RSN Essential Stitch Guides: Stumpwork: (RSN Essential Stitch Guides)

The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard and is well respected all over the world. It not only upholds the traditions of English embroidery that go back many hundreds of years, but is constantly taking embroidery forwards in new and innovative ways. This series of Essential Stitch Guides has been produced in close collaboration with the RSN with the aim of providing a set of definitive works on traditional embroidery techniques. All of the authors were chosen by the RSN and all are graduate apprentices of the Royal School. In Stumpwork, Kate Sinton brings together all of the major techniques and stitches associated with stumpwork embroidery to produce a stunning book that reflects both her expertise as an embroiderer and her artistic talent. For both expert advice and innovation, this book is second to none.

Table of Contents:
1) Compact, spiral-bound, easy-to-use lay-flat format 2) An indispensable resource for both beginners and professional embroiderers 3) Inspirational finished works, traditional and contemporary, to show how the stitches can be used.

About the Author :
After graduating from the Royal School of Needlework in 2002, Kate worked as a freelance embroiderer and artist. As well as continuing to teach a variety of classes at the RSN she set up drop-in summer embroidery classes at the Bermondsey Museum of Fashion and Textiles and worked with visiting textile lecturers at the British Museum. In 2006, Kate was appointed to manage a project that would produce over 200 new vestments for St Paul’s Cathedral. These were first exhibited in 2008 at St Martin’s College of Art and Design. During that time Kate continued to teach and produce artwork, and was part of a three-person show in Shepherd’s Market in Central London. Since 2008, Kate has lived in Wiltshire with her husband Jamie and son Thomas.

Review :
Stumpwork conjures up images of intricately decorated boxes in stately homes, showing figures in 17th century costumes surrounded by fantastic beasts and plants. It is one of the more advanced types of needlework and gets less coverage than many of the simpler styles. If you love it and would like to enjoy it in your own home then this book will give you a start with this fascinating hobby. This is another good basic book from the Royal School of Needlework, and like the others obligingly opens out flat and stays flat, which is so useful for a practical book. In common as well with the other books in this series I was impressed by the way this one shows examples of both 17th century and modern pieces, and has instructions too on both styles. There is a good list of what you need to do stumpwork (nothing too unusual) and a guide to using a slate frame and transferring designs. The stitches are shown using photographic stages, and are clear and easy to understand. Some are common to many types of needlework but others (mostly the raised stitches) are strictly for stumpwork and require a good introduction. This includes a section on working with metal threads, plate and padding which is remarkably concise. Add to that the excellent chapters on making slips and creating figures and you have something rather special. I've got more than one book on this subject on my shelves, but this is definitely the best one for a beginner. This is not a book of projects, but a primer that lets you get under the skin of what is usually shown as a tricky subject and denudes it of its mystery. If you want to really learn how to do stumpwork and have enough knowledge to design your own projects then I would recommend this book very highly.-Myshelf.com The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard and is well respected. It not only upholds the traditions of English embroidery that go back hundreds of years, but is constantly taking embroidery forwards in new and innovative ways. This series has been produced in close collaboration with the RSN and provides definitive works on traditional embroidery techniques. Kate brings together all the major techniques and stitches associated with stumpwork embroidery to produce a stunning book. For expert advice and innovation, her book is second to none.-Machine Knitting Monthly If you've always wanted to try stumpwork but were a bit daunted by the intricacies of the technique - fear no more! Also known as raised embroidery, the 'raising' methods are clearly described and each one is illustrated with step-by-step photographs. Padding methods include stitched padding, felt padding, covered Vilene and string padding. Simple slips, which are separate pieces of embroidery worked off the frame and then applied to the main embroidery, can be worked on fabric or canvas (or fine evenweave linen); for a more dimensional effect, needlelace slips can be applied over padding, while wired slips are often used to make petals and leaves. Stumpwork is a very traditional technique, but there's a real contemporary feel to the lovely designs in this book, and the chapter on using found objects such as beads, buttons, bits of feather and even a snailshell, is a real joy.-Stitch RSN Silk Shading and RSN Stumpwork: Get the benefit of the expertise of the Royal School of Needlework at home with these two new Essential Stitch Guides. The Royal School of Needlework is world-renowned for its teaching of traditional forms of embroidery. 'Stumpwork' by Kate Sinton and 'Silk Shading' by Sarah Homfray explain the techniques step-by-step. The two guides introduce the history, materials and the stitches of each form of embroidery and are extensively illustrated with colour photography. Both authors are Graduate Apprentices of the RSN and explain the techniques and skills they learnt there. The guides are in a compact, ring-bound format so that they can be close at hand when you are making your first stitches. Both titles are excellent resources for stitchers for tuition and reference at home.-New Stitches