Book review ... Embroidered Landscapes by Judy Wilford

***We loose ourselves in books

we find ourselves there too ***

This was one of my precious presents this Christmas and I had a lovely few books in my bundle I can tell you.  It shows stitches and ideas for landscapes and how to build them up.  I was so impressed with this book and how it shows you to literally paint a picture with threads... 

This is a book that if you love embroidery and reading that you can loose yourself in the pages ...

It encourages you to look around you and to perhaps take an idea from a landscape and recreate part of something adding in your imagination as well.  There are some beautiful photos of this ladies work and it really is a joy to sit and loose yourself in for a while ... I have spent some wonderful hours with my head in this book in my break over Christmas and been absorbed in the embroidery stitches as well.

I have written notes for myself with my own ideas based on this book and come up with some wonderful ideas that Judy Wilford has encouraged and coaxed out of me within the pages of this wonderful embroidery book.  The picture on the right conjures up Hawaii or tropical in some way with the rolling hills behind with the flowers at the forefront and trees and bushes behind ... its stunning!

Places that are special to me that I want to go and photograph and design from and what I might add to the thread picture to make it even more unique ...

To be encouraged and nurtured into having your own ideas and thoughts and not to copy someones work is what being an artist is all about, that a book can inspire you and make you think for yourself is wonderful as a designer and stitcher but equally if you do not do it as a job there are things you can copy and stitch for yourself in there as they are not being sold, plagiarism it is said is a form of flattery but it is lack of imagination and lots of my stitchery

friends who are in business have had their work blatantly copied and floated out as that persons own work.  We have often all laughed at the fact that we have thought of the same thing to stitch, that said although it is the same thing the designs are so different and unique to our own way we work.  One example of this is I made some Santa keys before Christmas and so did Suzi of Hearts 'n' Kisses and we laughed about it, along with Christmas trees from the same materials, its what happens but you can see they are different designs and makings ...  Indeed there is one thing in this book that I have done with French knot stitches in the same sort of picture but not by any way shape or form the same.

The photo on the left is one of my favourite pieces of stitching in this book - Winters Morning and it captures the beauty perfectly for me.

With simple stitches and some imagination you can paint a picture with threads and a needle and it can look outstanding.  I have fallen in love with this book and on Christmas day when I opened it, I just wanted to stop and read it immediately which you can not do when you are hosting the big day, but I did get half and hour sat in bed with it before lights out just to flick through its inspiring pages.

Take a look at these grasses with seed heads they are so effective and look wonderful ... I love to French knot seed heads but may mix it up a bit now.....

This is such a beautiful book and I know you can buy on Amazon but you can order it from your local book shop to support them too.

Just a peek to get your interest and I hope you have enjoyed it, believe me if you are starting a book list this year and enjoy sewing then this is one for your first page of wishes. Its a great book to spoil yourself with or to drop hints about for a Birthday present.

Just a quick note to say that before Christmas I did a journal for someone as a commission for their Great Niece .. Daisy's Memory Book and I was sent a beautiful picture and email about how much the Mum of Daisy was over the moon with it.  Mum is going to start of the memories for little Daisy and then Daisy can take over in a few years.  It was so wonderful to get feedback and I am so thrilled that I said yes to this after I had closed my order book.  I enjoyed stitching it and it meant a lot to me that it was so well received and is treasured.

The poem that I wrote inside brought a few wet eyes as well I was told and they were very happy.  A family heirloom of the future for Daisy to show her own Children and Grandchildren  one day.  I have since got some more orders for these ....

Well that is it for today as some serious sewing has to be done, not forgetting my love of candles and general Hygge warmth and cosy life style that has banished our Winter blues in this house.

Have a great day and as always Happy Stitching! XX