Machine embroidery artists are pushing their sewing machines in directions you wouldn’t think possible. And this updated booklist can help you get in on the excitement.
Each book is authored by a well-known artist who shares step-by-step techniques for transforming simple fabrics into canvases that explode with colour and texture. The authors also provide insights into their own creative development and the lessons they learned along the way.
We promise our list will appeal to artists of all skill levels. Get set to learn innovative techniques for creating breathtaking designs.
Luscious landscapes
Alison Holt is known for her exquisite landscape machine embroideries, as well as her workshops and books. This latest book is a must-have as it features essential information from her other three books along with brand-new material.
‘Freehand machine embroidery is painting with stitch, and I enjoy playing with the subtleties and endless possibilities,’ says Alison. ‘For example, I can adjust the bobbin tension to emulate tree bark, moss or crumbling stone. Or I can lengthen stitches to capture the movement of a breaking wave or grasses swinging in the breeze.’
Readers learn how to create gorgeous, embroidered pictures of various landscape aspects, including formal gardens and flowers, romantic seascapes, and woodlands. The book is packed with information including required materials, advice on composition, how to achieve perspective, working with light and shade, and important basic stitches.
Alison breaks down her creative process into simple steps, explaining why each stage is important. She also includes sketches and close-ups of stitch techniques, as well as many step-by-step projects that are easy to follow.
‘I try to demystify freehand machine embroidery. I want to give readers confidence as they acquire the building blocks needed to develop their own style. I enjoy showing students they can create unlimited subject matter with a few well practiced mark-making techniques.’
Machine Embroidered Art: Painting the Natural World with Needle & Thread by Alison Holt (2020) ISBN 9781782217916
Layered fabric & stitch
They say good things come to those who wait, so if you don’t already have this book on your shelf, now is the time to grab it.
Katie Essam has revised and updated her very popular book, including adding a new bonus project. Katie brings a fresh and modern approach to traditional embroidery techniques, and her emphasis on showcasing the beauty found in everyday objects is engaging.
‘Machine embroidery allows me to collate and connect all the mixed media I like to use in my art,’ says Katie. ‘It’s a creative adventure drawing together all the fabric, painting, drawing, found items, textured fibres and anything else I find. I love its freedom and versatility.’
The book features eight projects and many finished artworks to spark creativity. Each project builds on the last through step-by-step instruction and beautiful images.
Katie’s overarching goal is to empower readers to grasp her techniques and run with them, no matter their ability to stitch or draw.
‘Free-motion embroidery can begin with a reader’s own designs, photos or even a sketch. Each way works beautifully, and it completely comes down to the individual’s inspiration, interpretation and style. I love the guaranteed originality that allows readers to develop their own creative expression.’
Free Motion Embroidery: Creating Textile Art with Layered Fabric & Stitch by Katie Essam (2022) ISBN 9781800920484
Organic embroidery
If you’re looking for ways to stitch nature’s most intricate forms, you need to add this gem to your bookshelf.
Meredith Woolnough is known for the unique way in which she combines machine embroidery with water-soluble fabric to create corals, plants, microscopic organisms and more. Her delicate threaded works are amazing, and now readers can learn how she brings them to life.
‘I wanted this book to be both instructional and inspirational,’ says Meredith. ‘It shows how my artworks are made from start to finish, exploring how I use freehand machine embroidery on water soluble fabric. Readers will discover my inspirations, technical processes and the stories behind some of my favourite pieces.’
Readers will learn how to find interesting shapes or patterns found in nature, such as leaves, shells and coral. Meredith also explains how they can use their sewing machine to turn those inspirations into elegant open-work textile art.
‘This book largely shares the overarching theory I’ve developed over many years of working with this type of embroidery. My hope is readers will use my book as a stepping stone to help build and streamline their own creative path using these wonderful, but sometimes challenging, embroidery skills.’
Organic Embroidery by Meredith Woolnough (2018) ISBN 9780764356131
Seascape stitching
Amanda Hislop lives in land-locked Oxfordshire in the UK, so she cherishes her trips to the sea. She always takes a sketchbook and fills it with inspiration. She turns those ideas into incredible textile seascapes using free-motion embroidery and mixed media.
Amanda explains: ‘I’ve developed a technique that gives me the freedom to work without an embroidery hoop. I make a foundation layered with cotton cloth, wet strength papers, threads and fibres glued with cellulose paste. Once dry, I paint the surface with acrylic paint, and then I use machine embroidery to create lines and texture.’
In addition to covering materials and stitch choices, the book features four step-by-step projects that help readers create a variety of seascape features. Throughout the text, Amanda shares her techniques for capturing the sea’s moods, rhythms, patterns and structures.
‘I encourage learners to enjoy the process of using a sketchbook to develop work from personal observation. I work with a less-is-more approach to drawing by considering what elements will suggest landscape, which results in an almost abstract impressionistic sense of place.’
Stitched Textiles: Seascapes by Amanda Hislop (2019) ISBN 9781782215646
Bold inspiration
While Bisa Butler’s book doesn’t include formal instruction, it’s packed with inspiration for using free motion quilting. Bisa is an American artist who captures vibrant scenes from African American life and history. Her portraits explode with coloured and patterned fabrics that she cuts, layers and stitches together.
In this book, Bisa shares her story and creative journey, situating her work within the broader history of textiles, photography and contemporary art. Other scholars chime in to illuminate Bisa’s unique approach to colour, use of African-print fabrics and wide-ranging sources of inspiration.
This is a beautifully illustrated look at the work of one of today’s most exciting textile artists.
Bisa Butler: Portraits by Bisa Butler (2020) ISBN 9780300254310
Featured picks
- Machine Embroidered Art: Painting the Natural World with Needle & Thread (2020) by Alison Holt
- Free Motion Embroidery: Creating Textile Art with Layered Fabric & Stitch (2022) by Katie Essam
- Organic Embroidery (2018) by Meredith Woolnough
- Stitched Textiles: Seascapes (2019) by Amanda Hislop
- Bisa Butler: Portraits (2020) by Bisa Butler
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Is your bookshelf still bare? Free-motion art quilting is another exciting machine embroidery technique, and we have a booklist for that too!
We hope you’ve enjoyed this booklist. Any titles you think should be added? Let us know in the comments below.
2 comments
lia flemings
Thanks for promotion of interestingbooks. I’ve some from this review. Books are always interesting but buy them all is impossible. I prefere to look inside for the kind of embroidery. And there are still coming new books. Thanks for sharing.
Warner Brown
This is the nice work and great machine for embroidery design