Mary Corbet's Needle 'n' Thread
This is one of the books Ive been Absolutely Dying to get to, to let you know about! Now that the release date is getting very close, Im really excited to write a review of it.
The book is Needlepainted Plants and Pollinators: An Insect Lovers Guide to Silk Shading Embroidery by Victoria Matthewson. It is a lovely book from Search Press, and it falls into a very interesting category. Its pretty much a nature journal in thread, combined with instruction and projects.
I knew it was going to be good. I follow Victorias Instagram feed and really enjoy seeing her work. So, yep. I was excited to get an advanced copy and see the book in person! Unlike many needlework books, Needlepainted Plants and Pollinators is a hardbound book, which gives it a coffee table book feel and for good reason. Whether interested in embroidery or not, this is the type of book that anyone can pick up and connect to. After all, we all live on a beautiful planet filled with growing things and curious creatures. Whether we see them is another question but we know they are there.
Opening the pages of the book is rather magical theres almost a Wow! on every page. I love little touches like this, by the way. This is just a lone embroidered bee in the corner of the end sheet when you first open the book. The inside cover page hints at the delights to come. This is the type of book that is very difficult not to photograph page by page, to show you all of it. But if I did that, you wouldnt have that joy of surprise when your own copy arrives. So I will curtail my inclinations!
The book is broken down into two parts: the first half which is background information and the second half which is filled with projects. In the first part of the book, we learn about the author, a bit about nature study, the basics of getting started with embroidering from natural subjects, a bit about materials and threads, and the rudiments of needlepainting. My favorite section in the first part of the book is probably the discussion on inspiration. This is where we learn that not everything that we see in nature may translate easily into an embroidery design. She discusses how to choose the right type of subject for needlepainting, and her advice is excellent. If you have toyed with the idea of needlepainting your favorite aspects of the natural world from your own drawings or photos, but you didnt know where to start, youll appreciate the information here.
Of course, theres thread talk. I love thread talk. The needlepainting instruction walks through different exercises in stitching various types of shapes and elements found in nature leaves, berries, petals, and the like so that we understand how needlepainting is meant to flow when working a natural subject.
Oh, I almost forgot! Youll find great information and instruction not only on preparing your project to stitch, but also on how to finish it for display in different ways. I do appreciate good finishing instructions in an embroidery book!
Then there are the projects. There are nine. They range from plants to pollinators, as the title promises. Youll find a some really fabulous close-ups of the embroidery in this book, too, as you go through it. I like close-ups. They give us a good idea of stitch direction, order of stitching, and so forth. With each project, theres a design template (in the back of the book), a materials list, and instructions on stitching it. We get to see the step-by-step development of the parts of the projects, too, which is very helpful. Its hard to pick a favorite project in the book, but I think this one might be it for me. I like the way this is photographed here, too. And I love that solid center of French knot glory! Of course theres a ladybug!
In a Nutshell
Well, whats not to like? If you love the idea of needlepainting natural subjects in realistic ways, I think youll really love this book. Theres much to learn from it, and its a good guide in observation and in building nature journaling skills with needle and thread.
If you are just fascinated by beautiful embroidery, if you like to browse through embroidery books for inspiration even if you dont intend to stitch these particular subjects its a lovely book and its got good instruction in it that applies to needlepainting in general, that can be applied to stylized embroidery designs as well. If you like nature journaling, photography, and the like, its a different approach that will add variety and beauty to your library. Theres nothing I dont like about this book. All my little pleasure molecules in my brain start buzzing when I open it. It makes me happy.
The Stitchers Journal, Issue No. 11
It has been said that if insects were to disappear overnight, the world's eco-system would collapse. Like them or not, the world needs bugs. In particular, the pollinators, on which depends every third mouthful of food we eat. it was learning about the delicate web of inter-dependence that weaves between insect and plant that prompted Victoria Matthewson's new book, Needlepainted Plants and Pollinators . Showcasing her exquisite needlepainting, it also informs us about the importance of pollinating insects, and encourages us to take a closer look at them.
[...] With a foreword written by TV naturalist Iolo Williams, and a comprehensive stitch guide, this gorgeous and informative hardback book will inspire people with some previous experience of embroidery, as well as ambitious beginners.
