Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Factoria VII
A Passion for Needlework
BY Various

Inspirations Studios (distributed in the UK by Search Press)
20 March 2019/ ISBN 9780648287315
How-To Books / Needlework

Reviewed by Rachel Hyde

AMAZON UK

As if Inspirations magazine isn’t impressive enough, here is a coffee table book to knock your socks off! A hefty, sturdy publication filled with beautiful photographs and all the instructions, diagrams and patterns to make twelve gorgeous projects. Fingers itch to grab the materials and get stitching, but there is plenty of reading (and gazing) to be done first…

Make sure your coffee table is strong enough for this behemoth of a book and prepare to be wowed. This truly is a glorious book rather like Inspirations magazine on steroids, filled with wonderful photographs all shot on location at an old cottage in the Adelaide Hills that used to be a bacon factory. All the projects are shown made up in situ, where they really come to life. It is good as well to be able to see them in lots of different poses; the next best thing to being able to see the real pieces. Anybody familiar with the magazine will know what to expect, if not get ready for some advanced projects which will put your skills to the test. Each one is showcased at the beginning in several pages where you can read about the inspiration behind it and see it in several views. Each project features a list of everything you require for efficient assembly before you start, with measurements in both imperial and metric. There is also a list of stitches which are helpfully (and clearly) shown at the back of the book along with a pocket full of patterns. Most of the steps are not illustrated as this is not a book for beginners but there are drawn diagrams and some of the trickier things are shown in more detail with staged photographs. If you are an experienced embroiderer this book will give you some challenging things to make that are beautiful heirloom quality conversation pieces. Choose from a thread painting of European bee eaters, a trinket pot adorned with stumpwork flowers, a Versailles inspired chatelaine and needlebook, delicate and subtle Casalguidi sachet, goldwork roundel and more. This is a heavy book for the lap but ideal for a table as it opens out and stays flat. One for the keeper shelf as long as it is sturdy enough.

If you cannot find a good range of embroidery and needlecraft materials locally try www.searchpress.com for a list of suppliers.

Kits (including many from this book), patterns and more available from www.inspirationsstudios.com/ Based in Australia but ships internationally.

UK Reviewer: Rachel Hyde's work can be found in The Bead Magazine, Making Jewellery and www.craftsuprint.com/rachel-a-hyde/
Reviewed 2019
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