The Royal School of Needlework Book of Embroidery: A Guide To Essential Stitches, Techniques And Projects

Let me start with a confession: I am very far from a master embroiderer. In fact, most of my projects are table runners and pillows that come from -- gasp -- kits. (High-end kits, mind you -- I follow several Arts & Crafts Era scholars and Roycroft artisans -- but kits nonetheless.) I regularly acquire equipment with which to do my own designs, but I never get around to doing so. Perhaps it's because my Day Job regularly has me start with a blank sheet of paper, so I permit myself the exercise of coloring-in someone else's patterns.Nonetheless I do love embroidery, particularly when it's done well by people who know what they're doing. So I gave myself a present of this book, telling myself that it's always useful to understand the process of creating something even when I'm unlikely to do it myself. Which is another way of saying: It's okay, kid, you can look at a picture book.And OH MY OH MY is this a lovely book. It has helped me to understand how to do a better job on my own simple projects. The book's subtitle is, "a guide to essential stitches, techniques, and projects" and it absolutely delivers on that promise.To begin with, the book is extremely well organized, with hundreds (thousands?) of photos and diagrams to make everything clear. After an introductory section that shows how to frame up and the options for tracing a design (which caused me to put in yet another Amazon order for supplies!), chapters are given over to: crewelwork; canvas work; blackwork; silk shading; gold work; stump work; white work; bead embroidery. Each chapter shares the history of the given technique; its tools and materials; design elements; the stitches, including a "stitch finder;" patterns that show off the differences (some simple, some "...and here is what you can accomplish if you're really good"); starter projects to help you put the lessons to use.These chapters are extensive, and in other hands would be a book unto themselves. For instance, the Silk Shading chapter is 50 pages long, including a section on padding, and another one on adding beads and sequins. It has five projects, from "blue curves" for a beginner, to "autumn leaves." You get everything: a design to trace, color suggestions, advice about stitch order.The book is drool-worthy just for the photos, both historical and "how-to." Accompanying the essay on the history of metal threadwork ("Some of the earliest surviving examples of metal thread work in Great Britain are the textiles associated with Saint Cuthbert that can be seen in the Treasury at Durham Cathedral..."), for example, are _excellent_ photographs that (unlike so many other books) show the detail that a dedicated artist wants to peer at. Why yes, that IS embroidery from the Middle Ages...! The how-to instructions do not skip steps; a section on felt padding has six small, clear photos that show what it looks like from start-to-finish. In the canvaswork chapter, you see both the process (from the needle's eye view on graph paper) and the stitch results, side-by-side: Oh, so THAT is what a double-linked cross looks like.If I have a criticism, it's that in some places the text is a little small and occasionally hard to read.The book is worth the purchase price just for the breadth of embroidery examples, from "earliest example of..." to charming modern designs.Prepare to swoon. I did, over and over.

I love embroidery and have done it off and on my whole life. This is the very best book I've ever had. Every step is described in detail, and there are clear photos for every single step. Nothing is left to guesswork. There are no vague, incomplete, or inaccurate descriptions or fuzzy photos taken from a bad angle. I wish I'd found this book years ago. It is a treasury of information and beautiful photos of fantastic embroidery. I'd give it 10 stars.

If you do any needlework than you need this book. It is beautifully illustrated and has all the stitches for anyone doing embroidery, crewel, or needlepoint using all types of threads and yarns. The illustrations show you step-by-step how to do each stitch. It is a wonderful reference and has tips and techniques to improve your stitching. Also provides historical references. Truly a great reference for any needle artist.

Terrific Book to learn how to embroider separated by chapters on different embroidery techniqes. This book does not cater to those that only want to do 'folk' embroidery or 'doodling'. While you can see in this heavily illustrated book how to do the minimal stitches that type of embroidery calls for, the actual projects shown are of a higher quality and shown using careful stitching to make beautiful projects, not whimsicle ones. Although the few stitches used in whimsicle designs are taught in this book.I have never had any books published by way of the Royal School of Needlework, but I had been wanting to see one. In this book you get a lot of their smaller books in one. So read the product description carefully to see if you already own all the smaller books as I am not sure how much in the way of new material was added to this book.One of the things that impressed me was something that other embroidery books barely spend time on, this book makes sure it is covered in full, including, for instance, how to set up for embroidery frame or hoop properly to avoid stitching that is being twisted and distorted. After the stitching is complete, if you are taking it to a finisher it will be properly ready for its frame and will look great. The same if you are framing it yourself, you use the same techniques to finish your work of art.Your will see examples for every stitching technique and the most used stitches for that techniqueas well as supplementary stitches for making exquisite pieces of art. This book should be on the books shelf of every serious embroiderer as well as a 'newbie' to the art of embroidery so that they will learn from the best and will push themselves to learn new and better techniqes. While there are some projects in the book, it is not a project book per se. It is an instructional book so that you can do any project that you want to.Do you need this book if you already have a reference book or two to all the stitches? I have found that every large reference work has loads of great information, yet I have never found that they all have each and every stitch and each of the books has a bit different focus. If you can only afford one book, this one would be a terrific one as a reference.

This is a gorgeous book, with many detailed photographs. Highly recommended for anyone who stitches, or interested in embroidery.

I like how quick the book came and I like the hardback and it’s easy to open and lay flat. The illustrations are amazing and the pictures are beautiful. It’s everything I need to learn to embroider like a pro! Thank you

The book looked a tiny bit used but it’s too much effort to return it and order a replacement. I think it was door to the packaging, there was no bubble wrap inside the box and I’m sure the book was knocked around during delivery. As for comment, it’sa great reference book and a must for all switchers who would like to expand their knowledge or challenge themselves.