Silk Ribbon Embroidery

Myshelf.com:Nothing quite has the delicate appearance and tactile charm of silk ribbon embroidery, and despite looking complicated is in fact fairly straightforward. Learn how with this new book, now available outside Australia thanks to Search Press. I do like a practical book that takes a “workshop approach,” as surely the point of these primers is to teach a skill, and reading about it is only part of the learning process. You don’t need much to take up this hobby, and the author does not intimidate the reader with lists of peripheral items. To be of even greater use, what is needed here are more color photographs showing how to actually do the stitches. There are some line drawings, but not enough to be helpful to beginners at whom this book is largely aimed. The instructions to go with the projects at the back are better at this, and there are four beautiful pieces to make. But there is a lot of rather daunting reading here and usually only one or two line diagrams per stitch or process, and I found myself getting rather lost and trying to envisage it all. My advice would be to get this book (which certainly tells you what you need to know) in conjunction with another with some better staged diagrams, and then you will be on your way to becoming a proficient silk ribbon embroiderer. Stitch:used mainly to embellish court garments, the uniforms of high-ranking military officers and the vestments and regalia of the clergy. Since its heyday, ribbon embroidery has enjoyed varying degrees of popularity, but it is a very satisfying technique as it’s quite quick to do and the results are wonderfully decorative.The information and skills needed for success with silk ribbon embroidery are presented in a clear and interesting way and the four lovely projects allow you to put all of the techniques into practice.

Helen Dafter is a well-known Australian embroiderer and author of embroidery books. She travels extensively doing workshops and has a flourishing embroidery business selling her own designs and kits.