At Mr X Stitch we love to review textile art and embroidery books for you. There are so many great books to discover, packed with needlework inspiration and textile techniques, so we dive into each book to find out what’s good, what’s bad and let you know why you should pick it up.

From Art to Stitch by Janet Edmonds 

Introduction

A part of ‘The Textile Artist’ series, From Art to Stitch by Janet Edmonds is about creating mixed media textile art inspired and influenced by the style of historical famous artists. She doesn’t stop at those related to textiles, within this volume we see pieces inspired by Van Gogh and Matisse to name just a few.

Who is it aimed at?

The book is aimed at those interested in Mixed Media Art and Textiles. It is especially targeted around those with an interest in Fine Art or artists related to this genre, with the main source of inspiration deriving from the classic artists.

About the Artist

Her own website tells us:

Janet Edmonds trained at East Berkshire College, Windsor and The University of Hertfordshire, completing a BA (Hons) in Art and Design in 1998. She has many years experience of teaching City & Guilds courses in Embroidery in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, and also runs courses for the Embroiderers’ Guild. Her own work is mainly three-dimensional and is based on natural forms and landscapes. When not teaching, gardening and walking in the beautiful countryside where she lives provide Janet with the inspiration for her drawing, painting and stitching.

Content

Each artist the book covers is split into its own chapter, with 7 artists to choose from, there are bound to be names you recognise.

We begin with an introduction and insight into the different techniques required to achieve the different artist styles. As we head into the project pages, each section is well laid out, has easy to follow diagrams and is illustrated to a high standard, helping those who are more visual learners.

Photography and what makes this book special

The photography throughout is bright and colourful, with whole-page spreads of high-quality and detailed images. The materials are laid out beautifully, inspiring us to fill our space with new and exciting tools.

Conclusion

From Art to Stitch by Janet Edmonds is an inspiring collection of art tutorials inspired by famous classical artists. There are a whole array of artists to choose from, with new techniques to learn guided by Edmonds to achieve the different effects.