Beginner's Guide to Mountmellick Embroidery

Description

This beautiful richly textured, white-on-white embroidery was developed in the early nineteenth century in Mountmellick, Ireland, where designs were inspired by nature and the lovely flowers growing around the area. The embroidery is traditionally worked on close-woven cotton with cotton thread and it has a great elegance. Flowing floral patterns intertwine with stems and leaves, the smooth satin stitches contrasting wonderfully with the padded, knotted stitchery and untextured background. These natural designs are often fairly large and the sculptured patterns have an appealing bold quality, which is enhanced by the absence of colour and the addition of knitted fringes. Pat Trott explains all the techniques with clear step-by-step photography and inspiring easy-to-follow projects. This book will be welcomed by beginners and also embroiderers of all skill levels.

Pat Trott has always loved embroidery. Her mother taught her Armenian needlelace when she was a child and she has gone on to learn many different techniques. She is a life member of the Embroiderers' Guild and she teaches regularly, in Guild workshops, day schools, summer schools and colleges. Some of her embroidery and bead patterns have been featured in needlework magazines and she is currently Treasurer of the Beadworkers' Guild.

Karenplatt.co.uk: Mountmellick is my favourite style of embroidery. I particularly love Yvette Stanton's book on the subject (see review of 'Mountmellick Embroidery'), which I believe to be the quintessential guide so I was intrigued to see this book for beginners. This book demonstrates thirteen stitches used in Mountmellick embroidery with clear instructions accompanied by photographs. It also includes knitted fringes, how to start by framing the cloth ready for embroidery. Two projects follow with line drawings and full instructions and there are further line drawings for you to work on yourself. This 64-page book is a very good beginners guide, even if it does look rather dated in appearance, the patterns and stitches never go out of date.