Floral Embroidery: Create 10 beautiful modern embroidery projects inspired by nature

by Teagan Olivia Sturmer

Floral Embroidery reawakens the age-old practice of embroidery, giving to it a new and modern twist. In this book, you will find 10 embroidery patterns that weave together stunning colors, ancient stitches, and florals picked from your grandmother's garden. From simple patterns, to more complex and intricate pieces, your creativity will grow and flourish. You will learn to stitch dusty pink roses, leaves and stems that will trail to the edges of your embroidery hoop, and the smallest details that will pull your hoop together and compose the most beautiful bouquet. Once you have completed the patterns, you will be given the tools to create your own original pieces and where to find the materials to do so.

Genres: Nonfiction, Crafts

128 pages, Paperback

Published November 6, 2020

Reviews

[Macarena (followed that rabbit) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully illustrated and clearly explained book that guides you to create lovely embroidery projects.
The book is divided into six chapters which explain the materials you'll need, a brief stitches guide and from simple to intrincate projects.
I like that Teagun Sturmer explains how she started embroidering. It's quite sweet to tell us how her grandmothers were such an influence and the reason to create, and I also like that every project begins with a quote by Shakespeare.
Absolutely recommendable.

Thanks to Pen & Sword White Owl (especially for granting my wish) and NetGalley for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Natasha B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beautiful! As an embroidery newbie I was very pleased to receive an e-ARC of this book. The photography, detailed instructions and Shakespeare quotes are excellent and I clearly understood everything I have tried so far. I have ordered some equipment to continue practicing and will soon give a project a go!

There are 10 projects with increasing difficulty as you go through the book. There are very detailed and clear instructions for each project and help with how to finish your projects too. There are outlines in the back of the book that you can trace onto your fabric for each project. I’m nowhere near designing my own projects but I hope this book will help me progress towards that and then I can create flowery designs around quotes.

This book would be excellent as a gift for an embroidery newbie or someone who has done the odd project but not experienced in florals. A great gift for others or for yourself. A lovely book!

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Pen & Sword White Owl and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my unbiased honest review.

This gorgeous book is great for anyone interested in embroidery inspired by nature. The basics including materials and stitches are clearly explained. The easier patterns are near the beginning of the book, and the more complicated projects at the back. Autumnal Bouquet and Spring Blooms Bouquet are my favourites.

[Courtney Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a new embroidery book is published there is a buzz of excitement that goes through the collective hearts and spirits of all embroiderers everywhere. One cannot help it. Its such a minimalised hobby now that any and every book released is a thrill and the idea that another book might open the world of embroidery to more people is thrilling

Sturmer has written a book for a novice to this pick-up and learn some basics and introduce them to the wonders of embroidery: the embroidery skill level required is basic at best. It takes the age-old techniques and recreates them into a modern-day hobby for the busy person who requires a quick result to keep the enthusiasm high.

There is nothing more timeless than a garden full of blooming flowers and embroidery is a method in which to capture their beauty and keep them with you all year long. Sturmer has created ten patterns for a student to follow, complete with outlines to trace onto the material and start working from. They are created to be displayed in the hoop but could easily be transferred to other household items such as pillow slips or cloth napkins.
There are wonderful little quotes from Shakespeare throughout the book to show the inspiration for each design. Sturmer gives a detailed outline of all the materials a person will require to fulfil the goal of creating artwork of ones own, including DMC thread numbers to ensure the correct colour if one wishes to copy the design to the letter.

Instructions are given step by step, with helpful insights for the novice so that then guesswork is taken out of the equation, such as explaining that linen doesn’t have a right or wrong side on the material. Because most of the embroideries are created using a whole thread of thread (she doesn’t explain how to strip the thread – that is breaking it into six separate threads to get a softer finish on the finished embroidery) the results build up incredibly quickly. Scattered throughout the book there are pictures of the embroideries as they build up, step by step.

Sturmer gives a dedicated chapter as to how to finish the embroidery so that it can be displayed as she suggests, but it wouldn’t be difficult to take these artworks to a professional framer and have them framed to make a greater display. Hey, you are going to put in several hours of work into these pieces, they are worthy of the extra effort! Scattered throughout the book are photographs of Sturmer herself at work which are artsy and delightful.

Given at the start of the book, a step by step of basic and intricate stitches are given along with outlines of patterns so as to have a go before committing to a larger piece of work. The stitches required in even the most intricate of patterns is still very basic compared to some of the stitches that one wants to master as the addiction…. Oh, errr, I mean, the devotion to embroidery deepens in the stitcher.

A delightful book for the beginner. Just lovely.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A gorgeous collection of designs with great tips and clear, concise instructions for each step. I loved the use of colour and the theme of the Shakespeare quotes linked in each piece.

[Alfi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know nothing about embroidery, but I do like making things with floral patterns on it, such as piping floral buttercream or doodling floral wreaths on my iPad. I like the cover of the book. It drew my attention, and I thought I could start doing this as another hobby of mine. And I thought it will be cool if I could make one of the examples as a gift to someone.

Floral Embroidery is a book for a beginner who wants to start with embroidery. It starts with the explanation for the materials and the techniques, and then it offers from basic floral patterns to more difficult patterns. I like the color of the threads being used here.

[Kat Caric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can do embroidery! I really can!

Reading through these tutorials, from basic and simple to gorgeous, lush and complex, I know I can do these! I cannot speak as to how an advanced embroiderer will feel about this book, but as a beginner, this is the book I was hoping to find. I will be following this artist-author for more.

Nevermind hard to follow video tutorials where you cannot see up close *exactly* how a stitch is done. The photography, the focus, the layout, the clarity of this book is *exactly* what is needed, from the very beginning, to the very end. Incredibly clear teaching here! There are stitch close ups, direction of stitch from one needle placement to the next exceedingly clear, patterns of stitching from basic leaves to incredible raised roses. There are patterns to follow for complete designs. I have many art books on many other mediums, am an artist in other mediums, and have read poor instruction books in art, had to go looking for more clear text. I have been looking for an embroidery instruction book, to adapt for clothing embellishment. This book is what one hopes: it is fantastic and clear instruction tutoring through projects from very basic beginner to lush complexity.

Moreover it is clear that after finishing the ten projects detailed in this book, one can run with the knowledge and create their own designs, or know exactly how to flesh out a publicly available design.

The designs are all finished as hoop artwork. It would be wonderful if there had been a bit more text about adaptation for clothing or handbag for example. It does mention to "try stitching to ...an item of clothing..." but does not mention any caveats or added things to watch for when doing that. For example, will it pull up an area of clothing? Is there extra care in washing to keep it from curling? Does thread choice matter there? Do we do anything to protect the backside in that instance? But that does not make this book any less essential. After several projects, that information can be gained elsewhere.

I am pouring through the small list of items needed and getting to work. This book is like having a teacher hold your hand the entire journey to creating an embroidery. Highly recommended for beginners.

Thank you to NetGalley and White Owl publishing for the beautiful advanced reader copy. I will have to buy a print edition!

[Heather Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing more inviting when you open a book and are thanked for deciding to purchase a book. I was enthralled by the beautiful embroidery patterns on the cover of this book and knew that I had to try my hand at creating these items. The book starts with a message from the author, with a beautiful story on being creative and keeping creativity alive in our lives. This book not only gives us beautiful patterns to learn from but gives us hope that no matter what level of creator we are, as long as we keep creativity in our lives, and keep practicing, you can do anything. “We Must Create” is going to be my new motto!

The instructions in this book are easy to follow, especially as a beginner to the world of embroidery. The author walks us through what materials to purchase, what works best for certain projects, and encourages you to be creative on what you want to stitch. I had done embroidery as a child and have been wanting to pick it back up but have felt intimidated by the different stitches that I have seen. This book walks you through how to do each stitch and what the outcomes are for each, as well as ways in which you can create your own designs with these techniques. This book helps you by teaching you the steps to each stitch, then by working through the patterns from easy to more difficult, you become more familiar witch each one and more confident. One aspect of this book I appreciate compared to others is that it gives you details on finishing your hoop for displays. This is something that is not always talked or taught, and it is essential for you to be able to show off your creativity!

The only suggestion I have for this book is that I wish it had more pictures involved when first learning the stiches. The photographs in this book are beautiful and very well done, and more would be a nice way to show the steps required for each stitch, such as step-by-step to help beginners see the process. Each embroidery design becomes more difficult and involved, each one more beautiful and fun to stitch than the last, including the references to Shakespeare!

[matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Floral Embroidery by Teagan Sturmer offers ten gorgeous embroidery projects designed to take you from a beginner through to a proficient embroiderer. This is a well structured guide, with stunning photos and a gorgeous, clean, layout.

I loved the introduction to Teagan and her grandmother’s who have been instrumental to her pursuing what she loves: ‘Whatever we do, we must create.’ is a very sweet quote!

Each sampler comes with a Shakespeare quote, so I guess this has to be my new favourite book on embroidery! It’s also left me hoping that one day we might receive a Shakespearian embroidery book from her.

We start with a stitch guide which is one of the best that I’ve seen, and would serve as the perfect introduction to the stitches if you’re a complete beginner. Instead of having to seek out YouTube tutorials, you should be able to get started using just this book.

The sampler shots are delicious, and I’d love each and every one to fill the walls of my house. The instructions that follow each sample are clear, and you’re assisted through the process with work in progress shots. The attention to detail in matching shots to steps is wonderful. It can sometimes be difficult to visualise written instructions, so the photos help to reassure you that you’re on track without being overwhelming. I also loves the ‘extras’ section which provides suggestions for further techniques that could be used to personalise the piece to your tastes.

This text also goes one step further than most guides and comes with pattern sheets to trace. I think that this is one of the best tools for beginners, as having something to follow allows you to understand how shape can impact an entire piece; if your line is slightly off, it can offset the whole design and be extremely frustrating.

My only criticism is that the finishing section felt far too vague, and would have benefited from the inclusion of additional photos to illustrate the steps.

**I received a free digital copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful and beautiful book! Floral Embroidery is broken into seven chapters that start with materials and build up to final projects. There is a chapter on stitches that shows how to make the stitches that are necessary to complete the designs. The following chapters include designs that range from beginner, intermediate, and advanced, so you can build up as you become more confident in your embroidery skills and abilities. There are 10 projects overall to be completed - each with detailed instructions and pictures. My personal favorites are the Spooky Bouquet and Gem Tone Bouquet. This would be a great book to gift to someone who is interested in starting embroidery and also for anyone who enjoys embroidery in general.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this easy to read book! Really enjoyed the colorful photos. This book did a great job of going in depth, but not too far that it was overbearing - like many other craft books! I have sewed my entire life and still managed to learned tips throughout the book! Sturmer came off as a modern, younger sewer, which is refreshing in the sewing world! I also enjoyed Sturmer's suggestion on products and included alternatives; this was very helpful as I can't exactly go to my craft store these days... Thoroughly enjoyed this!

[Sabina · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Floral Embroidery' is exactly what I was looking for! The book gives you step by step guidance starting from materials and stiching techniques ending on lovely patterns. The book focuses on simplicity therefore it's great for people who want to start their embroidery adventure. There's no better time than now that we are locked in our houses during covid-19. I highly recommend it! Five stars from me!

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely embroidery book.
Just the right amount of designs, with terrific instructions, written and photo.
Gives you direction on how to do the stitches and how to make a simple drawing into a beautiful piece of embroidery artwork.
Thankyou for the opportunity to review this book. It is a treasure

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely designs, etc.

[Another · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great book for beginning stitchers showing every technique you need to get started. Gorgeous patterns to and advice on creating your own parents. This book has it all.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This embroidery book features florals in muted and gem tones, designed to be stitched on a 6 inch hoop. It is divided into chapters, first giving the basics of embroidery stitches and materials, and then giving designs and instructions, increasing in difficulty as the book continues.

This book appealed to me immediately, because while I love floral embroidery, I am a total beginner, having only completed a few embroidery projects in my time. I lack the ability to create my own designs, so I appreciated that the designs are included here, and when turning up the brightness on my device, I am able to trace the designs onto my fabric. (Though anyone who purchases the print version of this book will be able to have the paper designs).

The photography in this book is well done, and the book receives big bonus points from me for including the resident kitty in one of the photos. The descriptions and instructions were well written and easy to follow. My only complaints are that if assuming a total beginner is reading this book, a few more step by step pictures would be helpful for some of the stitches (rose wheel stitch in particular) and for the hoop finishing instructions. Luckily, most of us crafters make good use of googling and YouTube video tutorials if we happen get stuck on a particular stitch or method.

If forcing myself to chose just one from each difficulty level, my favorite designs in the book are: Winter Roses (beginner), Sherbet Bouquet (detailed), and Spring Blooms Bouquet (intricate).

Thank you to Pen & Sword- White Owl (especially for granting my wish), Teagan Sturmer, and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this book.

[Adelaide McIntyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, simple instructions with relatively good diagrams. I've learned three new stitches and I feel my embroidery won't look like trash

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty embroidery book aimed at beginners and those with little experience. There are 10 projects which start at a basis level and increase in complexity as the book progresses. Each design is accompanied by a quote from Shakespeare. The initial chapters give advice on materials and supplies. There is also a guide to the stitches used.
As an experienced embroiderer, I felt that the book should have had a lot more photos and diagrams to help a beginner. It was very text heavy and therefore not conducive to helping all learners. The stitch guide was very vague. The designs lacked variety, each was basically a bouquet using the same stitches and layout. The final chapter was supposed to offer ideas for creating your own designs but again the lack of photos meant it didn't achieve its purpose. It would have been nice to have seen the designs in the book made up in alternative colourways to show the impact this has. I didn't feel any inspiration. Sadly, a disappointing book.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.

[Anne Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book with pictures for beginners and a review for the experienced. This book explains about everything a person who is doing embroidery needs to know. I highly recommend this book!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book- it's laid out well, the projects progressing from simple to more complicated, and all explained clearly and comprehensively enough for a beginner (like myself) to understand and benefit from, while offering tips and ideas I'm sure more experienced stitchers can appreciate as well. The introduction is friendly and inviting, explained how the author's grandmothers inspired her in different ways. There are a couple of chapters on materials and stitch guides, then we get to the patterns- a chapter each for simple, detailed, and intricate designs, giving the reader a chance to build up their technique and skill level. The patterns are explained in detail, with lots of step-by-step photos, making it easier (for me, anyway) to follow along. There is only one type of project covered here, making embroidery hoop art (finishing techniques are covered), but the patterns would be easily adapted to any number of projects. Finally, the author gives tips on how to take the stitches and elements learned in the book and create your own designs. Patterns are included at the back of the book. A good book for beginners, as it focuses on a few stitches and doesn't overwhelm, but it doesn't have that "my first embroidery book" look and feel so many beginner books have- this is a lushly illustrated "I am a grown-up!" book ha! Definitely recommended!

#FloralEmbroidery #NetGalley

[Ann Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I didn’t just read this book and slap a 5 star rating on it. As any self-respecting cross stitcher/embroiderer, I tested it out! Y’all, I am not mad at how it turned out either!

I’ve been cross stitching for about 15 years, but have only recently dabbled into embroidery. And by dabbled I mean, just grabbed a needle and went at it without any real instructions.

Sturmer’s book contains 10 different floral projects ranging from beginner to advanced. Anyone could pick this book up even if you had never held a needle or if you’d been doing it for 50 years. The directions are clear and concise, there are pictures detailing what your piece should look like at every stage, AND every single project is completely gorgeous. Who doesn’t love a floral??

This book is so good! In fact, after 15 years of needlepoint, I can FINALLY say I have mastered the French Knot!! It has plagued me for years and I have got it down PAT. 😎

On the real tip though, if you have seen cute embroideries and wished you could do it too, THIS is the book for you to learn with. 🙌🏼

Big thank you to @netgalley for sending me a copy of this book so I could review and try it out!

[Nicolette Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book. This book starts with information on materials and how-to stitch guides. I am a seasoned embroider but I still love to see the step by step instructions at the start of each book. You never know when you can learn a new skill or a different way of doing something.

The book is split into chapters:

Basic projects, includes leaves and stems and roses.
Detail projects, start looking at bouquets and arrangements
Intricate projects, build on what you have created in the last two chapters with more detail
Finishing your hoop, cleaning up the back so it is as pretty as the front.

My absolute favourite designs from this book are the Gem Tone Bouquet and the Spooky bouquet. I am planning to embroider these designs and would like to do so on an item of clothing like a denim jacket.

Check out Teagan's work on instagram @teaganoliviasturmer you will want to buy this book once you see it.

#FloralEmbroidery #NetGalley

[Alexandra Consolver · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars - I really enjoyed this how-to book for beautiful floral embroidery.

I love this gorgeous embroidery book. The author's introduction and dedication to her craft at the inspiration of her grandmothers is so heartening. It gives the reader inspiration that we can learn from our elders, and take their advice into our own lives as we grow. I appreciate the simple guide to needed supplies, and basic stitches provided by the author. I've never done proper embroidery, and found her directions very easy to follow. I appreciate that she also provides exact floss colors to use for each pattern, as well as the patterns themselves. I think that the gorgeous photos of the embroidery projects make the craft even more enticing to learn. The only thing I would have loved to see was a photo or two of the author with her grandmothers either in the introduction or at the end of the book. I can't wait to try out these embroidery patterns using this book!

[Miekenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I requested an ARC of this book because I want to try harder embroidery projects (I'm a very beginner type of needleworker).

The projects in this book are very pretty and not overly fussy, so they would fit into almost any home decor and be great gifts for almost anyone. I have not yet tackled any of the projects but I think that they are all doable if you take them step by step.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys needlework and likes floral motifs.

[Doreen Prentiss Gabriellini · Rating 2 out of 5]

With a crafter’s heart, I always get excited when I see a new embroidery book. For a very long time embroidery had gone by the wayside. I am happy to see a resurgence in the past few years. This is a very appealing book which attempts to assist beginners with little or no experience. The are over ten projects in the book that increase in difficulty. The author includes with each design a quote from Shakespeare from whom she has drawn her inspiration. The early chapters give the future stitcher advice on materials and supplies. There is also a guide to the stitches used.
As a lifelong embroiderer, I felt that the book should have had a lot more photos and diagrams to help a beginner. There certainly was a ton of explanation. I however do not feel that this method is not conducive to helping all learners. The stitch guide comes across as vague. The designs are repetitious basically bouquets with the same stitches. The photos that are in book are good.

I would like to thank the publisher, author and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Floral Embroidery by Teagan Sturmer is a delightful book for beginners and experienced embroiderers alike. With 10 patterns that range in difficulty and technique, there is something for everyone. It is accessible to beginners, with a guide for stitches and required materials. The designs themselves are a modern take on traditional floral patterns, albeit with muted, not so fresh looking color schemes. Surprisingly, there is a gratuitous number of photos of the author working in her home, which is refreshing given the author's youth and modernity. All in all, it's a beautiful book on floral embroidery that's given new life to a traditional art form.

[Renee Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked out this book from the library as part of the Summer Reading Challenge. I like how this book details basic supplies needed, basic stitch instructions, and 10 different designs. Each of the designs has detailed instructions to help you be successful with your projects.

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely projects.