This is a solid introduction to embroidery. If you've never picked up needle and embroidery thread this book can get you going. It doesn't devote a lot of page space to discussion of materials, which would be useful for a total beginner, but the fact that you can check out the author's blog and youtube for more info is a nice bonus.

I liked the variety of projects, the sampler suggested looks fun and there were some project ideas that were out of the box, I've never seen a 3D apothecary jar embroidery project before and the idea of stitching on a wire basket was pretty cool!

This book would be great for a teen who wants to try out embroidery, good projects and bright eye catching colors would make this a good fit. And I want to order it for my library.

"The Modern Embroidery Handbook" is a comprehensive guide to the art of hand embroidery, designed for stitchers of all levels. Inspired by vintage sewing companions, the book offers step-by-step instructions for 72 different stitches, a large-scale sampler, and 20 original projects. The initial chapters introduce basic stitches commonly found in embroidery designs. As readers progress, they are introduced to more advanced techniques, including stitches for borders and edging, decorative motifs, and textural stitches and knots. Each stitch is clearly illustrated with step-by-step instructions, making it accessible even to beginners. The 20 projects provide ample opportunity to practice the stitches learned. They range from simple samplers to more ambitious pieces, such as a customizable mini-sampler dress, a botanical wreath, and a collaborative embroidery project. Each project includes detailed instructions, beautiful photographs, and templates for home use. Beyond the technical guidance, "The Modern Embroidery Handbook" encourages readers to explore their creativity and experiment with unconventional techniques. Albans provides tips for using watercolours on fabric, creating unique pieces for personal use or home decor, and experimenting with 3D effects in embroidery. The book's focus on modern embroidery aligns with current trends in the craft. Albans emphasizes bold motifs, personalized designs, and a contemporary aesthetic. The projects reflect this modern sensibility, encouraging readers to step out of their comfort zones and explore new possibilities. Overall, "The Modern Embroidery Handbook" is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning or advancing their embroidery skills. From basic stitches to inspiring projects, this book provides a comprehensive and accessible guide to the art of hand embroidery.

As a beginner to intermediate embroidery artist, I found this to be a more of reference guide for inspiration on using stitches as opposed to a handbook on how to execute its stitches and projects.

I had expected some additional templates especially for the sampler project. I also would have liked if there were more than 2 images for more of the more complicated stitches/steps. It does not feel as instructional but rather like a brief snapshot of ideas.

The variety of use cases in the sample projects from clothing to decor were enjoyable. My favorite designs were the Polaroid photo frames and the botanical hoop.

Overall, this feels more reference guide for more experienced creators not a handbook as it's titled. It is a bit too simplified/condensed for beginners that need more in-depth instruction. While it works as a good inspiration for stitches and their uses, some may need additional resources on how to complete the more complex stitches or designing their projects.

Thanks to NetGalley and White Owl for providing an early copy for review.

I know the basics of embroidery and have done a few pieces. So this title sounded interesting to review. I really liked the idea that there are nearly 70 stitches included and all in a sampler. That idea is simply great for practice and as a reference too. I like the layout of the book. The projects are a mix of quickies and time consuming ones. The photographs are good and templates are provided. The stitches are not explained elaborately but for someone who knows its a quick refresher. its more a project book than a basics. I wish there were more photos of authors work included for inspiration.

Really great book. I love that it had a sampler pattern and included more then just the most basic embroidery stitches. I like how it was organized to build upon itself with more stitches being used in the patterns. It also has a nice mix of projects.

I really enjoy doing embroidery so I pick up any and all embroidery books out there. This one is well done and had some good ideas for projects . There are 20 projects in the book. The instructions are good. Some of the projects weren’t my taste and the instructions on which stitches to use could have been better. I definitely want to try stitching on my shoes.

My favorite, and the most helpful, portion of this book is the color photos and descriptions of over 70 stitches.
The book is in chapters about a sampler project, First Stitches, Borders and Edging, Decorative Stitches and Motifs, Textures and Knots, and Guides and Templates. If you do the sampler from chapter 1, you get to practice all the stitch types. Then the other chapters start out with the stitch how-tos and move into project guides. The project guides list the types of stitches and materials (including suggested fabric color and DMC floss/thread colors). Templates are in the back for the projects where one is used. Some are embroidery on fabric, meant to be a hooped or framed wall hanging, but there are some embellished baskets, projects that create a framed area for a photo, and embroidery on shoes and shirts.
The projects are modern and in bright colors, and they vary in design. I do wish there were some timeframe or skill level indication, so that you wouldn't have to guess at how long one project might take versus another.

The Modern Embroidery Handbook by Clare Albans is a bright, beautifully produced guide to creating fresh and exciting projects with hand embroidery. The stitch guides are some of the most helpful I've ever read in embroidery books, with clear instructions and beautiful color coding. The projects are creative and wide ranging, with multiple difficulty levels to grow your skills. I'm used to craft books where I can see myself making 2-3 of the patterns; in this book I immediately wanted to make them all.

This is a beautiful colourful book full of inspiration for stitches of all abilities.

There are simple step by step instructions for 72 different stitches and 20 projects which will allow you to try out all the stitches you have learned. I love the templates which allows the reader the opportunity to try the projects for themselves.

I love embroidery and find it such a relaxing hobby so I’m looking forward to trying out a few of the projects from the book and referring back to it when I’m looking for inspiration.

If you're an embroiderer who's a fan of bright and fun colors, this book is for you. The ideas were so fun and creative and will definitely brighten any space up. The instructions were clear and the patterns were inspirational. This is the perfect gift for someone who enjoys embroidery and also bright cheerful colors! A huge thank you to the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for my thoughts!

By golly where do I begin. I absolutely love this book! It got me at the cover. The bright colors drew me in and the patterns are beautiful.
The pictures and explanations are excellent and easy to understand.
As an embroider I was taken with the mix of designs, colors and elements used. There was something for everyone no matter the skill level.

Thanks to Netgalley for my ARC

I wasn't impressed with this one. Each stitch is described in a confusing way that I can't follow or picture. Each stitch is also illustrated, but with only two small images. The images show the stitch being completed on the sampler among several other stitches and colors which is visually confusing. The images are a 'begin' image and a 'in progress' image that don't make any more sense to me than the text. I kept squinting at the screen and leaning close, trying to get a clearer view of what was happening, but I came away without even a clear idea of what each completed stitch looks like.

None of the projects were appealing to me, except maybe the artist's palette one. A lot of that comes down to personal taste, but it would be hard to come up with a list of projects I liked the look of less.

Usually I come away from an embroidery handbook with at least a couple of new stitches and some project ideas, but this one I came away empty handed with a bit of a headache from squinting.

*Thanks to NetGalley and White Owl for providing an early copy for review.

This embroidery tutorial book is FUN! I use a lot of different mediums in my art, but embroidery is my very favorite. I love the ideas Clare adds to this book, the colors she picked, and the stitches. There were so many I didn’t even know about! I feel inspired 🙂✨

I've been wanting to do embroidery for so long, my kit sitting collecting dust from 3 Christmases ago! Thanks to this book I might finally pick it up! It has some amazing beginner projects, ranging from home décor, clothing, wall art and more! The bookmark looks like the perfect place to start for the book advocates amongst us reading this book via NetGalley! 😉 I can't wait to try out some of these fun little projects.

Thank you to NetGalley for this copy in exchange for review.

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

There was a good variety of stitches and projects. But, why weren't there always pictures of how the finished stitches look after you do them in the stitch guides? That's what lowered the rating for me. I know there's a zoomed out version of the sampler at the beginning, but I don't want to keep having to flip back to it, especially in a digital book. Otherwise, just the number of stitches included would have made this a 4+ star instead of a 3.5. But I'll round up since this would have been less of an issue in a physical copy.

The Modern Embroidery Handbook : Learn over 70 hand embroidery stitches step-by-step, plus 20 colourful projects and a sampler. This is a creative and inspiring guide including unique stitches and techniques. The step by step instructions make it suitable for beginners and more advanced needle workers alike. The projects are varied and fun and can be adapted to your own tastes. The photographs and colourful pages make the book a joy to browse through. Perfect for new and more advanced embroiderers.

Clare Albans has very creative designs and ideas within her modern embroidery handbook. She does not just cover embroidery hoops but all kinds of fabrics that one can embroider (and those options are plenty!).

My favourites are the botanical hoop, the polaroid hoop and the shelfie bookmark!

This is a very nicely done guide for both stitches and ideas. I like the idea of the sampler for learning each of the stitches. It's more modern and colorful than what's been out there before. I do have to say I kinda expected the full sampler at the beginning but understand that it was laid out in accordance to when the stitches would be used with other ideas.

I am not a sewer, but my library population has a lot of crafters and will appreciate this. The Love Yourself tee and converse embroidery make me want to give embroidery a shot. I also like some of the hoop designs.

The stitch guide will be helpful for newer embroiderers.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This is a super fun instructional and inspirational book for those who love cross stitching. You’re shown the basics with clear, colorful pictures. I appreciated how there are templates available but plenty of the projects can be inspired by free hand. I personally need things mapped out for me but this book had enough cross stitching project suggestions that would inspire anyone new or experienced in this hobby