Contrast in Crewel Embroidery: Modern designs stitched on light and dark

by Tatiana Popova

Overview

Discover a wealth of innovative and inspiring ideas for using color in crewelwork, from one of the world's leading embroiderers, Tatiana Popova.

Explore the interplay of light and dark, and experiment with color and stitch in this stunning, practical guide to crewelwork. Through her innovative stitch designs and inimitable eye for color, Tatiana explores how the traditional technique of crewel embroidery can be reimagined for stunning, contemporary results. Inside you’ll find:

• A complete guide to the tools and materials needed.
• A guide to planning successful color, thread and stitch choices – all explained with invaluable personal insights.
• 4 'smart doodles’, which allow you to produce an accomplished finished piece while you practice your stitches.
• 4 paired 'light and night' embroideries: each pair uses one design but varies the colors of the threads, fabric color and stitches used, to give two distinctly different results. Each project contains a complete thread and stitch list, which corresponds to detailed photography of the finished embroidery, to make it as accessible as possible.
• All templates included.
• A full stitch directory with more than 130 crewelwork stitches explained step by step, from back stitch to woven wheel.

Whether you are new to embroidery or an experienced embroiderer looking for new ideas and expert guidance, this inspiring, practical book is one you will turn to again and again.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781800922716
Publisher:	Search Press
Publication date:	02/25/2025
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	8.81(w) x 11.31(h) x 0.82(d)

About the Author

Tatiana Popova is a Ukrainian embroiderer. She learnt to stitch at an early age, inspired by her mother and grandmother's embroidery, and for a time she pursued her passion for stitching by studying a huge variety of embroidery styles and techniques, both at school and in her own time. Tatiana studied Floristry Design at university, but soon after graduating she discovered the world of embroidery. She started her own business, Little Owl Smart Crafts Company, producing kits for silk ribbon and crewel embroidery. Tatiana participates in a number of craft shows all around the world, including the UK, USA and Japan, and annually teaches at the Bead & Button Show in the USA.
You can find out more about Tatiana and her work on her website, www.owl-crafts.com.

Table of Contents

Introduction 6
Materials, tools and tips 8
DMC to Appleton conversion chart 9
The knotty problem 10
Called-for stitches 14
Key to instructions 62
Instructions 64
Smart doodles 64
Happy birthday 66
Tiny the snail 72
Goldfish 76
Columbine 80
Day & night designs 84
Pattern one 86
Queen rose light 88
Queen rose night 94
Pattern two 100
Captured by flora 102
Green brougham 110
Pattern three 118
Jewel the unicorn 120
Jewels of november 132
Pattern four 142
Have a nice day 144
Good night 154
Templates 164
Stitch index 172

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal - Jan 15, 2025
Ukrainian author Popova brings a new vision to crewelwork. Rather than using traditional crewel wools, she creates patterns with the varied stitches and techniques of crewelwork but updates them with cotton floss, perle, and specialty threads. This book uses these threads in contrasting color palettes, and both light and dark fabrics as a base, to show how the same pattern can look startlingly different depending on color choices. There are eight patterns included: four simple “doodles” to practice on, and four complete night and day designs, all with stitch guides. From simple to advanced, each pattern shows how to adapt color choices to create the desired effect. The book includes clear photographs of both process and finished products, as well as an illustrated stitch guide for all the crewel stitches used in the projects. The style is conversational and engaging, with the author’s individual voice coming through.
VERDICT Sharing crewelwork designs with a focus on fresh colorways, and using threads that many stitchers are already familiar with, this book gives an updated look at the potential of traditional patterns. Popova offers practical crewel inspiration and fun ideas for contemporary embroidery.



Mary Corbet's Needle 'n' Thread - July 2025
Contrast in Crewel Embroidery is an excellent book for those who like to explore color and stitch choice on different embroidery ground fabrics, and it gives the reader a good springboard for ideas about choosing colors for embroidery projects while taking the ground fabric into consideration. The book also presents a vast array of stitches and techniques that are suitable for crewel work and other surface embroidery techniques. The projects and instructions are clear and easy to follow, and they are suitable for beginners and beyond. If you have a love for color and for stitch variety, you will find this book a useful asset in your needlework library!

From the Publisher