Who wants to embroider geese in bonnets carrying baskets? Not me! And not Jenny Hart either. She wrote Sublime Stitching: Hundreds of Hip Embroidery Patterns and How-To for a new generation of embroiderers who are looking for a modern twist on a timeless craft.
Sublime Stitching is easy to read and pleasing to the eye, with beautiful photographic examples and simple instructions. Jenny assumes the reader knows nothing about embroidery (which is a good thing) and gives helpful tips and tricks, in addition to all the basic stitches you need to get started. I've attempted embroidery in the past, but never found a good reference for a beginner.
The how-to section is only 48 pages, including a glossary, index and stitch diagrams, so you can basically read it in one sitting. The rest of the book is all patterns, which are iron-on, and very easy to use. Simply cut out the one you want and follow Jenny's simple instructions on how to apply it to your project. Then save it to use again by slipping it in the handy pocket inside the cover.
Here are just a few of the cute patterns she includes: baby stuff (like rattles, storks, etc.), rockets, cherries, cupcakes, maracas, teacups, dogs, cats martinis, and a few different fonts to choose from.
I'm really excited about embroidery for a couple of reasons; it's quick and cheap! In just a short time (about an hour) I embroidered my first project- a decorated shirt for my 2-year old neighbor's birthday. I got the shirt for under $5, embroidery floss for about 50 cents, a hoop for under $2, and used a needle that I already had, for a grand total of $7.50! My stitches aren't perfect, but doesn't that ice cream cone look yummy?
Gidget is a wife (to an engineer) and a stay-at-home-mom (of a 15-month old mountain climber– uh, I mean little girl). She blogs about finding contentment in daily life at Gidget Goes Home and lives, crafts and dreams about surfing in Colorado.
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I loved embroidery as a child! It can be very meditative….maybe I should pick it up again. Thanks for sharing the review!
Great find! I love embroidery. It's excellent therapy. Check out Subversive Cross-Stitching if you're not easily offended.
How fun! Wonderful article.
Welcome to the BlissfullyD Family.
xoxo
That's fantastic! I just started embroidering this year, and ended up tracing the outlines of Windows clip art onto my projects. This looks like a MUCH better method. Thanks for the review!
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http://chictopia.com
OH THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
I've been wanting to have a travel friendly project like this but I'm just not into geese either!
You rock! And Ms. Hart too!
Thanks so much for the recommendation! I have been wanting to learn to embroider. I actually added her "Stitch It Kit" to my Amazon wishlist.