Modern Embroidery: 35 Stylish and Contemporary Hand-Sewn Designs, Paperback

Colorful and contemporary embroidery for the modern stitcher.

There's something magical about embroidery-some floss, some stitches, some time, and suddenly a plain piece of material is transformed into a picture, a pattern, or a piece of geometric art. Embroidery today is moving away from the traditional to the modern, with motifs including everything from cacti to crystals, simple white stitching on colored cloth, decorative stitches on denim, and mandala patterns as wall art. Laura Strutt has designed 35 modern makes taking you from the simplest of stitches to more sophisticated techniques. Each make has full step-by-step instructions and there are colored charts where needed for you to recreate the look exactly--but of course you can always choose your own colors if you prefer. With tips on everything from finishing pieces to color theory, and a techniques section covering all the stitches you will need to know, you can hand-embroider any of these projects with confidence.

Laura Strutt is a passionate designer and enjoys knitting and crochet, as well as dressmaking, quilting, and hand-lettering. Laura is the author of Sewing for Babies and Children, Modern Weaving, Get Knooking, 35 Knitted Baby Blankets, Modern Crocheted Afghans, Throws and Pillows, Modern Crocheted Shawls and Wraps, Modern Granny Square Crochet, and Arm and Finger Knitting, all published by CICO Books, and the Haynes Sewing Manual. She lives in Essex, UK. Discover more of Laura's designs, technique guides and crafty inspiration on her creative lifestyle website, www.madepeachy.com