"Blackwork A Cultural Celebration"
Designed and Written by Janet M. Davies
Easy step by step instructions you can achieve stunning results with...

THIS EMBROIDERY BOOK INCLUDES:
30 designs to choose from.
A library of 54 Filling Patterns.
Fabric and stranded cottons internationally available.
Detailed step by step written instructions for the designs shown below.
 Stitch Glossary with diagrams.
Suitable for all levels of embroiderers.
Written with beginners in mind.
60 large coil bound pages.
"Design your own" chapter.
All books include metric and imperial measurements

OTHER CULTURAL DESIGNS IN THIS BOOK
INCLUDE DESIGNS FROM:
New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Germany, Egypt, Peru, Scotland, Greece, Japan, Pennsylvania Dutch, Indian Shisha, Fiji, China, Celtic Era and the Elizabethan Era.

SOME PICTURES BELOW FROM JANET'S BOOK

Elizabethan Dance
Design Size: 23cm x 28cm (9 ¼  x 11”).
Fabric: #28 even weave or 14# Aida
In the Elizabethan Era designs with flowers and fruit entwined in vines could be found on clothing and household fabric decoration. The Blackwork style of embroidery could also be found at this time using this design layout. In this period there was also an embroidery method named Padded Needle Lace that was incorporated in a design layouts similar to this. The Elizabethans loved to celebrate the flora and fauna of the world in their designs.

   
Loyalty and Purity
Design Size (each):  13.5cm x 17.5cm ( 5 1/4 x 7”).
Fabric: #28 even weave or 14# Aida
These Celtic Zoomorphics (creatures) where once found in texts Illuminated among the first letter of the first word in a chapter. These two particular designs would have been minute and came from scripture in the eighth century. The dog has the meaning of loyalty and the bird the meaning of purity. The interlaced knot work had the meaning of the entwined identity we have in the universe. I see these two designs framed as a picture side by side, or enlarged with each design on a pillow.

Tree of Life
Design Size: 24cm x 16cm (9 1/2 x 6 1/2”).  
Fabric: #28 even weave or 14# Aida
This design is based on Schwalm designs that originated in Germany and are named after the river Schwalm and its surrounding area. I have used the traditional Schwalm design symbols, but instead of filling the design areas with cut and pulled stitches I have used Blackwork Filling stitches. The Buttonhole Scallops stitched around some of the design symbols are a Schwalm aspect also. Originally Schwalm designs could be found as early as the 17th century. If you are interested in the traditional and contemporary aspects to the actual Schwalm embroidery I have written a book on the subject.

The design I have used in this book depicts the Schwalm ‘Tree of Life’, with life growing out of the mother earth. Love multiplying; the sun shining down on you; the flowers of nature and the dove of peace. Originally the dove was a crow, but over the centuries this has been modelled into a dove.

   
Pacifica Paradise
Design Size (each): 16cm square (6 1/4”)
Fabric: #28 even weave or 14# Aida
Pacifica entails for me New Zealand and all the other smaller Pacific Islands close by. Over the years New Zealand has come to identify itself by the Silver Fern which can be found in our native forests. Neighbouring Pacific Islands have come to identify with the Frangipani flower. Each can be found in various forms of artwork in the South Pacific area.

Each book is A4 (8 x 11 1/2") in size. Coil binding has been used on the book spines, so when snuggled in your favourite chair you can easily keep open the book on your knee while stitching. No having to juggle the book to keep it open on the page you need. The covers have colour photos of the main projects and the contents of the books are printed in black and white.

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