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.
Today we are reviewing Stitched Textiles: Animals, written by Mrs Betrimus and published by Search Press
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Introduction
Are you an animal fan? Do you love to get out into nature? Maybe you have a pet at home? Most of us have some connection to animals, even if we are scared of the real ones! This practical guide, written by Mrs Bertimus and published by Search Press will take you through a variety of ways to put your furry pals into the picture. Learn how to create animal themed stitched textiles with an eclectic mix of media thrown in, such as collage and vintage fabrics. More messy techniques are explored, such as paint and print making. The only thing to decide is what will be your source of inspiration……?
Stitched Textiles: Animals is written by Mrs Bertimus and provides a wealth of ideas for the nature fan and those who wish to try out new methods. A vast array of ideas are played out visually, including print making and mixed media as well as appliqué and other embroidery techniques. Collaged together in this humble publication, this is an inspiring, practical guide.
Oh and you might remember our other article on Mrs Bertimus, why not read it after this one?
Oh and we must mention that this book already has some brilliant feedback from so many sources, valuable ones such as highly acclaimed textile and embroidery magazines. So it isn’t just us…..its getting a lot of love!
Let’s explore why you should get on board…..
About The Author
Letitia Thompson, better known as Mrs Bertimus, has worked in art education for over 20 years and loves meeting kindred spirits on her painting, mixed media and textiles workshops. Being able to watch nature on her doorstep has permeated the imagery and storytelling of Letitia’s work, and she continues to explore her make-believe world of painted, collaged and stitched characters…..we hope she does too!
Who Is This Book Aimed At?
Those with an interest in nature and animals, who wish to bring this aspect into their stitched work. There is a strong art and mixed media based aspect to this book, so an interest to bring this into your practice will peak your interest in this book.
Content
So, looking at the book contents, there are a few step by step projects, however the main premise is to get you as the student to develop your own ideas, having learned the techniques taught within this book…
Materials required are visually shown……..
Having a fine art background, her teaching is often centred around drawing or building your composition. However there are templates at the back of this book too, so do not fear if you are not the worlds best drawer!
Her drawing work is sublime and is visually showcased throughout, it is something for us to try at least!
One of the techniques you will learn is free machine embroidery……..
So as you can see above, the techniques are well illustrated.
Other mixed media techniques are taught too, for example those using print making ideas. We can learn the basics then use it at our will, its certainly not perscribed…..
Again, lets look at the drawing work….totally something to aspire to!
So let us sum up the main highlights of this book….
If you think that all stitched animals are cute and maybe a bit sad, you haven’t seen the work of Letitia Thompson, aka Mrs Bertimus…..so first of all, make sure you give it some consideration!
Moving on, another high point is the drawing skills. They are awsome as you will clearly see through this publication, but not all of us are experts. The projects do not need us to be the best fine artists….there are plenty of techniques which are not drawing based. Templates are also provided at the back, so no worries. The author alludes to this connection with fine art techniques right at the beginning, where here personal comments tell us that she has always been torn between Textiles and Fine Art and then realised she did not have to. She has found her own way of working, using both married together. Maybe you as the reader will too!
Another highlight…..learn how to literally draw with a sewing machine! This can open up a whole new world, you will love or hate this technique!
After a very brief description of materials, the book moves straight into the action……
Backgrounds are an important part of any artwork and the ideas in this book could be used for painting or drawing as well as the appliqué shown. Blocks of colour and stitch combine to integrate the subject matter without intruding on the focal point.
Paper collage, stitching into paper, gelli plate printing (which is used for design as well as stitch) are all covered. Ideas for using the results of these techniques are also shown. A chapter on ‘Telling a Story’ is useful and covers many examples of story sources and the use of the tales. All these are told in completed works.
So, there we go…plenty to keep you occupied! We recommend going grabbing some nature photos or your own furry friend and getting going!
Photography
Sublime. Every project is explained through visual methods, making it easy to follow….as you can see from the image above, the images are so well presented.
What Makes This Book Special?
This is not a twee, nice homely publication, which we may feel embarrassed to own. Mrs Bertimus takes us on a fresh and contemporary journey….
Anything Wrong With The Book?
If you don’t like animals, the theme may disappoint you! But who doesn’t?
Conclusion
Stitched Textiles: Animals is available right now through this link!
