book

The authors are well travelled and share their

inspiration, drawing on history, antiquity, amazing people, encounters and personal experience.The theme of flora and fauna has universal appeal.A simple image such as a five-petal daisy is the starting point for understanding simple stitchery, textures and finally the third dimension (gerbera, bougainviliea, heather and other fynbos). Under fauna the book offers a range of insects, including dragonflies, butterflies and grasshoppers. Many interpretations and techniques are shared in these images.The birds, particularly small owls, are striking examples of textured embroidery.To help the reader understand colour, there are 12 colour themes with numerous exciting projects.This book is filled with novel concepts in mixed-media embroidery. Lavishly illustrated with the authors' own and commissioned photographs, Just Stitch shows what can be achieved, thus encouraging the reader to produce beautiful works-of creative merit. Les Designs has been in existence for more than 25 years. It started with Lesley using her artistic abilities in stitching with Nikki by her side, and has produced kits, books and textured threads ranging from applique and patchwork to three-dimensional work in hand embroidery. Over the years Lesley and Nikki have extended their range of stitching skills from machining to handwork. They have worked apart for many years, enjoying freestyle embroidery, and have developed unique approaches in delivering the craft.They meet all over the world to present classes and lectures together. Lately their focus has been three-dimensional freestyle hand-embroidery. Students enjoy the mother-daughter banter that has now become a part of their teaching style.

Just stitch is a culmination of ten years of teaching in many countries, and absorbing the storehouse of inspiration. The input and enthusiasm of embroiderers and the many different embroidery techniques that one rediscovers on a journey of this kind are portrayed in the book. The beautiful photomontages of scenery, flora and fauna and embroidery examples are included to fire your imagination. It is a visual guide to where you can find inspiration. The theme is fauna and flora, and the central application the use of an abundance of hand-dyed and textured fibres.This wealth of textures has been simplified by beginning with one single stitch, namely couching. Embedded in the many projects in the book are glorious techniques, finally moving into the third dimension. The projects cater for different skills and levels of expertise and offer a wide spectrum of choice for all needlecrafters. The beginning of just stitch deals with basic necessities, followed by a most useful chapter on techniques with new dimensions and ideas. These include working with textured threads, ribbon work focusing on organza and taffeta, the manipulation of wool and felt, applique techniques (ideal for quilters),adash of beading, doing photo transfers, working with net (tulle), elevated shapes including stumpwork (wired work) and barbola (unwired elevated shapes).This section will help you understand and implement mixed-media embroidery.To introduce the concept of Just stitch there is a photograph of an agapanthus bloom which inspired a painting.The painting is used in an application to illustrate scale and shading, and in a project as a textured interpretation of Agapanthus afhcanus, ideal for a cushion or quilt block, while the more complex interpretation of the agapanthus plant, in the third dimension, is perfect for a framed picture. Twelve colours are represented and each colour break offers you two projects within the spectrum — one simple and another more adventurous. Scattered between the colours are spreads of inspiration within the individual colour range.We have given in-depth descriptions for certain projects and techniques while other images are there for you to interpret in whichever technique, colour and thread grab the imagination. We conclude the book with a stitch gallery for ease of reference, and a bumper section of templates so you can start working on your own creative projects with textured threads immediately. Have a fabulous time enjoying mixed-media embroidery with a wide variety of threads and techniques. Just stitch! Les and Nikki