In
the same series as Stitched Textiles: Flowers, this
book shows you how to make landscapes, the inspiration behind
some beautiful and fun to make projects.
If you have the earlier title and are expecting something
in the same style don’t: this is a very different book
from an artist with a totally different style. All the pieces
in this book are quilts to start with although if like this
reviewer you do not make quilts the methods are perfect for
many other items too. Unless you want to go all the way and
dye your own fabrics you don’t need much to make the
pieces shown here, and most if not all of it will already
be in the possession of anybody with a sewing machine. Learn
how to design a good composition and lay down scraps of fabric
before stitching over them with the machine. It is a simple
method but what you do with it decides the merit of the work,
I like that. Infinite pictures and designs are possible without
much work. The method is shown in many easy stages in Search
Press style, with lots of small photos with captions showing
what to add to each to make the picture. There are sections
on how to portray different landscape elements such as skies,
water, trees, hills, buildings etc. and all four seasons shown.
Finally, there are five well described and illustrated projects
so you can test your knowledge and have a go yourself. Plenty
of large format photographs show the works in detail, and
all of it had me itching to get started. There is of course
a section on dyeing your own cloth and thread if you wish
to do so, and even if you don’t think how much recycling
of odd bits of fabric you can do. One of the best hands-on
user friendly books of its kind and definitely a keeper.
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