Want to show your love for animals in your sewing projects, but feel you need to sew more practical pieces for your home? Look no further than this gorgeous book by designer Helen Rhiannon! In Sew Practical Pets, 18 whimsical and imaginative animal-themed projects have been designed not only to add character and colour to your home, but also to serve as functional items that will last for years to come. From useful items such an owl doorstop, a snake draught excluder and a sheep hot water bottle cover through to an elephant tea cozy, fox pillow and doggy oven mitt, there is a cute and handy little creature for every room. For kids (and the child within us), Helen has also included beautiful cat and dog toys and an animal-shaped apron. Key techniques and basic materials are detailed at the beginning of the book, and all of the projects include easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions. Templates for all the animals are provided on a fold-out sheet at the back of the book. For sewers of all abilities, bring a touch of playfulness and practicality to your home today with these fresh faux animals that you'll soon love as much as the real guys!

Techniques and projects for using shibori dyeing in textile art. Shibori is one of the world's richest textile traditions. Commonly associated with Japan, it is in fact a technique long used in Africa, India and South America. In this practical guide, textile artist Janice Gunner shows how to combine traditional Japanese, African and Indian shibori methods with contemporary techniques to create stunning textiles that are bursting with rich, intricate patterns and bold colour. Various techniques are covered - from tied and stitched designs to ideas for wrapping, folding, clamping, pleating and binding. Simple and safe instructions for a range of dyeing techniques are also included. Practical information is accompanied by clear instructions and diagrams, aimed at quilters, embroiderers and textile artists of all abilities. Stunning quilts and embroideries throughout demonstrate the full potential of the technique, alongside practical advice on turning your shibori textiles into beautiful quilts, hangings and textile art.

How does color affect embroidery? How can it bring needlework to life? Crafters will uncover the possibilities in this unique, in-depth exploration of color in embroidery.

From color selection and blending to choosing complimentary colors and creative contrasting and shading, it highlights a variety of techniques for surface and counted thread embroidery projects.

More than 200 stitched examples with DMC thread keys, plus color schemes and projects such as roses, fruits, and birds will inspire stitchers.

Learn to make 20 button designs using fabric - as an embellishment to a garment or as a piece of jewellery or accessory. Gina Barrett uses techniques such as stitching, embroidery and beading, and provides shaped templates for those projects where the reader may need more assistance. The buttons are all worked at a small size, so will require limited materials and thread for a polished finish. There are no complex button-making techniques here; all the buttons can be created by the reader at home, following Gina's straightforward instructions and stitch diagrams.

There's something therapeutic about taking a piece of fabric and turning it into something wonderful. Whether you're adorning it with a flowery motif, cross stitching the name of a newborn or creating something colorful for your wall, the punching of the needle through a fat quarter or Aida and the rustle of the thread that follows is incredibly calming. In Beginner's Guide to Embroidery, you can experience this for yourself. Regardless of if you're a needlework novice or a seasoned sewer, we've laid out all the tools and techniques you need to get started. The wide range of projects you'll find in these pages mean that you'll never be short of gifts for birthdays, holidays, Christenings or those 'just because' moments. So what are you waiting for? Grab your needle and thread, that all-important cup of tea, and turn the page to learn all about the magical world of embroidery. Great projects to get you started - Animal clocks - Bee Needlebook - Floral purse - Elephant cushion - Bird tote bag

Recycling is one of the hottest new trends in embroidery, and this is the first book to cover it. Embroiderers recycle for many different reasons: to conserve old pieces of ephemera for the future, to give their work a personal touch, to convey meaning, or simply for economy.Covering both hand and machine embroidery, this book is packed with ideas for using many different types of salvaged material, such as fabric, paper, nature's materials including dried flowers and tree bark, plus plastic, wood and metal waste, and precious personal objects such as broken jewellery or special souvenirs. Illustrated in colour throughout with work from the world's leading contemporary embroiderers, the book covers :Introduction: Why recycle? * How to collect salvaged objects * Finding your own meaning * Fibre waste * Fabric waste * Recycling old embroidery * Paper and natural waste * Plastic waste * Wood, metal and mineral waste * Recycling packaging and books

Swiss artist Nesa Gschwend, born 1959 in St. Gallen, merges traditional crafts, such as embroidery, knitting, and sewing, with avant-garde and performative artistic techniques. Widely recognised as one of Switzerland's most distinguished contemporary artists, her art also combines craft with philosophy. Her textile works, material collages, videos, installations, and participatory performances transform individual lived stories into tangible metaphors for collective memory, for human existence itself. This new book features recent work by Nesa Gschwend. The essays explore her approach and describe her humanistic aspiration to transform existential questions into aesthetic reflection. Text in English and German.

Enjoy cross-stitching your favorite people and create high-quality, fun, personal works of art! Stitch up all the most important people in your life with this one-of-a-kind method that solves technical challenges for you but thrives on your creative input-only you know how to bring these characters to life. Using the PixlPeople method, select from a huge swath of elements that go beyond generic patterns and exact replicas-body types, skin tone combinations, hairstyles, outfits-and just follow the provided templates for each element. Add pets, hobby and career accessories, facial expressions, and even zodiac signs to round out your PixlPeople. This method works as a great introduction to cross-stitch, as well as a fun new type of project for those with more experience. Tips on design techniques will help your finished work stand out as a high-quality craft and charming gift.