If you have ever wanted to monogram anything—linen for a bride, a teddy bear for a baby,
a special greeting card—here is a book filled with ideas and projects. If, in addition,
you have read any of my reviews of Di van Niekerk’s other books (check out the non fiction archive)
then you will know that you are in for something special with this one.
There is a whole embellished alphabet in here, made up from freestyle
embroidery and ribbon stitches, complete with excellent instructions
on how to do it all. This is not, however, a book aimed at the beginner.
But there are many other books out there aimed at teaching from
scratch, and so it is refreshing to find one for the more advanced
stitcher. Along with instructions for the stitches, you can also
find several lovely paintings to transform into embellished images
on cards, cloth for wearable art etc. These come with a detailed
chapter on how to transfer them, as well as how to compose an attractive
monogram. Frankly, this is one of those books where there doesn’t
seem to be anything left out you could possibly want to know. Advice
on choosing cloth, wonderfully clear diagrams of the stitches and
plenty on useful topics as diverse as decorating a teddy bear to
washing your work. At the back with the paintings is a chapter showing
you what to do with them, and very lovely it is too. I have never
been particularly interested in monogramming things until now, but
I think that it would be a crime not to have a go with a book as
delightful as this. One for the keeper shelf.
Reviews of other titles by Di
van Niekerk
Dreamscapes
in Ribbon Embroidery and Stumpwork
Embroidered
Alphabets With Ribbon Embroidery
Cicely
Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies in Ribbon Embroidery and Stumpwork
Little
Flowers In Silk and Organza Ribbon
Monograms
and Words in Ribbon Embroidery
UK Reviewer: Rachel Hyde's work can be found in
The Bead Magazine, Making Jewellery and www.craftsuprint.com/rachel-a-hyde/