Manipulating fabric is a very creative way to embellish fabric. Fabric with three dimensional texture always looks interesting and can often look amazing.
The Art of Manipulating Fabric by Collette Wolff is one of my favorite books. This is not a “how-to” book, but instead an encyclopedia, or reference book, of modern and traditional techniques and ideas for manipulating and adding three dimensional texture to fabric.
This book was published quite some years ago, and like many books published around that era has stood the test of time and is on its way to being a classic of its kind.
Some of information assumes a certain level of knowledge and skill on the part of the reader, but step-by-step instructions are given for each of the techniques including diagrams and photos, and allows for you to picture “possibilities” of how these techniques can be incorporated into your own projects or style of work.
This book is a great resource and inspiration for lovers of textured fabric.
This post is part of the 30 Days of Titivations; a 30 day blogathon all about embellishing and embellishments.
You can find lots of free embellishment tutorials in the tutorials section of my blog which can be found here, and even more techniques can be found on my Titivations DVD. Please visit the Instructional DVD section of the store for full details.
Embellishments don’t always have to be “in your face” to be effective; very often a subtle embellishment is all you need to dress up a project.
Fine Embellishment Techniques by Jane Conlon was published some years ago, but is a favorite in my library. The book demonstrates a variety of techniques for adding elegant and sometimes understated embellishments primarily for clothing, however these techniques can easily be applied to any fabric project.
Inspired by embellished clothing from the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s, you’ll find the book is divided into five sections – beading, threadwork, trims, applique, and bindings/pipings – and each section contains various techniques that includes choosing tools and materials, step-by-step instructions and ideas for using the technique, and the instructions and accompanied by lots of lovely photos and diagrams.
If you love to embellish, this book will quickly become a favorite.
This post is part of the 30 Days of Titivations; a 30 day blogathon all about embellishing and embellishments.
You can find lots of free embellishment tutorials in the tutorials section of my blog which can be found here, and even more techniques can be found on my Titivations DVD. Please visit the Instructional DVD section of the store for full details.
Regardless of which way you bead, you can’t go past a good book for learning new techniques and also for a major dose of inspiration. I have favorites books and then I have absolutely favorite books; books that I just love and could never bear to give away. These couple of beading books fall into the latter category and are amongst my treasured book collection.
The following couple of beading books are amongst my favorites and I always find something new to inspire each time I go through them.
Bead Embroidery by Valerie Campbell-Harding and Pamela Watts
Bead Embroidery is a fabulous book for beading enthusiasts. This book is more of a techniques book than a “how-to” book and it would be difficult not to find something in this book to inspire. The techniques covered are a little unusual and often extremely artistic and creative and it’s an ideal book to use to find ideas for using beads in unusual ways.
Some of the techniques include weaving with beads, trapped beads, and couched beads, and it also includes a section on how to paint and dye your beads (hard beads, not fabric beads) to color coordinate with your projects. Learn how to make “blackberries” and add beads to machine wrapped cording (one of my very favorite techniques). This is a lovely book with beautiful inspirational photos and if you’re a beading enthusiast, you’re sure to love this book as much as I do.
This is another of my favorite books for beading on fabric with lots of innovative ways to embellish with beads. Taking a totally different approach to beading than found in “Bead Embroidery”, this book covers more conventional methods of beading on fabric and is a “how-to” book with lots of little projects and easy-to-follow instructions.
This book is also full of inspiration with lots of beautiful photos and demonstrates a variety of beading techniques including using beads to simulate embroidery stitches – lots of fun! Plus lots of was to add beaded edging and fringes.
I particularly like the projects for beaded buttons, amulet bags and a gorgeous needlecase.
If you love beading and want to learn some new techniques or just need some inspiration, you can’t go wrong with either of these books.
This post is part of the 30 Days of Titivations; a 30 day blogathon all about embellishing and embellishments.
You can find lots of free embellishment tutorials in the tutorials section of my blog which can be found here, and even more techniques can be found on my Titivations DVD. Please visit the Instructional DVD section of the store for full details.
Books that include embellishing techniques are always a great source of inspiration because there are so many different ways to embellish on fabric, and I often find that even if an idea as presented doesn’t inspire me so much it can sometimes be just the spark that inspires a whole new series of ideas.
Embellishing with Anything has simply tons of great ideas and some little gems such as how to use a sketchbook to capture inspiration, cutting and piecing curves seams, twin needle topstitching, using ephemera and fabric beads, as well as a bunch of small projects including postcards, atc and wallhangings. I particularly love the way she does the little raw edge three dimensional ginkgo leaves.
If you’re looking for some great ideas for embellishing, you will love this book.
Description
Recycle Found Treasures into Fun Little Art Quilts to Give, Trade, and Show Off
• 17 small-scale projects give you a quick and inexpensive way to play with new fiber art techniques and materials
• Have fun making artist trading cards, fabric postcards, wallhangings, journal pages, luggage tags, or pin dolls
• Enhance your creations with found objects like wine labels, driftwood, feathers, costume jewelry, even beer cans!
• Make beautiful beads from fabric scraps, stabilizer, wool felt, or recycled-plastic felt
• Includes informative sections on tools, techniques and supplies
Is that a broken thrift store necklace, or the perfect centerpiece for your next artist trading card? Is it an old wine label, or a witty embellishment for a fabric postcard? Learn how to use supplies from your stash (and maybe your trash) to make charming little quilts. You’ll find art all around you, once you learn to Embellish with Anything.
This post is part of the 30 Days of Titivations; a 30 day blogathon all about embellishing and embellishments.
You can find lots of free embellishment tutorials in the tutorials section of my blog which can be found here, and even more techniques can be found on my Titivations DVD. Please visit the Instructional DVD section of the store for full details.
Today let’s look begin looking at books and who doesn’t love a great book. Fabric Embellishing: the Basics & Beyond is a beautifully assembled book and is more a library of embellishing techniques for fabric all wrapped up in a spiral bound book.
There are about 50 embellishing techniques included such as thread painting, foiling, beading, couching, and stamping, as well as some projects which gives you practical application. The techniques as they are presented are quite basic in nature and don’t go indepth at all, but this is the perfect book for those looking for a good starting point into embellishing on fabric. The book also has spiral binding (why don’t they all?), so it lies nice and flat and you can read it with ease.
Highly recommended for beginners wanting to begin the embellishing journey.
This post is part of the 30 Days of Titivations; a 30 day blogathon all about embellishing and embellishments.
You can find lots of free embellishment tutorials in the tutorials section of my blog which can be found here, and even more techniques can be found on my Titivations DVD. Please visit the Instructional DVD section of the store for full details.
2012 is the year of the EPIC ADVENTURE as I lead a band of daring Creative Explorers on a year-long exploration of self-discovery and artful self-expression behind the doors of The Creative Explorer's Club. We'd love you to join us. You can find more details here.
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter "All Stitched Up" and download your free copy of my "Slow Work Manifesto" - a guide to being creatively conscious - in pictures and words.
Embellishments don’t always have to be “in your face” to be effective; very often a subtle embellishment is all you need to dress up a project.
There are so many great books with ideas for embellishing so today let’s look at 
is a beautifully assembled book and is more a library of embellishing techniques for fabric all wrapped up in a spiral bound book. 
