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Embroidered & Embellished: 85 Stitches Using Thread, Floss, Ribbon, Beads & More
This richly illustrated reference guide from embroidery expert Christen Brown covers everything you need to make beautiful magic with needle and thread. Learn to sew traditional and silk ribbon embroidery, make raised stitches, and embellish with beads, charms, buttons, and mirrors. Step-by-step photo instructions show exactly how to sew 85 different stitches. Learn 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.Includes 8 complete embroidery projects to stitch and embellish. An essential embroidery reference for everyone from beginners to experts.
500 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2013
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93 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 15, 2016
Not my style of embroidery; too many colours, textures and embellishments at once. I prefer either traditional work, or a more airy and less abstract approach. Also, this is one of those books that doesn't use and embroidery hoop for the stitching, and recommend sewing a piece of muslin (or other fabric) to the fabric you are embroidering on. It also says to the knot the thread to begin and end embroidery, but I don't think that method is right. Nearly all the others books I've consulted clearly state never to start embroidery that way.
Not a book for beginners.
Not a book for beginners.
February 11, 2024
Excellent reference
Excellent reference book split into 4 distinct sections covering an overview, project samples, stitches, & techniques for 1) Traditional Embroidery, 2) Silk Ribbon Embroidery, 3) Raised & Textured Embroidery, and 4) Bead Embroidery. End section also lists several sources & links for material, beads, thread, etc.
I checked out the author's website (also linked) - it has further stitching education, articles she's had published in various trade journals, and free resources; it was worth the time I spent on it.
Excellent reference book split into 4 distinct sections covering an overview, project samples, stitches, & techniques for 1) Traditional Embroidery, 2) Silk Ribbon Embroidery, 3) Raised & Textured Embroidery, and 4) Bead Embroidery. End section also lists several sources & links for material, beads, thread, etc.
I checked out the author's website (also linked) - it has further stitching education, articles she's had published in various trade journals, and free resources; it was worth the time I spent on it.
April 4, 2023
For a solid introduction to embroidery in all its forms including: traditional, silk,raised and textured, and bead embroidery, this is a great starting place. Step-by-step stitch diagrams are included as well as templates and project plans. A to Z, this would be a great addition to a stitcher's library.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2020
The book starts with a description of tools, materials, and techniques. The projects that follow strike me as old-fashioned, nothing I would ever do, but the items are lush with embroidered stitches. At the back of the book, there are a couple pages of Gallery pages showing more of the author's work. Interesting reading but not my style.
January 23, 2022
I don’t understand the hate. This book is about embroidery with embellishments. It’s very clear. You might not like the author’s style or think it’s old fashioned but the technique and lessons of how to work with texture, ribbon, and beads are invaluable. And if you don’t like that the author doesn’t use an embroidery hoop or the way she knots: do it how you like.
February 5, 2021
The book is called Embroidered and embellished. I feel that it meets its definition very clearly. Yes, the pictures are a bit busy and yes there are a lot of colors, but again....define embellished. Not for everyone but its good good at explaining what it is meant to teach.
April 13, 2020
More than you would ever need to know. This books includes lots of stitches, with pictures. It’s very easy to follow along.
May 7, 2021
I am sure.this is a great.book for embroidery. I.certainly I.thought the projects.were.beautiful. But I stick.to counted cross-stitch. I.wish the.projects.were.simpler so I could try.one.
January 11, 2021
This book has sections sampling 1. traditional, 2. raised and textured, 3. ribbon and 4. beaded embroidery. I think book book is beautifully done, as is the embroidered work, however a lot of it is not to my taste, so I will use it for inspiration.
March 17, 2017
Excellent tutorial
I bought this booking hoping to find lots of patterns. This was not the case however I found so many stitches I've never used before also there is full picture tutorials, which made it very easy to learn. I recommend this book if you need advise and tutorial.
I bought this booking hoping to find lots of patterns. This was not the case however I found so many stitches I've never used before also there is full picture tutorials, which made it very easy to learn. I recommend this book if you need advise and tutorial.
April 1, 2016
I'm blown away. In a very compact book, everything you needed to know to recreate most embroidery designs you've ever seen and coveted is here.
Its organized well but dense with an efficient economy of words that skimming is not recommended. I'm very guilty of this as I find many instruction books to be overly and annoyingly verbose.
I think the categorization of stitches into 4 basic groups was a very smart choice. Thru are: traditional, silk ribbon, raised & textured, and bead.
Each stitch is accompanied by multiple photos with markings to show precisely where to place the needle.
At the end of each section are larger projects that guarantee an initial overwhelming feeling that you can't do that but then you see the corresponding outlined version with letter codes and a legend that lists the stitches used in that element. For me, it made it easier to look back at the overall (gorgeous) work and drill down my focus to see how each element was created and recognized that I just learned how to do each part of it.
I've been a life long artist of the "thread" but embroidery is an area I've not touched yet. So perhaps it skews my perception of the detailed tutorial for each stitch being suitable for most any level.
If you're able to perform the hand eye coordination of poking a needle up through the wrong side of a fabric in the desired place you want it, you can do everything in this book. Some may require practice. French knots were something I remember needing to do. Maintaining tension is another but there's a good number of stitches in the book that are very forgiving of that.
This book doesn't attempt to teach you design or putting together very small bits of embroidery that can be used as brooches or other small things but it teaches the basics and gives some good awe inspiring projects to start with. I'm more than satisfied with it.
A valuable addition to any needle artisan or one who wants to learn the art.
Note: the book does assume you have basic sewing skills and understanding for assembling your embroidered piece into the finished object. It cites the pattern, materials and fabrics used and basic pattern but does not teach that part.
The one "flaw" for me. I would have preferred that the Anemone Purse be one of the projects at the end of the bead section. Instead, its a part of the gallery at the end of the book. But because its pictured in the cover (upper left), I feel that it really should have been a project. One thing I don't like about these books is when you're drawn in by the flashy, intricate pieces shown on cover or back or other prominent place but is never at least deconstructed to show you how to make it. Instead you must attempt to figure it out yourself.
As my copy is an ebook, the gallery picture is almost too small to make out the elements. I have to squint. I'm confident that my experience will help me recreate or use as a basis for my own design but for the more novice user, I think it is a flaw of the book.
Not one that affects my rating and appreciation but one I want to note in case that is the project that inspires purchase of the book! Im more likely to use the bead & textured sections anyways.
Its organized well but dense with an efficient economy of words that skimming is not recommended. I'm very guilty of this as I find many instruction books to be overly and annoyingly verbose.
I think the categorization of stitches into 4 basic groups was a very smart choice. Thru are: traditional, silk ribbon, raised & textured, and bead.
Each stitch is accompanied by multiple photos with markings to show precisely where to place the needle.
At the end of each section are larger projects that guarantee an initial overwhelming feeling that you can't do that but then you see the corresponding outlined version with letter codes and a legend that lists the stitches used in that element. For me, it made it easier to look back at the overall (gorgeous) work and drill down my focus to see how each element was created and recognized that I just learned how to do each part of it.
I've been a life long artist of the "thread" but embroidery is an area I've not touched yet. So perhaps it skews my perception of the detailed tutorial for each stitch being suitable for most any level.
If you're able to perform the hand eye coordination of poking a needle up through the wrong side of a fabric in the desired place you want it, you can do everything in this book. Some may require practice. French knots were something I remember needing to do. Maintaining tension is another but there's a good number of stitches in the book that are very forgiving of that.
This book doesn't attempt to teach you design or putting together very small bits of embroidery that can be used as brooches or other small things but it teaches the basics and gives some good awe inspiring projects to start with. I'm more than satisfied with it.
A valuable addition to any needle artisan or one who wants to learn the art.
Note: the book does assume you have basic sewing skills and understanding for assembling your embroidered piece into the finished object. It cites the pattern, materials and fabrics used and basic pattern but does not teach that part.
The one "flaw" for me. I would have preferred that the Anemone Purse be one of the projects at the end of the bead section. Instead, its a part of the gallery at the end of the book. But because its pictured in the cover (upper left), I feel that it really should have been a project. One thing I don't like about these books is when you're drawn in by the flashy, intricate pieces shown on cover or back or other prominent place but is never at least deconstructed to show you how to make it. Instead you must attempt to figure it out yourself.
As my copy is an ebook, the gallery picture is almost too small to make out the elements. I have to squint. I'm confident that my experience will help me recreate or use as a basis for my own design but for the more novice user, I think it is a flaw of the book.
Not one that affects my rating and appreciation but one I want to note in case that is the project that inspires purchase of the book! Im more likely to use the bead & textured sections anyways.
December 17, 2013
Exactly what it claims to be: instructions for replicating 85 embroidery stitches. The stitches are created using a variety of embroidery raw materials: thread/yarn/floss, ribbon, or beads/buttons. The large color photos are inspiring (or intimidating)and show the completed version of several ambitious projects. The step-by-step instructions for creating the stitches are clear and easy to follow and each step is illustrated in a small, clear photo. The projects are broken down into manageable stages: sew the fabrics to create a background, add lace or netting, add your stitches, beading, ribbon, couching, etc. Then finish by joining the embroidered fabric to other pieces of fabric to create a wall hanging, pillow, purse, etc. The book is detailed enough for a confident beginner to complete a project and beautiful enough to coax an experienced embroiderer to dream and dig out that abandoned hoop.
July 29, 2014
Starts with brief background and explanation of 4 types (traditional, silk, raised and textured and beaded). Shows stitches and how to create them; lots of photos show each step in stitch. Very basic. That said, I didn't like the actual projects she showed.
March 8, 2016
No stars
This book is completely useless. The photos do not load, and I paid actual money for it. Rip off!!! I want my money back.
This book is completely useless. The photos do not load, and I paid actual money for it. Rip off!!! I want my money back.
August 28, 2016
Want to buy.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews