Time for Embroidery

It’s time for some embroidery! The time has come to start talking about my new Modern Crewel Embroidery book with a little more urgency as it is due for release next month! This means I can now share some of the projects from the book and tell you a little more about it.

I’ve got some exciting plans to help celebrate the release including a book tour and a launch event. Plus I have a new Aurifil thread box to accompany the book which was launched at Festival of Quilts but got it’s official launch blogpost on the Auribuzz blog just a week ago. I did a few new things for this and wanted to share them here too. I’m also working on two new embroideries and thought I could share some sneak peeks here too. So lots of embroidery news!

Stitching with Wool is the name of my new Aurifil thread box (shown above) and it contains 10 x 12wt wool spools, all of which I have used in the book projects. You can read more about the collection in the Auribuzz post here.

I recreated the Doodle Hoop from the new book in thread colours from the collection for the box cover artwork, but this is the original.

Now the book is nearly here I can share some of the projects with you. As well as the Doodle Hoop there is the Mandala Hoop below…

And these Mini Patchwork Hoops…

I can also share the back cover as well as the front, and this gives you more of peek at the projects inside.

The book is published by Stash Books and is full of interesting projects, not just hoops, and you can see a few of these here including belt, pouch and cushion. There’s actually lots more in the book!

Here’s some official promo blurb:

“In Modern Crewel Embroidery Jo Avery reinvents the traditional technique with 15 fresh designs that make for stunning projects accessible to embroiderers of all skill levels.

Stitchers are invited to create texture and dimension using wool thread and felt appliqué for designs. Stitch up flowers, honeycombs, fish, and so much more to create unique pincushions, pillows, wallhangings, hoops, and beyond.”

Writing a book takes a long time and I started stitching some of these 20 months ago so I can’t tell you how happy I am to finally share this with you all.

Last week I announced the Book Launch Event. This will be held at the wonderful Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh, one of my favourite venues in the city.  I will be giving a talk all about the book, crewelwork and my journey through different thread crafts which I hope will be inspiring and educating.

I hope some of my local readers will be able to attend. Please head here to buy tickets. They also have an excellent book and ticket combined offer.

Last year the book launch for New Patchwork and Quilting Basics had to be abandoned due to covid so I want to make up for that disappointment with a wonderful event this time!

In my last embroidery update post (which you can read here) I had just started a new embroidery which was inspired by the Journey to the Centre of a Flower quilt (which in turn was inspired by my Zinnia embroidery). I stitched this in the threads from my Stitching With Wool collection, as a way to try them out together.

I’ve now turned this ‘Flower Journey’ design into an exclusive bonus PDF pattern which is an automatic download when you pre-order the Modern Crewel Embroidery book from my website.  You can also buy the book and thread box together at a special discount.  UK and European customers please head to my website and US customers can get the same bonus pattern pre-order offer from Morris Textiles here.

For the Auribuzz blog I thought I would try someting a little different with the wool thread… crochet!  I first got the idea from a reposted image on the Aurifil Instagram feed, where another crafter was crocheting tiny squares using the wool thread.

I immediately got hold of a 1mm hook and started to create this granny square afghan blanket. It was a little fiddly to start with but got easier as I got used to the scale. This was so much fun to make and occupied my train journey to and from the Festival of Quilts. The finished tiny blanket reminds me of the afghans an elderly relative made for my whole extended family in the 1970’s (you can see them draped over the back of sofas in all our old photos!).

My son’s girlfriend, Katie, has become obsessed with knitting little woollen creatures and has started an Instagram account where she tells wonderful whimsical tales about them. I love finding tiny props for her stories and knew this blanket would be perfect for one of her enchanting posts. Check out Beaniknitz to find out what happens at Moley and Lavender Mouse’s picnic!

This just goes to show how truly versatile the wool thread is. I actually sell quite a few of the thread colours as individual spools on my website and this list is growing all the time. When the book comes out in the UK (probably November) I plan to have kits ready for some of the projects.  I’m also increasing my linen range as well, so keep an eye out for news (sign up to the newsletter using the widget at the top of the page if you don’t get it already!).

Now, I promised you a couple of sneak peeks at some new embroidery didn’t I?  I am working on two separate commissions for two different magazines at the moment. These are both my trademark modern crewel embroidery using Aurifil wool but with very different themes.

I am loving my embrodiery work at the moment and finding it a welcome change from all the quilting. I hope I might inspire you to also give it a try with my new book!