Carolyn Hedge Baird’s new book is an absolute delight. It addresses what I think is a problem for most needlepointers, picking stitches for small spaces. Even if that doesn’t describe you, you’ll find lots of charming and inventive stitches in this book (over 150), all done in Carolyn’s trademark style.
Looking through this book, I found it had many things going for it that you won’t find in most stitch dictionaries. The stitches are placed in, mostly, alphabetical order, which makes it easy to find a stitch. The diagrams, while not always large, are generally easy to see. One nice feature is that the book isn’t crowded with stitches, as most smaller books are; there is one stitch per page.
What you do find that really shows off Carolyn’s skill as a teacher, is a discussion for each stitch of when and how it might be used. This is in a more conversational style than the Stitches for Effect series and I really like it.
Just paging through the book, I got so many ideas for new projects, I wanted to ditch the overflowing project basket and start something new.
This method works well enough for browsing and planning, but what if you need a stitch for a particular area? That where this book truly shines with a great series of indexes. There are listings, in separate indexes, for stitches of several types or for several kinds of areas. You don’t have to go through a lengthy index; each index is separated from the others by a page of colored cover stock. The stitches that work for the effect are all listed there. Some of the indexes are longer than the others, but each will be invaluable to you as you stitch.
I can see this book becoming an essential part of any stitcher’s library.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
I have been a fan of your nuts about needlepoint for a long time. Last week I opened your email and was prompted to sign up on Ready Graph. I tried to log off but couldn’t view your site unless I signed into their site. Since I love reading your blogs, I answered their questions/ survey. Since then, I’ve been getting emails from them every day if not two. I’m really angry now that I signed up. I thought I would give you feedback about them. It’s very annoying.
You can make the sign in screen go away, but it isn’t the obvious “close” or “x.” In the upper right corner there is a little icon that has a down arrow. Click on it. The screen should go away.
I suspect that you can unsubscribe to their emails, look at the bottom of a mail. They should have instructions or a link to unsubscribe. I will pass along this feedback though.
Keep Stitching,
Janet
Been looking for this book. Have not been able to find it yet. Any ideas?
I bought mine through Chaparral in Houston, but I also saw it advertised at Ruth Kern Books. If you are going to the EGA or ANG Seminars, she’ll probably have it in the bookstores there.
If others have seen shops that are carrying it, add a comment to let us know.
Keep Stitching,
Janet
Thanks for a great review, Janet. I have been posting names I have mailed my books to so your readers can look at the Needlepointing in Your Nest Facebook page to see where my books are being sold.
Of course, customers can call Chaparral, where I work, and we I’ll be happy to mail one to you!
713-621-7562
Great addition to your stitching library….I got my copy from Michelle at Come to the Pointe in San Rafael, CA http://www.cometothepoint.com 415-485-4942 She mailed it right out to me….