Customer Reviews

Contemporary Machine Embroidered Quilts: Innovative Techniques and Designs

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

 

 

First, to clarify another review, the wisteria embroidery designs on the cover ARE on the CD included with the book, but the designs used in other projects are not. Most of them are Amazing Designs, and I think they are all currently available. However, none of the designs used in any of the quilts are particularly unique; you might already own designs that would work, and I've seen good substitutes on a number of sites. Check out places like Emblibrary.com, OregonPatchworks.com, and StitcheryMall.com for less expensive, downloadable alternatives to the boxed CD brands. Additionally, these are not cookie-cutter quilts. You can't reproduce them exactly even with the designs Eileen used, because you will never get the same fabric she used (as any quilter knows).

That said, I think this is a great resource for learning how to get past "plop and drop" designing with your embroidery and for making larger pieces by grouping smaller designs artistically. Eileen starts with a short discussion about where to get your inspiration by showing how she came up with one of the quilts. She discusses templates, using your embroidery software to make simple changes and combinations, proper hooping, considerations for stacking designs, and stabilizing large projects. She uses a variety of techniques to pull things together and avoid "plop & drop," such as ground fabric choices, different applique methods to add details and texture, and adding free-form satin stitch to link embroidery elements. She also gives detailed instructions for making a dozen pieces -- mostly wall hangings -- and includes templates for the applique elements that she has added.

Personally, I am well satisfied with the book and would recommend it to any machine embroiderer who is interested in using her stash of designs and fabrics in a more artistic, even painterly fashion, but needs some inspiration and a bit of guidance to get started.

It was not clear to me before I purchased this book that the embroidery designs used in this book must be purchased separately -- they were not included on the cd. The book said they were available from Amazing Designs but that does not seem to be the case as they are not available. Very disappointed in this book.

Eileen has done it once again and produced an easy to follow instruction book. The beauty of each design is detailed for one to just want to jump right in and start an embroidered quilt. With the embroidery designs on the cd is well worth the money.

This book basically show you what you and your embroidery machine can do. It opened my eyes. Before, I only know how to embroider a design in a center of a block, and then join several block to make a wall hanging or table runner. After reading this book, I know I can make a really art with the help of my embroidery machine.
Some reviews complained about the lacking of designs in CD, but this is not a drawback to me, as I actually don't want to copy an exact project except for practicing purpose. What important are the ideas and the techniques.
The included wisteria designs are actually very beautiful. Eileen also provided some other smaller project based on those designs in her Designs in Machine Embroidery magazine. I will use these small projects to build up my skills, and hopefully will come up with my own design soon.

I was very keen when I began this book. Roche's ideas are intriguing, and the book is nicely laid out with good directions. What I was NOT prepared for, though, was that even though the designs are supposedly from Amazing Designs, they simply are not there. Hence, it is quite difficult to follow Roche's directions. I think this makes the book something of a rip-off, since in the first place, one would assume the CD included the designs in her projects (as does Patty Albin's book and CD) and then when one overcomes this disappointment it becomes apparent that the designs are not even available at the sources she lists. The list price in Canada is $41.99--had I paid that price it would be back at the store, pronto.

This is a xmas gift. The book arrive when I was told it would arrive. It was package very well and book was in excellent condition.