Customer Reviews

Beginner's Guide to Goldwork

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've waited for this book for more than half a year and it doesn't disappoint. The author's credentials as an embroiderer and teacher are important because the book is meant for the beginner. She covers the materials used (with excellent color photos of them) and then the design which is her sampler for beginners (see cover). She shows how to prepare the fabric in the laced up frame followed by transfering the design by tracing or lightbox method. How to thread the needle and end. Next section describes all the stitches used on her sampler: laidstitch, couching, trellis stitch, padding, and satin stitch. This is followed by doing a leaf with the previous stitches, and then a section on long and short stitch, brick stitch and "turning and passing". Next project is doing a diamond in brick stitch and also a circle. Diamond design in two colors, section on using kid, three circles design, lozenge design, teardrops design, raised gold, basket stitch and finally acorn project done two ways. She mentions her supply sources in her intro but there is no other listing for the materials. I would have liked more information on the gold threads but that can be found in other books. Photos and other illustrations are excellent. Print is good also. The book is meant to be worked through on the various small projects and this will give a good foundation to the subject. Highly recommended for anyone interested in goldwork.

I am new to goldwork. I became interested in goldwork for a living history project. After numerous searches on the topic, I found Benton and Johnson. Producers of some fantastic bullion embroidery. They offered samplers of threads and beginners kits. I figured that I could buy one of the kits and it would help me get started on my project. When I received the kit and opened the directions, I ended up scratching my head. The text assumed I had some experience with embroidery and it had no diagrams; I realized I was in a bit over my head.

What to do?

Previously, I had seen "Beginner's Guide to Goldwork" on another web site and figured I'd check it out.

This book is a real gem (and a life saver). It answered many of my questions and demonstrated not only goldwork, but how it was used with other embroidery techniques to create real works of art. It is a short book, but no space is wasted.

The books style is very conversational and easy to understand. Some texts for beginners assume a lot about a person's knowledge about a given subject, not so in this book. Everything is explained clearly to help beginner's build their embroidery and goldwork lexicon. It is filled with lavish illustrations and detailed photos of Mrs. Chamberlin's sampler to help readers visualize the techniques employed. She explains patterns, tools, and how to layout your design on the fabric so that your design is in the center and doesn't run off the edge.

I think that if you own one book on the topic of goldwork, this should be your first choice. It is a beautiful little book and I feel that anyone reading it will be able to produce a goldwork piece after reading it.

I have several books on Goldwork in my embroidery collection, but this is by far my favourite. Part of the reason that I will always recommend it is the incredible section on how to mount your work into a slate frame, which unless you have had someone show you how to do it, can be a tricky bit of work. In addition to all of first rate instructions for the actual gold work as well as the silk embroidery stitches used alongside to create the completed pieces, Ms. Chamberlin shows how to actually put the linen into the slate frames, and I found this very helpful indeed. I think that anyone who is seriously interested in historical embroidery would benefit from the book just from the framing section alone.

Excellently illustrated book providing adequate instructions to enable an experienced needleworker to take up goldwork. The goldwork examples are refreshingly creative combining gold thread with conventional thread. This opens up a lot more applications than plain goldwork which can be a somewhat tedious except for the dedicated. In summary a worthwhile acquisition given the limitations of what can be contained in 80 pages of heavily illustrated text.

This book provides many examples and styles with full color photos. I did not feel intimidated by the book, and found it easy to understand and work with. ultimately this book became a gift for a friend who fell in love with the book as well!

I should have read the description more carefully. It's all about ecclesiastic goldwork, and completely ignores the wealth of goldwork all over the world. Not interesting if you're not into church garb.