RSN Essential Stitch Guides: Silk Shading

A new, larger format edition of the classic reference work on silk shading by the Royal School of Needlework (RSN). The Essential Stitch Guides provide a set of definitive works on traditional embroidery techniques.

Graduate Apprentice Sarah Homfray throws light onto the beautiful craft of silk shading, also known as painting with a needle, long and short stitch embroidery or thread painting. This book reveals the history of the craft then moves on to the materials and equipment required. Next, Sarah covers design and using colour, simplifying and demystifying this often neglected area of embroidery. The main part of the book then covers all of the essential stitches and techniques through clear, step-by-step diagrams, coupled with beautiful, close-up photographs showing how they can be used in a finished piece.

Key traditional techniques are included: the fundamental stab, split and long and short stitches; along with couching, padding, adding beads and sequins, and knots. The book ends with beautiful and exquisitely-worked examples and covers working with different fabrics, threads and incorporating painted backgrounds.

The RSN teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard and is respected all over the world. It not only upholds the traditions of English embroidery that go back many hundreds of years, but is constantly taking embroidery forward in new and innovative ways. This series of Essential Stitch Guides has been produced in close collaboration with the RSN with the aim of providing a set of definitive works on traditional embroidery techniques.

Book Contents

The Royal School of Needlework 6, Introduction 8, The history of silk shading 10, Materials 12, Design and using colour 20, Framing up 32

Stitches 38, Stab stitch 38, Split stitch 39, Long and short stitch 40, Running stitch 42, Stem stitch 43, Eyelet stitch 44, Adding beads and sequins 44, Padding 46, French knots 48, Bullion knots 49

Getting started 54, Projects to stitch 62, Taking your work further 74, Further ideas for your own designs 86, Finishing your work 90, Troubleshooting 94, Index 96