Creative Thread

Embroidery has been rediscovered and loved today for its beauty, its creativity and its therapeutic qualities. In this book, tap into your creative side and start your stitching journey through these 20 abstract projects by professional embroiderer Jo Dixey, inspired by the faces and forms we see around us: people. 

Jo Dixey has designed this book to inspire and challenge both those new to embroidery and those with some knowledge of stitch who want to take their ideas further. The projects range from small embroidered cards to more complex pictures to hang on your wall; simple appliqué for a scarf to an embroidered jacket all based on the theme of people. Each project introduces new embroidery stitches and technique, and as you work through the ideas you will expand your skills and gain confidence in using the stitches and ideas to inspire your own work.

Templates of the images to stitch are provided for photocopying and there is a photo gallery of all the stitches covered in the book, along with step-by-step photographs of key techniques, such as transferring patterns onto fabric or using batting to create 3D effects. 

Whether you choose to make one-off pieces of art, embellish clothing with images and symbols unique to you, or make beautiful gifts for your friends, there is an alluring breadth of designs to both inspire and lose yourself in.

Previously published as Stitch People.

Book Contents

Foreword 7

Introduction 8

Equipment 10

PROJECTS

BEGINNER
- ‘Hands Off’ scarf — fusible web appliqué, couched edge 14
- ‘Cartwheel and Splits’ skirt — back stitch on ready-made skirt 18
- ‘Waiting for Life to Happen’ t-shirt — fusible web appliqué, buttonhole stitch edge on a ready-made t-shirt 22
- ‘Family Love’ child’s dress — simple dress making, chain stitch 26
- Shopping bag — bag construction, stitched appliqué, back stitch 32
- ‘Wireless’ needle case — working with layers of fabric, running stitch and back stitch 36
- ‘Street Style’ drawstring bag — bag construction, back stitch 40
- ‘Windows to the Soul’ stitched mini panel — simple long and short, no shading 62
- ‘Moving but Still’ metal thread picture — couching with metal thread 68
- Seeding face picture — transferring a design using tissue paper, seeding stitch 72
- ‘Watch your Back’ jacket — chain stitch, fusible web appliqué, buttonhole stitch on ready-made jacket 76

ADVANCED
- ‘Shades of Green’ book cover — construction of a book cover, stem stitch, long and short stitch 80
-  ‘Talk Talk Talk’ phone case — satin stitch, long and short stitch, simple construction 86
- ‘Ouch’ pin cushion — 2 colour long and short stitch, couched lettering 90
- ‘Bus Queue’ stitch sampler — surface stitch sampler 96

ADVANCED +
- ‘Man in the Moon’ brooch — Or Nue couching 104
- ‘Stoney Faced’ long and short picture — shaded long and short stitch 110
- Stitch gallery 116