Nov 06
Erica Fortgens wonderful stencils, pattern packs and books have introduced many eager crafters to the beautiful craft of embroidery on paper. Now here is a whole book featuring 101 of her designs to enjoy.
Thread up the Alcazar and get stitching with this easy-to-use pattern book. There are patterns in here for all occasions and then some, covering Christmas, Easter, birthdays, weddings and new baby as well as things like retirement, sympathy and photo frames. Most of the patterns are printed in here, although a few of them use the stencils so you might have to buy one of two if you like the card particularly. My favorite featured ribbon embroidered roses, so here is another aspect of this craft I have not seen before. Also featured here in conjunction with the embroidery are paper tole, paperpatch and some ideas for scrapbooking so enough to keep you busy. The patterns themselves are simple yet effective, just the sort of thing that makes up quickly and is suitable for a fairly inexperienced crafter but which looks professional and attractive. A useful book.
* Myshelf.com *
Jan 07
This unusual book gives lots of ideas on using stitching on a surface most people would not consider as a base for fine embroidery. She shows how to make cards for all occasions which would be a joy to receive. She combines the embroidery with other techniques, including embossing, beads, sparkles and ribbon embellishment to give a very individual take on traditional greetings cards. There are clear instructions for Pricking, which is the basis of the designs, and the equipment to be used. Throughout the book, there are illustrations of finished cards in full colour with step by step instructions which would make it simple for anyone, not just embroiderers, to produce work of a professional standard.
* Merseyside Embroiderers Guild *
March 07
Card making has reached a new dimension and it is no longer the case that the only option is to glue an embroidery behind an aperture. With embossing, stencilling, punching and stamping it can be difficult to add the extra layer of fabric, but this is not a problem at all when you stitch directly onto the paper or card!
This book is full of easy to stitch designs that can be used on their own or in conjunction with other techniques such as decoupage or painting. Each one is provided with a dot pattern that can be traced and laid over card. Simply pierce theholes and use these to thread the needle through to create intricate looking patterns or pictures. As the title suggests there are 101 designs that cover a wide range of themes but many of which can be easily adapted. You can even use just a single component of the designs to make smaller items. Choose any thread you like from standard stranded cotton to shiny metallic and there are even a few that use ribbon to make gorgeous flowers. Whatever you need, the only limit is your imagination with this handy book that is full of ideas.
* NEW STITCHES *
Newsletter 65, Summer 2007
If you are into making cards and are looking for some new ideas, then this book could be just what you want. It is not just embroidery, there are other techniques which complement each other. The instructions are easy to follow, you can't go wrong. Beryl Rowe, St. Stephens-in-Brannel
* West Country Embroiderers *
