Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Machine Embroidered Art
BY Alison Holt

Search Press
18 February 2020 / ISBN 9781782217916
How-To Books / Needlework

Reviewed by Rachel Hyde

AMAZON US || AMAZON UK

Whatever type of sewing machine you have you can use it to make beautiful pictures. Just thread up your needle and put some fabric into a hoop and off you go. Well, there is a bit more to it than that which is where this book comes in…

If you have the four books by this author on free-motion machine embroidery covering landscapes, seascapes, flowers and woodlands you won’t need this book as you already have it. If not, this new compendium volume contains all four in a revised format. I always love a craft with infinite possibilities but a minimum outlay of funds which has scope for plenty of recycling and using up oddments and this is it. A simple swing needle machine capable of straight lines and zigzag stitch is the main item, backed up with a supply of threads, plain cloth, paints, embroidery hoop and inspiration. The first part of the book tells you what you need to buy and how to prepare the cloth, use photographs, plan you work, choose threads and background colors and stitch. The rest of the book contains chapters on the themes contained in the earlier books so you can learn how to stitch flowers and foliage, create bosky woods, show the sea in all its moods and produce various landscape types. These pictures are beautiful, depicting very British scenes in the main (or at least northern temperate) and there are numerous exercises to try and several larger projects to work through. The projects all have plenty of staged photographs and this book is aimed at those who are new to this craft, while containing much material of use to those wanting to perfect their skills. Throughout are many of the author’s many pictures with captions explaining various points and lots of tips for better work. An excellent guide to free-motion machine embroidery that teaches most of what you need to know.

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

UK Reviewer: Rachel Hyde's work can be found in The Bead Magazine, Making Jewellery and www.craftsuprint.com/rachel-a-hyde/
Reviewed 2020
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