English Crewel Designs: Sixteenth to Eighteenth Centuries (International Design Library) [Paperback]

Frances M. Bradbury (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1994

This work features patterns filled with swirling stems, leaves, flowers, and birds traditionally found in English textiles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Stemmer House Publishers (September 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0880450150
• ISBN-13: 978-0880450157
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #233,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #4 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Home & Garden > Crafts & Hobbies > Embroidery
  • #6 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Home & Garden > Crafts & Hobbies > Textile Arts
  • #25 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Europe > England > General

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stunning Designs ready for you to stitch, May 19, 2001

By 

Megan R McConnell (CHERMSIDE SOUTH, QLD Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: English Crewel Designs: Sixteenth to Eighteenth Centuries (International Design Library) (Paperback)

I was thrilled to receive this book - I love crewel embroidery and this slim book is jam-packed with designs for crewel embroidery.

Frances Bradbury is a talented artist and embroiderer, and she has done some beautiful designs ready for you to adapt to your own projects.

All are fully scaleable, and she has even done up some that just need to be scaled up to be full-sized and wearable (the Stomacher is a beautiful example that several of my friends have said that they want done!). All designs are stand alone, or capable of being put together to make a larger piece.

A short history of crewel embroidery is given, but other than that, the book is an embroidery book in medieval style, and has no stitch instructions or thread recommendations.

This is definitely not a book of designs for the beginner to use, but for one who has mastered some crewel stitches, and is confident about using them to best effect.

I will freely admit that for my next crewel embroidery project (an Elizabethan ladies embroidered jacket), I will be using and adapting designs from this book.).

This book truly is a wealth of inspiration for the Embroiderer who wants to do crewel embroidery.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars English Crewel Designs Sixteenth to Eighteenth Centuries, November 27, 2005

By 

Cynthia L. Gilbert "Cindi Luckett Gilbert" (Charlotte, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: English Crewel Designs: Sixteenth to Eighteenth Centuries (International Design Library) (Paperback)

Like Ms. Bradbury's other fine 8.5 X 11" softback book, this effort is well worth the price. Inside the front cover offers a brief credential of Ms. Bradbury which satisfies the knowledge of the reader knowing that the author is a specialist in her field.

A four page introduction on the history of needlework during this time period helps set the reader to the correct time frame. The bibliography she used is impressive on its own right.

The patterns are easy to trace due to the dark and broad ink lines of the pieces. The patterns are also comfortably large so the reader can copy the design and color it to get an idea of the piec prior to stitching the pattern.

Again, however, the patterns are not referenced as to the actual textile it is copied from. But rest assured, the patterns in the book are from actual pieces and not the author's interpretation of the actual piece.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Classic Patterns and Designs - ONLY, February 10, 2010

By 

Imout (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: English Crewel Designs: Sixteenth to Eighteenth Centuries (International Design Library) (Paperback)

May be considered a "duh" statement considering the title but having minimal experience with crewel work I didn't quite know what to expect. The lines in the patterns are very bold which will be helpful with tracing but makes the small details of the patterns appear chunky. I do like the floral designs as they represent what I had envisioned and I will use some of these - but I would have liked some suggestion of what stitches would work on a few of the designs. Perhaps this speaks more of me being a novice with regard to crewel work - If the reader is looking for any type of instruction or suggestion of stitches - you will not find that sort of thing here. This is exactly what the title says it is - DESIGNS only. I'm still satisfied with my purchase though.