Stumpwork Embroidery: Techniques and Projects

~Note: Kindle (for Android) comments are at the end of the review. ~~“A Flourish of Frost” is the captivating project featured on the cover of Stumpwork Embroidery by Helen Richman. It justifies the months, weeks, and days spent waiting for this book’s arrival, including all the disappointment of numerous changes in US delivery date estimates. (All is forgiven.)You might want to know that more than half of Stumpwork Embroidery is devoted to methodology, from using fabric paints to stretching a backing fabric to using different hoops and frames. 5 full chapters take you from just starting out to making your own designs. There is even a full chapter - unusual for many needlework books – on finishing your piece to presentation-worthy status.This infinitely imaginative book is packed with lush close-ups, finely detailed text, and numerous “real hands” photographs. The chosen subset of stitches is adequate for the 10 projects, all of which are gorgeously embellished and dearly conceived. For example, a tiny tin watering can and a wee clay flower pot each get fashioned into pin cushions. Other projects utilize found objects.All skill levels are welcome here. Ms. Richman provides excellent instruction, organizing the 4 project-based chapters according to difficulty. 3 chapters pace through basic, progression/intermediate, to advanced. A 4th chapter is devoted to human figures. It includes the lovely lady in white (22 pages!) and a brief but enticing gallery of work by other artists.Stumpwork Embroidery justifies why this fascinating 3-D form of needlework requires an investment in patience, skill-building, and supplies. Generally speaking, stumpwork is not for the instantly gratified faint-of-hearted crafter on a “no hoarding, no extras, no anything” budget.Cross-stitching, crewel, beading, crochet, knitting, knot-tying, ribbon-work, even scrap-booking. are similar in this regard. Now add up the costs of all those crafts with all their books and patterns and colors and unique tools and supplies, multiply by about 1.5, and you MIGHT approximate the vast economic commitment required by stumpwork.Ms. Richman calls these investments “diversity” in that bits and bobs can be cross-purposed, alt-cycled, and reused. That is a generous term that really only applies to a very small part of stumpwork. Please don’t let this frighten you away from stitching into that 3rd dimension. Advance fearlessly, but with a well-padded wallet.Yeah, with stumpwork, it helps to be a little OCD. Plus having a dedicated work/storage space, scores of friends with supplies, and being willing to forego eating out so often. But this is the nature of a craft like stumpwork. Helen Richman will convince you: O and C are most definitely not necessarily a D.Good list of resources and suppliers, but mostly UK. Fair index, but should have included a main line item for “Stitches”, with specific stitches indexed accordingly.~ ~ ~Kindle vs. Book:~ ~ ~I purchased both Kindle & hardcopy versions. I use the Amazon Kindle for Android app on a Samsung Galaxy Tab S. (Your app and device might display content differently than mine.)All the content is there. But the presentation is very fragmented, with vast amounts of blank space.DOES include the appendix containing templates, which are mostly full-scale in the book version. You may need to capture and resize them via your reader and a word processer (or similar program).

This is the best book on stumpwork that I have ever seen. As a Royal School of Needlework Certificate holder myself I even have to say that it beats the RSN books on Stumpwork and Raised Embroidery hands down. The author is an RSN graduate herself and it shows. The instructions are incredibly good. The projects may not be to everyone's taste, but they are designed so that one learns step by step by doing. Absolutely fabulous book. I would recommend it to anyone starting on the stumpwork trail.

Very fast shipping, Very comprehensive guide for stumpwork. Pictures are clear and complete, Gives modern techniques for achieving professional results that mimic the work of our ancestors. I hesitated to buy another stumpwork book but I am very glad it did.

A truly beautiful book. I can’t wait to try the techniques in here. This looks like a very comprehensive guide to stump work with tons of pictures illustrating the techniques followed by some projects on which to practice including the heart-stopping project on the cover. I couldn’t be happier with this book!

Whilst this book is an excellent guide and teaching tool for anyone interested in stumpwork, the projects were very dated. There was nothing in this book that I would take all this trouble to make. The bumblebee brooch was cute. Nothing else would fit into a contemporary or modern home.

Really hard to use this on a kindle - you really need to buy it as a physical book

I haven’t made anything in this book yet. I like the way it is layed out. It starts with information about stumpwork stitches and techniques. The first projects are easy to get someone acquainted with stumpwork and builds from there to more challenging projects. I am looking forward to diving into it soon.

Good coverage of techniques although the projects are not to my taste. Would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to learn stumpwork.

Brought for my wife. My wife loves embroidery and had wanted to try stump work embroidery for a long time. My wife likes the projects in the book and plans to make the bee project for our daughter whose nickname is bee. My wife likes that the stitches and techniques are step by step and plans to do a fabric embroidery journal with the unfamiliar techniques in for future reference

Excellent book gives clear instruction on stitches, techniques, materials in a wonderful layout. Also projects included from beginner level to advanced. Everything anyone would need for starting stumpwork and for advanced technique reference.

Really enjoying this book seeing how things should or could be done Very detailed and informative

lots of inspiration and technique details. a good reference book.

Arrived earlier than expected brilliant book