Figure Work in Embroidery

Figures can bring an embroidery to life, but they are tricky to do well. This book guides you through the materials, stitches, body parts and clothes to give you the confidence and skills to embroider a figure and experiment, using your creative inspiration. With over 400 colour photographs it gives key information for getting started, creating designs and preparing embroideries; techniques for making three-dimensional forms using stitching and padding techniques; clear instruction for mastering stitches and then ideas for using them creatively. Specific advice is given for embroidering the face, hair, hands and feet as well as ideas for using stitching embellishments, such as beads, sequins, buttons, ribbons, feathers and jewellery charms. Step-by-step projects demonstrate a range of beautiful styles and techniques.

This book was enjoyable to look at and to read through. I found all the information clearly and well explained. All the pictures and illustrations made sense and were relevant to the work. To have the history to start with helps to remind us we are not the first nor will we be the last to stitch figures.

After completing her training at the Royal School of Needlework, Angela Bishop set up her own business, Eternal Embroidery, which runs stitching classes and retreats across the UK. She has always enjoyed stitching figures and shares her ideas and techniques in this, her first book.