I’m not an avid reader when it comes to fiction but I have a great collection of embroidery and textile books in my studio. Some of them were bought during my degree and have remained a great source of inspiration for my own work and when I’m running workshops and short courses. I thought I’d share some of my favourites with you.

Embellished New Vintage – Karen Nicol

If you could look at my Art Library borrowing history this book would definitely be the most borrowed so I was excited when it was reprinted in paperback a couple of years ago. This book is a wealth of inspiration, especially if you’re a lover of vintage. Karen shows her beautiful designs and the different techniques she has used to create them.

You can buy a copy of the book here

Creative Embroidery – Jan Beany and Jean Littlejohn

If you’re a lover of embroidery you will have seen the work of Jan and Jean, also known as Double Trouble. This book guides you through the create process, from finding inspiration and sketching to developing embroidered pieces. I found this book so useful during my degree and now I share it with my own students on embroidery courses.

My copy of this book is well worn and sadly it’s out of print but you can find some of Jan and Jean’s other books on their website

Stitch Stories – Cas Holmes

I had the pleasure of helping Cas at the Knitting & Stitching Show in 2018, her work is wonderful. Stitch Stories shares Cas’ work alongside other artists and gives you projects and ideas to try out for yourself.

The book has been reprinted several times and you can buy a copy through Cas’ website