I’ve always had needlework in my life, one way or another. My grandmother knit and embroidered, my mom sewed, my dad did needle point (I know, right?!). I remember learning to embroider…a tiny pillow with my name written in a chain stitch surrounded by lazy daisy flowers with french knot centers. To me, embroidery is an extension of all of the other crafting I do. Especially working with felt, as I do with my holiday ornaments, stuffed animals, or appliquéd pieces, embroidery is the perfect finishing touch. Because of this, I think every maker needs embroidery skills in their repertoire!

 

 

Kristing Nicholas has written a great book to either teach you embroidery skills or brush up on the ones you already have. Colorful Stitchery is a comprehensive guide taking you from fabric to floss to stitching and everything in between. Not only is this an amazing resource, it’s got 65 projects to get you started and to keep you stitching.

 

Colorful Stitchery was originally released in 2005. This is a new edition, completely re-designed with the growing interest in embroidery in mind. There are projects for the living room, kitchen and bedroom. Plus, once you have the skills, you can add embroidery to pretty much anything you make (or buy) to personalize it.

 

I’ve always admired Kristin’s colorful work. She is a talented lady with many books on knitting, embroidery and working with color. You can read more about Kristin, her books and her life on  Getting Stitched on the Farm. She also teaches classes with CreativeBug and Craftsy.

 

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This book just gets my creative juices flowing! I know I’ll look to it again and again not only for project ideas but as a valuable stitch library and embroidery resource. (Special thanks to Roost Books for providing a review copy. It’s a keeper!)

 

 

What about you? Has needlework always been a part of your life?