Big Embroidery is all about stitching beautiful designs up fast using yarn instead of embroidery thread. Nancy Nicholson has created a collection of stunning designs based on traditional crewel work, and adapted them for a modern audience using everyday yarn.

Crewel embroidery is traditionally done using 2ply wool and stitched onto linen. Nancy shows how to get beautiful results using different types of yarn and fabric, including upholstery fabrics, woollens and tweeds to create a collection of stunning quick-to-stitch projects.

Choose from home decor items such as cushions, bags, wall hangings and table runners, as well as ideas for embellishing clothing. The book shows readers how to do all the key embroidery stitches with a stitch library featuring easy-to-follow diagrams of all the basic crewel embroidery stitches in detail.

The inspiration for Sue Spargo's Bird Dance came from tiles found on a Sicilian farmhouse floor and the quilt is a tribute to the glories and history of that beautiful Mediterranean island. The quilt design features:

• General guidelines and materials list
• 30 blocks with detailed instructions, full-size templates and stitch guides
• Border and finishing instructions

The finished quilt measures 110 x 95 cm (43½ x 37½ inches).

About the Author Sue Spargo is a renowned folk quilt designer, noted for her colourful wool appliqué that is transformed by her rich and creative embellishment.

A combination of the author's previous books Traditional Blackwork and Beginners Guide to Blackwork., this compendium presenteds an approachable introduction to creating traditional blackwork embroideries using simple stitches on evenweave fabric.

Step-by-step photographs and charts illustrate how traditional motifs, patterns and borders can be combined to create stunning designs.

Contains all you need to know in order to produce beautiful embroideries, complete with instructions on creating band samplers inspired by those on which 16th-century embroiderers collected their favourite designs, including figures, flowers, plants, birds and animals.

In this guide to blackwork, graduate apprentice and tutor at the Royal School of Needlework, Becky Hogg, shows how to develop many different patterns from the basic blackwork stitches, using detailed instructions and beautiful examples of traditional and contemporary embroideries.

The extensive stitch library features over 37 patterns including methods for shading, breaking up patterns and combining techniques.

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Boho Embroidery includes instructions for 10 different embroidery stitches and discusses how to use colour and neutral shades effectively. The author then gives tips about where to find inspiration, and teaches how to create hoops for effective embroidery. It will visually inspire creativity with the goal of creating your own textile art that can be displayed in a hoop, or that can be applied "outside the hoop" and onto other objects.

There are 10 different projects ranging from linens to hair clips to buttons – all projects show practical ways to embellish with embroidery and appliqué. The book wraps up with the author's suggestions on how to explore your own creativity with pattern suggestions for making your own hoops or accessories.

Boho Embroidery: The Pattern Collection presents Nichole Vogelsinger's signature fabric-collage-meets-embroidery style with designs, stitches and techniques.

You will also learn how to expand your stitching palette by combining unique threads and an array of stitches with interesting fabrics and embellishments. Use sequins and beads to add texture, glimmer and glitz.

In addition to the 30-original ready-to-stitch modern motifs, the author provides step-by-step instructions for 20 embroidery stitches. And, if you're ready to step out on your own, the book also provides design prompts that will help you experiment and create your own unique embroidered fabric-collage art.

Boutis, also known as Provençal quilting, is a specific sewing technique dating back to the 17th-19th centuries, developed mainly in and around Marseilles. Used initially to embellish corsets, baby apparel and bedspreads, Boutis work developed into more elaborate and ornate attire, such as wedding dresses and swaddling clothes, as well as trousseaux and other luxury goods. Patterns are revealed via narrow tunnels that are stuffed with yarn, creating raised areas giving off both shadow and light.

In this book, Kumiko Nakayama has carefully hand-drawn all of her diagrams and patterns so as to ensure the finesse that this long-lost art represents. The 21 projects of varying difficulties are explained in detail and accompanied with elegant photos – a wedding skirt, lamp shade, purses, baby bib and bonnet, silk cuffs and collar, tablecloth – there is a project for everyone!

For those who are curious about learning this gorgeous art, a project specifically geared to beginners is thoughtfully outlined to ensure success. Also included are three diagrams to make tunnels of different widths, depending upon the project you choose to make.

From Quiltmania with text in English and French. Includes full size pattern pull-outs.

Rachel Doyle presents an expert guide to canvaswork, and includes complete information on the major stitches while offering stunning new design ideas. Here you will find:

• Diagonal stitches, horizontal and vertical stitches, raised, textured and filling stitches
• Decorative effects are explored
• A fantastic source book and an invaluable reference for canvaswork stitches

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Fat, striped, cheshire or grumpy, this books offers more than 300 embroidery stitch patters for cat lovers.

Each set of patterns offers a range of ideas in different styles, shapes and genres from simple to more complex. The original designs and clear instructions make this a purrfect book for embroidery beginners or those looking for fun and simple patterns.

The Sampler Series is a wool appliqué, layering and embroidery series designed for the creative mind. This pattern includes instructions for assembly, finishing and suggested stitches for three appliqués to get the creative juices flowing. Includes a high quality tracing template.

The author's Creative Stitching 2nd Edition is recommended for detailed stitchery instructions.

An edited bindup of the two popular books from Gina Marion (Creative Hardanger, Decorative Designs in Hardanger) this one volume contains what you need (and need to know) to get started.

• Tips on how to create your own designs
• Stitches, techniques and colour photos of the 50+ superb projects: Christmas decorations, a beautiful shawl, pincushions, cushions, tray cloth, coasters, doilies, cards, samplers, Christening gown, wedding cushion, floral vest – many use coloured fabric / threads; some bead / metallic thread embellishments
• User-friendly, illustrated instruction will suit any embroiderer interested in this style

There is no name more closely linked to ornate and fanciful fabric designs than Tula Pink. Sewists and quilters have long delighted in using her fabric to create whimsical sewn creations. Now hand embroiderers, too, can join the fun and stitch her signature designs with needle and tread!

In Coloring with Thread, you'll find 17 of Tula's animal and floral designs from her best-selling fabric collections rendered and primed for hand embroidery. Step-by-step stitch instructions for over 20 embroidery stitches are included to help you bring adorable bunnies, octopi and elephants to life right in your hands. Each motif features a colour guide and thread colour suggestions selected by Tula herself to insure a gorgeous finished design. Plus, you'll find every motif on CD-ROM, where they are ready to size and print for your individual project needs.

Whether you follow her colour guides or make each design your own, you'll love coloring with thread and stitching the whimsical world of Tula Pink!

The author provides a greater awareness of how colour affects our embroidery and what brings it to life.

Each aspect is clearly illustrated by example and includes tools for selecting colours, choosing shades that enhance, why some shades blend 'better' than others and the importance of contrast with light and shadow.

There are projects to represent each colour group including stunning roses, camellias, fruit and bee-eater birds.

The highlight includes chapters on colour combinations and complementary colours. These include more than 200 stitched examples with DMC thread keys, plus colour schemes.

Now in one volume – two popular books: Stumpwork Embroidery: Designs and Projects and Stumpwork Embroidery: Collection of Fruits, Flowers and Insects for Contemporary Raised Embroidery.

The materials, equipment, techniques, stitches, directions and projects are in an easy-to-follow format, illustrated with diagrams, colour plates. Projects with templates for needlework kit, jewellery, pictures. . . A must-have for all embroiderers.

Recycle everyday items to create artful hand and machine embroidered textile pieces - bags, bowls, vessels, hangings, etc. Packed with ideas for using diverse salvaged material: paper, fabric, fibres, plastic, wood, metal, dried flowers, broken jewellery, souvenirs . . .

Simple instructions guide you through a variety of ideas, and each technique is illustrated with inspiring works from the world's leading contemporary embroiderers.

Jo Dixey has designed this book to inspire and challenge both those new to embroidery and those with some knowledge of stitch who want to take their ideas further.

Each project introduces new embroidery stitches and techniques. As you work through the ideas, you expand your skills and gain confidence in using stitches and ideas in your own work.

The projects range from small embroidered cards to more complex pictures to hang on your wall; simple appliqué for a scarf to an embroidered jacket all based on the theme of people. Templates of the images to stitch are provided for photocopying and there is a photo gallery of all the stitches covered in the book, along with step-by-step photographs of key techniques, such as transferring patterns onto fabric or using batting to create 3D effects.

Previously published as Stitch People.