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Treasury of Crazyquilt Stitches: A Comprehensive Guide to Traditional Hand Embroidery Inspired by Antique Crazyquilts
Are you crazy about crazyquilts? Does the beauty of intricately embellished Victorian piecework make your heart race? If so, you will be positively amazed at this comprehensive collection of 'Stitcheries' commonly found embroidered on antique crazyquilts. In addition to the antique styles, you will also find many examples of stitches by Carole Samples, collector and lover of all things 'crazy'. The author presents 50 basic stitches and so many variations of those stitches that you may never run out of ideas and designs to try on your own projects. This book takes you on a journey from simple straight stitches and blanket stitches to chevrons and herringbones. The 'patch picture' designs feature floral bouquets, insects, animals, and much, much more. The old-fashioned script alphabet provides just the right touch for personalizing all your own creations. Whether you are an avid collector of crazyquilts or are just beginning to study and admire them, this book belongs on your shelf. You are sure to acquire a renewed appreciation for antique crazyquilts and their makers.
- GenresCrafts
223 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1999
17 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 3, 2012
I consider this book to be one of the "bibles" of Crazyquilt stiches. I had a copy of the original printing from 1999, which had more color plates than the current printing. This is my only "pet peeve". More color please... Now on to the nitty gritty of what this book is and isn't.
This is not a book that teaches you basic embroidery techniques and/or stitches or basic patching methods for quilts. This book assumes familiarity with the basic stitches of embroidery: blanket, stem, buttonhole, straight, cross, knots, feather, chain and laisy daisy to name the most common. If the reader is not familiar, there are several good book on embroidery stitching and technique, as there are for basic construction of crazy quilt patches.
Instead,this book focuses on the countless ways these stitches can be combined to form the seam treatments and motifs that are the central design focus of crazy quilting. In the text, Ms. Samples has created what I can only describe as the "theory" of crazy quilting. How, when and why stitches are used, what baselines the stitches can be made to cover, proportion of stitches to seamline and quilt block and the theory that underlies these uses. It is really incredible and an immense labor of love, nor have I ever seen anything else like it in any of my numerous embroidery books. I do remember when I was first reading the book and looking at the pages of stitches I did find it overwhelming. I was like - oh my lord, look at all this, where do I begin? Then I greedily turned page after page and began to see the progression of the stiches... It began to not be overwhelming and is a book that I go to when I find that I'm using the same stitch combinations too often.
Finally, Ms. Samples treats embellishments and what she refers to as picture patches, the embroidered motifs and scenes that are another marker of the crazy quilt. Included in this section are not only a listing of antique and modern motifs and scenes, but many line drawings that can be easily transferred to the reader's own quilts and projects.
As far as the idea that it betrays the crazyquilt because it encourages copying the stitches instead of creating your own, I say sometimes you need the inspiration of those who may be more creative or inventive.
This book is an incredible achievement and an inspiration for stitchers and quilters alike. Belongs in the library of any serious stitcher.
This is not a book that teaches you basic embroidery techniques and/or stitches or basic patching methods for quilts. This book assumes familiarity with the basic stitches of embroidery: blanket, stem, buttonhole, straight, cross, knots, feather, chain and laisy daisy to name the most common. If the reader is not familiar, there are several good book on embroidery stitching and technique, as there are for basic construction of crazy quilt patches.
Instead,this book focuses on the countless ways these stitches can be combined to form the seam treatments and motifs that are the central design focus of crazy quilting. In the text, Ms. Samples has created what I can only describe as the "theory" of crazy quilting. How, when and why stitches are used, what baselines the stitches can be made to cover, proportion of stitches to seamline and quilt block and the theory that underlies these uses. It is really incredible and an immense labor of love, nor have I ever seen anything else like it in any of my numerous embroidery books. I do remember when I was first reading the book and looking at the pages of stitches I did find it overwhelming. I was like - oh my lord, look at all this, where do I begin? Then I greedily turned page after page and began to see the progression of the stiches... It began to not be overwhelming and is a book that I go to when I find that I'm using the same stitch combinations too often.
Finally, Ms. Samples treats embellishments and what she refers to as picture patches, the embroidered motifs and scenes that are another marker of the crazy quilt. Included in this section are not only a listing of antique and modern motifs and scenes, but many line drawings that can be easily transferred to the reader's own quilts and projects.
As far as the idea that it betrays the crazyquilt because it encourages copying the stitches instead of creating your own, I say sometimes you need the inspiration of those who may be more creative or inventive.
This book is an incredible achievement and an inspiration for stitchers and quilters alike. Belongs in the library of any serious stitcher.
January 5, 2014
A must have for serious crazy quilters
October 15, 2016
This is more of an academic categorization than a how-to. It could certainly be used for inspiration.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews