Gayla Partridge - Stitchcraft: An Embroidery Book of Simple Stitches and Peculiar Patterns

I follow my interests and explore a variety of mediums. I taught myself embroidery; in fact, Palmistry Sampler II () is the first piece I ever embroidered. I did not begin with a pattern; rather, I began by sketching the piece I wanted to embroider. With some quick online research, I identified five basic embroidery stitches and learned how to execute these stitches by watching YouTube videos. If you are a beginner embroiderer, taking classes, watching online videos, or reading classic how to embroider books are all good options to learn to stitch.

Although I do provide basic patterns at the back of this book, I dont feel it is necessary to follow an embroidery pattern. To me, the beauty of embroidery is having the freedom to make design decisions as you work on a piece. The projects in Stitchcraft are not written as an embroidery kit might be, with every single step and stitch listed. Rather, I provide patterns along with notes about how I approached each piece to get you started. You should feel free to substitute colors and other elements to make your piece unique to you. For example, you can opt to feature different details and embellishments in any of the sampler pieces in this book.

While I encourage you to experiment with different materials, stitches, and colors, I do have some suggestions and notes that worked well for me as I created the pieces in Stitchcraft:

Unless otherwise noted, the pieces in this book are stitched on a dense, black cotton fabric with a medium weave. There are endless options for the fabric you usecotton, linen, muslin, and blends. It all comes down to personal preference. I found a particular black cotton that I love, and it is all I useI bought twenty yards and never looked back. There are a couple of factors to consider as you choose fabric; the most important are weave and weight. You dont want a weave that is too loose, as the piece wont hold its shape. You also dont want a weave that is too tight, as it can be difficult to get your needle through the fabric. Fabric weight will also impact how you work and the finished piece. A fabric that is too light can stretch in your hoop and warp your stitches; it can also be too transparent. A fabric that is too heavy can be cumbersome and difficult to work with.

Hoops come in a wide variety of sizes. They can be made of wood, metal, or plastic. I prefer to work with a basic wooden hoop. I find that they grip the best, rarely break, and cost just a couple of dollars.

The best needle for a project is often determined by the fabric you are using. Once I select my fabric, I work my way through a multi-pack of embroidery needles until I find a size that works well for the project at hand.

I used DMC thread for all of the pieces in Stitchcraft, however, there are many manufacturers and types of floss you can use; I try new ones all the time. Embroidery thread typically comes in six strands, loosely twisted. You can use all six strands for a thicker stitch, or separate strands for a thinner stitch. I alternate between different numbers of strands in my work to provide contrast between delicate and bulky elements. The introductory project descriptions for the pieces in Stitchcraft often specify both the number of strands and type of stitch I used to create a particular element. Of course, you should feel free to make adjustments to your piece to achieve the look you want.

The pieces featured in Stitchcraft have countless sources of inspiration: vintage anatomical artwork, old textbooks, heirloom flowers, and much more. I encourage you to go beyond the typical embroidery kitand even beyond the projects in this bookto seek inspiration and design and create your own unique embroidery pieces.

The organic elements of the natural world lend themselves to embroidery. The resurgence of embroidery by modern-day artists, however, has seen the possibilities for subject matter venture into newly explored designs. The animal kingdom inspires the pieces in this section; with their defined outlines and color blocking, bold vintage anatomical illustrations are adapted into a new medium.

Stitches used: Backstitch, Bullion stitch, Fishbone stitch, Fly stitch, French knots, Split stitch, Straight stitch, Woven Wheel stitch

Lamb to Slaughter is an excellent beginners piece. It is very small and sampler-like.

First, outline the lamb with three-strand split stitches. Add the dotted lines within the body using single-strand backstitches. This creates sections in the body so that distinct individual elements can be added, much like a sampler.

Stitch the corn first: use green, three-strand split-stitches to make the leaves and six-strand French knots to make the ears of corn. Finally, add long, green three-strand straight stitches on either side of the kernels.