The newest entry in Jane Zimmerman’s Small Book Series is on Laid & Layered Fillings. It’s a wonderful little book, great techniques and inspiration for the advanced stitcher.
While there are some easy version of these kind of fillings, Jane is exploring seven classes of laid fillings, some requiring as many as six passes to stitch the pattern. Each of the classes begins with work hints for this type of pattern. Then there are large pictures of each of the fillings of this type, with text explanations and one of more diagrams. The diagrams are packed with information, using letters, numbers, different colored lines and arrows to convey everything you need to stitch the pattern.
At the beginning of the book is a two-page introduction which gives some background and general information.
Looking at the book I found myself wishing for more. I would love to know more about the types of threads that can be used successfully for these fillings. Since coverage and overlapping steps are often issues in these fillings, the choice of thread is important.
While I love that the pictures of the stitches, in black & white use several shades of gray to convey the different passes, I find myself wanting to see them in action, used in more muted colors on an actual canvas.
I know this is outside the scope of these little books, but the technique is so intriguing, I want to learn more. And I want to learn it from Jane.
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
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