Book Question "Rainbow of Stitches"

[Wandatoo]

I'm thinking of buying this book online.

The description says "Embroidery and Cross Stitch Basics", but I only do cross stitch. If anyone has the book, can you tell me if it's a good idea? I can't see it anywhere 'in person', as most of the bookstores around have so little actual stock now that everything is online.

Thanks!

[carolynbb]

Heya! I got this book from my in-laws for Christmas. I haven't looked through it extensively yet since I've been trying to focus on my current projects but once I'm home from work today I can go through it and post some more info about it.

Oh, I found it on Google Books, too, to tide you over:

http://books.google.com/books?id=lOK431 ... q=&f=false" target="_blank

[Wandatoo]

Heya! I got this book from my in-laws for Christmas. I haven't looked through it extensively yet since I've been trying to focus on my current projects but once I'm home from work today I can go through it and post some more info about it.

Oh, I found it on Google Books, too, to tide you over:

http://books.google.com/books?id=lOK431 ... q=&f=false" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Hi Carolyn,

I did check Google books and other sites, but they all give the same description. My problem is that I don't do any embroidery, so would only be interested in the cross stitch part -- unless of course, they're using the two terms to mean the same thing! Help!

If you can post again after you look through it, that would be great! Thanks!!

[Granny]

Do you use the local library at all? that is how I have found any information I need. Granted I don't have a book to put on my shelf but it has saved me a lot of money I could spend for something I felt was more worthwhile.

[Wandatoo]

Do you use the local library at all? that is how I have found any information I need. Granted I don't have a book to put on my shelf but it has saved me a lot of money I could spend for something I felt was more worthwhile.

I received a gift certificate for books that I want to redeem, so I've been searching the online store. Actually I like having the cross stitch books -- have built up a collection.

Also, our small local library has almost no cross stitch boooks.

[Granny]

The local library has none but most libraries are branches of a much larger system so I choose books from the larger system online and they get shipped in from another branch to my local branch for pickup. So from no choice I now can choose from several hundred.

[SusanF]

I too prefer to have a book to keep rather than borrowing it from the library - but maybe that's because I'm a bit of a book hoarder You can tell every craft I have ever tried by looking on my bookshelves

[Granny]

Because I never was much of a hoarder and then had many moves thrown in for good measure I really live light. It's not that I may not at one point have owned books but have passed them on when I found my interest waned on subjects. So now I find that the library really suits me for most applications. The books on my small shelf are there because they still get used. I also add from time to time but I no longer buy from mail order sight unseen and then it isn't what I expected. I want to see it from the library or in a bookstore or at least have some input from someone before I part with my money. I have a few cross stitch books on my list currently to purchase. However, I shall not purchase those until I really know that I will stitch from them. If I miss getting them then I was never meant to have them.

[lwelizabeth]

I think I'm a combination of the two of you (SusanF and Granny)...I tend to buy books rather than borrow them from the library unless I am really unsure of whether or not I want it permanently. In that case I'll try and borrow the book from the library and see how useful it is..if I end up using it and find I'm not wanting to return it I'll then go out and purchase it.

[Wandatoo]

With the price of cross stitch magazines these days (usually about $12), I prefer to buy books with designs I know I will use. I don't buy kits, so get most of my designs this way.

I also like to do lots of cards, so having the choice of many smaller designs comes in very handy.

Online prices are much less than in the stores (even if it's the same book from the same company). Many of them now let you see the index and other pages from the book so you have a good idea of the contents. I also usually Google reviews of the books to get opinions first.

So far I've been pleased with the books I have bought. If I decide there are any I don't use any more, I donate them to a local teacher who uses them for crafts at school, or with her group of stitchy friends.

[carolynbb]

OK, sorry for the delay! We got some bad news at work yesterday so a bunch of us went out drinking in the afternoon and I, erm, totally forgot to look at the book.

The book is divided into color sections (hence the title): green, pink, blue, red, white.

At random, I looked at the blue section in detail:

Motifs:

1 & 2) Sampler and borders: cross stitch

3) "Written by hand" (pens, pencils, stamps): backstitch/straight stitch

4) Exotic florals: cross stitch

5) Birds in flight: backstitch/straight stitch

6) Art nouveau alphabet: backstitch/straight stitch

7) Coffee and tea (pots, mugs, kettles, etc): cross stitch

8 ) Tulips and windmills: backstitch/straight stitch

9) Deep blue sea (shells, fish, seahorses, etc): cross stitch

10) Mariner's landing (anchors, paddles, compass, etc): backstitch/straight stitch

11) A day at the beach (umbrella, beach bucket/shovel, sand castles, etc): backstitch/straight stitch

12) In full bloom: some straight stitch and a lot of french knots

13) Kid's stuff (blocks, dolls, train, rocking horse, etc): cross stitch

14) More kid's stuff (paper dolls): cross stitch

15) Night skies (Moons, constellations, zodiac, night time city skyline, etc): cross stitch

So that's one section. Each motif listed above has an example project that someone did using the patterns (for example, for the "Coffee and Tea" motif, they showed a tea towel with a teakettle from the motif cross stitched on).

[Wandatoo]

Sorry about your bad news!

Thanks SO much for all this info. I really appreciate it! It will really help me decide on the book.

Thanks again.

[stitchingmae]

i have the encyclopedia of needlework by donna kooler's it has chapters of many different needle work arts. i was very impressed with the cross stitch section and it has a "gallery" were it teaches you how to do a bunch of the specialty stitches for cross stitch
on amazon

[SusanF]

Oh dear, I can feel a trip to Amazon coming on ....

[stitchingmae]

its an addictive book! It has about 100 pages decidated to "counted thread" projects. including how to's on hardanger; blackwork; and of course different stitches for cross stitch the eyelets...the tent stitches etc. It is not a book i always read but its great to have with any questions. then of course the anchor to dmc and dmc to anchor conversion charts!!!

My family and I went to a store in a larger city (wow that really makes me sound like a country hick) anyways I was browsing the cross stitch stuff and my step mom was browsing the paints (she is great at small prjects like painting flower pots or signs) anyways my hubby and dad were just following us around..carrying our purses...can you imagine two men walking in a craft store together carrying purses oh the looks they must have gotten. But I found that book and was thumbing through it and commented on how much info it had and then laid it back down there was only one in the store. Well I went back to pick it up at the time of leaving....and it was gone...my hubby said "someone must have bought it." We had decided not to exchange gifts this year but Christmas when I got home there was an extra gift under the tree...my hubby was the one that had "bought the book"

[Wandatoo]

[quote="maemae0410" Christmas when I got home there was an extra gift under the tree...my hubby was the one that had "bought the book"[/quote]


What a sweetie!

[Granny]

I have placed both books on hold at the library on your recommendations. I already have a book with general instructions and ideas. These sound like they have so much more so I shall check them out.