Book: The Art of Dimensional Embroidery

The Art of Dimensional Embroidery

Linda (Vancouver, WA) -

"I am a student of this beautiful art and have purchased different books on the subject. This one is my favorite as it explains the different basic stitches and pictures the instructions with such simplicity. Brazilian Embroidery looks difficult, but with this book she manages to instruct with such ease, that anyone can understand it. Great book for the beginner and yet one you will never want to do without! She takes you through the different threads used, the tools needed, and even how to launder your finished masterpiece. Very thorough instruction of stitches and how to use them to make floral designs."

Embroidered Textiles: A World Guide to Traditional Patterns

Embroidered Textiles: A World Guide to Traditional Patterns

Product Description
The only worldwide survey of embroidered textiles: a remarkable visual panorama.

Embroidery has been practiced for thousands of years, and the variety is astonishing: gold-embroidered Chinese court insignia, landscape-worked Japanese kimonos, Sumatran sarongs, Indian saris, Afghan chain-stitched purses, Turkish napkin borders, Ghanaian patchwork banners, Egyptian head shawls, Moroccan cushion covers, Hungarian sheepskin jerkins, Slovakian bed curtains, German folk dress, Dutch bonnets, Breton coifs, Sicilian ecclesiastical cloths, Spanish sleeves, North American Indian quillwork pouches, Mexican blouses, Panamanian molas, Peruvian Nasca textiles, and more.

The book is organized into four main sections, covering every aspect of embroidered textiles:
•Guide to Identification: the key fabrics, materials, stitches, motifs, and styles;
• The Decorative Power of Cult: recurrent mythological symbols, including Great Goddess figures, Trees of Life, and symbols of the Hunt;
• Religion and Its Patterns: the main symbols of all the major religious and spiritual systems;
• The Magic of Embroidery: protective and strengthening devices rooted in ancient beliefs and superstitions.

There are 500 illustrations (over 360 in color), including specially taken color photographs, maps, line drawings, and a dictionary of stitches. Complete with a glossary, a guide to textile collections around the world, and advice on collecting and conserving textiles, this comprehensive survey, now in an enhanced format and completely revised, will be invaluable to anyone interested in fashion, textiles, crafts, and design.

About the Author
Sheila Paine is a world expert on tribal societies and textiles.