Free-Form Embroidery with Judith Baker Montano: Transforming Traditional Stitches Into Fiber Art

"For embroiderers ready to make the leap of faith from pillowcases with kittens stamped in blue to fiber art, Montano's newest serves as a beautiful bible. Having embroidered dancing spoons on dishtowels helps, however, because 'transforming traditional stitches into fiber art' requires knowing the basics. In the introduction, Montano, an award-winning fiber artist, author (Elegant Stitches), and teacher, encourages embroiderers to leap from traditional to free-form stitchery by describing her own journey from a frustrated little feather-stitcher to a fiber artist, honoring her influences in her account. She annotates supply lists: threads and ribbons, yarns and fabrics, hoops and tools. 'Techniques' starts with choosing background fabrics and ends with framing finished work. Montano's abundant stitch guide, a quarter of the book, ranges from A for arrowhead to W for whipstitch. The guide moves seamlessly to 'Combining Stitches,' which illustrates ways to thread trees, vines (even 'evil' ones like kudzu), and shrubs via photographs and drawings; ditto, flowers and fish. Montano marries an embroiderers' guidebook with a nature study to produce eye candy." Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.