Beginner's Guide to Machine Embroidered Landscapes

Rating:
Summary: All You Need to Know to Get Started with Machine Embroidery
Review: Fantastic book! Detailed instructions to get you going until your own imagination can take over. All her supplies are easily obtainable and you don't need a complicated embroidery machine to make beautiful pictures. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: All You Need to Know to Get Started with Machine Embroidery
Review: I've been into freehand machine embroidery and thread painting for 20 years, using ordinary sewing machines. I still don't see the attraction for the new embroidery machines, simply copying stuff off of a computer, but obviously everyone doesn't agree!

It is regrettable, though, that many younger or less-experienced sewers don't realize that there is a long and rich history of machine embroidery dating back into the 19th century, long before even zigzag stitching was available. Expensive and complicated embroidery machines are NOT required to make beautiful and original artworks.

This fact is ably demonstrated in Ms. Holt's book. She has a technique that is apparently more popular in Britain than here. It involves coloring the background fabric-in this case dying silk-with a preliminary rough sketching of the scene. This is followed by the appropriate stitching to make the scene. I am new to this technique and have yet to try it. However, it looks like it should be simple enough even for a non-painter like me to obtain good results.

One of the great attractions of this book, and one of the reasons it's worth its price, are the profuse color illustrations of her work, along with dozens of color photos of the techniques involved in its production.

I am looking forward to trying Ms. Holt's method for producing machine embroidered art. This book should serve as a great illustration and instructional tool for those interested.

Rating:
Summary: A New Technique for an Old Embroider...
Review: I've been into freehand machine embroidery and thread painting for 20 years, using ordinary sewing machines. I still don't see the attraction for the new embroidery machines, simply copying stuff off of a computer, but obviously everyone doesn't agree!

It is regrettable, though, that many younger or less-experienced sewers don't realize that there is a long and rich history of machine embroidery dating back into the 19th century, long before even zigzag stitching was available. Expensive and complicated embroidery machines are NOT required to make beautiful and original artworks.

This fact is ably demonstrated in Ms. Holt's book. She has a technique that is apparently more popular in Britain than here. It involves coloring the background fabric-in this case dying silk-with a preliminary rough sketching of the scene. This is followed by the appropriate stitching to make the scene. I am new to this technique and have yet to try it. However, it looks like it should be simple enough even for a non-painter like me to obtain good results.

One of the great attractions of this book, and one of the reasons it's worth its price, are the profuse color illustrations of her work, along with dozens of color photos of the techniques involved in its production.

I am looking forward to trying Ms. Holt's method for producing machine embroidered art. This book should serve as a great illustration and instructional tool for those interested.