Customer Reviews

The Stitches of Creative Embroidery

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

 

 

Wha Hooo! I found my precious & most favorite embroidery stitch book again! When I moved several years ago, this, my most best reference book for embroidery got mislaid. Even with "doodle cloths" of sample stitches I'd learned & used from Enthoven's book, there were some I just could not remember correctly. Sooo many cool stitches I just cannot keep them all in my head. Tonight I found **The Reference Book Above all Others for Embroidery Stitches**, this book is **The One** ! !

I heartily agree with the other reviewers's opinions. I have happily embroidered anything & everything (excluding cross stitch) for 50 years. This book has the easiest to read pictures and explanations of any embroidery book I have seen bar none. If I had to own only one embroidery book, this is **IT** ! !

Enthoven organizes the her book by grouping embroidery stitches by type (straight, knotted, etc.). This makes browsing for a particular style stitch much easier and faster. In addition to clear, easy-to-follow instructions [Yes, even for beginners!], there are wonderful & useful stitches in this book that I've not seen anywhere else except in textile collections of museums. Better yet these rare stitches are not necessarily difficult. For example there is a stitch she teaches from the Inuit technique for making water-tight seams in traditional clothing of sealskin etc. It translates into contemporary embroidery to make an absolutely great method to join materials such as felt, polar fleece and for that matter, just plain cloth. .... And it's beautiful and far sturdier than a blanket stitch.

The Stitches of Creative Embroidery isn't just a list of stitches. Enthoven gives sources and historical background. When she describes how to make a stitch, she tells you **everything** you need to know. She includes how the stitch behaves depending on the spacing/length of the stitch, the weight/size/type of thread and fabric type. This is rarely addressed in most other embroidery books. All of her stitches have detailed illustrations. There are myriad pictures showing variations of stitches, too.

Now just in case that's not enough to convince you that The Stitches of Creative Embroidery is fabulous, read on about the inspiration and creativity this book nurtures and releases in the hands-on reader/embroiderer. In her examples she shows original work of mere mortals: 4 year old's, 12-year old's original & others in addition to antique museum pieces from the world over. She paints springboards of ideas into your mind. She gives you methods to doodle with pen and needle & thread completely original artwork. Nooo you do not have to be an artiste' to do this. Lines & circles, outlines from everyday items ... even a coin are fair game and make wonderful starting points for designs. There is an awesome angel (huge almost tapestry size) that a very young girl did using only a plain running stitch (over,under,over,under like one does to gather an edge of fabric or to baste) and its variations. It is fine enough to compete in any art show yet it's only a series of straight, easy stitches.

The Stitches of Creative Embroidery will take you painlessly beyond the 6 most commonly known stitches: stem stitch, satin stitch, French knot, cross stitch, blanket stitch and daisy stitch. It will lead you into a cornucopia of stitches that gives you a palette of texture and depth those useful but ubiquitous stitches just cannot provide. With this one book as reference I have created and embroidered unique design for everything from elaborately embroidered chambray work shirts (remember when those were popular?) to fine church linens. You can too if you read the book and get out a needle and thread.

I am amazed that The Stitches of Creative Embroidery has not been actively printed and reprinted for decades. It deserves to be. I'm going to stop typing and purchase at least two of these books right now!

I love this book. This is the book my Grandma had on her shelf when she taught me to embroider as a little girl. When I went back to embroidery recently this is the book I bought. Unlike many modern embroidery books, Enthoven's work proceeds from the premise that everyone can produce their own designs using embroidery. Rather than giving you a series of projects to copy, she teaches an abundance of stitches, and lots of encouragement to explore them. She emphasizes the practice of "doodling" with stitches as a way of coming up with your own designs - something I've found really helpful. I've actually found that I am able to come up with more lively designs with my needle than with pencil and paper.
Something else I love about this book are a couple of photos of Enthoven's daughter's experiments in embroidery at the age of three. It's almost worth buying the book to see her depiction of the Seattle Space Needle! An awesome work!

This is a fantastic book for anyone looking to branch out with embroidery. It includes detailed instructions for creating hundreds of unusual stitches from around the world, along with interesting commentary on the history of and uses for the stitches, ideas for design, and many (mostly black and white) pictures. Enthoven also provides valuable instructional information for both new and experienced embroiderers, and her enthusiasm for the subject is inspirational. Highly recommended!

. . . not quite the same in different editions. I'm giving it 4 stars because there is a wonderful variety of stitches whichever one you get. BUT not realizing there was a difference between them I did not get what I thought I was ordering. Be careful when ordering from Amazon pages that do not have a photograph; check ISBN numbers and publishers very carefully. Amazon does not differentiate reviews between editions with the same title and author, even if the publishing company is different. The copy I received was from Van Nostrand Reinhold (ISBN 0442223188) while the edition I wanted was from Schiffer Publishing Ltd (ISBN 0887401112). I just prefer the Schiffer Publ version (You bet I'm picky--I'm KJV only, too.) so I will order it as well.

Like Janice, I have a number of embroidery stitch books and read a library copy first because I doubted I'd find anything new here. Wow--was I wrong. I needed only a quick skim-through before realizing what a treasure-trove it was and deciding that regardless of the size of my craft library (hundreds) this was a "must have."

For the beginner or dilettante this book is probably overkill. If you are a serious embroiderer or designer you will find yourself overwhelmed--with excitement--by the variations and possibilities it encompasses.

As per the recommendations here, I chose to purchase "The Stitches of Creative Embroidery" (ISBNs 0887401112 and 978-0887401114 -- two numbering systems, one book) and quite frankly, I was prepared to be disappointed. You see, I've got stitch books and quite often find the newer ones to be a disappointment.

The last thing I need is a duplicate book of stitches with nothing new or exciting, even if the pictures are "pretty" or in color. Bah Humbug. And with the illustrations in black and white such as in this book, it seems easier for me to read them. Pale on pale doesn't work for these eyes of mine.

The stitches are new to me -- and I won't admit how many decades I've been stitching but will say my favorite stitch book was published in 1948. In any event, this book has lots and lots of wonderful stitches that I can duplicate with the great instructions provided.

Generally speaking, everthing is in black and white -- that's okay because I prefer to use my own color schemes. It's inspiring -- the type you can open to virtually any page and say "yes!!!"

This book though -- it's been tucked into my Quilting Book collection versus stitchery per se. So many of these stitches can be used in Crazy Quilting it's a "must have" for enthusiasts.

The author shows a variety of ways to fill in space -- and incidentally, there are lots of choices that do not involve my least favorite stitch aka Satin Stitch.

What I liked too was the variety of work shown... so many of these books have perfect stitchery that I rather enjoy the real deal. And "Stitches of Creative Embroidery" is the Real Deal. It's got pictures of work done by young children, to old masters -- and lots in between as well.

If you don't own it, go ahead, and treat yourself. This book is worth retail prices though some tiny part of me wishes there were more color photographs.

An avid crazy-quilter, I am always looking for one more source book for fantastic or new-to-me stitches. This book is one of the better ones. The stitches are well drawn simply in black and white, which I like. Jacqueline also give a wee bit of history and anecdotes for many of the stitches.
I sticky-noted a dozen pages of stitches to try, hoping to include in my repertoire. This book will be on the shelf right along with Carole Samples' "Treasury of Crazy Quilt Stitches," Dorothy Bond's "Crazy Quilt Stitches," and Joan Waldman's "Quilt Savvy: Embroidery Stitches."
There's not much eye candy, only 4 pages of color, and no crazies. This book is for stitchers, not lurkers.

This is the book I used when I learned to embroider decades ago, at age 8. It was easy for me to follow and understand then, and I still go back to it now, at age 54, for new ideas. The author wrote the book assuming you know nothing about stitching, and builds up your knowledge of the basic stitch groups. She shows how stitches within groups are related to and developed from each other, making it seem so simple and logical to go on and create your own.

The basic stitch groups she teaches are: Flat Stitches, Looped Stitches, Chained Stitches, Knotted Stitches, and Couching and Laid Work. She also teaches the basics of creating samplers, visual design, choosing materials, doing free-form work, and designing for clothing and the home. The book is filled with photographs that teach visually. Many of them are reproductions of textiles from around the world featuring ethnic embroidery; some of them are the work of children and adults working in the Western tradition; and some are reproductions of old European paintings that show details of period textiles.

The genius of this book is its broad scope. It is a wonderful resource for embroiderers who prefer to work from traditional patterns and designs created ahead of time. But it also provides excellent guidance for those who want to explore free-form embroidery with an abstract or more contemporary pictorial approach. She has included three photographs of works by Mariska Karasz, who was one of the main creative forces behind the free-form embroidery movement in the middle years of the 20th century. (You can see photos of Ms. Karasz' work on her website, which you can find by googling her name). Clearly, Ms Enthoven was comfortable working both freely and within constraints, and her own work reflects a strong design sense and visual creativity, along with discipline and attention to detail--all excellent attributes in a teacher.

My original copy of the book, published in 1964 by Reinhold Publishing Corporation, is still visually appealing. The graphics and the sample textile selections are not "dated," as is so often the case with textile books from bygone decades. The differences between the original copy and the newer Schiffer reprint are few. Almost all of the text is the same, except that there is a small paragraph on sashiko in the new edition. If there are any other variations in text I have not found them. The newer edition also has several more textile photographs--many in color--than the first. These include a Native American ceremonial dance sash, a sample of sashiko, a sampler in color by Ms. Karasz, a detail of a Tuoreg nomad blouse from Niger, and a couple of textiles from India and Pakistan, among others.

Also, the older edition has non-glossy pages and a hard cover, which lies flat when open. The binding in mine has not cracked over the last 46 years, and the pages are still tightly sewn in, after hard use and many moves around the country. The new edition has shiny pages, which I find a bit off-putting, and it does not lie flat, which necessitates the use of a book stand when using it with both hands otherwise occupied. However, the extra photos are a definite plus. Either edition of the book would be a valuable addition to any stitcher's collection, providing a wealth of inspiration, instruction, and food for the soul.

I became interested in this book after reading about it on a website. I then read the reviews on Amazon & was convinced it was a book for me. How glad I am I came across it. It is a fabulous book; easy to read with excellent descriptions/explanations & illustrations of the stitches. Many options of use for stitches are also given resulting in expanding ones knowledge & creativity. I'm very happy with my purchase & I look forward to "getting stuck" into it.It covers a huge number of stitches with lots of variations. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in embroidery.

This book is an amazing resource and a must-have for everyone who loves to embroider. My only grouse is that except the first 17 pages, the book is black and white. Also, I wish I had ordered a hardcover edition. I have Jan Eaton's The Complete Stitch Encyclopedia, which I love just as much as I love this book.