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Mostly Knitting Blog

Want to find the new stuff on Knitting-and.com, or read about my latest projects and discoveries? This is the place.

Shisha Mirror Embroidery by Jean Simpson

Cover of the book "Shisha Mirror Embroidery" by Jean Simpson.
Shisha Mirror Embroidery, A Fresh Approach by Jean Simpson


This week’s favourite thing is a colourful (and shiny!) embroidery book that I picked up at the op shop (thrift store) for a dollar. Woo! I do love a bargain 🙂

“Shisha Mirror Embroidery, A Contemporary Approach” by Jean Simpson.
Published in 1978 by Von Nostrand Reinhold
ISBN 0-442-27641-9

As you can tell by the title, this book is about incorporating mirrors into your embroidery, specifically the technique that is commonly known as shisha embroidery, in which the mirrors are held down only by stitches.

The book begins by covering which types of mirrors and fabrics will work the best, then goes onto techniques. There are ten different ways to attach mirrors, including the traditional method and even one that creates three dimensional shapes with padding underneath. Each method has a set of step by step instructions and drawn illustrations, making them easy to follow. These instructions are what grabbed my attention when I first found the book, but they’re just one of the really interesting things I found that I’ll use.

The next chapter is called “Mirrors For Your Clothes”, but if you look past the very outdated clothing (current style trends aren’t quite that boho), you’ll find it is full of motifs, ideas, stitches and other information. Rather than being a chapter full of projects, it’s a description of the ways that several textile artists have used mirror embroidery on their clothing, including the fabrics, threads, embellishments and techniques they have used. At first glance you might be tempted to skip over this chapter because of the outdated styles but it’s full of a lot of interesting information and tips that can be used with any style of clothing, as long as it has mirrors 🙂

Next up are accessories, including everything form handbags and purses, to hats, socks, and shoes. Whilst this chapter does include some projects, the instructions for many are quite minimal compared to today’s project books and are most useful for inspiration and a supply of motifs and designs. This chapter finishes with several pages of instructions and inspiration for making decorative tassels, some with mirrors and some without. The styles of the tassels range from simple, to almost 3D sculptures in their own right, and would be a great addition to the chunky woven wall hangings that are popular today.

Chapter four, “Interior Reflections”, is an inspirational chapter with sample projects using techniques to inspire your own work. It covers different types of pillows, chair pads, quilts, banners, boxes, and holiday decorations. My favourite project among these is a banner of a smiling sun, with the most amazing tassels hanging from the bottom. (see the gallery below for a photo).

Chapter 5, symmetrical designs.
Previous chapters have concentrated on creating larger designs by repeating small motifs or making art pieces with asymmetrical designs. This chapter concentrates on larger designs, with a symmetrical look. It includes five designs that you can trace or enlarge, with details on the way the designer embroidered them., plus lots of photos for inspiration.

Chapter 6, Mirrors with Needlepoint.
Some very dated needlepoint pieces here, but if you can look past the designs you’ll find a few tips on working mirrored embroidery on needlepoint fabrics.

The last chapter is only two pages long, but I wish there was more! This chapter is a very quick look at some embroidered art dolls that have mirrors on them. They’re all quite different and a good source of ideas for using mirrored embroidery on any 3D soft sculpture.

I really love this book, but the few copies that are available online are quite expensive. If you’d like to learn shisha and mirrored embroidery without forking out US$20 (or more) + postage for this book, check out shisha embroidery on YouTube, where you’ll find a huge number of tutorials. But make sure you walk the dog, grab a cuppa and a snack first because you’ll be there for days.

If there’s a vintage embroidery book you’d like me to review, please let me know, and if I have it, I will!

As always, if you’d like to be notified of new posts and patterns via email, sign up over there on the left (on desktop), or underneath this post on tablet and mobile. Happy stitching!

Sarah

And So To Sew and Embroider: Week 9

This week, our And So To Sew bulletins are all about learning techniques for both sewing and embroidery.

And So To Sew 9a - cover

“And So To Sew” leaflet 9a is all about techniques that are used in the sewing of vintage sportswear. Every technique from making the pleats of a classic sports skirt, to matching patterns, finishing seams and hems and reinforcing garments at stress points.

Cushion design from And So To Embroider bulletin 9b
Cushions from “And So To Embroider” 9b

“And So To Embroider” bulletin 9b teaches us all about embroidering on wool. It also includes three new stitches, how to use them to design motifs, and some project ideas to embroider them on.

As always, I have included a selection of video and photo tutorials for each technique as we all learn differently and not all of us have a teacher close by to help if we get stuck!

I hope you are enjoying this series of 1950’s leaflets from the Needlework Development Scheme. We have a way to go yet, with some of my all-time favourites coming up! If you’d like to stay notified when new things are posted, sign up to be notified by email (over on the left on desktop, or under the post on tablet or phone). You’ll receive a short email with information on the new post so you can choose whether it’s something you’d like to look at. At the moment, that will be three emails per week.

Sarah

Wide Lace Edging from 1911

A wide knitted lave with zig-zag and diamond patterning from 1925.

This week’s knitting pattern is a stunning wide lace edging from 1911: Knitted Lace in Points.

I’ve updated it into modern knitting terms and made a chart to download as a pdf since it’s such a large lace edging I’ve broken up the chart over three pages. I also used stitch maps to make sure there weren’t an errors.

It’s important to me to make these antique laces available once more, in forms that modern knitters can use easily. I’ve been adding them to Knitting-and.com for over 20 years and still have several hundred to go! Check out the lace collars, edgings and insertions page for 180 more that are already available.

Sarah

New Series – My Favourite Things!

I thought I’d start a new series here on the Mostly Knitting (but really all sorts of crafts) Blog and feature some of my favourite things. These things might be YouTube channels, products, classes, blogs, books, whatever takes my fancy.

Today I’d like to feature one of my favourite YouTube channels, “Rose World” from India.

Thumbnail from Rose World's YouTube channel

Rose World has only been on YouTube for just over two years, but already has a following of over 260,000 subscribers. The videos are high quality, not language dependent, colourful and inventive.

From the channel description:

In This channel I’m sharing How to stitch, Hand embroidery, Basic Hand Embroidery, Nokshi Embroidery, Nakshi kantha, Neck design, drawing tutorial, etc Video.

I found out about Rose World when this video popped up in my recommended list:

I’m currently playing with the big loopy woven parts on an embroidery sampler.

Various woven embroidery stitches on a background of dyed woollen blanket.
A tiny corner of my current embroidery sampler – woven stitches.

I’m going to try them in different threads, including needlepoint wool and see how they look.

Rose World also has quite a few videos on making yarn flowers that can be sewn or stuck onto any project. This marigold is one of them.

Traditional nakshi kantha like these borders. I adore nakshi kantha borders 🙂

and modern designs like this flower

Rose World not only has all of these things, but also videos for beginner embroiderers, and instructions on drawing designs so you can customise them any way you like.

I hope you enjoy the Rose World YouTube channel as much as I do. Grab a cup of tea (or your chosen beverage), and check it out!

Sarah

And So to Sew and Embroider, Week 8!

We’re up to bulletins 8a and 8b in the Needlework Development Scheme’s “And So To’ series already!

And Sew to Sew bulletin 8a

In “And So To Sew” bulletin 8a, poor Jamie learns how to choose garments that best suit her figure, instead of becoming a slave to fashions that don’t let her look her best. The leaflet covers style advice for all body types, how to care for 1950’s clothing, and common mending tips. Even if you don’t sew, it worth downloading for the illustrations!

Two fabric samplers, showing ways to manipulate check fabrics to create different looks.

“And So To Embroider” 8b is one of my favourites. It contains a pattern and instructions for making the sun bonnet on the cover, plus lots of information on manipulating fabrics to change the way they look. The photo above shows just two of the mini samplers from the leaflet, with others showing spotted and striped fabrics.

These techniques are then shown in two projects, an apron and a cushion.

As always, I have included video and photo tutorials for all of the techniques mentioned for my fellow visual learners.

If you’d like to see all of the vintage leaflets and books that I have available for download, check out the “Vintage Sewing and Embroidery Books” section, and sign up to be notified whenever I post more. (On the left on laptop, or under this post on tablet and mobile).

Sarah