Stitch, Fabric & Thread: An inspirational guide for creative stitchers [Paperback]

Experiment with stitch, fabric and thread to create your own unique textiles.

This inventive book is a treasure trove of over 40 inspiring practical exercises, a rich and creative exploration of fabric and stitch, and a fascinating all-round read. Elizabeth Healey's approach to sewing is that it should be fun, and not like a chore or an exam we need to excel in. Her aim is to simply encourage you to pick up a needle and thread and get sewing!

The exercises draw inspiration from around the world: create corded works of art inspired by Milton Glaser's iconic Bob Dylan poster; create bold embroidered African masks; layer up and cut away to create Mola applique; use bleach and fabric paint to create Aboriginal dreamtime lizards; create knotted works of art inspired by ancient Mayan counting systems; embroider varsity cross-stitch letters or try out decorative Japanese book binding. Alternatively, try a host of other techniques such as quilting, printing, dyeing, couching tumbled crockery, creating pleats and puckers and needlelace.

Packed with stitch galleries and bursting with slow sewing ideas, the book also contains 'behind the stitches' features: illuminating insights into sewing movements such as Boro textiles, Gee's Bend quilting and Dorset buttons.Introduction 6
Before the stitches 8
Tools: everything or nothing 10
How a sewing machine works 12
The importance of sketchbooks 13
What is thread? 14
What is fabric? 16
Colour 20
Behind the stitches: The quilters of Gees Bend 22
Altered images 24
Toning it down 26
Humble stitches 28
Straight ahead: running stitches 30
Exploring straight stitches 32
Lovely jubbly 36
Pojagi patchwork 38
Intentionally random 40
Kantha fishes 42
Behind the stitches: Boro textiles 44
Visible mending 46
A leaf out of my book 48
Type matters 50
Varsity letters 52
African mask 54
Colourful cords 56
String theory 58
In the loop: chain and blal³’