Christi Johnson has done it again in this beautifully detailed book.

Leading on from her amazing work Mystical Stitches this new work is another great resource for stitchers new and old alike. The book looks at how to create and develop your own original designs.

Johnson takes the stitcher on a journey from starting a creative habit to a tour of embroideries from around the world. She then moves on to teaching you about line, texture and colour composition and how you can create your own images. Finally she teaches you how to find inspiration and put everything into practise to create a work of art.

The book is absolutely beautiful with stunning pictures of Johnson’s work and inspiration pieces. The text is thorough and well explained and will be an asset to stitchers looking for new and creative ways to embroider. This is definitely one I will be getting for my own collection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

Whether you are an embroidery pro who's interested in learning the history behind the craft or a newcomer that wants to learn the difference between a running stitch and a chain stitch, this book is a great read. Johnson goes above and beyond with this book as she not only teaches basic stitches and patterns for newcomers, she also provides a number of self guided activities for newbies and allows crafters to explore their own creativity. If you want to become an embroidery master, you'll want this book by your side!

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette publishing for the advance copy.

This is a go and get it for your "making" category.

Christi Johnson, who also created the much-loved Mystical Stitches, has created a visually beautiful guide to stitching that fits that "low floor, high ceiling" category we often want in craft books. There are introductory activities for your beginners, and a terrific framework for introducing beginners to the idea of guided practice. Even if someone is just starting to stitch, they will find activities her to support them in creating their own designs. If you are running a craft club, a slow stitching group, or have people who are considering tackling a 100 Day project in 2025, this book would be brilliant to have in your collection.

Text is supported extremely well with pictures here. The idea of starting a sketchbook to help you capture designs (and a structure challenge for it if that works for you), will appeal to visual learners. The idea of taking those 2 D sketches (or photos) and capturing them in another form, adding your own colour and texture, will capture your stitchers who are looking for more of a challenge.

If you've got learners who are looking to align their making to times of year, or the elements around us, this book has them covered as well. One thing that I genuinely appreciated about the book is that you can engage with it at whatever level of mindfulness or skill that you choose. That's a gift.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette publishing for the e-arc.

There’s never enough motifs to learn! This is a delightful addition to any embroidery guru’s library. Lovely images and tasteful designs that can elevate even the beginners work. There’s something for every level and a lot of which can be translated to various other projects. If you have ever felt like you wanted a crash course in design principles this is it! Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for access to this title! I loved it and would think any one in the art would appreciate it!

I really liked that this book wasn't just about giving ideas for stitches and design but also goes through the history of embroidery as an art as well as the entire process of design from embracing creativity to setting out the design and then actually stitching. There are also so many great ideas for how to combine different stitches to make elaborate designs. As somewhat of a novice in embroidery I was amazed by how designs that I always thought looked impossible were actually made up of pretty simple stitches. I will definitely refer back to this book as I work on new projects! I also think this would be a great book for high school art classrooms to assist students who want to explore more textile arts rather than drawing, painting, or ceramics.

Beautiful book full of inspiring project, and creative wisdom. This goes beyond a typical how to craft book and let's you explore your own creativity which is something that I adore.

As a seriously keen, hobby Embroiderer, I was instantly drawn to this book.

I loved it as it is full of brilliant, inspirational ideas to encourage the reader to become more confident in choosing materials, colours, textures to create individual designs.

I picked up many ideas and tips from the book so cannot wait to start having a dabble myself.

Lots of clear photos demonstrating numerous techniques. A real must, go to book for embroidery enthusiasts.

Thank you netgalley.co.uk for allowing me to preview the book.

#netgalley.co.uk #netgalley #embroidery #book #crafting #inspiring

This is a stunning guide that really showcases the artistry and creativity behind embroidery. While there is a section at the end of the book on stitch methods, it's more of inspiration than a tutorial book. It gives a lot of tips on bringing your designs to life.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book!

This books is beautiful. I love seeing all the examples and inspiration for art. I also found it helpful to see all the stitch examples and how to start finding and incorporating design and colour.

This is one of the best embroidery books I have read and will buy it once published. It is really straightforward and encouraging. A great book for dipping into.

A gorgeous book about the history, significance, and technique in embroidery, as well as a lovely walkthrough in how to plan out intricate designs!

What an absolute jewel for those who are interested in embroidery! As the title notes, this is about designing your own project; it is not a book of patterns.

I have done embroidery - of all types (crewel, cross stitch, hardanger, etc.) - for many years. I have adapted patterns and projects to add elements or personalize a project. But this is the first time that I've seen a book dedicated to designing your own project. The author includes some basics of stitching as an appendix: needles, thread, hoops, and a nice range of stitches from basic, like backstitches and satin stitches, to more exotic, like Roumanian and Bokhara couching stitches and Cretan stitches. The directions are clear and well illustrated and give some suggestions for how to use.

Where the book truly shines is in the illustrations of techniques and designs from around the world. The photos are detailed and many of the photos give you a look at both the front and the back of the embroidery in addition to close-up details of particular stitches. We are treated to embroidery from Guatemala, Peru, India, China, Nigeria; it is truly a gorgeous trip around the world. The author encourages stitchers to use these as a springboard and find your own style, whether it is a technique from your family ancestry or a piece of art that speaks to you. There's an introduction to a variety of design elements - color, lines, textures - that can help you find your style. I love that the author promotes experimentation and play. There are suggestions for getting out of a rut or collecting inspiration from nature or doodles or whatever images strikes your fancy.

If you like stitching, this is a book that should be in your library so that you can return again and again, for ways to develop your own personal style and expand your technique and skills.

Quote I liked:

Finding your own style is the sort of process that lasts a lifetime, but it starts by becoming aware of what lights you up.

Thank you to Net Galley and Storey Publishing for the opportunity to read this lovely book.

This book is a delight for embroidery artists and beginners. Even if you never picked up a needle in your life, this one could guide you into creating samplers, sketchbooks, patchworks and different styles of stitching. The most useful section is towards the end of the book where the author describes various stitches in details for beginners to practice and then advance to creating their masterpieces. She did showcase a variety of pretty stitching methods from around the world into this book and I was stoked to find my favourite Kantha stitch (from my native Bengal, India).
If you are looking for a composite book to start stitching or just a handy one to look into the stitches or create a sampler, this is a great one.

This was a really lovely book that focuses more on the design of embroidery. It might not be what someone just starting out in embroidery would want but if you are getting tired of always using other peoples designs and want to start making your own this is a great guide book for that process.

Gorgeous book with well written explanations and examples! I love that it starts off with tools needed before diving into teaching you how to create your own designs.

Thank you Storey Publishing for this ARC!

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

This book is more advance embroidery design since it's more about coming up with the designs and taking inspiration than making something from a pattern. I think it is brilliant in how it asks writing and creative prompts for you to create something uniquely yours. The items in this book are also big projects which are inspirational, beautiful and awesome but I think you can also find smaller ways to use this book. All in all a great source for the creative embroidery process.

The Art of Embroidery Design is a wonderful resource for both beginners and experienced stitchers. The step-by-step approach to design is easy to follow, and the inclusion of examples from diverse embroidery traditions around the world adds a rich cultural layer to the content. While I appreciated the accessible structure, I found myself wishing for more depth in the design theory sections. At times, the book leaned more into inspiration than technical instruction. Overall, it's an inspiring guide, especially for those looking to get creative with their embroidery.

I adore books by this author. They are the perfect blend of guided, specific instruction and encouragement of more freeform creativity. This book has basically everything I would want-- inspiration, basic stitches, information on design principles. I look forward to following the design method laid out in this book.

Definitely more of a technical book than a pattern book, you will learn a lot about color balance and embracing the mistakes in this book. I liked the colorful and up close photos of the pieces, though the style is not one that I use a lot. Good for the adventurous beginner and up.

This is a beautiful resource about embroidery and the basics of design. The imagery throughout the book is striking and eye catching with different examples from various artists and cultures. The book is divided into easy to follow sections that begin with the creative process, progresses to information on embroidery from cultures around the world. The next section reviews the elements of design. I like how the artist has included a few sections addressing subjects to encourage the reader to expand their confidence in design and the artist profiles which demonstrate how one medium can be interpreted so many different ways. I think my favorite section of the book is Putting It All Together, where the artist breaks down her thought and design process of several of her own pieces of work. I enjoyed having this opportunity to delve into the artists mind. The one thing I would say is that if you are looking for a book with step by step projects and instructions this isn't what you are looking for. The projects within the book are more of a prompt to create your own designs. The last section goes through embroidery basics with good instructions and illustrations. If you're looking for a book to help you develop your design skills and not just repeat someone else's work, then this is the book for you.