Connecting with Nature

Lets begin with the look. It is a soft back, with around 126 pages. There is a helpful stitch diagram located near the back page. The books style is designed to inspire, not direct. It has the vibe of many books currently on offer - to create a sense of calm. I feel that this is achieved through the authors attention to the seasons. We are encourage not just to create, but to create inspired by the colours of nature, the natural hues.

What amazed me about the content, was the pure variety of techniques explored and explained. From natural dyeing, to embroidery to collecting, pressing and drying natures bounty, to printmaking…..I felt a little dizzy!

Highlights?

I liked the unusual ideas for projects, such as an artists brush wrap (page 112) garland (page 113) tweed and embroidery (page 61) dressing twigs and sticks (yes really, evidenced page 58)

Is it for a certain audience?

There are projects which require no stitching, for example we can all press flowers and items we find on walks. It could even be an activity we do with our children. So it is not a case of this being only for experienced in embroidery.

The only niche in the audience it may gather is down to subject matter. You may have a few on the same subject of bringing nature to the table in our textile art, or you might like something a bit more glitzy. But nothing can be said about the author or the book itself, it is simply down to us inside, our notions and likes.

* Ailish Henderson *

Using inspiration from nature, create and craft all year around. Boost your creativity, develop mindfulness through making and produce your own unique textile treasures using wild and natural materials. 

* Machine Knitting Monthly *

Tilly Rose’s Connecting with Nature is a thoughtful and uplifting guide that beautifully blends textile art with mindfulness and a deep appreciation of the natural world. 

Perfect for creative souls, stitchers, and mixed media artists, this book encourages a slower, more considered approach to making – one that nourishes both creativity and well-being. Rose gently invites readers to step outside, notice the textures, colours, and patterns in the landscape, and bring these inspirations into their stitch work. 

From collecting natural materials like leaves and feathers to experimenting with eco-dyeing, mark-making, and layering fabrics, this book celebrates process as much as finished pieces. The emphasis is on playfulness, exploration, and personal meaning rather than rigid technique or perfection.

Beautifully illustrated throughout with photographs of Tilly’s own evocative textile journals and artwork, Connecting with Nature feels like a creative retreat within its pages. The projects are approachable and adaptable, making use of simple hand-stitching, found objects, recycled materials, and even elements gathered on a countryside walk or from a local park. Each chapter offers gentle prompts and reflections designed to spark ideas and reconnect makers with the world around them.

This book is not simply about textile art; it is about slowing down, noticing details, and allowing creativity to unfold naturally. It will particularly appeal to those who value mindful making, personal storytelling, and the quiet joy of working with the textures of fabric, thread, and nature.

In summary, Connecting with Nature is an inspiring and nurturing companion for any maker or artist seeking to deepen their creative practice through a closer relationship with the natural world.

* Art Trails Tasmania *

Tilly Rose is a creative mixed-media textile artist, designer, tutor and avid journaller. She is based in the beautiful Cambridgeshire Fens, UK, an area that influences her designs amid her whole ethos of crafting for well-being. She feels deeply connected to Mother Earth and uses her walks within the landscape to inspire her.

Tilly combines traditional sewing techniques with a love of layering cloth, adding textures through surface stitching and embellishing to capture the everyday snippets of life, giving her designs a modern twist but always with a beautiful vintage flavour.

She holds workshops throughout the UK and online, and is a guest presenter on craft TV channels, showcasing her products and needlecraft skills. Tilly hosts textile tours in India and plans to extend this to other countries. She also regularly exhibits at craft shows. This is her fourth book with Search Press.