If you have managed to buy the previous two volumes in this series, you’ll know that the book ‘A Passion for Needlework 3’ is going to be good even before you’ve opened it! I put this book on my wishlist for Christmas as soon as I found out it was being published, late last autumn. I haven’t been disappointed!
Like the other two volumes in the series, this one is beautifully produced, and contains a dozen projects that will make your fingers itch to start stitching. The book itself is large, and heavy. It’s printed on good quality paper, and could almost be described as a ‘coffee table book’, as the images alone make it worth having.
But the projects are what you’ll want to get this book for. I think, personally, that this book is the best one so far in the series. It has projects using several different embroidery techniques, and not just for things that could be ‘pictures’ – there are some lovely 3D projects in this book, which I particularly like to do. This etui set is designed by Carolyn Pearce, one of my favourite designers:
The styleshots in the book are dramatic, but there are many detail images too, so you can really see the stitching up close. The projects are featured at the beginning of the book, and then the instructions and stitch diagrams are all at the back.
This book, being published by the same people who publish Inspirations magazine in Australia, have their signature ‘pullout sheets’ with the patterns for the projects on, so that you can transfer the design lines to your chosen fabric. There are also materials packs available from the publishers (but I find these really expensive, and that’s before I’ve paid for shipping from Australia to the UK!)My stash of threads and fabric is huge, so I can stitch some of these lovely designs by using up what I already have in my stash, hopefully.
My favourite project in the whole book is this amazing photo frame border, designed by Susan O’Connor. I love anything she designs!! This is just so wonderful, and I think I’m going to have to put several current projects on hold while I make this. Isn’t it lovely?! It’s stitched using about 40 Au Ver a Soie colours, so it’s not going to be cheap, if I use the called-for threads, but I just love it.
This book would make a great addition to any stitcher’s library. It’s just gorgeous. If there is anything that could be said to be a negative with it, it would be that some of the style shots are a bit ‘sparse’, with the embroidery being quite small in the whole photo’s space, but that’s just me – I like pictures to be busy, with the embroidery itself taking centre stage. But the projects themselves are simply wonderful, so if you like interesting surface embroidery projects, go and get this book!
Title: A Passion for Needlework 3: Blakiston Creamery
Editor: Susan O’Connor
Publisher: Inspirations Studios Corporation Pty Ltd
ISBN: 978 0 6482873 9 1
Price: £23.99
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Janet Granger's Blog 
Ahh Janet, I am really going to enjoy watching you stitch the Susan O’Connor design! 🙂 I bought the book too and it really is stunning as you say. I always buy it for the whitework designs and then find I love many of the other projects equally. I really like the Morris Magic design having dabbled with some crewel embroidery recently. I rather fell in love with the little turtle as well … [sigh] … but will have to prioritise on my current projects for now. I have just completed the Home Sweet Home accessories and am about to start the house now and I’m excited to get going with that. It is thanks to watching you work your box that gave me the confidence to take the plunge with HSH. Oh and yes … the Carolyn Pearce accessories are exquisite! Can we ever have too many needlework accessories? Methinks not! 🙂
The Passion for Needlework books are really lovely, and I want to stitch far more of their designs than I have life available
But it’s a good problem to have, isn’t it?
Glad I’ve tempted you to have a go at the HSH project – that’s a gorgeous one!
OK, now on my wishlist! thanks, Janet
Glad I could tempt you!!