Renowned textile artist Meredith Woolnough creates replicas of nature using a delicate system of tiny stitches. Her artwork is breathtaking, and now for the first time Woolnough offers crafters and fiberartists a lesson in how to use the "organic embroidery" technique. Look behind the scenes of her art process, from the initialfieldwork sketching and research that inspires her designs, to theproduction of her ethereal embroidered sculptures. She guides you through 12 creativity-prompting activities to help you begin your own mastery of this method. As you learn to find your desired shape or pattern in nature, from sources like leaves, shells, or coral, then use your sewing machine to turn bits into exquisite art. You'll also enjoy dozens of inspirational photos of Woolnough's ownart pieces. Woolnough's instructions offer simple but highlyversatile techniques, and allow you space for your own creative approach

Celebrate the seasons through contemporary embroidery motifs for a year of stitching. Give each month more beauty by stitching embroidery motifs with unique seasonal designs. Follow the course of a year—from snow flowers and skiing bears in January to lily of the valley in May, a collection of seed pods in October, trumpeting angels in December, and much more—to enliven your embroidery with a seasonal flair. Through thirty-eight patterns, designer Yumiko Higuchi offers organic yet modern designs with colorful and detailed imagery and a sweet and lively feel. Stitch projects to display as art or transform your work into small projects you can use. With beautiful photographs, clear step-by-step instructions, and detailed diagrams, A Year of Embroidery offers dynamic and unique designs that will inspire embroiderers of all skill levels.

Bored with the same old paints? The Organic Painter introduces innovative techniques for using non-traditional "paint" derived from materials like coffee, tea, and alcohol, to encourage freedom and expression! Traditional art supplies will only take you so far! Sometimes you need to try something completely new and different. That's where The Organic Painter comes in. With a little guidance, you'll soon be painting with everyday materials you'd never considered as an artistic medium. This inspiring book gives you all the techniques and ideas you'll need to boost your creativity, learn natural paint-making, and be more resourceful with your art materials. Imagine the unique things you'll make when you create natural paints from coffee, tea, embroidery and flame. Each project in this guide book comes with instructions on how to make the paint, and also includes experiments and explorations for you to try. Plus, a simple painting accompanies each featured material and combines it with other materials or techniques, so you'll never lack inspiration.

Embrace a simpler approach to stitching with bold one- and two-color embroidery motifs Zakka Embroidery presents designs that are an elegant blend of Japanese and Scandinavian style. The motifs and patterns are spare and graphic, yet softened with organic shapes and imagery drawn from nature. The result is embroidery that evokes a personal feel and conjures a sense of nostalgia. The task of picking just the right palette for an embroidery project can be overwhelming to beginners and experienced stitchers alike. But when you take away that challenge, a whole world of texture and style becomes available. Here Japanese designer Yumiko Higuchi presents embroidery motifs to be stitched using just one or two colors—creating patterns and designs that are more evocative for their form than for a play of colors. Each embroidery design is paired with a simple craft project, transforming the stitched fabric into a functional object, including pouches, pillows, aprons, and more. With beautiful photographs, clear step-by-step instructions, and detailed diagrams, Zakka Embroidery will be an inspiring guide for those new to embroidery and a delightful experience for those experienced with needle and thread.

This comprehensive survey of the traditional embroidery arts covers everything from appliqué to smocking. Over thirty different types of traditional needlework are introduced, including black work, cut work, Hardanger embroidery, Jacobean embroidery, patchwork, quilting, and more. Instructions. Helpful hints on materials and equipment. 421 black-and-white illustrations.

Stitch your very own garden Explore your stitching versatility with this comprehensive guide by learning to use any thread and embroidery stitch you desire! Jennifer Clouston shares how to make the most of the thread you already own by introducing hundreds of stitch and fiber combination options to create your own unique flower garden. From textured stems and leaves to colorful bunches of flowers- your end result will look and feel like a true artistic and organic garden. Includes step-by-step illustrated instructions for over 80 embroidery stitches and 400 stitch combinations Embroider beautiful flowers, stems, leaves, twigs, and more Learn to use different fibers to create a striking, textured organic garden

A lively and accessible book featuring embroidery motifs and sewing projects that highlight the wonder and beauty of the animal kingdom with designs for foxes, cats, owls, zebras, and pandas. From elegant birds to adorable rabbits and wonderfully simple sheep, the 25 motifs and patterns in this book offer both a modern flair and an organic true-to-nature style. The whimsical animal designs--ranging from wild wolves, cheetahs, and giraffes to cuddly and cute bears, cats, dogs, monkeys, and pigs--can be incorporated into any of the sewing projects included, such as bags, pillows, bookmarks, and sachets, so that beginner and experienced embroiderers can mix and match patterns according to their own interest and skill.