Stunning Stitches for Crazy Quilts: 480 Embroidered Seam Designs, 36 Stitch-Template Designs for Perfect Placement

by Kathy Seaman Shaw

Find endless inspiration for stitching your crazy quilts in this treasure trove of seam designs and templates by the creator of Shawkl Designs.You don't have to be a master embroiderer to create beautiful crazy-quilt seams! With 480 seam designs to inspire your creativity, Stunning Stitches for Crazy Quilts will also teach you the simple techniques that give your stitches a professional appearance. Line everything up perfectly with full-size stitch templates and dozens of step-by-step illustrations. Then dress up embroidered seams with sparkly beads, buttons, sequins, and silk ribbon embellishments for endless creative combinations!This eBook edition includes links to printable full-size templates.

Genres: Nonfiction, Crafts

128 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 30, 2021

Reviews

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, the author gets bonus points for not putting in the obligatory “how to” section most quilt books do these days. In fact, she comes right out and says her book assumes you know how to make a crazy quilt block. She even takes it a step further by providing a link to her DIY blog in case you don’t. She also gives a link to download a free PDF of her “seam” patterns. Instructions are fairly clear with some notable exceptions (bullion stitch!); however, if you are a beginner embroiderer this is probably not the best book to start with. There are many, many embroidery stitch and seam examples as well as instructions for creating flowers, leaves, veggies, and little critters. Lots of beautiful photos. Overall a very good book.

[Christine]

This is an absolutely amazing book if you were looking to start crazy quilting . I will admit that if you have never done any kind of embroidery stitches before, you might want to take an in person class, because some of the techniques are really hard to learn just from a book. Over half of this book is just inspiration Illustrations with the stitches and other accoutrements needed to create the design listed below. It took me quite a while to get through this book, and while I was inspired in the beginning, I started to become intimidated the further on I go. That’s probably just a me thing. If you want to start crazy quilting, or you have been doing crazy quilting for a while and wants more inspiration I highly recommend this book. I never would’ve thought of a quarter of what they have created. Everything from spooky spiders and spiderwebs along the edges to gorgeous flowers to what I see as fireworks coming out of your seams are possible. There is a heavy focus on florals and straight stitches, but there is enough variety that even if you despise florals, this is well worth looking at. I cannot speak highly enough of this book, the inspiration that it has provided me is immeasurable. The beginning does start off with some basic instruction for the different specialty stitches, as well as the different types of seams. The rest of it is sectioned off into the different seam stitches, and then elaborating what you can do within those seams. If you were looking to start crazy quilting, or want more inspiration, get this book. Happy reading.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally Awesome

I can't even tell you how awesome this book is. The ideas presented are easy to follow and yet they look sophisticated in practice. You can use the easiest form, or you can add to it until it looks like some of the most complicated art on the planet.
I love artwork like this. If you buy this book as a beginner, you can use it all the way through your expert stage.
Crazy quilts are a great way to recycle clothes, leftover scraps, found objects, etc. Take that trash and make a treasure with nothing more than a needle and thread!

Just an idea: instead of printing out the stitch diagrams, you can create your own diagrams on graph paper. For tiny work, I recommend using paper with 10 squares per inch. For regular and larger sizes, 4 squares per inch is probably ok. I say this because I've noticed an unfortunate tendency of these urls to disappear a few years after a book is published. The illustrations (incl the diagrams!) in the ebook can be printed out at a printshop also, in case you can't access the online versions.

I give it 9 stars. No typos, grammar is spot-on, illustrations and photographs are beautiful & book is professionally laid out. It has al the best parts of an ebook and none of the irritating parts. Please keep writing!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Tracy Shephard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love Embroidery, and this book has over 400 stitch designs.

Even a complete beginner would be able to sew the amazing stitches and along with the instructions, hints and tips this is a book that definitely earns it's shelf space.

The book is set in three sections. Templates, stitch instructions and design illustrations. The abundance of colour is both amazing and inspiring. 

Advice on which needle to choose, and there are many..  embellishments to finish your design and much much more helps grow your embroidery know how and enhance your skills. 

I especially loved the Stitch Template idea and I will be definitely make one. I have not come across this idea before and think it's a genius idea. 

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful resource for a special nitch of sewers, quilters who love to embroider.