Product Description

The latest book from two of the world's bestselling textile authors: Maggie Grey and Valerie Campbell-Harding. Their latest book looks at the new and exciting techniques to dissolve, melt and distort fabric, both before and after stitching. These techniques add texture, colour and depth to the work of all textile workers: embroiderers and quilters. Some of the fabrics and materials can be dissolved, some melted, some punched and slashed, and some distorted. The book explores the various techniques with easy-to-follow steps. All the methods are safe and without the need for specialised equipment. Fantastically illustrated with work by Maggie and Val and a selection from fellow textile artists, the book also includes clear step-by-step instructions and diagrams, plus tips on design. The book is logically structured as follows: Materials and Equipment, Washing Away the Fabric, Attacking the Fabric, and Distorting the Fabric. All the latest techniques and materials available both in the UK and the US are brought together in this book to ensure the textile artist has the a wealth of information to bring further creativity to their own work.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16784 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-22
• Released on: 2006-09-22
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

About the Author
Maggie Grey is a highly experienced teacher of embroidery who exhibits her work and teaches world-wide. A former editor of The World of Embroidery, Britain's leading magazine on the subject, she is the author or co-author of several books, including Raising the Surface with Machine Embroidery and Paper, Metal and stitch. Apart from writing books and teaching extensively, Maggie edits the innovative and influential web magazine Workshop on the Web (www.workshopontheweb.com). Valerie Campbell-Harding is a legend of the textile world. Over several decades, she has written several books for Batsford, many bestsellers, including Layers of Stitch and Edges and Finishes. She teaches worldwide and is the former editor of the World of Embroidery

Customer Reviews

Textile art at its best
Two giants in textile arts collaborated for this book. New methods and fabrics are being developed all the time and this book explores some of the latest techniques. Learn how to stitch, dissolve, melt and distort both before and after stitching. Make the most of new materials by using stitch. Imaginative stitching is here aplenty to enable stitchers to make the most of new materials. Easy-to-follow techniques allow stitchers to create outstanding textile art.
The book is split into three sections that will help the reader and stitcher to master this type of textile art.
The first part looks at stitch, which the authors see as the heart of each project. You will need to be fairly proficient at using a sewing machine even though ideas are offered for using free stitching as well as built-in stitches. Machine embroidery techniques explored include free, whip and cable stitches used with usual and innovative marking techniques. Learn how to add texture with painted stitching, how to vary the weight of your thread to good effect. Discover how to use an overlocker. In brief, this sections encourages you to explore the use of stitching to its full potential and move away from rows of stitches into the wonderful world of distortion. Some of the techniques are also easily translated into hand stitching.
In part two, when you've got your breath back, discover methods of dissolving. In this section water-soluble materials are explored, capable of producing effects from light and lacy to heavy and crunchy. Learn the techniques of incorporating cold water soluble film, fabric and paper as well as hot water soluble fabric. Much of this is all about creating texture. The lessons you learned in section one are applied here.
In part three, if you are still on this planet, the book looks at distortion - changing the nature of the fabric and embroidery. In this section, some traditional methods are adapted and new, exciting materials are brought into use. The embellisher machine is brought into play here. This section is further split into three sections. The first is attacking the fabric (but not causing grievous bodily harm), the second is melting the fabric and lastly shaping the fabric. Learn how to distress, cut, punch and remove threads, then apply heat to texture or melt fabric and finally discover how to use hardening agents, wire or mesh to add durability. Techniques are combined with sections one and two to create dramatic pieces.
The finished pieces are astounding in their range and variety. Some of them could simply blow you away. I love the delicacy of the vessel made by Julie Smith, the panel using silk paper on organza, the incredible detail in the bracelet using water-soluble film and embossing powder and the amazing vessels by Lynn Horniblow. There are so many ideas explored here. There is a list of suppliers that will help get you started with the materials you need. I highly recommend this very inspirational book that should open the doors of creativity to anyone with a little imagination, who wants to make the most of new materials for textile artists. It ranks as one of the best books on textile art.

very inspirational
I am an artist who loves to experiment using different techniques with plenty of texture and the designs in the book has made me very aware that art just does not have to be created and stay on paper it can incorporate many different types of artistic inspiration...this book for me - even though I am not a quilter or embroiderer, I just loved the colours and the textures that it demonstrates...I for one, am hooked, and have started pushing the boundaries where paint and paper start threads can finish.

Another winner!!
As with all Maggie Grey's books another great read and inspiration to all textile lovers. How I would love to meet this lady. I must have most of Maggie's books by now, I just don't have the time at the moment to work on all these methods, but thats life!