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Mystical Stitches: Embroidery for Personal Empowerment and Magical Embellishment
Explore personal transformation through the stitching of dreams and intentions. Anything but ordinary, Mystical Stitches combines the beloved and accessible craft of embroidery with a spiritual element, introducing a rich treasury of 200 magical symbols you can use to set an intention and create personal icons to wear or embellish items in the home. Christi Johnson offers unique patterns inspired by botanicals, animals, numbers, the cosmos, earth elements, zodiac signs, and mythical beasts, for novice or well-practiced crafters to combine into talismans with personal meaning. Johnson’s folk art style is vibrant and unintimidating and provides a framework for bringing spiritual elements into physical form.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2021
170 people are currently reading
1055 people want to read
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June 11, 2023
So, first, a few preliminaries: this book is about spirituality as much as if not moreso than embroidery. I won't be addressing that aspect of it; I'm agnostic, and usually lean towards atheism, but I have no issue with other people believing in this stuff, I'm just not the target audience.
While I do have some issues with some of the etymology and history presented as factual in this book, they're issues endemic to modern Western neopagan books -- or the ones I read in my more "maybe I could have religious feelings?" phase, anyway -- and many such books feature far more extensive and extraordinary claims about history. I won't be addressing those aspects, for the most part. I don't want to hold this book to higher standards than the genre as a whole does, especially since it's a book about embroidery, not an introduction to a specific belief system or path of worship/spirituality.
That said, I am the target audience for the other half of this book, as a self-taught embroiderer. I'm by no means an expert -- I've only been doing it for three years -- but I do know enough to have serious issues with some of this book. On the other hand it caught my eye because I find a colorful witchy aesthetic more appealing than a lot of my options for simple craft patterns, many of which can get really samey. And I do think a lot of the designs in this book are nice, actually! The book's major focus is on putting elements together to create your own designs rather than a series of specific projects, and a common complaint in the reviews is that it doesn't feature traceable line art, but I am pretty sure the author's focus on and attitude towards creativity is consistent with offering instructions on how to get a similar effect to the art on the pages, without including strict lines to be followed.
There is some good advice on designing a pattern, and while it is couched in the language of spirituality, and intended for the design of a talisman to create a particular magical effect in your life, I think a lot of those suggestions are applicable to just making an aesthetically pleasing design -- off the top of my head, some of the advice was to mix large and small elements in the design, play with types of symmetry, and don't bloody-mindedly follow through with a pattern you don't really like, especially if you're going to take your time going slowly with it -- instead take a break and come back later to look at your work with fresh eyes. These all absolutely make sense to me, and I think all the talisman designs and many of the page layouts are really nice as designs.
Unfortunately, the author's attitude towards creativity means that while she's happy to offer some good rules of thumb on the design front, she seems loath to do so with the mechanics of embroidery itself, even if the reader isn't beholden to them. A lot of the actual worked embroidery on display in this book looks incredibly haphazard and chunky.
To some extent part of that is because a lot of the embroidery is meant to be worked at a larger scale than the smaller decorative pieces I'm usually creating, for the back of jean jackets or along the legs of pants, for example. But there's so much ragged-edged satin stitch, sewn in all six strands of embroidery floss. For "fine detail work" the author suggests cutting back to three strands, which is absolutely wild to me because if you're going to use all six strands most of the time, why not go with a thicker fiber for the designs that don't contain any "fine detail"? And the author doesn't seem to be aware that outlining an area you're going to fill in with satin stitch or long-and-short stitch really, really, smooths out the edges. It's not like she doesn't think this is an issue -- for all her talk about how actually this is meant to look imperfect and haphazard, there are occasionally pieces of the design that are worked later, which she explains are meant to cover up a prior part's ragged edge. You could just not have the ragged edge in the first place by taking one extra step! Or using fewer strands of floss! Or a different kind of yarn that lays better!
There's other weird ignorance of what I consider embroidery basics, too -- the "three options traditionally used [in embroidery are] perle cotton, embroidery floss, and sashiko threads." As someone who's teaching myself crewelwork, which uses wool, and who'd like to try silk embroidery, I... am a bit at a loss. Apparently the only traditional embroidery fiber is three slightly different types of cotton thread???
I'm also totally perplexed at the idea that for thicker fabric you have to use a blunter needle??? Sharp needles go through any fabric more easily; tapestry needles are blunt because they're for use with aida and other very loosely-spaced fabrics, but in this book "thick fabric" is more likely to refer to denim or thick canvas. I think if she's having an easier time with the fabric not snagging when she uses a tapestry needle, it's because tapestry needles are usually bigger, have larger eyes, and are thus more likely to hold all! six! strands! of DMC floss???? at once, not because the tapestry needle is blunt.
These are not the only really basic issues with the embroidery instruction in the book. If you learn stem stitch from this book and only from this book, for example, it's likely you won't realize that stem stitch is supposed to come up from UNDER the last stitch, not right beside it. There's advice to "love" your thread by stroking it several times before beginning, to transfer your energy and "skin oils" to the thread. The energy transfer I could take or leave but the skin oils seem like a bad idea, especially since the stated benefit of this is that they will "lubricate" the thread. There are methods of lubricating the thread that are more reliable and effective than hopefully minimal amounts of "skin oils."
And imo, the biggest issue is just the sloppiness. There's absolutely no differentiation between the demands of thick bold lines needed for the covering-the-back-of-a-denim-jacket designs and the more delicate lines you might prefer on a small pouch or tag, or in another small decorative capacity. It's all just chunky and blocky. It's easier to ignore in the more abstract designs that are all lines representing a concept, but when you try to sew a griffin or a tiger you end up with something jagged and graceless. I have no problem with things not looking perfect, but this feels more like a false, deliberately manufactured aesthetic of Imperfection and Madeness rather than the irregular charm of a handmade item that the artist clearly put a lot of time and effort into. I feel like in seeking to discourage perfectionism the author of this book just didn't give beginners tools they could use to create something closer to the image in their heads.
There are some pretty extensive tips on how to embroider decoration onto existing clothes, and since that's something I've never done and sometimes think about, I wish I could trust them, but the other stuff in this book is just.... not trustworthy, so I hesitate to take them to heart. Which kind of sucks, because it's difficult to find resources for hand embroidery on denim since there's so much "embroidery on denim" advice that assumes you want to do machine embroidery but doesn't indicate this anywhere in the heading or the first few paragraphs. (That's a whole other rant.)
I don't want to say the book is bad, but if someone was looking to learn to do embroidery as an art, or even embroidery as an anxiety management practice -- which is how I got into it, in fact -- I would point them to other resources. A lot of the discussion of creativity in this book is about the meditative slowness of embroidery, but a lot of the practical advice is "don't bother doing it the way those snobby traditional embroiderers would suggest, this way is faster." I think I could only recommend this book for people looking to do embroidery solely as a spiritual practice without long-term decorative value, or I guess maybe if they've tried embroidery before and want to try it again, and have some serious perfectionism issues that blocked them? And that makes me sad, because again, a lot of the designs are great in concept and she has good advice about design. It could also be of value to someone who mainly wants to embroider clothing made of thick, stiff fabrics, although even then I'd suggest that aspiring embroidery artist please, please outline their fills first. Please.
It wasn't a total waste of time for me -- redrawing some of the suggested patterns in ways I liked better inspired me to come up with a design I'd like to stitch, and it just might contain my first wire slipped 3-D element; it also gave me some ideas for abstract embroidered borders, something I'm grateful for because I'd like to make myself a hanging display or three for all my enamel pins, and I think a cool border would go a long way towards making it look nice. But yeah, if you're thinking about getting into embroidery as an art, unless you've specifically looked at this style and love the super jagged edges, do yourself a favor and maybe look up some free 101 resources on the internet to teach you stitches and give you more solid tips for starting, finishing, and everything in between. And then, when you're irritably looking for more and starting to stumble across "advanced" resources that are just telling you that heavy chain stitch exists, once things are going pretty smoothly and you're not frequently caught up on "oh no I don't know how to do this thing that seems basic," then maybe return to this book for inspiration.
While I do have some issues with some of the etymology and history presented as factual in this book, they're issues endemic to modern Western neopagan books -- or the ones I read in my more "maybe I could have religious feelings?" phase, anyway -- and many such books feature far more extensive and extraordinary claims about history. I won't be addressing those aspects, for the most part. I don't want to hold this book to higher standards than the genre as a whole does, especially since it's a book about embroidery, not an introduction to a specific belief system or path of worship/spirituality.
That said, I am the target audience for the other half of this book, as a self-taught embroiderer. I'm by no means an expert -- I've only been doing it for three years -- but I do know enough to have serious issues with some of this book. On the other hand it caught my eye because I find a colorful witchy aesthetic more appealing than a lot of my options for simple craft patterns, many of which can get really samey. And I do think a lot of the designs in this book are nice, actually! The book's major focus is on putting elements together to create your own designs rather than a series of specific projects, and a common complaint in the reviews is that it doesn't feature traceable line art, but I am pretty sure the author's focus on and attitude towards creativity is consistent with offering instructions on how to get a similar effect to the art on the pages, without including strict lines to be followed.
There is some good advice on designing a pattern, and while it is couched in the language of spirituality, and intended for the design of a talisman to create a particular magical effect in your life, I think a lot of those suggestions are applicable to just making an aesthetically pleasing design -- off the top of my head, some of the advice was to mix large and small elements in the design, play with types of symmetry, and don't bloody-mindedly follow through with a pattern you don't really like, especially if you're going to take your time going slowly with it -- instead take a break and come back later to look at your work with fresh eyes. These all absolutely make sense to me, and I think all the talisman designs and many of the page layouts are really nice as designs.
Unfortunately, the author's attitude towards creativity means that while she's happy to offer some good rules of thumb on the design front, she seems loath to do so with the mechanics of embroidery itself, even if the reader isn't beholden to them. A lot of the actual worked embroidery on display in this book looks incredibly haphazard and chunky.
To some extent part of that is because a lot of the embroidery is meant to be worked at a larger scale than the smaller decorative pieces I'm usually creating, for the back of jean jackets or along the legs of pants, for example. But there's so much ragged-edged satin stitch, sewn in all six strands of embroidery floss. For "fine detail work" the author suggests cutting back to three strands, which is absolutely wild to me because if you're going to use all six strands most of the time, why not go with a thicker fiber for the designs that don't contain any "fine detail"? And the author doesn't seem to be aware that outlining an area you're going to fill in with satin stitch or long-and-short stitch really, really, smooths out the edges. It's not like she doesn't think this is an issue -- for all her talk about how actually this is meant to look imperfect and haphazard, there are occasionally pieces of the design that are worked later, which she explains are meant to cover up a prior part's ragged edge. You could just not have the ragged edge in the first place by taking one extra step! Or using fewer strands of floss! Or a different kind of yarn that lays better!
There's other weird ignorance of what I consider embroidery basics, too -- the "three options traditionally used [in embroidery are] perle cotton, embroidery floss, and sashiko threads." As someone who's teaching myself crewelwork, which uses wool, and who'd like to try silk embroidery, I... am a bit at a loss. Apparently the only traditional embroidery fiber is three slightly different types of cotton thread???
I'm also totally perplexed at the idea that for thicker fabric you have to use a blunter needle??? Sharp needles go through any fabric more easily; tapestry needles are blunt because they're for use with aida and other very loosely-spaced fabrics, but in this book "thick fabric" is more likely to refer to denim or thick canvas. I think if she's having an easier time with the fabric not snagging when she uses a tapestry needle, it's because tapestry needles are usually bigger, have larger eyes, and are thus more likely to hold all! six! strands! of DMC floss???? at once, not because the tapestry needle is blunt.
These are not the only really basic issues with the embroidery instruction in the book. If you learn stem stitch from this book and only from this book, for example, it's likely you won't realize that stem stitch is supposed to come up from UNDER the last stitch, not right beside it. There's advice to "love" your thread by stroking it several times before beginning, to transfer your energy and "skin oils" to the thread. The energy transfer I could take or leave but the skin oils seem like a bad idea, especially since the stated benefit of this is that they will "lubricate" the thread. There are methods of lubricating the thread that are more reliable and effective than hopefully minimal amounts of "skin oils."
And imo, the biggest issue is just the sloppiness. There's absolutely no differentiation between the demands of thick bold lines needed for the covering-the-back-of-a-denim-jacket designs and the more delicate lines you might prefer on a small pouch or tag, or in another small decorative capacity. It's all just chunky and blocky. It's easier to ignore in the more abstract designs that are all lines representing a concept, but when you try to sew a griffin or a tiger you end up with something jagged and graceless. I have no problem with things not looking perfect, but this feels more like a false, deliberately manufactured aesthetic of Imperfection and Madeness rather than the irregular charm of a handmade item that the artist clearly put a lot of time and effort into. I feel like in seeking to discourage perfectionism the author of this book just didn't give beginners tools they could use to create something closer to the image in their heads.
There are some pretty extensive tips on how to embroider decoration onto existing clothes, and since that's something I've never done and sometimes think about, I wish I could trust them, but the other stuff in this book is just.... not trustworthy, so I hesitate to take them to heart. Which kind of sucks, because it's difficult to find resources for hand embroidery on denim since there's so much "embroidery on denim" advice that assumes you want to do machine embroidery but doesn't indicate this anywhere in the heading or the first few paragraphs. (That's a whole other rant.)
I don't want to say the book is bad, but if someone was looking to learn to do embroidery as an art, or even embroidery as an anxiety management practice -- which is how I got into it, in fact -- I would point them to other resources. A lot of the discussion of creativity in this book is about the meditative slowness of embroidery, but a lot of the practical advice is "don't bother doing it the way those snobby traditional embroiderers would suggest, this way is faster." I think I could only recommend this book for people looking to do embroidery solely as a spiritual practice without long-term decorative value, or I guess maybe if they've tried embroidery before and want to try it again, and have some serious perfectionism issues that blocked them? And that makes me sad, because again, a lot of the designs are great in concept and she has good advice about design. It could also be of value to someone who mainly wants to embroider clothing made of thick, stiff fabrics, although even then I'd suggest that aspiring embroidery artist please, please outline their fills first. Please.
It wasn't a total waste of time for me -- redrawing some of the suggested patterns in ways I liked better inspired me to come up with a design I'd like to stitch, and it just might contain my first wire slipped 3-D element; it also gave me some ideas for abstract embroidered borders, something I'm grateful for because I'd like to make myself a hanging display or three for all my enamel pins, and I think a cool border would go a long way towards making it look nice. But yeah, if you're thinking about getting into embroidery as an art, unless you've specifically looked at this style and love the super jagged edges, do yourself a favor and maybe look up some free 101 resources on the internet to teach you stitches and give you more solid tips for starting, finishing, and everything in between. And then, when you're irritably looking for more and starting to stumble across "advanced" resources that are just telling you that heavy chain stitch exists, once things are going pretty smoothly and you're not frequently caught up on "oh no I don't know how to do this thing that seems basic," then maybe return to this book for inspiration.
February 25, 2021
What a cool, fun, funky, interesting, and enlightening book... and it’s got a bunch of great info about embroidery too! I am excited to try some new techniques to break out of my rut of just filling in patterns. It’s like moving away from a color by numbers framework and encouraging us to use our intuition and embroider with “flow.” So very cool. Love the linkage between art, craft, spirituality, and mindfulness.
Thank you #NetGalley and #StoreyPublishing for the #ARC! ❤️
Thank you #NetGalley and #StoreyPublishing for the #ARC! ❤️
December 6, 2020
Mystical Stitches drew me in from the start with its beautiful and enticing cover. Who wouldn’t want to embroider something after seeing that? The book is full of expert stitching instruction for the beginner, but even an expert will learn from the author’s instructions. It is full of lovely designs, mostly spiritual and new age, and some I would consider attempting myself. It leans heavily on the spiritual side of creating, and there are many references to talismans, mythology, astrology, meditation, and even yoga. Not quite the embroidery tutorial for me, it does have many beautiful designs. It could have been better had it included some patterns. The right audience will enjoy using this well-thought-out tutorial. I thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read it. I gave it three and a half stars rounded down to three.
November 17, 2020
This will be a great resource for those who are in the target audience, but you might want to preview it first to see if that's you. Johnson does a great job of showing you how to do lots of kinds of stitches and shows many wonderful designs. The whole book has a new age spiritual tone to it and it's definitely designed for those who want to incorporate that sort of belief system into their crafts. It also doesn't provide patterns as much as just a photo of each design and then a drawing telling you what stitches to use. There are a lot of really great patterns and I thought of getting it as a gift for one of my grown kids who does embroidery and loves nature patterns like the mushrooms in here, but she's not Wiccan or Pagan and I also don't think a lot of the designs would be a great fit for her aesthetic. The instructional section is very helpful though, and there are color photos of all of the designs.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
December 22, 2020
Unlike most embroidery (and needlecraft in general) books, 'Mystical Stitches' isn't so much a series of templates / patterns to follow but a meandering exploration of symbolism and the mystical / spiritual / meditative aspects of hand embroidery.
Johnson explores setting up your 'intention', what materials you will need, stitch methods, symbols you might wish to use, and brief colour theory that will help you create your own 'talisman'.
I'm a little torn about a few things: the risk of appropriation in several of the symbols (especially religious or Native iconography), the melding of various faiths and spiritual pathways (which, to be fair, is common in modern Wicca / western Neo-Paganism); and the lack of at least a few templates to get someone started.
The first concern is really up to the individual reader; many, I suspect, won't be at all bothered. I would personally find it uncomfortable, however, if someone from a religion / faith group that has historically oppressed my own used one of our recognised symbols as a talisman or clothing decoration. I suspect others, especially from minority faith groups, might feel the same way.
The second concern ties into the first: someone from a minority faith may have a harder time feeling that their spiritual / cultural symbols and meanings are being amalgamated - if anything, a clearer nod to the history and ritual importance to those groups of the various symbols would help readers make better-educated use of these symbols.
The third concern is likely the most universal. While I appreciate that Johnson would like us to go on a spiritual journey to feel out our own path for creating embroidery, I don't think I'm alone in wishing there were at least a few base templates to get one started - for example, perhaps something like an embroidered frame to outline the work area one can then put their own chosen symbols (talisman) in; or a few designs that look particularly nice when added to clothing (something more universal like planets, plants, or animals that should appeal to most). The novice embroiderer will likely struggle with things like separating threads out of an embroidery skein, blending colourways together, stitching through heavy fabrics (Johnson is keen on denim), and starting / finishing stitching in a way that keeps things from unravelling once washed.
All in all a beautiful book with a lot of ideas that would appeal primarily to Wiccans, Pagans, and anyone into Western mysticism.
Advance reader copy kindly provided by Storey Publishing.
Johnson explores setting up your 'intention', what materials you will need, stitch methods, symbols you might wish to use, and brief colour theory that will help you create your own 'talisman'.
I'm a little torn about a few things: the risk of appropriation in several of the symbols (especially religious or Native iconography), the melding of various faiths and spiritual pathways (which, to be fair, is common in modern Wicca / western Neo-Paganism); and the lack of at least a few templates to get someone started.
The first concern is really up to the individual reader; many, I suspect, won't be at all bothered. I would personally find it uncomfortable, however, if someone from a religion / faith group that has historically oppressed my own used one of our recognised symbols as a talisman or clothing decoration. I suspect others, especially from minority faith groups, might feel the same way.
The second concern ties into the first: someone from a minority faith may have a harder time feeling that their spiritual / cultural symbols and meanings are being amalgamated - if anything, a clearer nod to the history and ritual importance to those groups of the various symbols would help readers make better-educated use of these symbols.
The third concern is likely the most universal. While I appreciate that Johnson would like us to go on a spiritual journey to feel out our own path for creating embroidery, I don't think I'm alone in wishing there were at least a few base templates to get one started - for example, perhaps something like an embroidered frame to outline the work area one can then put their own chosen symbols (talisman) in; or a few designs that look particularly nice when added to clothing (something more universal like planets, plants, or animals that should appeal to most). The novice embroiderer will likely struggle with things like separating threads out of an embroidery skein, blending colourways together, stitching through heavy fabrics (Johnson is keen on denim), and starting / finishing stitching in a way that keeps things from unravelling once washed.
All in all a beautiful book with a lot of ideas that would appeal primarily to Wiccans, Pagans, and anyone into Western mysticism.
Advance reader copy kindly provided by Storey Publishing.
June 6, 2021
ARC provided by publisher through Netgalley for review
I think this is book for 2 types of embroiderers: 1) people who are already into mysticism and who want to combine this with their embroidery hobby and 2) people who are already into embroidery and are looking to try freehand designs. Note that both of those groups are people who have already done some embroidery. This book isn't really designed for beginners. It does include a chapter at the beginning describing basic stitches and how to do them, but it's fairly cursory and I think most novices will need to go to other resources for learning the basic stitches.
The High Points: There's some really great tips in here on how to embroider clothing and what areas of clothing are best suited for embellishment. It also includes some guidance on color theory and composition for design. All of which is great for someone who is moving past the design transfer phase and is looking to start coming up with their own designs.
The Bad: I really wish this book was organized differently. Johnson starts with some New Age mysticism / meditation stuff, but the book starts in earnest with the stitching tutorials (which are honestly too limited for true beginners) and then immediately moves into a long chapter of 'symbols'. These are pages of grouped icons that each have an embroidered example and a paragraph explaining their symbolic meaning(s). For example, one of the symbols under the Animalia heading is a swan, and there's an embroidered swan and a paragraph talking about the various things swans symbolize. There is nothing about the stitches used in the example or how to go about it yourself. That won't come for much later. Then we get the chapter on design theories. After that we get a chapter with larger designs that have (loose) instructions on how to stitch them. (No patterns.) We get another chapter on mysticism. Then we finally get a guide where each of the symbols from the earlier chapter has a stitch guide.
It would have been much easier to have the flow go from teaching the stitches, to here's some designs with instructions, to here some smaller items to use in your designs along with guides to stitching them, here's design theory to how to use these smaller items to create your own larger designs, and now we'll circle back to mysticism and how to incorporate embroidery into your practice.
Ultimately I think this is a pretty good book for an intermediate embroiderer with a New Age aesthetic/lifestyle but if you're a beginner, you might be better off picking up something else first.
I think this is book for 2 types of embroiderers: 1) people who are already into mysticism and who want to combine this with their embroidery hobby and 2) people who are already into embroidery and are looking to try freehand designs. Note that both of those groups are people who have already done some embroidery. This book isn't really designed for beginners. It does include a chapter at the beginning describing basic stitches and how to do them, but it's fairly cursory and I think most novices will need to go to other resources for learning the basic stitches.
The High Points: There's some really great tips in here on how to embroider clothing and what areas of clothing are best suited for embellishment. It also includes some guidance on color theory and composition for design. All of which is great for someone who is moving past the design transfer phase and is looking to start coming up with their own designs.
The Bad: I really wish this book was organized differently. Johnson starts with some New Age mysticism / meditation stuff, but the book starts in earnest with the stitching tutorials (which are honestly too limited for true beginners) and then immediately moves into a long chapter of 'symbols'. These are pages of grouped icons that each have an embroidered example and a paragraph explaining their symbolic meaning(s). For example, one of the symbols under the Animalia heading is a swan, and there's an embroidered swan and a paragraph talking about the various things swans symbolize. There is nothing about the stitches used in the example or how to go about it yourself. That won't come for much later. Then we get the chapter on design theories. After that we get a chapter with larger designs that have (loose) instructions on how to stitch them. (No patterns.) We get another chapter on mysticism. Then we finally get a guide where each of the symbols from the earlier chapter has a stitch guide.
It would have been much easier to have the flow go from teaching the stitches, to here's some designs with instructions, to here some smaller items to use in your designs along with guides to stitching them, here's design theory to how to use these smaller items to create your own larger designs, and now we'll circle back to mysticism and how to incorporate embroidery into your practice.
Ultimately I think this is a pretty good book for an intermediate embroiderer with a New Age aesthetic/lifestyle but if you're a beginner, you might be better off picking up something else first.
June 8, 2021
I received a copy from Storey Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you’re looking for ideas on how one might make their spirituality and embroidery meet, then this is the book for you. Here you will find out how Christi Johnson expresses her spirituality through embroidery and how she hopes to inspire you to do the same if that’s what you wish. It applies to any beliefs, and she includes 200 symbols along with their meanings so that readers can figure out how to create their own talisman.
While this is not a traditional pattern book, as it includes many pictures of the symbols she’s made so that people can create them, they do not include the patterns themselves. At least, there weren’t patterns in the digital ARC I received. It’s possible that the patterns are included in the final edition that goes to print. In addition to providing tips on how to embroider as well as how-to graphs on various stitches, there are also tips on how to connect with your spirituality or personal power along with stretches to do in between stitching.
If you’re looking for ideas on how one might make their spirituality and embroidery meet, then this is the book for you. Here you will find out how Christi Johnson expresses her spirituality through embroidery and how she hopes to inspire you to do the same if that’s what you wish. It applies to any beliefs, and she includes 200 symbols along with their meanings so that readers can figure out how to create their own talisman.
While this is not a traditional pattern book, as it includes many pictures of the symbols she’s made so that people can create them, they do not include the patterns themselves. At least, there weren’t patterns in the digital ARC I received. It’s possible that the patterns are included in the final edition that goes to print. In addition to providing tips on how to embroider as well as how-to graphs on various stitches, there are also tips on how to connect with your spirituality or personal power along with stretches to do in between stitching.
November 17, 2020
I didn't realise that this was mystical in the astrological sense. I went in thinking maybe it would have some zodiac signs but there's a lot about meditation, chakras and talismans which wasn't what I wanted.
However the actual stitches and patterns themselves were beautiful. I loved the botanical and animal spirit stitches. And I'm definitely going to embroider the universe on the back of my jacket.
However the actual stitches and patterns themselves were beautiful. I loved the botanical and animal spirit stitches. And I'm definitely going to embroider the universe on the back of my jacket.
April 1, 2021
Wow, I love this book! Not only is there easy to follow technical information on stitch techniques, materials, and colour harmony, it also covers intentions, symbols, meditation, yoga poses, and so much more.
So many beautiful ideas; I especially love the botanical section.
This would be a lovely gift for someone interested in slow living or mindfulness.
[I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
So many beautiful ideas; I especially love the botanical section.
This would be a lovely gift for someone interested in slow living or mindfulness.
[I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
February 9, 2022
Special thanks to NetGalley and Storey publishing for providing me with ARC.
I love Stitches so much, i get this hobbie from my mom, she loved it so much that she made a lot of things in our home like tablecloths.
This book is so good that provides me with a lot of ideas, i want to try it.
I love Stitches so much, i get this hobbie from my mom, she loved it so much that she made a lot of things in our home like tablecloths.
This book is so good that provides me with a lot of ideas, i want to try it.
November 3, 2020
What a beautiful book! I love how the author shows how the use of simple stitches, with clear and concise tutorials, helps create ideas and meditations that encourage your creativity with free-flowing embroidery work. I find this to be a fantastic instructional book and feel that it will challenge my embroidery crafting skills by encouraging me to relish my creativity and encourage me push boundaries in asset and expression.
I would like to thank Christi Johnson, Storey Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I would like to thank Christi Johnson, Storey Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
December 8, 2021
As a child of the 1960’s and ‘70’s I can relate to Christi Johnson’s thrill of discovering books from that time and her comparison to current books. Her statement that contemporary craft books presumed you were not capable of creating your own designs sold me on her books. I got this book from the library and after reading the opening I bought a copy. This book is filled with inspiration and beautiful pictures to help you create the design you want.
November 6, 2021
Great encyclopedia of stitches organized by theme. Includes meditations which I loved. A great book to have in your craft library for reference and inspiration. Chock full of gorgeous colour photographs and brief explanations for motifs.
April 3, 2022
Beautiful book! I love the inside cover - it looks like the 'back' of the embroidered front cover. Unique designs. Good for a beginner.
March 30, 2021
4 stars
This is a unique pattern book, not just offering designs, but the artist’s reflections on building intent & meaning behind them. I recommend this as an aid for exploring designing your own patterns, & as a reference for embroidering basic shapes, animals, symbols, etc.
The writer discusses how embroidery as an art form is an artistic outlet for meditation & spiritual transformation for her. She discusses symbology, talismans, creative inspiration, & some meditational practices she enjoys.
[What I liked:]
•The reflections on the creative process & creating designs that evoke deep personal meaning are great. I’ll be considering those ideas & playing with them as I design my own future patterns.
•There is a basic materials & stitch guide, but it does include some insightful tips such as the best ways to split floss, anchoring methods, etc., that aren’t in most basic guides.
•The art/designs are gorgeous! Bold, colorful, intricate, & lively. The designer’s work reminds me of Tessa Perlow’s style of embroidery (an embroidery artist I adore).
•The patterns include a great variety of components that can be built into a larger design: animals, plants, celestial bodies, geometrical designs, mythical creatures, human body parts, nature, as well as mystical/esoteric symbols & items like wands & pyramids.
•There is info on building your own color schemes (basic color theory), and working basic shapes or components into bigger compositions. This is great stuff! Helpful to me since I’ve been designing my own patterns for years now, but know I can grow in that. There are also a handful of the author’s own compositions, shown as finished works on upcycled clothing.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•This is because of my personal values & not any intrinsic flaw in the book, but this book was not exactly what I expected. There is more emphasis on spiritual practices & beliefs I don’t adhere to than I thought. That’s okay though! I’m sure others will find the book meaningful & resonant in ways I did not.
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
This is a unique pattern book, not just offering designs, but the artist’s reflections on building intent & meaning behind them. I recommend this as an aid for exploring designing your own patterns, & as a reference for embroidering basic shapes, animals, symbols, etc.
The writer discusses how embroidery as an art form is an artistic outlet for meditation & spiritual transformation for her. She discusses symbology, talismans, creative inspiration, & some meditational practices she enjoys.
[What I liked:]
•The reflections on the creative process & creating designs that evoke deep personal meaning are great. I’ll be considering those ideas & playing with them as I design my own future patterns.
•There is a basic materials & stitch guide, but it does include some insightful tips such as the best ways to split floss, anchoring methods, etc., that aren’t in most basic guides.
•The art/designs are gorgeous! Bold, colorful, intricate, & lively. The designer’s work reminds me of Tessa Perlow’s style of embroidery (an embroidery artist I adore).
•The patterns include a great variety of components that can be built into a larger design: animals, plants, celestial bodies, geometrical designs, mythical creatures, human body parts, nature, as well as mystical/esoteric symbols & items like wands & pyramids.
•There is info on building your own color schemes (basic color theory), and working basic shapes or components into bigger compositions. This is great stuff! Helpful to me since I’ve been designing my own patterns for years now, but know I can grow in that. There are also a handful of the author’s own compositions, shown as finished works on upcycled clothing.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•This is because of my personal values & not any intrinsic flaw in the book, but this book was not exactly what I expected. There is more emphasis on spiritual practices & beliefs I don’t adhere to than I thought. That’s okay though! I’m sure others will find the book meaningful & resonant in ways I did not.
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
March 4, 2025
a significantly more spiritual book than i was expecting (in my defense, i picked it up in a very busy store and bought it pretty much just for the images inside), that also contains things completely unrelated to embroidery (meditation, yoga??, building an altar, mindfulness practices, etc). if you're a very spiritual person who enjoys embroidery, this book will probably be perfect for you. for me, it involved a lot of skimming.
that said, it is an AMAZING repository for images and ideas, suitable for beginners and and well-practiced embroiderers looking to expand their horizons. it includes an overview and tutorial for different stitches (which i appreciate as someone who often goes long periods between hobbies), and a simple list of various tools. it also advises on the best places to apply embroidered designs (if you're not doing visible mending) and things to consider about these placements (collars, pockets, shirtsleeve hems, etc.)
the sheer amount of reference images (including an appendix for what stitches to use for each design) is wealth for the imagination and exactly what i was hoping for from this book. and rather than having a handful of step-by-step projects, it encourages you to take from the images to create your own designs, even going as far as including advice on how to choose colors (something which people who are not already artists may struggle with).
the spirituality stuff may not have been for me, but i did find just what i was looking for. i highly recommend this book to people wanting to be more creative with their embroidery designs, whether you're spiritual or not.
that said, it is an AMAZING repository for images and ideas, suitable for beginners and and well-practiced embroiderers looking to expand their horizons. it includes an overview and tutorial for different stitches (which i appreciate as someone who often goes long periods between hobbies), and a simple list of various tools. it also advises on the best places to apply embroidered designs (if you're not doing visible mending) and things to consider about these placements (collars, pockets, shirtsleeve hems, etc.)
the sheer amount of reference images (including an appendix for what stitches to use for each design) is wealth for the imagination and exactly what i was hoping for from this book. and rather than having a handful of step-by-step projects, it encourages you to take from the images to create your own designs, even going as far as including advice on how to choose colors (something which people who are not already artists may struggle with).
the spirituality stuff may not have been for me, but i did find just what i was looking for. i highly recommend this book to people wanting to be more creative with their embroidery designs, whether you're spiritual or not.
July 18, 2024
This is by far the best embroidery book I've ever seen! Not only is it gorgeous on every single page, author Christi Johnson does an amazing job of exploring the "why" behind creating embroidered embellishments. And for a beginner like me, the instructions for how to create each stitch was actually useful! I could clearly see what I was suppose to do with the needle and thread, something I find very hard to follow in most tutorial books. My favorite sections were where Johnson gives us examples of symbols of various backgrounds (including numerology, astrology, etc), the explanation of these symbols, and encouraging us, the reader, to create our own talismans, unique to ourselves, our lives, our histories. Since discovering this book I have also found the authors podcast, Stitch Wish Radio, her company Mixed Color, and have been on the lookout for other classes, videos and tutorials she offers. I could not recommend this book highly enough!
June 15, 2021
Mystical Stitches includes an interesting combination of the mystical with the craft of embroidery. I made my first French knot at age 8, and while I do believe handicrafts can be a good meditation, I’ve never equated unraveling tangled embroidery floss with peaceful relaxation. Within this slim volume, Johnson provides fairly uncomplicated designs for embellishing one’s clothing and accessories to reflect their spiritual journey. So if you are looking for a coral snake pattern to decorate your t-shirt, you will find it here amongst an interesting collection of botanical varieties, zodiac signs, geometric patterns, & animal symbols to name a few. Extensive clear drawings of embroidery stitches make this collection accessible to beginners.
January 23, 2022
A beautiful book. The images are inspiring and just lovely to sit and look at. That said, its not a beginner book - I say as a beginner to stitch work. Much of this felt overwhelming but I look forward to the day when I feel more at home with the stitches and designs. I shared the link to this book with friends further along in their craft than myself and they adore the idea of getting more information like this out there and are stoked to dive in. Highly recommend for everyone for inspiration and for intermediate for ease of use.
May 2, 2022
I love the concepts here and I love how the author Christi Johnson manages to invite the reader in to explore without overwhelming or condescending. The way she walks you through types of stitching, styles of preparation and setting intention and then provides ample instruction and suggestion for imagery and color to bring all the ideas together. Absolutely delightful and I can't wait to try some out myself.
August 3, 2022
I am SO the target audience for this book but I really feel that there's something in this book for every maker. First of all, it's a beautiful book...I got a copy of the ebook from my local library to read first (to those getting the ebook: it is well formatted and high quality as well, and there is a link for downloading patterns for transfer), but I knew I would be returning to this book again and again so I bought a print copy. Second, I think Johnson is promoting a lifestyle that benefits everyone: conscious consuming, learning to use what is in existence, and the need for us all to dream, create, and make a little magic. This book is likely a little intimidating for a beginner (I'm working at an intermediate level) but her stitch tutorials are better than some of the basic books I've seen, and she offers classes online for those who need a bit more help (I believe the beginner courses are free). I'm also really enjoying her Stitch Wish podcast. Christi Johnson and her book are exactly the inspiration I needed to do more freeform and personal embroidery.
November 25, 2020
Embroidery has been around for centuries, and this book takes a look at how artistic symbolism can help us to manifest change in our personal lives. This book suggests that creativity is a jumping block for magic, and introduces us to the idea that imagery is the basis for spiritual and inner communication. I loved the idea that intention is tied to our subconscious mind, which prefers to speak in symbols, and that by working with images and patterns we can boost our spiritual power. This is something I will take with me and continue to think about as I create art.
This was a wonderful read, thank you to NetGalley for sending me a free ARC!
This was a wonderful read, thank you to NetGalley for sending me a free ARC!
November 27, 2022
I was expecting a fairly specific guide to magical stitching, but this is actually also a fabulous intro to embroidery! I love Johnson's emphasis on personal creativity, rather than just pattern copying. Excellent.
August 5, 2021
Fun and interesting design ideas, and visual explanations of the different embroidery stitches, made this a valuable resource. I do wish it included some instructions on pattern transfers and tracing.
September 22, 2021
Would like to purchase as a reference book for home for future projects, I like a lot of the ideas and designs
February 13, 2021
Mystical Stitches; Embroidery for Personal Empowerment and Magical Embellishment by Christi Johnson is about exactly what it says, adding embroidery to your fabric items to empower yourself.
There is lots of inspiration here, from the patterns to what they've been stitched on. There are templates, lots of clear information, and beautiful photos.
Mystical Stitches; Embroidery for Personal Empowerment and Magical Embellishment by Christi Johnson was published on 25th May 2021 and is available from Amazon and Waterstones .
You can follow Christi Johnson on Instagram and her website .
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Storey Publishing .
There is lots of inspiration here, from the patterns to what they've been stitched on. There are templates, lots of clear information, and beautiful photos.
Mystical Stitches; Embroidery for Personal Empowerment and Magical Embellishment by Christi Johnson was published on 25th May 2021 and is available from Amazon and Waterstones .
You can follow Christi Johnson on Instagram and her website .
I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Storey Publishing .
November 7, 2020
I was expecting more in the way of patterns from this book so I'll admit I was quite disappointed.
Not the book for people who want to start with embroidery.
Not the book for people who want to start with embroidery.
February 14, 2021
I will start by saying that this is not the kind of stitching book I would usually pick up, since I am someone who enjoys the more precise, traditional forms of embroidery. But it came up as an early review option for me on Netgalley, so I thought I would have a look. I hope to give a review which will let you know if it′s the book for you, even if it isn′t for me!
This book is inspired by the exploration of new techniques and designs that happened in the 60s and 70s, and is geared towards people who don′t want to be constrained by fixed diagrams or materials. There is also an emphasis on the meditative quality of needlework, and the book explores some other meditative techniques which you might want to explore if inspired by the restfulness you find in stitching.
But there′s also a lot of practical information. The author describes materials and equipment in a straightforward manner, giving helpful hints. She explains how to transfer patterns, but I do wonder how easy it would be to transfer the motifs she uses in the book. (I had an online copy of the book, so not sure how it would look on paper.) The stitch glossary covers a wide range of stitches, and I found the diagrams and explanations quite clear, particularly how to start off each stitch, although I might do some of the stitches in a slightly different way.
The outstanding chapter of this book is the collection of symbols which covers a wide range of subjects – geometric forms, planets, zodiac signs, some unusual natural world images and other unexpected emblems. The author does give stitch suggestions for all the symbols, but also wants them to act as inspiration for your own designs. She gives examples of many of the symbols on clothing and other items. There are a lot of colourful images and photos, and the whole book has a flower child character which is pleasant to look at.
This is a 3 star book for me, but it could well be 4 or 5 star for anyone who likes this style of embroidery.
This book is inspired by the exploration of new techniques and designs that happened in the 60s and 70s, and is geared towards people who don′t want to be constrained by fixed diagrams or materials. There is also an emphasis on the meditative quality of needlework, and the book explores some other meditative techniques which you might want to explore if inspired by the restfulness you find in stitching.
But there′s also a lot of practical information. The author describes materials and equipment in a straightforward manner, giving helpful hints. She explains how to transfer patterns, but I do wonder how easy it would be to transfer the motifs she uses in the book. (I had an online copy of the book, so not sure how it would look on paper.) The stitch glossary covers a wide range of stitches, and I found the diagrams and explanations quite clear, particularly how to start off each stitch, although I might do some of the stitches in a slightly different way.
The outstanding chapter of this book is the collection of symbols which covers a wide range of subjects – geometric forms, planets, zodiac signs, some unusual natural world images and other unexpected emblems. The author does give stitch suggestions for all the symbols, but also wants them to act as inspiration for your own designs. She gives examples of many of the symbols on clothing and other items. There are a lot of colourful images and photos, and the whole book has a flower child character which is pleasant to look at.
This is a 3 star book for me, but it could well be 4 or 5 star for anyone who likes this style of embroidery.
July 19, 2022
I picked it up simply to get a refresher on some stitches that I had long forgotten plus I thought there might be a few patterns but there were only pictures and drawings
Other than that the mysticism, creating alters and talisman weren’t really for me
Glad I got it from library and didn’t purchase
Other than that the mysticism, creating alters and talisman weren’t really for me
Glad I got it from library and didn’t purchase
March 5, 2022
This is probably a good book but I got the ebook and it was terrible. Every other page was an error message and the photographs didn't load.
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