Blackwork Embroidery (Dover Crafts: Embroidery & Needlepoint)

Totally disappointed!! If you expect usable patterns don't order this book. It has blurry pictures, sketches and drawings. I loved the bird and leaves on the cover they aren't even in the book. I was also looking for ideas on what stitches work on different themes. This is going back simmer!!

This is an old book reissued but the basics are there plus a lot of history. It is dated, so if you're looking for something that screams 2000s you'll be disappointed, this is more 1970s in the sections where it discusses adapting blackwork to "contemporary" designs. That doesn't bother me but it might bother you. I think the book's other merits far outweigh that particular detail amd even with the out-of-date "new" designs it gives you a good foundation for designing your own embroidered pieces using various blackwork stitches.

General information and history of blackwork, very few practical tips, no patterns.Useless for me.

This book was written in 1965, but I highly esteem this book because first it talks about the history of Blackwork Embroidery and have historical pictures which I am a Fan of costume. However this first section is over 1/4 of the book on the "Historical Survey and abridged Bibliography" which can be boring and a waste of time if you are a person that is looking for a modern book with color pictures and focusing more on learning the techniques that shows step-by step instructions with picture of the stitches being demonstration on fabric and using a grid to show you the patterns; I would suggest a modern book for you which is "Beginner's Guide to Blackwork by Lesley Wilkins."This book works for me because the authors of this book not only show you the wonderful needlework of blackwork embroidery but of Fine Art using collage design in the value tone using newspaper and black paper.The author shows you in the Design section with newspaper collage how a strong tone contrast looks, a limited tones, and a wider variation in tone and texture. Also, to any art teachers that is reading this comment this would be a great art project for collage using different fonts of newspaper (headline, smaller title and the reading text) and with black paper in understand the tone values.I highly recommend this book to history lover and anyone that need a good reference book about designing repeat pattern and understand the tone values in designing your repeat patterns and my appreciation to Blackwork Embroidery.I gave this book 5 stars because it is a wealth of information for me that has inspired me in my doodling of geometric repeat pattern.PenandInk

This book was a great historical overview of the BLACKWORK movement in the middle ages. Very interesting reading. I thought there would be more of a tutorial but I still enjoyed it very much.

A wonderful book about a type of embroidery that was featured in the hit TV series, "The Tudors". Fascinating for any hand- embroidery fan!

It gives lots of good info and history, but not as many patterns as I had hoped.

Being a lifelong stitcher I am thinking of trying a project with the over dyed threads and see how the subtle shading will look in a Blackwork type of project. Now to choose the right image to stitch.

An interesting book for someone who has already done blackwork. It was published in 1976 and this shows in its style, so I would not recommend it for a complete beginner. As I went for the used version, it was most certainly worth every penny.

Very unhappy with the contents of the book. Feel misled as only 14 pages from 114 have diagrams to use. Would not recommend this book unless you want to know the history of black work.

Disappointed this was not a book of designs I had thought it to be. More a history of Blackwork. My star rating doesn't reflect the content as I'm not academic enough to rate it.

part of my wifes christmas gifts she is highly delighted with it delivered in good condition

A good introduction