Gorgeous Wool Appliqué: A Visual Guide to Adding Dimension & Unique Embroidery

As a huge fan of applique, embroidery, and working with wool, this book is a huge hit with me. I love it. The projects are gorgeous and beautifully detailed. Of the ten projects included in this book, I especially love both the Harvest and the Heartsease penny rugs. I will definitely be making both of those first. I also love the pillows and the tin top box, which transforms an empty Altoid tin into a thing of beauty to stash needles, pins, or whatever our heart desires. If I had a complaint it would be that I wished there were more than ten projects. Other than that this is a great wool applique book. If you’ve never worked with felted wool before you are in for a treat and using this book will get you off on the right foot. I love appliqueing with wool because it doesn’t fray, is easy to stitch through, and it adds a beautiful three-dimensional look wherever it’s added in a project. To me, embroidery is like the icing on a cake, or jewelry, it dresses up and enhances. The book begins with eleven illustrated pages of general instructions to enable us in achieving a lovely end result. I really appreciated the information about the differences between felted wool, wool felt, craft felt, and gabardine, which of these to use, which to avoid, and why. Other topics covered under the “Basics” are: Felting wool, Threads (wool thread, cotton floss, perle cotton), and Tools & Supplies (needles, tweezers, acetate [for making guides], tissue paper, scissors, and glue [the author recommends Roxanne's Glue Baste It ]). Under the section titled “Prework” illustrated instruction is given for Marking the Base Shape, Creating a Placement Guide, Creating Embroidery Guides, Tips for Stitching through Tissue Paper, Embroidery Over Running Stitch Guidelines, and Making Freezer-Paper Patterns. The section, “Appliqueing with Felted Wool” teaches the Tack Stitch, and for adding dimension to the projects there is, Stuffing, Trapunto, Layering, and Needle Slanting all of which are clearly explained. In the back of the book is the Glossary of Stitches, which covers the: basting stitch, blanket stitch, bullion stitch, chain stitch, chain stitch with needle weaving, colonial knot, couching stitch, fly stitch, herringbone stitch, ladder stitch, lazy daisy stitch, running stitch, satin stitch, seed stitch, stem stitch, and whipstitch. There are full-size template patterns throughout the book for the smaller projects as well as pull-out sheets with full-size templates for the larger penny rug projects. Happy Stitching!

This is a beautiful book, filled with amazingly lovely projects. Deborah’s style is unique in the wool applique world, which generally features lots of primitive & simplistic designs. Deborah’s projects are whimsical, detailed, colorful & no one else designs projects that are similar. Her instructions are thorough and she has a youtube channel with videos that show you how to do many things as well. I will say that this is probably not for someone completely new to wool applique, but definitely something to aspire to if you’re a beginner. You can’t go wrong with Deborah’s books!

Instructions are clear and easy to follow. Having a hard time deciding which one I want to do first.

This book has lovely projects with good patterns and explicit instructions. It has also inspired me to move forward with some ideas of my own that I had been mulling about. My only complaint is that some of the suggested methods are unnecessarily labor intensive. I prefer not to trace things. You can get printable freezer paper sheets and scan and print all the applique patterns as many times as needed, rather than trace them from the book. I also don't bother with basting. There is a nice explanation of how to do it if you wish, but I feel its far too time consuming to sew in stitches that you later remove. They make perfectly useful glue for basting appliques, or even thinned craft glue will work. If you carry out the steps in the order given, the project doesn't turn out exactly like the photo. For example, in making the nutcracker rug you first stitch the border pine garland before laying down the applique of the nutcracker. But the photo has the pine stitching done over top of the applique. Which means you would have to applique the foot before doing the embroidery for the pine in that area of the rug. It's a minor issue but something to keep in mind in planning your project. The patterns are worth the price of the book and you can use or not use some of the techniques as you please.

Fantastic book. Very nice photos, very detailed so you can see the stitches that were done. The patterns are exquisit, the colors used have depth and there is movement in the design, it is not static, two dimensional. But be aware if you want to start this hobby - the supplies are very expensive, from $8 for a small square to $24 for half a yard.

This is a book where the content is even better than the cover. Lots of closeup photos, clear instructions, and patterns for every project. The layout is great. As a former graphic designer, I appreciate how well the information flows. I can read the text without my glasses! This book sets you up for success; I feel that it leads to inspiration to take the process beyond these patterns.

I love the designs in this book. Always been a big fan of Jacobean. The book is nicely done with photo's and instruction. There's a link in Kindle to be able to download and print the patterns for the projects. Beautiful!

The book is just what I wanted and arrived in pristine condition.

Some good flower appliqué patterns, well explained . I love the Nutcracker penny rug.

This is an excellent resource for individuals wanting to undertake wool applique. The book takes one through the process step by step with instructions are clear and easy to follow. Deborah's patterns invite one to get started and the patterns incorporate good design. The illustrations are inspiring and can become the basis for original design. The only question will be which pattern to begin with.

Excellent

I do felt hand work

A truly wonderful book. Beautiful photos and designs, easy to follow instructions.