Raising the Surface with Machine Embroidery by Maggie Grey
***Temp Out of stock


Raising the Surface with Machine Embroidery is a book for everyone who is fascinated by texture in embroidery. The book starts with full details on producing backgrounds, often using experimental or unusual materials. It deals with raising the surface a little to produce highly textured, low-relief embroideries, moving on to using applied motifs for high relief textiles. It also covers frames, masks and high-relief panels and concludes with three-dimensional constructions: bowls, vessels and towers. Lavishly illustrated with over 100 colour photographs, Raising the Surface is supplemented with clear diagrams and detailed step-by-step text. No great experience is needed to produce the pieces illustrated and described – all you need is enthusiasm and a swing-needle sewing machine.
Susan's Note: This is the book I take with me to markets so when people ask "what do you do with that?" I open my copy of this book and show them. A great reference and introduction to many techniques for textile art. Inspirational

128 pages, soft cover.

Beginner's Guide to Machine Embroidery By Pamela Watts
$26.95 ($24.50)

Enlarge picture of cover
This fresh and original guide to creating unusual and beautiful embroideries offers a wealth of information, with easy-to-follow stitch samplers, projects and inspirational photographs of finished pieces.

Pamela Watts explores all the techniques with infectious enthusiasm, showing how to work the stitches, adjust tension, layer fabrics, develop surfaces, build up texture, create lacy effects with water soluble fabric and more.

Step-by-step photographs accompany a series of projects which are designed to improve skills and the book is packed with expert advice on all aspects of machine embroidery. A final section takes you beyond fabrics into using metal, mesh, handmade paper and more. Vibrant and exciting designs can be created easily using these materials. The effect is stunning when they are combined with soft and transparent fabrics, and lustrous threads. Softcover, 64 pages

Stitch, Dissolve, Distort with machine embroidery by Valerie Campbell-Harding and Maggie Grey
**Temp out of stock

Exciting ways to stitch, dissolve, melt and distort fabric both before and after stitching. Section one covers ways of working with stitch, using both free stitching and distorted automatic patterns. Section two explains water soluable materials, such as films, fabrics and papers and how to combine with stitch for stunning effects. Section three explores how to distort the fabric by melting, stitching, using meshes and the Embellisher tool (needlefelter). These are combined with techinques from the first two sections to create dramatic shapes
Easy to follow instructions, design tips, diagrams and great finished textiles.
127pp, Hardcover

The Encyclopedia of Machine Embroidery by Val Holmes
$34.95 ($31.80) - Now in paperback!

This is an excellent reference book for everything to do with machine embroidery. Well written, great images and explanations - covers everything from thread and fabric to techniques and technical information. All the free machine embroidery stitches are covered in depth so the book will appeal to the quilter as well.
pp.192, Softcover
Susan's note: This is THE book to have on your reference shelf. It is a book I refer to often when looking for technical information as well as a bit of inspiration. Covers so much in one book.

Layers of Stitch: Contemporary Machine Embroidery by Valerie Campbell-Harding and Maggie Grey
$39.95 ($36.20)

Stunning machine embroidery from two of the most accomplished writers on the subject. Explore the potential of contemporary sewing machine functions such as scanners and software to create exciting and beutiful pieces. A variety of materials are used from velvet to silk. Lavishly illustrated with clear step-bystep instructions. 128pp, Softcover

The book covers:

• making backgrounds with dyes, paints, stencils, applique and stitch
• free machining, stabilizers, 3d shapes
• finishing techniques: edges, cords, braids and tassels.

Combining her love of gardens and landscapes with her skills as an artist and a machine embroiderer, Alison Holt shows you how to create exquisite flower pictures using your sewing machine. Alison's interpretations of what she sees in nature are so detailed that many people at first mistake her embroideries for paintings or even photographs.

Alison's technique is to use her sewing machine like a paintbrush to apply threads in a myriad of different colours on to a canvas of hand-painted silk. She uses two basic stitches - straight stitch and zigzag stitch - to make fine and broad 'brushstrokes', blending both to achieve stunning results. This comprehensive and colourful book covers everything from composing a picture and setting up the machine to choosing threads and silk paints and creating different effects in stitch.

Each of the three step-by-step projects allow you to put all you have learnt into practice to make a stunningly effective embroidered picture, and will inspire you to transform what you see around you into your own, unique designs. Softcover, 80 pages
(Need Silk Paint too? Check out Jacquard's Dye-Na-Flow, perfect for silk and set with an iron so no steaming hassles).