RSN Essential Stitch Guides: Silk Shading: Large Format Edition

Description

A new, larger format edition of the classic reference work on silk shading by the Royal School of Needlework (RSN). The Essential Stitch Guides provide a set of definitive works on traditional embroidery techniques. Graduate Apprentice Sarah Homfray throws light onto the beautiful craft of silk shading, also known as painting with a needle, long and short stitch embroidery or thread painting. This book reveals the history of the craft then moves on to the materials and equipment required. Next, Sarah covers design and using colour, simplifying and demystifying this often neglected area of embroidery. The main part of the book then covers all of the essential stitches and techniques through clear, step-by-step diagrams, coupled with beautiful, close-up photographs showing how they can be used in a finished piece. Key traditional techniques are included: the fundamental stab, split and long and short stitches; along with couching, padding, adding beads and sequins, and knots. The book ends with beautiful and exquisitely-worked examples and covers working with different fabrics, threads and incorporating painted backgrounds. The RSN teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard and is 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 forward 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.

After trying out several other careers including working as an engineer and a croupier, Sarah decided to concentrate on her creative skills and went to study on the Royal School of Needlework Apprecticeship, graduating in 2006. There she won the Hilda Watson prize for her silk shading and the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers prize for her Coronation Goldwork piece. Sarah was lucky enough to be a part of the team of embroiderers to work the embroidery on the wedding dress of The Duchess of Cambridge in 2011, and in 2015, alongside her sister Caroline Homfray, made a replica 105th Napoleonic Standard for the Battle of Waterloo 200 commemorations. Visit her website www.sarahhomfray.com