Crewel Intentions

I don't disagree with most of what the most helpful reviewer, Ms. Smith, says here. Yes, these designs are gorgeous. Yes the author shows a keen sense of humor and true caring for us humble stitchers. But...WOW...are these directions ever hard to follow!!! First off, you need to get this book, the precursor: Crewel Twists: Fresh Ideas for Jacobean Embroidery My review of that book applies to this one as well. As you can see from my profile pic, I adore the Tudors. Jacobean Embroidery followed quickly on the heels of Elizabethan embroidery and I'm a needlework fanatic, both in stitching and in reading about it. I adore reading about needlework history itself too. It's particularly exciting, then, to come across a beautiful book which, according to the dust cover, has as one purpose to bring Jacobean embroidery into the 21st century. Ya gotta love it. Any embroidery enthusiast who doesn't start drooling upon paging through the book is...well...I don't think that's available. The projects are just glorious, so colorful and wonderfully designed. Look closely at the cover to see the color gradations and symphony of flower design. But for your own sake (to save your sanity, really) hike right over the stitch gallery and look at the first project beginning on page 42. It's called "A Sherry for Jack" (???) and is labeled a "rectangular Jacobean panel." Except it's not rectangular at all--no corners--it's oval and is displayed in an oval tray. So right there...first pattern...not accurately described. Normally, I would not quibble about such a little detail. But it's appropriate to point it out because the author has the unfortunate mindset that we're more advanced than we are...that she can assume we know initial steps and toss us into the middle of elaborate patterns. I know my stitches. I made a bellpull sampler with 105 different stitches which include many of the stitches employed here: buttonhole, bullion knot, detached buttonhole, fly stitch, French knot, split stitch, various raised stitches, trellis...even needle lace picot. But, here, pages 30-34 completely threw me for a loop: "Stitches Based on Needle Lace Techniques." The first one is "Needle lace stitch No. 4." The next are Nos. 7-9. Then we jump to Nos. 23 and 26. Huh? Am I expected to already know all the missing numbers? Here are the first 3 instructions for the first needle lace technique: "-Outline the shape with backstitch. -Choose the longest, smoothest side of the shape for the first row. -Come up at the side, approximately level with where the ridge of the detached buttonhole will lie." .... (Weirdly, the 14 steps for No. 4 are listed as bullet points. In all the other numbered patterns, the steps are listed by number. This is another example of...I won't call it laziness, but inexactitude of the author's directions.) If you have never done needle lace, I guarantee you will not be able to pick it up from these diagrams OR from the instructions. Or both. Each of the patterns of detached buttonhole is one line drawing which illustrates two or three finished rows, so you don't know where to begin. There is no section of any flower in the book (that I could see) that applies a rectangular area of needle lace. Yet every needle lace diagram is shown in a rectangle. And just to be constructive and describe how easy or difficult it is to see what the heck you're doing, I just scrutinized the book for any detached buttonhole stitches. You see...none of the projects lists which stitches are used; there is no index; and the drawings of the full projects in the back show only the outlines...not what the stitches inside are. I peered at each of the project photos before I came across this stitch; it first appears in the 3rd project, "Dancing Threads." I kid you not: the first mention of detached buttonhole stitch is on Step 15 "Using the same thread and starting on the left of the semi-circle, work 3 rows of needle lace stitch No. 9." From which direction? How many of the triple loops am I to fit in? Dunno. Can I easily tell the scope--how many rows of a given detached buttonhole design--each leaf requires? Nope. How tight is my tension supposed to be? No idea. I think with the author being from another country and being amazingly advanced in stitching, use of an enormous variety of fabrics and threads and beads, can't relate to how difficult every project will be to the vast majority of us. Perhaps the challenge is to fudge it!!! To exactly duplicate a single project is too much to ask: I would need 3 times the number of steps, much more detailed stitch diagrams and patterns in the back that point out what stitches go where. How hard would it be to list the large number of different stitches used in each project? So, once I build up enough steam to use the patterns in this book, I will outline them and use as many of her stitches as I can figure out. But then I'll tone it down and fill in the most inscrutable sections with my own choice of stitches. What the heck...that's being pretty creative, isn't it? I highly recommend this book for its beauty. But I urge you not to assume you will be able to easily do a single project.

This is a lovely, very well produced book. But it's not for the beginning embroiderer, nor for the staunch traditionalist. Blomkamp provides instructions for several complex projects and, while she provides step-by-step written instructions, there are no step-by-step photos. There are seven projects in the book, all of which target intermediate to advanced embroiderers--or perhaps a very confident beginner looking for a challenge. While the floral and fruit designs are traditional, many of the stitches and embellishments are not. In addition to the standard stitches found in Jacobean embroidery, Blomkamp also includes beadwork, rhinestones, stumpwork, needle-lace, and needle-weaving to create texture. Helpfully, she includes specific needle sizes for each stitch in a project. Several of the projects are very colorful; three focus on specific palettes of whitework, bluework, or autumnal greens, golds, and rusty reds. Finally, most of the projects feature DMC floss, rather than traditional wool (crewel) threads, on cotton voile, rather than linen. DMC to Anchor conversions are provided.

I have stitched for years and sadly, there are very few new and interesting books these days on specific needlework disciplines. Crewel Intentions is a fine exception and a wonderfully fresh look at Crewel Embroidery. The photos alone will make a stitcher want to grab the needle and fibers and start something new. A definite must for the needle worker's library!

Quick shipping. Lovely book with so many ideas for Jacobean Embroidery it is hard to figure out what design to do first!

Her approach is interesting to read. I, personally, find the designs too "busy" for myself. However, they would provide good practice. Also, many current stitchers like designs that include a lot of complex patterns. They would enjoy this book.

For those of us who still do hand embroidery, this raises our work to an art. Ms. Blomkamp has kits available and her web guy is a genius. Don't be afraid of the prices: when translated into dollars, it's great value for what you get. They are located inSouth Africa, so there will be shipping. The instructions in the book are detailed and clear. The projects can be done without the kits, but good luck finding what you'll need. The kits save money and time.

This is a great book. So glad I bought it!

I was looking for some more modern designs (vs. Jacobean crewelwork) and Ms. Blomkamp didn't disappoint. Her designs are fresh and give crewel work a new twist. I can hardly wait for her next one with animal designs. It's on my "must buy" list.

Llego en el tiempo previsto.

Impossibile non amare il modo di ricamare dell'autrice, i progetti proposti sono superbamente belli, di grandissimo impatto ma anche di grande difficoltà; i progetti proposti sono sulla falsariga del ricamo in copertina. A tal proposito se questo libro vi piace l'autrice ha scritto anche un secondo libro dal titolo crewel Twist, con progetti molto simili. i punti sono spiegati in modo eccellente, sono fruibili anche come mera scuola di ricamo ed utilizzabili in altri contesti. L'altra metà del libro consiste nella realizzazione degli splendidi progetti di tipo floreale come quello in copertina spiegati passo passo in maniera eccelsa ed estremamente minuziosa; per il mio gusto, uno dei più bei libri di ricamo in circolazione Pro: punti spiegati in maniera accurata, progetti molto interessanti, progetti spiegati passo passo, ottime fotografie a colori, ottima qualità di carta e stampa contro: il libro è in inglese, anche se le foto sono talmente chiare ed esplicative che non si sente il grande bisogno del testo consigliato a : lo consiglio a coloro che ricamano da diverso tempo e che non si spaventano di fronte a dei progetti lunghi e impegnativi ma di sicura soddisfazione. Mi sento di sconsigliarlo a coloro che ricamano da poco, mentre per iniziare ad avere idea di queste tecniche più particolari vi consiglio il libro "raised embroidery" di Kelley Aldridge della Search press ed iniziare a farvi le ossa con tale ricamo, lo consiglio di cuore invece a coloro che ricamano da più tempo

Este libro me encanta, tiene unas imagenes claras, con buena resolución, es facil aprender los puntos de bordado siguiendo las explicaciones en imagenes, yo no se ingles y no he tenido problema para seguir y realizar los proyectos del libro

表紙の英国的図案や色に惹かれて購入しました。何か作品を作りたいと思いましたが、解説(英語)が多すぎ写真、図解が少ないので、少し難しかったです。図案、色が綺麗なので自分なりの技術力でアレンジして使えそうです。 眺めてるだけです幸せになれます。

Bien que ce livre soit rédigé en anglais et que mes lacunes soient nombreuses dans cette langue, ce livre explique pas à pas, avec de tes nombreuses photos à l'appui, la progression vers un résultat aux finitions parfaites, de la broderie Crewel. Il s'adresse néanmoins aux brodeuses expérimentées car les points employés ne sont pas les plus simples (beaucoup de points de reprise, de couchure, de passé empiétant, de filet etc..). Les 7 ouvrages différents, pour la plupart avec des perles, nécessitent de nombreuses heures de travail et beaucoup de matériel. Pour exemple; une broderie de 22cm X 10 réclame pas moins de 35 couleurs de fils différents (laine, coton, soie, métal) et 7 variétés de perles Miyuki (rocaille japonaise). Le résultat sera à la hauteur pour les brodeuses exigeantes.