Product Details
Hip to Stitch: 20 Contemporary Projects Embellished with Thread (Hip to . . . Series)

Hip to Stitch: 20 Contemporary Projects Embellished with Thread (Hip to . . . Series)
By Melinda A. Barta

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Product Description

Ideas for embellishing beautiful garments and home decor to add personal touches are presented with easy, step-by-step instructions, illustrations, and 38 stitch techniques and 20 hand-embroidered projects, in this stylish stitching how-to. Included are motifs to dress up a skirt, day tripper bags, a guitar pick case, a picnic baby bib, a butterfly picture frame, hand-embroidered pillows, stitched note cards, and heirloom scrapbooks. Throughout the book are helpful tips and hints such as hiding knots and thread tails, sewing a pocket, making durable stitches, and working with silk and wire. In addition to teaching the basics, this guide can make projects ambitious by experimenting with stitches and the number and placement of motifs so that even experienced stitchers will find renewed inspiration for embroidery.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #2039080 in Books
  • Published on: 2005-04-01
  • Format: Bargain Price
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 128 pages

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Although this embroidery-centric volume is somewhat dry in attitude, it makes needlework accessible and appealing to a contemporary audience. After an introduction covering embroidery basics, such as fabric, patterns, needles, threads and standard stitches, Barta, a 24-year-old graduate of the BFA program at Colorado State, explains how to complete 20 different projects. They include hair ties, a beaded handbag, a baby bib, a picture frame and kitchen towels. Each project lists specifications (what size the project will be; the threads, fabric and equipment needed; and the stitches involved) and is illustrated with step-by-step instructions. Helpful boxes, such as a list of "tools no embroiderer should be without," appear strategically throughout the text. Despite a bland cover, the book's pages are bright, modern and visually appealing, with 45 color photographs, more than 30 easy-to-understand stitch illustrations and 46 pattern illustrations. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"[The designs] are colorful and meaningful—you can imagine wearing, using or making a gift of all of them." —Inspirations/Country Bumpkin Publications


"Will appeal to those just learning to embroider and to veterans looking for a fresh approach." —Bangor Daily News

About the Author

Melinda A. Barta is the assistant editor of PieceWork magazine. She lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Customer Reviews

Just so you know, I loved this book!5
20 innovative projects with a modern flair, using traditional embroidery stitches. Two projects use a sewing machine to layer thread using free motion stitching inside an outline. Nice technique that can be adapted to many ideas.
I enjoy learning new hand embroidery stitches, so I'm happy to report that there are nice diagrams and instructions for 38 different stitches. The first project is a stitch reference and needle storage book. That'll be nice to have once you've given the cute project away and can't remember what you did...

Never thought of making your own thimbles? Their Korean-inspired fabric and leather thimbles are colorfully embroidered, and look like they'd work up pretty quick. Another quick project is the hair ties. Shapes are stitched on a scrap of cotton and put on cover buttons attached to hair elastics.

All of the projects in this book are small items and probably finish quickly, except for the purse and mittens, since those items are handmade. The other projects are embellishments added to pre-made items - A baby bib stitched with tiny insect designs, an apron decorated with kitchen utensil outlines and measurement conversions.

Favorite projects - Happy Birthday stitched velvet ribbons, embroidered map journal cover and the chicken napkin ring. This is a great book for your craft library. Learn lots of stitches while making quick modern designs.

The book is nicely designed, with many color photos, illustrations and interesting info in sidebar sections. The first chapter discusses notions and materials thoroughly. A beginner could learn embroidery with this book, while most any stitcher will enjoy the stitches and projects.

Easy steps, many ideas, and clear pictorial examples5
Twenty modern projects use thread embellishments to turn an accessory into something hip and eye-catching, from hair ties and purses to ordinary one-color mittens and picture frames. Geared to the beginning stitcher, chapters in Hip To Stitch: 20 Contemporary Projects Embellished With Thread provide easy steps, many ideas, and clear pictorial examples of stitches to help new embroiderers and sewers get a feel for different techniques.