Beginner's Guide to Blackwork

This is very a thorough and historic look at blackwork. However, if you are looking for a how-to book,this is not it. It really does not go enough in how to perform the intimate stitches. Even still, I am adding this book to my personal libriary.

Christmas gifts

If you are an actual beginner don't start with this book because for what you get in this book is actually pretty underwhelming considering the cost. The patterns are beautiful and might be an incentive to purchase if you already know how to do blackwork. If you are a complete beginner though the instructional section is pretty pathetic with barely a page given on how to do the actual stitching. Many pages were only half filled, and usually these were with sampler examples. Why claim to be a beginners book and then not actual give detailed instruction for beginners! One of the difficulties I've had with this type of embroidery was working out how to seamlessly go through a pattern and not cross your own stitching path, truly making it look mirrored on front and back. No info was given on working the patterns. The whole book including index is only 63 pages and most of it is devoted to pictures of the author's samplers. I'm going to keep the book for the patterns but I'm definitely going to have to purchase a different "beginner" book to actually learn anything about doing the embroidery itself!

Love this book and use it a lot, but be aware that the alphabet contains no Q or J...I like that the author really encourages you to try making your own borders... As somewhat of a novice, I was nervous that there weren't many ready-made project charts to attempt, but the style really lends itself to improvisation.

It may help to have done some embroidery or sewing before, but this book does include a few pages on each topic of: what tools and supplies you need, how to set up your work, where to begin, how to embroider and how to frame your work. There are some but not many photos of historic pieces and many photos of what I take to be the author's work as examples. The majority of the book are pictures of the finished work with a stitching chart on the opposite page. These are very clear, unlike the poor quality of some older books, and could be photocopied and enlarged. They do not show the direction in which to stitch to make your work reversible; however, a crafty person should be able to figure that out without specific directions.I wish this had been the first blackwork book I had bought! It shows enough historic samplers and bands to keep me busy for a number of years. I am a reenactor and I want to make my own blackwork bands to sew onto shirt collars and cuffs, after I practice on some samplers. They would also make nice gifts.

I found this book very helpful as I try to learn more about blackwork. In response to the previous review complaining that the author doesn't teach the Holbein stitch (which looks the same on the front and back), yes, she does, but she doesn't tell you that it looks the same front and back (I happen to know from other materials I've read).The author also assumes that you have some blackwork/embroidery skills, so it isn't for rank beginners. I also wish that it had more on the history of blackwork, instead of just trotting out that Katherine of Aragon stuff (which no one seems to ever actually document). I really appreciated the info on how to frame my work.I appreciated the number of charts, from small and easy to large and complex, that are included. I have picked out several to attempt soon. Overall, I'm glad I bought this book.

Black work is a fascinating for all of us that are totally machochistic? I use all colors and make up the pattern as I go along. This type of needlework works amazingly when used with Celtic patterns!

I've been looking for a book on blackwork and/or redwork for years, but nothing met my needs. Then I saw someone had gotten this one, in one of my Facebook groups, and I ordered it after her rave review of it. It has not disappointed. I'm very pleased with the detail I found on my first read-through. Very easy to follow, but the designs are challenging enough for a more advance stitcher.

薄い冊子で内容も初心者。ブラックワークしてる人はもの足らないかも。図案は表紙のようなかわいいもの、ライン、アルファベットです

ブラックワークのサンプルがたくさん掲載されています。どれもこれも繊細ですてきです。花などの一点ものの小さなデザイン、fill-inのデザイン（空間を埋め尽くすためのデザイン、という感じでしょうか）、ボーダーなどが紹介されています。すてきなボーダーのデザインがたくさんあったので私は大満足でした。Beginnerと銘打ってはありますが、決して妥協されていない感じです。刺繍する際の針の進め方（ホルベインステッチの仕方）などは説明されていないので、自分でなんとかする必要はあります。見るだけでもすてきです。

単色のシンプルなクロスステッチが好きですが、ブラックワークというジャンルがあることを知り1冊目として購入しました。図案が見たいと思って購入しましたので、書いてある言葉は分りませんが特に問題はないです。図案の数は、このページ数にしては多いと思います。ラインステッチなども多く、とても素敵で自分でもアレンジしたりしても色々と楽しめると思いますよ＾＾

BlackWorkの練習がしたくてこちらを購入しました。すべて英語で書かれているので、フランス語やドイツ語の洋書よりは簡単に読むことができます。Biginner'sというだけあって、一応刺し方が写真付きで紹介されています。刺し終わりの糸の始末のところで布の裏が写ってますが、どう刺していったらあんなに綺麗な裏面になるのかさっぱり。一応簡単そうな図案を選んで刺してみましたが…？？？orz綺麗に絵を繋げていくのが難しい〜です。完全な刺繍Biginnerさんにはもっと難しいのでは？ただ、★を４つにした理由は、「分からなかったのは私だけかも」という本への期待（笑）とにかくたくさんのサンプル、図案が掲載されています！図案とそれを刺したサンプルが見開きに一緒に載ってるので「刺したらこんな感じ」っていうのが分かりやすいです。あと、可愛らしい図案が多いのも魅力的です。どんぐりと葉っぱのラインやお花をモチーフにしたもの、BlackWorkの概念を覆すカラフルな刺繍！見ていて飽きないです。

This is a lovely way to learn about blackwork. There are dozens of patterns for fill-ins, borders, figures and flowers, ranging from simple to quite complex. The designs are shown as both charts and completed stitching. I seem to remember that another reviewer mentioned that there aren't very detailed instructions, and that's true, but all you really need to know is how to do running stitch and backstitch, which are explained. As this is a book aimed at beginners, I think that Lesley could perhaps have explained that, at least when you first start blackwork, that it doesn't really matter which route you take around the pattern. I wander all over the place. Unless you're aiming to produce an advanced piece of work using running stitch, which looks identical on the back and the front, you don't need to worry about how you stitch the designs.Get some Aida, some embroidery thread and this book, and you'll be chuffed at the results you can achieve.