bought from you----can it be purchased on color cloth? Doe the marking come off or are they supposed to be permanent? I look forward to hearing from you and others, Carol (nurseprac@mac.com)

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  28. Right now, I'm lovin' Sublime Stitching! :)

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  29. i can't believe no one has said it yet but NATIVE FUNK AND FLASH!!!

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