501 Enchanting Embroidery Designs

February 15, 2016
Even crafters unfamiliar with zakka, the Japanese design and fashion small-goods movement, will be immediately drawn to this book of adorable images to transfer, trace, copy, and stitch. Most of the book’s designs are made for hand embroiderers, with a tightly edited selection for cross-stitch aficionados. Sections are divided by theme, from the wholesome and delightful “Little Scandinavian Sketches” to the equally whimsical “Sweet Little Sketches,” along with beguiling cross-stitch motifs. With numerous food, flora, and animal designs, it is difficult to choose the cutest of them all. A useful one-page primer shows readers the embroidery stitches used in the book. The step-by-step instructions for each design are easy to follow, with clear photographs of preparing thread, threading needles, using a dressmaker’s pencil to transfer images with carbon paper, and even the proper placement of an embroidery hoop.

February 15, 2016

This translated collection by Japanese publisher Boutique-Sha features a number of small (most not larger than 2" 2") motifs perfect for embellishing an assortment of textiles. Themes include Scandinavian designs, birds and forest creatures, children at play, and flowers. A gallery of more basic projects (with directions included) presents suggestions for using embroidery on a range of objects. In typical Japanese craft book-style, a collection of full-color photos of the completed motifs is presented in the front, with directions and templates in the back. The editors of this collection added the page numbers for the directions on each section of the gallery, which makes a quick reference. A brief introduction to embroidery tools and techniques is included, as well as a bare-bones stitch guide. Crafters just getting started with embroidery may need an additional source to help them begin. VERDICT Fans of Aimee Ray's "Doodle Stitching" series, as well as crafters who appreciate small, cute embroidery and cross-stitch motifs in the Japanese kawaii style, will welcome this collection.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.