Stumpwork Medieval Flora (Milner Craft Series) - Tapa dura

Dec 09/Jan 10 Illuminated manuscripts of the medieval era provide the inspiration for Jane Nicholas's glorious stumpwork. There are eight botanical specimens, which display the buds, blossoms and seed cases of the flower; the embroideries, like the illustrations that inspired them, offer wonderful surprises, and close inspection reveals an assortment of beetles and creepy-crawlies nestling in the foliage. Another three embroideries, exquisitely stitched panels, are accompanied by beautiful illustrations showing the illuminated pages that inspired them. The techniques used to create the embroideries are clearly explained and, with the necessary skills at your fingertips, the elements in the book could be combined in numerous ways to create your own designs. * Stitch * Inspired principally by the medieval 'Book of Hours' Jane has selected eight flowers and given them a new lease of life in stumpwork embroidery. Five of the subjects are botanical specimens with Latin names, the other three are worked as illuminated panels. The embroideries are worked in rich colours, embellished with gold thread and beads. Each stunning piece includes an insect. The requirements for making each project are given in detail with drawings, tracing patterns and diagrams. Beautiful illustrations throughout. * YarnsandFabrics.co.uk *

The embroideries in this beautifully illustrated work were inspired in particular by the decorative panels and borders in the illuminated Book of Hours created by Jean Bourdichon for Anne of Brittany, early in the sixteenth century. Jane has chosen eight flowers from myriad possibilities and interprepted them here in stumpwork embroidery. Five are worked as botanical specimens, their Latin names stitched below them. The other three, equally botanically correct, are presented as illuminated panels with richly coloured borders embellished with gold thread and beads. Each piece includes a 'surprise' in the form of an insect (or two), faithfully interpreted in fabric, wire, beads and thread. The requirements and instructions for each project are given in detail, along with a tracing patterns and explanatory diagrams.