Books

Sew chic, dark-toned clothes with this stylish sewing book and add a touch of originality to your wardrobe. Basic Black is the English edition of a classic Japanese sewing book which provides sew-it-yourself Western-sized patterns for 26 basic garments, along with detailed, easy-to-follow diagrams and instructions. Author Sato Watanabe has published many books that are favorites among Japanese sewing fans. In this book, she shows you how to make genuinely professional-quality pieces quickly and inexpensively at home. DIY Sewing designs include: Lace Shirred Blouse Tiered Sleeveless Dress Zip-up Vest with High Neck Frilled Shirt in Charcoal Flannel Short Coat And much more' All of the styles and fashion are easily customized to create your personal style, and there is something for everyone and every occasion in this book--from a bright two-texture combo dress to a relaxed, bohemian tunic--and everything in-between. All the styles are thoroughly modern and practical, ranging from softly feminine or straight-line simple to smartly-tailored or loosely-deconstructed. Simple lines make these garments perfect for women of all ages and all sizes. This book includes a complete western-sized sewing pattern for each design that is easily adjusted to fit your body form. The understated, graceful designs in this book are ones that you'll come back to again and again.

Whether you are a beginner or more experienced, any stitching project, no matter how simple, can be enhanced by a well-chosen colour palette, however, many people are nervous or even scared of colour. Textile designer Karen Barbe regularly teaches embroidery workshops and knows first-hand the fears and frustrations of beginners ' as well as accomplished crafters ' when starting a new project. Karen makes choosing and creating colour palettes a fun and enjoyable part of the design process. Colour Confident Stitching is divided into three parts: Understanding Colour; Feeling Colour and Stitching with Colour. The first two sections guide the reader through colour theory as well as choosing and using colour more instinctively. Stitching with Colour includes five stiching projects that will encourage the reader to explore colour and build confidence through exercise and experiment. Inspirational photographs are accompanied by stitching illustrations and step-by-step photographs for the colour choosing process as well as stitching projects.

This is the complete visual guide to hand embroidery and embellishing. This richly illustrated reference guide from embroidery expert Christen Brown covers everything you need to make beautiful magic with needle and thread. You can learn to sew traditional and silk embroidery, make raised stitches, and embellish with beads, charms, buttons, and mirrors. Christen shows you how to combine and place stitches to enhance a finished piece and how to work with embroidery threads, ribbons, fabrics, laces, beads, buttons, and other embellishments. Also included are 9 complete embroidery projects to stitch and embellish, and step-by-step instructions that show exactly how to sew 85 different stitches.

Enchanting Embroidery invites you to create your own world using bright thread and imaginative stitching. Full of motifs that are both simple and playful - zany crocodiles, cats, bears, even bats and ravens - this book invites you to be creative with its whimsical designs. These sweet scenes and characters are all full of life and texture, making them at home on your favorite piece of clothing, home accessory or wall hanging. These unusual and cheery designs include: Cheery flowers on a broach Pretty pines on hanging ornaments Colorful curly sheep Fluffy clouds and stormy clouds Bushy-tailed foxes Even moss on stone and microorganisms in Petri dishes And more! Simple how-tos take you through every recommended stitch, while a section on combining colors will inspire you to try mixing and matching to create something new. There's also a section on turning your stitchery into embellishments you can use, wear and share. Put your imagination and hands to work with the help of this inspiring embroidery book.

Simply by applying a few easy sewing, darning, felting, or crocheting techniques, as well as some sashiko and other favorite embroidery stitches, you can repair your favorite pieces in a transformative way. These techniques don't just save you money, but make your life more joyful, fulfilling and sustainable in an age of disposable "fast fashion." Author Noriko Misumi teaches you her philosophy of mending and reusing items based on the age-old Japanese concepts of mindfulness and Wabi Sabi (an appreciation of old and imperfect things). In her book, she shows you how to: Repair any kind of fabric that is torn, ripped or stained-whether knitted or woven Work with damaged flat or curved surfaces to make them aesthetically pleasing again Create repairs that blend in, as well as bold or whimsical visible repairs Darn your handmade or expensive gloves, sweaters and socks to make them look great again! The joy to be found in working with your hands and the personal artistry you discover within yourself lie at the heart of this book. While nothing lasts forever, there's pleasure, as well as purpose, in appreciating age and imperfection. Joyful Mending allows you to surround yourself with the things that truly give you joy, whether they were given to you by a loved one, picked up in your travels or simply have a special place in your heart.

Thread painting is a form of embroidery that creates a realistic, lifelike effect using just one stitch. In this step-by-step guide, embroidery artist Emillie Ferris has created five exclusive patterns inspired by nature. Iron-on transfers at the back of the book allow you to transfer the designs to fabric up to ten times. Slow down and embroider your way through the changing seasons with the beautiful debut book from embroidery artist and rising star Emillie Ferris.

An inspirational, practical guide by textile artist Letitia Thompson, the world of Mrs Bertimus! In this exciting new book Letitia shows you how to create colourful, contemporary, animal-themed stitched textiles with a quirky mix of vintage and whimsical style. Letitia's subjects range from playful, dancing mice to crafty foxes, their personalities skillfully captured in stitch using free-motion machine embroidery and hand stitching. The progression from idea to stitch is developed in easy stages, providing a valuable insight into the author's creative process and the methods she uses to achieve her stunning textile artworks. Starting with a comprehensive materials and techniques section, the book includes three step-by-step projects, templates, and numerous finished pieces to spark your creativity, resulting in a unique source of ideas and inspiration for textile artists of all abilities.

Sew chic and original skirts with this stylish DIY sewing book. Whether a beginning sewer or the hardcore do-it-yourselfer, Stylish Skirts walks readers through the process of making professional-quality pieces at home. This book features 23 skirt styles from author Sato Watanabe, whose numerous titles are favourites among Japanese sewing book fans in the US. With this sewing book, there's no end to the kinds of skirts you can create to match your body shape, your taste in fabrics and colours, and your mood (not to mention your favourite tops, shoes, and accessories)! The instructions and diagrams are a snap to follow and provide a huge variety of styles from ultra-feminine to artfully dishevelled. All 23 skirt designs in this book look great in different fabrics, colours, prints, and textures, so the options are truly endless. The enclosed DIY sewing instructions make cutting and sewing these skirts a breeze. Sewing projects include: White Twill A-line Skirt Russel Lace Gored Skirt Striped Skirt with Box Pleats Russel Lace Gored Skirt Skirt with Shirred Yoke and Lace Belt And many more!

Popular Japanese fashion designer and author Yoshiko Tsukiori presents a fabulous new collection of lightweight wraps that are easy to sew and look fantastic. In this book, she provides five free pull-out patterns that can be used to create 22 timeless wraps to keep the chill off-and look great in the process. All the designs can be sewn in a few hours for a fraction of what you would pay in a store! And it is easy to mix and match different fabrics and styles to suit your wardrobe and mood. Here are just a few of the pieces you can make with this book: * a casual-to-dressy hooded cape * a flowing draped jacket or vest * a loose-and-light linen or wool coat * a simple, feminine, lightweight poncho * a ruffled bolero or classic blazer * a quilted coat or vest * a faux fur collar or stole * and much more, including pieces that work as dresses or tops! *Please not cover may be different from the one shown