Kaye Pyke's Elegant Embroidery

This guide to embroidery introduces sophisticated stitchery that's easy to do, satisfying to finish and stunning to look at. It can be subtle or bold, combine ribbons with threads, silks with wools, mix textures and colours, but it need not be difficult or complicated. No experience is necessary. Kaye Pyke's style of combining texture with a dramatic use of stitches is set out with clear step-by-step instructions for everyone to try. The result is a collection of ideas for the beginner or more experienced embroiderer. Ribbon embroidery, which is now popular the world over, is featured in many of the designs. The Peony Rose Cushion uses this technique to create huge, dramatic silk roses. There are some other interesting techniques such as embroidering a garland, cutting it out and then padding it before sewing down onto a cushion cover. "Kaye Pyke's Elegant Embroidery" shows the reader how to start with the simplest project and develop techniques and stitches to create beautiful handmade pieces. There are cushions, nightwear, footstools, pictures to be framed, handkerchiefs, babywear and pot pourri bags. All the stitches are explained in stitch glossaries at the front of the book. Each project is accompanied by one of Patsy Blair's black and white drawings of the stitches. Neil Lorimer's photography shows off the projects in decorator settings as well as providing close-up pictures of the stitches.

Kaye Pyke has been designing and teaching embroidery for 19 years and is co-author, with Lynne Landy and Anne Stowers, of Kaye Pyke's Classic Cushions. Lynne Landy has worked in the textile and design industry and as a journalist for Home Beautiful and as contributor to the Age and Sun newspapers. Lynne is now the Melbourne editor of Australian Country Style magazine.