Makoto’s Cross-stitch Super Collection – Book Review

Makoto Oozu, North Light Books, 2009, $19.99 ISBN: 978-1-4403-0945-0

I have to admit, I’m a sucker for Japanese art of all kinds. And I’m particularly fond of those pixelated little graphics, sort of like what you find on old video games. Many times I’ve looked at books of these images (at $70 each) and wanted to buy them and turn them into needlework charts.

So imagine my delight when I found this book in a Barnes & Noble, that has done the work for me. These little designs were originally published in two Japanese books and they have been translated into English and combined here.

The book has three parts. The first part is a gallery of a selection of the charts. Grouped into subjects (robots, sea creatures, globe trotting, etc.) they motifs are shown stitched on black or white. The pictures are clear enough to use for stitching.

Part 2 has ideas for stitched gear that are endlessly inventive. Although they are all done as Cross Stitch, there is no reason why you couldn’t do most of these things as needlepoint. Where there is a grid already (gingham shirts, plastic grid cosmetic cases) use it for your stitching. Where there isn’t a grid, use waste canvas, or stitch on a grid and apply it to the item, or both.

I love that the projects are clever adaptations of items you don’t think of as grounds for stitching. Probably the most inventive of these is the 3-D panel. It uses painted Masonite (it’s already drilled_ as the ground for a 3-D T. Rex.

The final section has charts and instructions for making every one of the projects as well as all the motifs in the first part. Each chart is separate and has the dimensions in stitch count. The charts use symbols that are keyed to DMC floss. At the beginning of this section is a helpful how-to that gives hints on how to stitch on other materials.

If you know of kids who want to learn needlepoint, these designs are small enough to give them a feeling of accomplishment and the projects are interesting enough to make them want to stitch.

It’s a great book, and a wonderful value.