Customer Reviews

Create Your Own Cross Stitch: How to Turn Your Design Ideas Into Reality

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

 

 

Shirley has developed a book that will encourage beginners to take the plunge and chart their own designs; but offers little assistance in taking the designs to the next level of complexity and sophistication.

Beginners, be reassured; it really does require few tools and little artistic talent for you to successfully chart your own designs. Shirley lays out the steps to success in a logical fashion; complete with many helpful (and pretty) drawings, photos, & watercolors. This book would be an excellent tool for you.

Intermediate-level designers who are searching for techniques to improve their designs may not find this book helpful. The designs shown in the book are fairly small and primitive in style. There are no partial stitches, fiber tweeding, or medium to large scale designs. There is no mention of using fewer strands of fiber to denote background distances, or half stitches to achieve a similar effect.

I only gave the book 3 stars because I found the book disappointing: I have been charting small-to-medium designs for several years and was looking for techniques to make my designs more 3-dimensional. If I was just starting out I would probably give the book a 4-star rating.

Create Your Own Cross Stitch is for people who want to start their own project and create something unique, but do not know where to begin. From the book I found out that one does not need many tools to get a project done. Everything is kept very simple. The book offers some simple, but very effective things that one came make. Finishing touches for most projects do not require much effort. Size and complexity of a project are left to the individual to decide, so everything depends on dedication. I would especially recommend this book to people who have been cross-stitching already.

Shirley Watts always delivers what she promises, in this book she simplifies designing cross-stitch and makes it look very easy and possible even to the novice.She explains the whole process right from the beginning:from choosing your design ,to drawing it,developing it (she even explains lighting and shading),implementing it and even the finishing techniques that apply to almost all projects. She also has valuable tips on choosing the right materials and colors to enhance your project even further