The Embroiders' Guild
I came into contact with Abigail Mill a few years ago when she came to the Bristol branch of The Embroiderers Guild to give a talk about her work as a freelance textile artist. She was an engaging speaker and I was very attracted to her delicate, pastel beach collages. I dont know what it is about beach huts, but they always make me happy.
On her website ( https://abigailmill.co.uk/ ) Abigail Mill describes her book as follows:
My book is published by Search Press and is a snapshot of 20 years worth of embroidered images. This beautiful publication is sold worldwide and has been a huge inspiration for sewing fans, to take them into a more creative direction. Whether you are a quilter, an embroiderer, or general crafts enthusiast, this book is hugely inspiring. It's packed full of images and ideas from over dying fabric to different stitch techniques. There are gallery sections and step-by-step chapters to work through too to make your own embroidered picture. If you haven't got time to use it as an embroidery tool, then it makes a great coffee table book!
I agree with every word.
Stitch Magazine in the June/July 2015 edition says From flower-sprigged beach huts to a seal bobbing merrily in a floral sea, Abigail's decorative approach will brighten any home. It's simple to translate your own holiday snapshots using this charming folksy style. These pretty fabric sketches make superb use of pattern and texture Appliqué is perfect for utilising precious scraps of
haberdashery or cherished clothing remnants. Fully exploiting appliqués freedom, Abigail renders a bucket and spade in chirpy polka dots and peps up a gaily striped seaside parasol with cotton lace. Techniques are clearly shown but the book's strength comes from Abigail's exuberant approach - mixing frayed edges with finished ones, applying fabrics in gathered and folded form as well as flat; this, truly, is reworked fabric made fabulous.
As the author says, I create texture using frayed and ruffled edges, but I do not like to use straight lines, seams or hems. A lady after my own heart. Im not very good at precise work, and although I like crisp creations, my heart sings more when they are free.
After the introduction, the book covers materials and equipment (fabric being the most important), inspiration, colour, texture, pattern and stitching followed by building a scene. The last half of the book consists of examples and step-by-step instructions. I recommend this book. As Abigail Mill says, it makes a great coffee table book, although I would suggest that you either create something inspired by her work or do one of the projects.
Hot Brands Cool Places
This delightful book is full of the most joyous creations such as teatime treats, animals and the seaside. As well as the projects there are templates, detailed instructions and beautiful illustrations showing you how to stitch, dye and creature texture.
Popular Patchwork
June 2015
Abigail Mill's distinctive applique style is based on free machine embroidery, layered organza backgrounds and over-dyed printed cotton fabric. This book sets out how you can learn from her time-tested techniques to create versions of a number of her own pieces, or apply her methods to you own compositions. There are sections on Colour Pattern, Texture, Stitching and Building a Scene, and in depth photographs illustrating Abigail's construction of a variety of whimsical English seaside, countryside and tea time appliqued scenes. There are plenty of inspirational photos or similar pieces accompanying each project. It would be easy to combine your favourite elements of those into your own variation on the theme of why not try her charming Hen House project featured on page 57 of the issue? The technique is wonderfully free, there isn't any piecing and very few straight lines, but there's a lot of ruffling, layering and free motion embroidery, all adding up to a fun technique to try.
Stitch
June/July 2015
From flower-sprigged beach huts to a seal bobbing merrily in a floral sea, Abigail's decorative approach will brighten any home. It's simple to translate your own holiday snapshots using this charming folksy style. Southworld Green places a lighthouse artificially within the same image as the village green, encouraging readers to employ similar artistic licence. These pretty fabric sketches make superb use of pattern and texture. Stitched seagulls soar in a blue and white lacy voile sky above pink and white gingham 'brick' cottages. A strip of floral lawn forms the roof, unifying the terrace. Fishing boat scenes, fishing shacks and a tempting seaside sweet shop are just some of the other inspirational images. Appliqué is perfect for utilising precious scraps of haberdashery or cherished clothing remnants. Fully exploiting appliqués freedom, Abigail renders a bucket and spade in chirpy polka dots, and peps up a gaily striped seaside parasol with cotton lace. Techniques are clearly shown but the book's strength comes from Abigail's exuberant approach - mixing frayed edges with finished ones, applying fabrics in gathered and folded form as well as flat; this, truly, is reworked fabric made fabulous.
Young Embroiderers
February 2015
From the minute you open this book you are enthralled with the detail of these embroidered pictures. The attention to detail in the book is excellent. From gardens to seaside scenes there is a variety of themes. Full sized templates are at the back of the book allowing you to make something very personal to you. It could be for a family member reminding them of a holiday by the sea or a cottage garden. Full of delicate colours with snippets of lace and ribbon with free machine stitching. Fully illustrated step by step instruction will make this book a must have.
Workshop On The Web
March 2015
This book is the latest in the Textile Artist series from Search Press. Here, Abigail Mill
shows us a wonderfully detailed insight into her work and how it is achieved. The work is centred around views of places in the greatest seaside town traditions, from VW Campervans to pots of tea and cakes, all summing up the traditional perceptions of being British. But this book is very interesting, and turns on its head the notion that these pictures with simple shapes and lines are simplistic in their construction. The hand-cut fabric and frayed edges may convey a free-form approach, but a lot of consideration is given to colour, fabric choices, composition and finishing touches. Taking us through the component parts of how Abigail approaches her work, the projects that then follow reveal the complexity of these pieces. Attention is given to building up a picture and the different stages of how this is done is clearly explained. Over-dyeing of commercially printed fabrics is carried out to provide the correct colour graduations in the work and pictures show how sheer, coloured and over-dyed fabrics are collaged together to create the background and then the focal points cut out and built up. The attention to detail is also something to admire. Carrots, ferns, pumpkins and flowers are built up using fabric scraps, lace and torn fabric, and these add to the richness of the scene presented. Small details are added with machine-stitching. The collage appearance of the work, with overlapping edges, some roughly cut shapes and a flatness of
perspective, draw you in to look closer at the apparent simplicity. It is then that you start to
realise that everything has been carefully chosen and placed. The templates that are
provided for you to do the projects also reaffirm this. The shapes are simple, but there is a
place for shading, dimension and detail. Norfolk provides much inspiration here and it is uplifting to see the love of the villages and shops that have inspired Abigail Mill. The step-by-step instructions are clear and well illustrated which is necessary where there is so much detail in the pictures. Any of these projects would brighten up any room, or your mood, as they evoke happy thoughts of seaside towns and ice-creams by the beach.
SEWING WORLD
March 2015
Textile artist Abigail Mill studied Embroidered Textiles at Cumbria College of Art and Design, graduated in 1990 and went on to set up her own business selling her unique appliqué artworks. Abigails passion for embroidery really begins to charm you in this book, as she talks you through what inspires and influences her and as she describes in detail the elements that bring her work to life: colour, texture, pattern and free machine embroidery techniques. The book features five beautiful step-by-step projects that you cant help but want to attempt! Abigail explains the materials and equipment you will need then effortlessly leads you through the making of each of the projects with concise text and helpful pictures, and at the rear of the book also provides templates to help you build your appliqué scenes. Whether you are a first time sewer hoping to
develop your experience or a skilful sewer looking for a new challenge, this book will nurture your talent and
take you on a colourful journey inspiring you to create wonderful pieces of your own.
East Kent Embroiderer's Guild
December 2014
Abigails gentle textile works are a delight, capturing nostalgic images of English coastlines, cottage gardens and villages. After chapters on materials and equipment, the techniques are thoroughly explained and the reader is encouraged to have a go at the five beautiful projects presented. Full colour, detailed instructions make this a truly inspirational book to appeal to every needlewoman.
