The 5 Best Books for Learning Embroidery

Embroiderers have the same goal at every level; to learn more about creating the perfect stitch and broaden their capabilities for making more designs. Even the most talented stitcher needs a reference to come up with new ideas and understand the combination of stitches, colors, needles, thread, and fabric that will produce the best results. Learning embroidery is an ongoing journey. Following is a list of five embroidery books that will help inspire both hand and machine embroiderers in every situation and at every level.

1. Embroidery by DK

The one-word title sums up what this book is all about. It includes 160 pages of instruction on techniques for sewing clothes, doing needlepoint, and making embroidery stitches. There are 200 stitches featured along with step-by-step instructions for users at all levels of difficulty and ideas for their use. The book includes lots of illustrations that make it easy for even beginners to follow and make the right choice in stitches for every project.

2. The Sewing Machine Embroiderer’s Bible by Liz Keegan

There are hundreds of embroidery designs available online in a variety of types and formats. The Sewing Machine Embroiderer’s Bible explains the differences between them and what you need to do to transfer them to your machine. It also contains tips on stabilizing material, selecting needles and threads, and making the most of each embroidery project. Owners of any type of embroidery sewing machine will benefit from this 128-page guide and help you use the features that would otherwise go unused. There is even an extensive section on editing and organizing designs so you can save them in your machine and have them ready to go the next time you want to use them.

3. The Embroidery Stitch Bible by Betty Barnden

This embroidery book is 256 pages of full-sized samples and fully described and illustrated stitches along with a list of uses for each stitch. This book really takes the confusion out of embroidery by giving alternative names and providing notes on the working method. There is a chapter on choosing appropriate materials and equipment for different techniques in addition to basic tips that apply to all styles and types of embroidery to achieve the specific effects that you want.

4. Colour Confidence in Embroidery (Milner Craft Series) by Trish Burr

This 256-page embroidery book focuses on the impact of color on embroidery. Color can be used to make embroidery designs pop, create a sense of softness, or to add dimension. The book acts as a guide to help crafters bring life to their designs through the best choice in colors to create contrast and shading needed to give definition that makes the details stand out. It includes over 200 stitched examples along with a number of color schemes and projects for crafters to try their skills on.

5. Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches by Mary Thomas

This 298-page book of embroidery has been around since its original publication date in 1934 and continues to provide valuable information to embroiderers of all levels. The version available today has been updated by Jan Eaton to include more than 400 embroidery stitches with pictures and includes their usage. The broad range of stitches, from basic outline and border stitches to those that are more complex, make it the ideal companion for any embroiderer looking to master their craft or expand their skills.

Making the best choice in an embroidery book will depend on the type of embroidery you do and your goals for expanding your capabilities. Any book that is designed for use by crafters at all levels is more likely to be easier to comprehend through the illustrations and instructions provided. Whether you are just getting started at hand embroidery or you are attempting to get the most from an embroidery sewing machine, the right embroidery companion will help you make the best choices in color selection, materials, and techniques to achieve the final project that you have in mind.

Alison
 

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