The New Anchor Book of Freestyle Embroidery Stitches

Joan Gordon is a top embroidery design who has contributed to magazines including Popular Crafts and Sewing World. She has also demonstrated at many craft shows and has presented craft on TV for Gutermann. Joan lives in East Croydon.

The decorative and creative possibilities of freestyle embroidery are explored to the fullest in this indispensable book. Starting by covering basic techniques such as selecting fabrics and threads, transferring an embroidery design to fabric, and working with a hoop or frame, it goes on to explain 48 stitches in step-by-step detail. These are listed alphabetically, from Antwerp Edging to Wheatear Stitch, for ease. It is often said that an embroiderer can create beautiful work from just a few stitches; however the 16 new and original designs included show just how effective the varied selection of stitches can be to add texture to a design and take embroidery into another dimension. Celebration designs, fantastic flowers and lovely landscapes will inspire the embroiderer to begin extending their stitch repertoire today.

Introduction; Materials and Equipment; Transferring Designs; Using Hoops and Frames; Stitching Techniques; Embroidery Ideas - Project ideas with step-by-step instructions for making up; Stitch Directory; Antwerp Edging; Back Stitch; Bokhara Couching; Bullion Stitch; Buttonhole Stitch; Buttonhole Stitch Bar; Knotted Buttonhole Stitch; Up and Down Buttonhole Stitch; Cable Stitch; Cable Chain Stitch; Knotted Cable Chain Stitch; Chain Stitch; Open Chain Stitch; Rosette Chain Stitch; Twisted Chain Stitch; Chained Feather Stitch; Chevron Stitch; Couching; Jacobean Couching; Cretan Stitch; Double Knot Stitch; Feather Stitch; Spanish Knotted Feather Stitch; Fern Stitch; Fishbone Stitch; Open Fishbone Stitch; Flat Stitch; Fly Stitch; French Knot; Herringbone Stitch; Closed Herringbone Stitch; Leaf Stitch; Long and Short Stitch; Mountmellick Stitch; Overcast Stitch; Raised Rose; Raised Chain Band; Ribbed Wheel Filling Stitch; Rope Stitch; Romanian Couching; Satin Stitch; Scroll Stitch; Spider's Web Filling; Split Stitch; Stem Stitch; Straight Stitch; Vandyke Stitch; Wheatear Stitch. Suppliers; Index