A Perfect World in Ribbon Embroidery and Stumpwork - Softcover

Niekerk, Di Van

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1844482316 ISBN 13: 9781844482313

Publisher: Search Press, 2006

Synopsis

This book is a must for all ribbon embroidery and stumpwork enthusiasts. A substantial 160 page book, it is packed with new ideas and techniques that will appeal not only to all embroiderers, but also to other crafters such as quilters, knitters, fabric painters, scrapbookers or home decor enthusiasts. Included in each panel are innovative ideas for a variety of crafts. More and more crafters are wishing to learn how to combine ribbon embroidery and especially stumpwork with their crafts to make their own distinctive work of art and this book will help you do just that! The original watercolor design is by South African botanical artist, Verde. There are 17 panels in the magnificent sampler and 60 different elements in the design with a clear stitch gallery to guide you. Flowers and creatures from all over the world, many of them never having been done before, are included in the sampler, so there is something for everyone. The embroidery for each element is shown step-by-step with clear and beautiful photographs.

About this title

About the Author

Di van Niekerk is a professional fiber arts instructor and the manager of a mail-order business specializing in ribbons, instruction guides, and other design-based products. She is the author of Dreamscapes in Ribbon & Embroidery, A Perfect World in Ribbon Embroidery & Stumpwork, Flower Fairies in Ribbon Embroidery & Stumpwork, Embroidered Alphabets with ribbon embroidery, and Threads and Crafts Ribbon Embroidery & Stumpwork.

Review

Issue 45 This is a stunning book. One of those books that when you open it you think you've died and gone to heaven. The front cover doesn't give too much away, it's only when you actually open the book and start to read on that you realise it is just overflowing with new ideas and techniques for ribbon embroidery and stumpwork enthusiasts. Each chapter covers one panel which can be completed on its own for smaller projects or combined with the other 16 panels to create a magnificent finished sampler piece. Quilters may want to use a single element, for example one of the beautiful flower or butterfly designs to make their quilt unique. Clear colour photographs, step-by-step diagrams and instructions and a clear stitch gallery offer great guidance for beginners. There are also lots of great ideas for the more advanced embroiderer. * Fabrications * March 07 There is something very magical about creating life-like and three dimensional images with a needle and thread. The effects that can be achieved are absolutely breathtaking and leave many who have not tried Stumpwork or Ribbon embroidery totally in awe. The secret is to take one tiny motif at a time to develop confidence and with this technique a little motif goes a long way. This book features a wonderful sampler of flowers, insects and animals within a lattice framework of seventeen panels. Overall there are sixty different elements to the design all of which can be worked individually or put together in your own combination to create smaller projects. For example just one of the flowers could be made up as a card, added to a hand-made box or trinket pot or any other accessory. The design is based on a watercolour painting by South African botanical artist Verde. The author recommends that this is printed on to the fabric and the stitches worked over the top leaving the background tints and shading to show through. There are various means of doing this described in the book and there are templates and images provided for you to do this or choose to use more traditional methods. To recreate the flowers a combination of Ribbon embroidery and Stumpwork is used to produce great results. There are new ideas for working insect wings and flowers with many helpful shortcuts. As there are many more products available today that can make Stumpwork easier and less traumatic to stitch, these methods are also included. Look out for many clever ideas such as covering seed beads with ribbon to make cup-shaped flowers and tips such as repairing an accidentally snipped edge with clear nail varnish. The sampler is broken down into panels and these in turn are approached element by element to complete it. These stages are explained step by step and illustrated with extremely clear close-up colour photographs. There is a glossary at the back of the book where there are diagrams for each of the stitches used and each panel has a comprehensive materials listing for the threads and ribbons required. Although there is a South African slant to the plants and wildlife, the vast majority are universal including freesias, corn poppies, bluebells, roxes, phlox, bulrushes, daisies and many, many more. Of the creatures featured in the sampler, there are butterflies, a beetle, bee, dragonfly and even termites! * New Stitches Magazine * Oct 06 Di van Niekirk, the author of this lavishly illustrated book, has produced an inspiring collection of beautifully illustrated embroideries based on the natural forms she observes in her native South Africa. Her book is based on the tradition of three dimensional work we are familiar with from Stuart times, but updated to include ribbon work and stitchery giving a rich raised surface. There are 17 panels to be stitched, based on beautiful watercolour paintings by the artist Verde. Carefully laid out and informative instructions enable beginners as well as acomplished stitchers to achieve satisfying results. The techniques used could then be developed by experienced stitchers to their own designs. This book would give inspiration to all levels of ability. * Merseyside Embroiderers Guild * Newsletter 65, Summer 2007 A really fascinating book combining both old and new embroidery techniques. The flower designs are lovely and the animal and insect examples are very original. The working instructions are clear and fully detailed with plenty of working diagrams to help even the beginner in this field of embroidery. Barbara Hector, St. Stephens-on-Brannel * West Country Embroiderers *

Edition details

• Publisher: Search Press
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1844482316
• ISBN 13: 9781844482313
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 160