A new, larger format edition of the Royal School of Needlework's essential guide to goldwork, giving you all you need to create beautiful stitched work with metal thread. The Royal School of Needlework teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard and is well respected all over the world. It not only upholds the traditions of English embroidery that go back many hundreds of years but is constantly taking embroidery forward in new and innovative ways. Written by Helen McCook, RSN Graduate Apprentice, Tutor and renowned embroiderer, this book begins with: A historical account of goldwork, then moves on to the materials and equipment required Framing up, how to transfer a design on to fabric, and how to start and finish a thread. The main section of the book then covers all the essential stitches and techniques through clear, step-by-step diagrams and photographs, coupled with beautiful, close-up photographs showing how then can be used in a finished piece. All the key traditional techniques are included: couching, bricking, basketweave, cutwork, spangles, s-ing, pearl purl, plate, and kid. The book ends with beautiful and exquisitely worked examples of how the techniques can be combined in finished pieces. Part of the RSN Essential Guides series.

An all-in-one volume covering crewelwork, canvaswork, and six other types of hand embroidery, from the renowned school established in nineteenth-century England. This beautiful book is a rich source of embroidery techniques, stitches, and projects, covering eight key subjects in detail: crewelwork, bead embroidery, stumpwork, canvaswork, goldwork, whitework, blackwork, and silk shading. Collecting all the books in the trusted, bestselling Royal School of Needlework Essential Stitch Guide series, plus a new section on mounting your finished work, this fantastic book—heavily illustrated with photos—is a must-have for all embroiderers.

Crewelwork is one of the oldest embroidery techniques; associated with the 17th century and often known as Jacobean embroidery, it is as popular today as it has ever been. Historically worked in soft wools on twilled linens, today's embroiderer is discovering just how successfully the techniques can be applied to stranded cotton threads and a wider variety of fabrics. Crewelwork embroidery is distinguished by its textured, almost three-dimensional stitches. This book outlines in step-by-step detail the working of 48 of the most versatile stitches, listed alphabetically for easy reference. Sixteen new embroidery designs show the stitches worked in context and trace-off patterns are included. The featured embroideries include traditional Jacobean motifs, contemporary flowers, and whimsical celebration designs. There are also ideas for using the embroidered designs on several small projects.

A new, larger format edition of the classic Royal School of Needlework's essential guide to beadwork. The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard and is well respected all over the world. It not only upholds the traditions of English embroidery that go back many hundreds of years, but is constantly taking embroidery forwards in new and innovative ways. This series of Essential Stitch Guides has been produced in close collaboration with the RSN with the aim of providing a set of definitive works on traditional embroidery techniques. All of the authors were chosen by the RSN and all are graduate apprentices of the Royal School. Shelley Cox presents an expert guide to all aspects of bead embroidery, including information on counted thread beadwork, bead embroidery, beaded surface embroidery, and fringing. Here you will find stitches and technique for every sort of needlework that involves beads. Decorative effects are explored too, making this a fantastic source book and an invaluable reference for beadwork.

An introduction to the most popular hand embroidery techniques. Provides information on setting up pieces of embroidery, such as selecting the design, fabric and threads. Features 16 projects with step-by-step instructions which provide a range of designs from contemporary to historical. Each project is illustrated.

A new, larger format edition of the Royal School of Needlework's essential guide to silk shading, giving you all you need to create thread-painted embroideries. Graduate Apprentice, Sarah Homfray throws light onto the beautiful craft of silk shading, also known as painting with a needle, long and short stitch embroidery or thread painting. Sarah: • Reveals the history of the craft. then moves on to the materials and equipment required. • Covers design and using color; simplifying and demystifying this oft-neglected area of embroidery. • Covers all (main section) of the essential stitches and techniques through clear, step-by-step diagrams and photographs, coupled with beautiful, close-up photographs showing how they can be used in a finished piece. • Includes key traditional techniques: the fundamental stab, split and long and short stitches, along with couching, padding, adding beads and sequins, and knots. • Ends with beautiful and exquisitely-worked examples of how the techniques can be combined in finished pieces, and covering working with different fabrics, threads and incorporating painted backgrounds. The RSN teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard and is well respected all over the world. It not only upholds the traditions of English embroidery that go back many hundreds of years, but is constantly taking embroidery forward in new and innovative ways.

Learn to create stunning needlecraft projects inspired by traditional fairy tales, including The Wizard of Oz, Karolcia, The Wild Swans, and Cinderella. This magical collection takes as its central theme a magnificent embroidery depicting the “Tree of Happiness.” Each part of the embroidery is then explored in detail through stitch diagrams, explanations of the threads used, and alternative ways of working. There are seven wonderful designs in total, each dedicated to one of Tatiana’s favorite fairy tales, and all illustrated with gorgeous photographs and informative diagrams. Over 90 stitches are described in the book, all worked using stranded cotton and cotton pearl thread rather than traditional crewel wool, which gives the embroideries a fresh, modern appeal. Whether you are new to embroidery or an experienced embroiderer looking for inspiration and expert guidance, Tatiana’s beautiful book is one you will turn to again and again. “Tatiana Popova is a major craftswoman in her art, and what she does is beautiful. She not only demonstrates the techniques of crewel, she simplifies and breakdown each design into small achievable parts.” —Postcard Reviews

The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard and is well respected all over the world. It not only upholds the traditions of English embroidery that go back many hundreds of years, but is constantly taking embroidery forward in new and innovative ways. This series of Essential Stitch Guides has been produced in close collaboration with the RSN with the aim of providing a set of definitive works on traditional embroidery techniques. All of the authors were chosen by the RSN and all are graduate apprentices of the Royal School. Whitework begins with the history of this wide-ranging type of embroidery, then explains the materials needed and the issues of designing and ordering your work for stitching in white on white fabric. The Stitches section covers pulled thread, core surface, decorative and drawn thread stitches, as well as eyelets and cutwork. Two beautiful whitework pieces are then analysed to show how all the stitches and techniques were used, and a traditional piece is reworked with a contemporary twist. Finally the further techniques of using layers, net darning and trailing are shown. Step by step photography, full instructions and diagrams make this a clear and user-friendly guide to whitework, and Lizzy's skills and talent make it an inspirational book.

A new, larger format edition of the Royal School of Needlework's essential guide to canvaswork. The Royal School of Needlework teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard, developing techniques in new and innovative ways. Written by RSN apprentice and tutor Rachel Doyle, this book contains an extensive is an extensive guide to canvaswork techniques, and includes complete information on the major stitches while offering stunning new design ideas. Here you will find diagonal stitches, horizontal and vertical stitches, raised, textured and filling stitches. Decorative effects are explored too, making this a fantastic source book and an invaluable reference for canvaswork stitches.