| Understated,
classic and beautiful – that is whitework, a traditional
and often neglected style of embroidery. This book brings
it up to date and shows how it can be used to adorn all kinds
of useful and elegant items for the home and beyond.
I confess
that although I have tried many types of embroidery I have
never done any whitework. Fortunately it says on the back
cover that this book is ideal for anybody new to it or who
needs a refresher. Like all the books I have seen that originated
in Japan, this one follows a particular layout. At the front
are photographs of all the projects, followed by the instructions
and patterns. Also at the front is a short introduction to
whitework, mentioning five different styles and where they
originated from. You then get to try them all out in two samplers
first, which is a great idea as you then get a flavor of what
they are like and how they are worked. There are thirty projects
to make including cushions, sewing kit items such as a needlecase
and pincushion, heirloom pieces for christenings and weddings,
table settings, sachets and more. Following the gallery is
a section on what tools and materials you will need (not many)
and all the stitches. These are grouped under the five styles,
so you get to know which stitches are associated with each.
There are many pages of staged photographs and diagrams, some
of which might have been even better larger (ditto the print),
but you will need sharp vision and a good light anyway for
whitework. Many of the stitches are quite complex so it is
good that so many stages are shown, together with tips for
foolproof results. Last are the projects, each with a list
of materials, finished size and written instructions, plus
diagrams and at the back, a pullout pattern sheet. To any
real beginners all this might seem daunting; I would recommend
anybody who has never done any type of embroidery to have
a go at some freestyle first, as whitework is not one of the
easiest types. Some of the more complex pieces such as the
christening gown come with instructions and diagrams rather
like those on a paper pattern. The simpler sections are given
to mark out with measurements, the more complex parts appear
on the pattern sheet. To make the most of these projects you
will need the usual sewing know-how plus a sewing machine.
At the very back is an index of stitches plus diagrams for
some freestyle stitches, which are also featured in some projects.
I have never done any whitework before as it seemed like such
a bewilderingly huge topic with so many styles, but this book
helps simplify it and I feel that I will at last take the
plunge. Highly recommended for making the complex seem very
doable.
If you
cannot find a good range of embroidery and needlecraft materials
locally try www.searchpress.com
for a list of suppliers.
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