Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I am very interested in English historical embroidery, and purchased this book with excited expectation. The book does not have any designs from the 16th to 18th centuries, and the modern designs created out of her own head by the author are not reminiscent of the period she claims to be illustrating, nor are they very usable as patterns. There are egregious misstatements in the historical notes. I am very sorry I spent money on this book.

This is a great book for anyone looking to re-create the flavor of late Elizabethan or early Jacobian crewel work. Many of the patterns could possibly be used for blackwork/whitework as well if you simplify them.

Most of the patterns are fairly large and are well suited for wall-hangings, pillows or other larger projects.

They are also useful for illumination work.

All the designs are black line drawings (good for tracing!) with some indication of stitches. If you go on the Internet you can find free books for downloading that have lots of similar pictures for free. It is nice though to have them in one book. I am not sorry I bought the book!
Anna

Feedback from the recipient -- my daughter-in-law -- was excellent. She loved the book and looks forward to learning and doing more crewel work.

I am delighted with this purchase. It shows a broard spectrum of traditional English Design. The written history of this type of embroidery is most welcome along with tips of traditional stitches. The price is right.

This book is a well-assembled resource of historic patterns and includes excellent instructions. The only thing I'd also like to see is color photos of the finished stitches on completed projects.

This book has some beautiful things in it, I got the impression it also gave suggestions for what stitches to use but it doesn't. That aside, I'd buy it again in a heart beat.