Animal Embroidery Workbook: Step-by-Step Techniques & Patterns for 30 Cute Critters and More

Embroidery instructor and pattern maker Long offers advice for novices and experienced hand embroiderers alike in this (almost too) adorable pattern book. She provides detailed instructions for embroidery novices, on everything from how many strands of floss to use for each project, to what kind of fabric works best on which hoops, to how to manipulate hoops to get a tighter fit. More advanced embroiderers will appreciate the tutorials on thread-painting, a particularly precise form of embroidery that uses single strands of floss in conjunction with long and short stitches to create shading and depth. Long dispenses tips on selecting the fabric best for projects and reminds crafters, “Our medium is forgiving and cheap, so don’t be afraid to make mistakes.” At times, the patterns themselves—a dancing unicorn, cuddling koalas, and an embroidering panda, among others—strike a childish note that some may find cloying, though it’s hard to imagine many embroiderers objecting to an excessive dose of adorableness right now. Any embroiderer will be able to find something that speaks to them in this whimsical volume. (Sept.)