Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Embroidered Alphabets With Ribbon Embroidery

by Di van Niekerk

     

If you have ever wanted to monogram anything—linen for a bride, a teddy bear for a baby, a special greeting card—here is a book filled with ideas and projects. If, in addition, you have read any of my reviews of Di van Niekerk’s other books (check out the non fiction archive) then you will know that you are in for something special with this one.

There is a whole embellished alphabet in here, made up from freestyle embroidery and ribbon stitches, complete with excellent instructions on how to do it all. This is not, however, a book aimed at the beginner. But there are many other books out there aimed at teaching from scratch, and so it is refreshing to find one for the more advanced stitcher. Along with instructions for the stitches, you can also find several lovely paintings to transform into embellished images on cards, cloth for wearable art etc. These come with a detailed chapter on how to transfer them, as well as how to compose an attractive monogram. Frankly, this is one of those books where there doesn’t seem to be anything left out you could possibly want to know. Advice on choosing cloth, wonderfully clear diagrams of the stitches and plenty on useful topics as diverse as decorating a teddy bear to washing your work. At the back with the paintings is a chapter showing you what to do with them, and very lovely it is too. I have never been particularly interested in monogramming things until now, but I think that it would be a crime not to have a go with a book as delightful as this. One for the keeper shelf.

Reviews of other titles by Di van Niekerk

Dreamscapes in Ribbon Embroidery and Stumpwork
Embroidered Alphabets With Ribbon Embroidery
Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies in Ribbon Embroidery and Stumpwork
Little Flowers In Silk and Organza Ribbon
Monograms and Words in Ribbon Embroidery

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

The Book

Search Press
June 2009
Paperback
1844484467 / 9781844484461
How-To Books / Embroidery
More at Amazon.com US || UK

The Reviewer

Rachel A Hyde
Reviewed 2009
© 2009 MyShelf.com