Postcard Reviews
This book is perfect for practicing needlework stitches.
Mary Corbet Needle n Thread
Mary Corbet's Needle 'n' Thread If you enjoy needle lace, if you do a lot of whitework and the like, if you're working on stumpwork pieces that might employ different types of needle lace, this would be a great reference book to have on hand!
About the Search Press edition: The wire binding allows the book to lie flat on open on your work table, so that you can easily reference the book while you're stitching.
This type of binding allows for printing on the spine, so that it's easy to see the title of the book while it's on the shelf, but it offers all the convenience of a wire-bound book, when it comes to using the book. The books are hard board covers with a glossy finish. They're very sturdy, and they're small enough to slip into a project back or basket for easy reference.
On the new editions, you'll find that only one side of each two-page spread is printed, so that there's a blank page to the left each time you turn the page. While it's tempting to write this off as wasted space in the printed books, in fact, if you're using instructional books as a work book, there's nothing better than blank pages. This is where you can take notes on things that work (or don't work) for you while practicing the techniques, and where you can work out your own stitch patterns and save them for future reference.
I've always been a fan of having at least one blank page in instructional books, for note-taking. Since most books don't have blank pages in them, I resort to an inordinate amount of post-it notes, which are never really permanent, and can be hard to keep track of. With blank pages throughout these two books, you can truly treat them like work books, with the instruction on one side and room to note your own experiences and experiments on the other.
-- From Needle n Thread by Mary Corbet , full review:
https://www.needlenthread.com/2017/10/needle-weaving-needle-lace-techniques-bookish-stuff.html and
https://www.needlenthread.com/2016/01/needle-weaving-techniques-for-hand-embroidery.html
Karen Platt
This book for embroiderers provides 40 needle lace embroidery techniques with line drawing diagrams on square blocks as shown on the cover. The book is inspired by and uses Dillmont's stitches published in the late 19th century. Guidelines on how to use the patterns and instructions are given. What this book lacks is samples of the finished lace techniques. The book lies flat for ease of use.
Sew magazine
December 2017
Learn how to weave beautiful lacy motifs with Hazel Blomkamp's step-by-step guide featuring more than 40 key techniques, many of which have been adapted from original 19th century designs. The methods are laid out with comprehensive instructions and diagrams, providing and essential guide to this branch of embroidery.
Customer review
Anyone who loves needle lace will adore this book.
Customer review
Fantastic book for a beginner to learn from.
Customer review
Good clear images with easy to follow instructions
Customer review
it has a nice layout and wire spine allowing you to lie the book flat as you work
Customer review
Love love love this book.
Customer review
Really straightforward and practical book for this hand embroidery technique
Customer review
The instructional diagrams of the stitches are clear and easy to follow
Customer review
This book has very clear diagrams and well written instructions
myshelf.com
Needle lace is associated with 17th century embroidery styles such as Jacobean and stumpwork and looks complicated. If you are an embroider who wants to widen their repertoire and have a go at something different then this is a good place to start.
A companion to this author's Needle Weaving Techniques For Hand Embroidery (also reviewed on this site this month) this book has a useful spiral spine so the book stays flat when you are using it. This is a more advanced book than the other and I would recommend it to more experienced stitchers, but the diagrams are easy to follow and go a long way towards making this technique seem accessible. After a very brief introduction on how to read the charts you are instantly plunged into having a go yourself and starting off simply. I think that starting at the beginning and doing some of the easier patterns first is the key to success here; there are thirty-four of these to work through and each one teaches something new. After this section there follows a short one on adding beads, another on making edgings plus a final chapter on extra techniques and fillers. These include picots, arches, daisy centers, and a padded buttonhole. Fillers are combinations of stitches for the stitcher who has mastered this book and can start to play. The needle weaving book had some insets showing photographs of actual work and this book does not which is a pity, apart from the cover. Charts are in color and easier to read than needle lace charts usually are, with a few written instructions often including a simple code (eg 2 x DBS into first BS = two detached buttonhole stitches into the first backstitch). A needle is often shown working a part of the stitch and I was pleasantly surprised that it all seemed doable and rather relaxing. Originally published in South Africa this is a very user-friendly primer and I would recommend it to anybody who wants to learn needle lace.
