First published as Beginner’s Guide to Traditional Japanese Embroidery back in 2001, here is a brand new reprint with a user-friendly spiral spine so the book opens flat. This is a unique style of embroidery that is little known in the West, and books on how to do it are rare, so this is a singular opportunity to discover how to do it.

You do need some special equipment in order to take up this beautiful style of needlework, ranging from a traditional wooden frame to more arcane items such as chaco paper and stroking needles. Your diligence in sourcing these items will be rewarded with the chance to make some truly gorgeous silk on silk works of art, of the sort seen on kimonos. There are not many stitches used, so it won’t take too long to learn them; the art is in the execution of the work.  Through this book you'll progress from learning the basics to some projects based on the four seasons. Each project also tells you some of the symbolism of the subjects, and gives more hints on designing your own pieces.  After the stitching has been completed there is more to do, and the final part of the book takes you through some unique processes such as pounding the work, coating with glue, and steaming. I was impressed overall with how this little book manages to convey so much that is unusual and new to even the most seasoned embroiderer, in comparatively few words. This is a good workmanlike primer on a difficult and obscure subject, but by the end of reading through it a couple of times I felt more than ready to take up my needle.

If you cannot find a good range of the materials used in this book locally try SearchPress.com for a list of suppliers.