Hand Stitch Perspectives and a little something extra

A new stitchy book! It’s a rare thing these days. My shelves are already close to collapse, it’s one in, one out. And to be honest, most of the new releases don’t appeal – so often full of the same old basics, simple projects to copy, and “discoveries” that us old hands have seen (and done) before.

Hand Stitch Perspectives has been compiled by Alice Kettle and Jane McKeating. It’s the natural companion to their previous book, Machine Stitch Perspectives - a serious consideration of hand embroidery from various points of view. Whilst there are plenty of photos, this isn’t a “picture book”; it’s a collection of thoughtful essays. I haven’t read much of it yet, and I think it might make my brain hurt, but some of the subjects look fascinating – such as Embroidery and the F-Word (feminism of course!), and Tom Lundberg’s personal journey.   

Ooh, and at the back there’s an “inventions stitch glossary” – exciting samples including cable chain stitch in clay, rubber bands couched onto cardboard, cross stitch tent poles on grass. You can see some of them here.

So if you love embroidery and fancy giving the grey cells a bit of a work out, it might be one for the Christmas list.

And my little something extra? Well it seems this is my 100th post – ta-daah! I’m still only a beginner at this blogging business (just as everyone else is spending more time on Facebook, ha), and I’ve slowed down recently as life has got tough. Also, my blog has very few Followers, although quite a lot more people (especially in Russia and Turkey!) seem to read it.

So I’ll combine a little giveaway with a shameless bid to gain a few Followers. Leave a comment on here by 9 a.m. GMT on Monday 29th October, and if you’re also a Follower you’ll be entered into a draw to win this “Bloom” stick pin brooch. It’s my own design, built up from layers of lacy free machining on dissolvable fabric. Similar ones are for sale in my Etsy and Folksy shops, but those have different brooch pins – I’m still not sure which I prefer. 

Go on, you can always un-follow me after the draw… but I’m hoping you’ll forget!

Machine Stitch Perspectives

I got this book for Christmas (or birthday? Hard to tell the difference for me, gg), and I’ve just finished reading it. Yes, I actually read every word, unlike most of my textile books where the pictures are enough. And yes, since you ask - it was worth it! I’ve taken it slowly, trying to squeeze the maximum from it and resisting the temptation to skim for once.

It’s a fascinating study of the different sewing/embroidery machines, historical and modern, showing how they’ve been used both in industry and by artists. Not too much looking back though, and a bearable amount of art-speak. The main thing that comes over is the huge potential of machine embroidery as an expressive medium. Definitely not a “how-to” or project book – which makes a very refreshing change, for me.

Edited by Alice Kettle and Jane McKeating, each chapter is by a different machine stitch expert. There are really inspiring chapters exploring stitched text, mark making, textured surfaces, issues-based work etc. Michael Brennand Wood’s chapter on “random precision” expresses what I try to do in my work much better than I ever can.

It’s very much a Manchester Metropolitan University (formerly Manchester Poly) book, drawing heavily on their enviable collection of machines and archive of embroidery. So occasionally you do wonder if there are better examples elsewhere, but not too often - the book is crammed with photos of wonderful art, fashion, and samples that you’re unlikely to have seen before unless you were lucky enough to be let loose at MMU yourself!

Highly recommended. And you can see for yourself – Amazon has LOTS of the pages on its “Look Inside”.