RSN Essential Stitch Guides: Whitework

The Royal School of Needlework teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard, developing techniques in new and innovative ways. Written by RSN apprentice and tutor Lizzy Lansberry, this book contains an extensive stitch guide, as well as guidance on the materials and equipment you need; how to design your own whitework embroidery; framing up; and positioning and transferring your design. Each stitch is clearly illustrated with step-by-step photography, along with expert instruction on how to form the stitch and use it in your needlework. With an introduction to the RSN and a brief history of whitework, together with numerous traditional and contemporary examples, this book provides an essential guide to this classic form of embroidery.

Book Contents

The Royal School of Needlework 6
Introduction 8
The history of whitework 10
Materials & equipment 12
Design 20
The order of work 24
Framing up 26
Transferring a design 30
Getting started 32

STITCHES 34
Pulled thread stitches 34
Core surface stitches 49
Eyelets 64
Drawn thread stitches 66
Cutwork 78
Taking care of your embroidery 81

USING THE STITCHES 82
Butterfly 82
Angelfish 84

MOVING ON 86
Reworking a traditional design 86
Further techniques 90

Japanese Garden 94

Index 96