Mildly Less Boring

Today was less boring than the last few yesterdays.  It was mail day and that is always interesting.

There were birthday presents for one of my grandsons, Emmett, who got a big birthday coming up soon.  There were some new embroidery scissors, because my other scissors are really losing their sharpness and my usual tricks have not helped to tune them up again (re-sharpen) and there was one special treat just for me.

I have many books on embroidery of various kinds but each is dedicated to a particular style of work. I have books on blackwork, several devoted to hardanger, cross stitch and a couple that are generic how to sorts of books. Carter's volcano needs more than the very plain stitches I know.  Yes, there are thousands of stitches on the internet, but I haven't seen quite what I was looking for.  What I did not have and what I really wanted was some sort of embroidery stitch dictionary.

 

I had a couple different books that were in the running but this one was my number one choice.  I had actually hoped to get a Royal School of Needlework Book of Embroidery a collection of several of their excellent books, as well as the stitch dictionary, but the books were both a bit pricey.  This stitch dictionary, by Mary Thomas is perfect.  I know the author through her knitting books  though I don't have any of her work in my library. 

The book is exactly what I wanted.  It has sections of different type of stitches, outline stitches, fill stitches, canvas work stitches, and so on.  

Each set of stitches is laid out and is beautifully photographed.  The photos are then followed by details of how to make the stitches shown and for some, there are samples of work done with those stitches.

And look.  An entire series of knot type stitches! 

 It is going to take a good long while to take in all the things in this book.  It is the perfect way to end a kind of slow week.