What's your favourite Stitchery book?

I have quite a few reference books for Crazy Quilting and I like them all for different reasons. I thought I'd share two with you today which I feel are excellent resource books.

When you want to learn how to do a new stitch, you can't beat A-Z of Embroidery Stitches. It is published in Australia by Country Bumpkin Publications. It is without a doubt the best book I have seen as a teaching tool for learning embroidery stitches. What I really like about it is the fact that all illustrations are actual photos, and every step of making the stitch is shown, from start to completion. So, if you have gone wrong at some point, you can see exactly where, by comparing your work with the photos, step by step. There are over 80 stitches shown, many of them with several or more variations as well. It is an excellent book, I cannot recommend it enough, if you are looking for a good book to learn embroidery stitches from. There is an A-Z of Embroidery Stitches, Volume 2. I think it might be on my Christmas Wish List... There are a number of other books in Country Bumpkin's A-Z series as well - on Quilting, Knitting, Smocking, Stumpwork, Bullions, Crewel, Needlepoint, etc. etc. Worth checking out, for sure!

The other book I have been using a lot is Quilt Savvy - Embroidery Stitches by Joan Waldman. It is published by AQS (American Quilter's Society of Paducah KY). This is not a "How To" book, but rather an ideas book. There are 12 basic stitches which are shown with a number of variations and combinations. I love looking through this book when I'm wanting a new stitch variation. It is not in color, but the illustrations are very clear and easy to "read". There are over 100 pages of stitch variations and combinations! Wow! And you can see here, that there is a lot on each page.

I'm working away on my CQ stocking, and will have lots to show you next "CQ Monday".

Piece,

Linda

My soul is fed by needle and thread.