The Art of Embroidered Butterflies (paperback edition)

Description

In this gorgeous book, Jane E. Hall combines her love of butterflies with her outstanding talent as a textile artist to produce three-dimensional renditions of exquisitely worked butterflies that are almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Using the finest of silk threads and needles, Jane lovingly creates her butterflies using the tiniest of stitches worked on to silk. The butterflies are then placed within a setting of silk leaves and flowers, all made with the same painstaking attention to detail and expert skill as the butterflies themselves. There is a fascinating introduction to butterflies in nature, reflecting Jane's love and admiration for these exquisite creatures. This is followed by twelve studies, including the Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell and the Brimstone, each presented as a finished piece along with the materials used to create them, and the photographs, swatches, drawings and paintings that inspired them. One of the most striking features of this book is the amazing photography of Jane's work, including detailed close-ups. This, together with Jane's poetic and inspiring text, make this a book that anyone who is a nature lover, embroiderer, textile artist or simply a lover of beautiful books will want to own.

Jane E Hall studied at Bournemouth & Poole College of Art and Design, achieving a Diploma in Foundation Studies, and then moved on to Loughborough College of Art and Design where she received a Certificate in Design Embroidery, being awarded a distinction. Since leaving college she has worked professionally as a textile artist. She has held numerous exhibitions, has her work held in private collections, and has worked on significant commissions, three of which are on public display. Jane's work has been featured extensively on TV and in magazines. For more information visit www.clothofnature.com.

Praise for The Art of Embroidered Butterflies (Hardback edition): 'The book fills me with a sense of wonder - it's a study of a corner of the natural world that is truly wonder-filled. From the title pages to the forward to the introduction of the book, butterflies abound. You'll find them scattered throughout, each preparing to flutter off the page.' -- Mary Corbet * Needle 'n' Thread * Absolutely exquisite! This book is absolutely beautiful! Jane's passion for her art and her subject shine lyrically from every page. It is a wonderful mixture of descriptions and information about butterflies in the natural world, Jane's love for them and her quest to honour them with her embroidery, all threaded through with enchanting photographs. You might assume that this is a "how to" book, and for the experienced embroiderer it will certainly provide plenty of inspiration, but certainly not step-by-step instructions. -- Bev Storey * Amazon Customer Review * This book is very informative featuring lots of great ideas and designs. Overall it isa very good book and fabulous value for money. The book explains Jane's process easily with lots of pictures and information about the different stitches used. -- Pam Butterfield * Amazon Customer Review * Out in paperback, this book is a gallery of gorgeous creations, for you to enjoy looking at and become inspired by. Jane E. Hall uses her talent as a textile artist to make stunning 3D butterflies from silk thread stitching. There are 12 studies, including the Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell and the Brimstone, each shown along with the materials used to create them, and the photographs, swatches, drawings and paintings that inspired them. * Cross Stitcher * This is a revised paperback edition of an earlier hardback. Jan Hall takes us into her world of Butterflies. "her Muse". Over the years, she has gathered her collection of butterflies from the quiet spaces that they had found to provide their final rest. From these specimens, she has formed an intimate knowledge of the intricate patternmaking of their wings. She even knows the size of an ankle! Using a mixture of paint and stitch, Jan Hall takes us through her working methods. Each butterfly is depicted within its own environment. Each of their needs is described in detail explaining why habitat plays such an important place in their cycle. There are twelve projects, based on a different butterfly including the Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell and the Brimstone, accompanied by photographs, swatches, drawings and the paintings that inspired it. There are no templates and no step-by-step instructions. If that's the type of book you like or want, this may not be the book for you. However, it is the most inspiring and informative book that would happily grace any coffee table. -- Susan Holberton * Book Threads *