A Cross Stitcher's Oriental Odyssey [Paperback]

Joan Elliott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2004

American artist Joan Elliott has found inspiration in the colours and serenity of the Far East. Her wonderful designs have been skillfully adapted for cross stitching by American kit company Design Works Crafts. While some of the featured designs are already available as kits, many are exclusive to this book. Three of the most beautiful designs portray women in kimonos - Grace, Beauty and Wisdom - echoing the art of the Japanese print. While these may offer a challenge to the more experienced stitcher, there are plenty of smaller designs that offer inspiration to the beginner. The beautifully finished projects include a greetings card collection, pot lids, towel borders, scented sachet, a pillow, drawstring bag, and a silk-backed wall hanging.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joan Elliott has been creating needlework designs for over 30 years. An accomplished artist and weaver, her knowledge of colour and skills in fibre art shine through. Joan is one of the key designers for Design Works Crafts, the very successful cross stitch company based in Bohemia, New York. She works closely with Susan Knopp, the company's owner, to develop her designs into cross stitch charts. Joan Elliott lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: David & Charles Publishers (October 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0715319000
• ISBN-13: 978-0715319000
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #992,027 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book for all cross stitchers!, January 9, 2002

By 

Judy (Massachusetts USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Cross Stitcher's Oriental Odyssey (Hardcover)

This book by Joan Elliott truly takes you on an odyssey.

The first part of the odyssey begins with the cover image of the Oriental Lady "Wisdom" and continues inside with small and simple florals, sachets, notecards and trinket bowls as well as large and more complex pictures, all rich with color and attention to detail.

The second part of this Oriental Odyssey begins with the first words of the Introduction. Joan's love of the Orient is obvious in the history lesson she relates about such cultural staples as the kimono, the obi, the paintings, calligraphy and feng shui. Each design contains a more detailed description of the extensive symbolism within.

The third piece of this odyssey is the urge to stitch that is created from the color charts. The number of floss colors required to stitch these designs is minimal given the amount of detail achieved in each. Joan was also able to make the designs rich in symbolism while maintaining a trademark of her work - a deceivingly simple and easy-to-follow flow in the charts.

This Oriental Odyssey concludes with pages of instructions for finishing your projects as they appear throughout the book. These instructions are written and illustrated in a clear and concise fashion. A bonus for those who are not confidently creative is the recommendations by the author that various designs can be finished in the same manner as others.

After closing the book it became very clear that Joan Elliott not only loves Oriental art but also has an ability to incorporate it into her cross stitch designs and share it with others. She not only created designs that are appealing but also that relate a story within the borders of their stitches.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars By Far the Best, July 8, 2002

By 

Dana Keish (Ohio, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Cross Stitcher's Oriental Odyssey (Hardcover)

I love cross stitch and needlepoint and I also love oriental designs. This book fits both criteria and then some! You will find wonderful designs, some very small and quite a few large ones. Two things are really appreciated...very few colors are used (which is amazing given the depth of the designs) and very few fractional stitches are used, which again makes the stitching that much more enjoyable. Three large designs of geisha's are included and several designs focus on oriental plants and calligraphy. I would definitely rate this as one of the best cross stitch books I have ever purchased.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource for oriental designs, May 13, 2002

By 

Mariakm (NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Cross Stitcher's Oriental Odyssey (Hardcover)

I ordered this book seeing the good reviews and because I wanted some oriental cross stitch designs and I must say, I havent been disappointed at all! All the designs in the book are breathtakingly beautiful. Like another reviewer has mentioned, tbe designs are all vivid in detail and rich in color, yet the palette used is limited. There are patterns in all sizes, a few big ones, a few medium sized ones and a few small ones. They are beautiful and easy to work on, yet the end result looks amazing. It is now my favourite cross stitch book.