The New Anchor Book of Blackwork — Book Review

David & Charles, 2005, reprinted 2010, ISBN 978-0715319291, $12

I just love Blackwork and so I was intrigued by this little book that’s part of Anchor’s embroidery series. It’s a nicely put together introduction to this lovely technique.

The book is project-based, so that the filling patterns (48 in all) are charted within the context of specific projects. Since each pattern is numbered it is also easy to find the for the two large projects (a chessboard & a bellpull) that use fillings from elsewhere in the book.

Each project has a page devoted to it, with a color chart and picture, some stitching instructions and information about the size.

The projects are all modern in style, as are the fills and don’t reflect the complexity of traditional blackwork. While this is excellent for beginners, you might find it less useful than other books if you are interested in historic aspects of this technique.

As is usual in embroidery books there is a short chapter of history and a longer chapter on materials and techniques — all good as an introduction.

But, all in all, I was disappointed by the book. There is plenty of information there and charming projects, but if you start at the beginning of the book, you might throw it down before you get to the projects.

The first two projects presented are the two large ones and you don’t get the feeling the instructions are complete. The materials and technique chapter shows several of the later projects being stitched in steps, but doesn’t tell you where to find the rest of the instructions. The reader is left to wonder if these projects are in the book or if someone she is supposed to infer how to stitch them from the pictures.

The following chapter of embroidery ideas has the same flaw. I”m 25 pages into the book before I see any charted blackwork filling and the first project is even further along.

This book has some delightful pieces in it and is a good introduction, but approach it with patience.