Blackwork, or black-on-white embroidery, has long been a popular craft among needleworkers. Often referred to as "Spanish work" because of its association with Catherine of Aragon and its possible connection with Moorish Spain, blackwork has also been well-documented in portraits by Hans Holbein the Younger and other 16th-century artists. In the present carefully researched work, this beautiful, distinctive, and age-old craft receives a comprehensive treatment from veteran needlecrafter Mary Gostelow. She first offers a fascinating background history of blackwork, tracing its use in England, the United States, and other countries. Clear, concise descriptions of stitches and equipment — needles, ground fabric, embroidery thread, and more — accompany discussions of contemporary styles and suggestions for innovative patterns. Originally applied to clothing and household items, blackwork is still used today to embellish table linens, bedding, wearing apparel, pillows, wall hangings, and other domestic articles. Enhanced with 140 illustrations, including many close-up sketches of blackwork designs, this intriguing and valuable how-to book will appeal to needlecrafters wanting to apply the time-honored techniques of blackwork to new projects in decorative embroidery.

Blackwork has a rich history that has developed over the years into an iconic and sophisticated style of embroidery. This practical book presents a number of ways to approach blackwork embroidery, from forming basic stitches and patterns to developing complex shaded pieces with confidence. Through an assortment of exercises, it introduces the principles of shading along with several projects to further explore the potential of blackwork. Detailed instructions on designing and developing shaded pieces of blackwork embroidery are given along with guidance on how to choose suitable images for translating into stitch. Step-by-step instructions on how to form basic stitches and how to form patterns are included as well as almost 250 shaded patterns, indicating how differing patterns appear when worked in different thicknesses of thread. Finally, patterns are grouped by family for easy identification and pattern blending.

The Anchor Embroidery Series offers the perfect introduction to popular embroidery techniques. Blackwork is a counted thread embroidery technique in which repetitive patterns are used to fill outlined areas. This book covers the materials and equipment needed, the essential stitches, and outlines in step-by-step detail the working of 49 infill patterns. It is sure to become an indispensable reference for stitchers. Blackwork was originally so called because black thread was most often used on white fabrics, but many of the 16 original charted designs provided show how this technique can just as effectively be worked with colored threads on colored fabrics. The beautiful designs include ringing Christmas bells, a charming country cottage, delicate florals and an exotic oriental fan and kimono. There are also ideas for how the delightful designs can be used to create a selection of small projects.

An all-in-one volume covering crewelwork, canvaswork, and six other types of hand embroidery, from the renowned school established in nineteenth-century England. This beautiful book is a rich source of embroidery techniques, stitches, and projects, covering eight key subjects in detail: crewelwork, bead embroidery, stumpwork, canvaswork, goldwork, whitework, blackwork, and silk shading. Collecting all the books in the trusted, bestselling Royal School of Needlework Essential Stitch Guide series, plus a new section on mounting your finished work, this fantastic book—heavily illustrated with photos—is a must-have for all embroiderers.

Exquisite and timeless, the needlework portrayed in these guides promotes the Royal School of Needlework's mission to keep the art of hand embroidery alive in the 21st century. Focusing on some of the oldest and most essential stitches and patterns, the books in this craft series are spiral-bound and lay flat on the table. Step-by-step photographic instructions on framing and transferring designs are included, as are introductory histories to each technique. Sections of patterns, along with pictures of finished pieces that demonstrate how to correctly use the patterns, help crafters take their needlework to new heights of artistry.

Blackwork is a classic sixteenth-century embroidery technique in which stunning monochrome designs are created by embroidering a large variety of counted-thread geometric patterns in black thread. .000. This book covers everything from creating a design to choice of fabric, threads, and stitches, with many stitch diagrams and suggested patterns. A host of beautiful blackwork pictures, both traditional and modern, will inspire any enthusiast, and there are even ideas for working with coloured threads. From timeless charm of Elizabethan embroidery to the bold chiaroscuro of contemporary work, blackwork's entrancing intricacy never ceases to appeal.