Stitch, Fabric & Thread: An inspirational guide for creative stitchers

Very well written with wonderful photography and perfect amount of history. Great for embroidery stitches and ideas for textile use. Plus an enjoyable read. I highly. Recommend

I'm a picture gal. Don't just tell me, show me! Pictures and illustrations are on every page, not to mention great instructions. Love the book!

This book has more than fulfilled my expectations. If you are looking for a traditional embroidery book, this is definitely not it. If you are looking for inspiration and thinking out of the square, and open to the suggestion of mixed media, then this is one for you to consider! This is not a stitch dictionary either, although the necessities of a hand sewing basket are discussed, and stitches explained and shown, but most of us do not consider India ink a vital ingredient, until you see what you can do with it when you drop it into paint and then add bleach, before you start embroidering on the resultant background.This is a great introduction to hand embroidery as an essential part of modern textile arts and mixed media that can be used on its own, as part of another project like an art quilt, or even as part of art journaling on rag paper and so crosses into many other areas that are not always considered compatible. The author explains techniques and gives examples you can follow as you build your personal repertoire and suggests places to look for further inspiration ranging from art galleries to the latest fashion shows to your backyard. Anything that catches you fancy is fair game. She also includes chapters on traditional crafts like Dorset buttons, creating pleats in fabric to turn them into 3D pieces then doing the same in felt for a totally different take on the idea, and even Suffolk puffs and paper piecing get an airing, with a modern twist. But this is not a quilting book either. Its about what you can do with a base fabric, (which does not have to be store bought material for embroidery), anything that can either be threaded through the eye of a needle, or couched down by thread or yarn, which is a wide interpretation of all those words, and embellishments made from things that often end up in the rubbish bin, such as useless wrappings, packaging or similar, can be re-used to make a unique piece of art.As someone who loves mixed media and textile arts along with painting and dyeing, and thinks recycling is a good idea, and enjoys working with her hands, this is right up my alley. From traditional work to the latest Indie ideas, there is plenty here to fill me with inspiration as I work out how to transpose those techniques onto another medium, combine them in a different way for a new twist, and then incorporate them into something else. Art feeds on inspiration, and once those creative juices get going, its amazing where they will take you. This book will get you started on that journey and take you down a few paths less travelled without the need to buy complicated and expensive appliances or brand name supplies. There are no major projects as such, its technique driven. Its up to you to what you do with the information the author shares, and the sky is the limit!

Love the inspiration this book offers. Highly recommend. Beautiful photography and instruction on every page. Can't wait to start creating some new projects inspired by some of the ideas within the pages of this book.

I have previously read this book in print form and managed my way through the light print that others have mentioned. Since I'm not sure whether I had purchased the book or had read a borrowed copy, I went with the digital version. Unfortunately, I had to magnify 250x to read the print on my laptop, which means that I can only read the top halves of the pages. There is no slider to access the rest of the page. I haven't even tried on a tablet or phone. The book contains a bounty of creative stitching ideas illustrated with beautiful photographs and diagrams. BUY THE PRINT VERSION to have as a reference.

I purchased the kindle edition of this book. When I first looked at it, I used the ‘look inside’ feature. The only preview available is the one for the print book. I didn’t think it would make much difference, but sadly, it does. The kindle edition, instead of being reproduced page by page, as in the print edition, is shown two facing pages at a time. Like someone opened the book and took a picture. While this would have been nice as an option, it seems it is the only option. Because this is such a richly visual book, that makes most of it somewhat difficult to see, and of course there is no pinch-and-expand or enlarge function. The size of the screen determines what you see. I can not zoom in on a particularly juicy piece of threadwork, or even read the text very easily. I’m trying to read this on my iPad, but to really see the book, I’ll have to read it on the big Mac. Very disheartening, and not a good decision for folks who want to see what’s going on in the pictures or skim over the text easily. Buy this book in the print edition. You will be much happier as well as being actually able to read it. I’m thinking of processing a return, which saddens me, because it looks intriguing from a distance.

I've been in the market for a different take on hand sewing and embroidery, not so much as a how to buy as more of a source of inspiration. I'm delighted with the book, it covers not only materials and tools but addresses a variety of things including fabric manipulation and Japanese bookbinding. If you're new to creative needlework this will definitely get you started on the right foot. If you're more experienced you'll likely appreciate the imagination and creativity of Ms Healey's work and and the projects in offer.

Imperdible para los que disfrutamos del arte textil y sus posibilidades. Para conservarlo y verlo una y otra vez, repasa técnicas y es una fuente de ideas.

Arrived when expected. This book is very inspirational and more than just a project book. It is also a good read with lots to absorb. I have finished one project based on information and am working on another.

Para quem gosta de costurar e bordar, este livro nos leva um passo adiante usando os mesmos materiais. Inspirador.

There is plenty of useful advice and things to try in this book, especially for the sewing novice.

Love this book. Great ideas. It's a great reference when you need new ideas. Highly recommend.

Haven't tried anything yet although flipped through it and have a few ideas already😏