Weekend Review: Creative Stitches for Contemporary Embroidery, Vol. 2

 

Creative Stitches for Contemporary Embroidery, Vol. 2 /Sharon Boggon
Lafayette, CA: C&T Publishing, c2026.
192 p.

This book was recently published and I was lucky to be able to read it right away. It's just a gorgeous and useful as Volume 1 by the same author! 

And all the things I said about Volume 1 when I reviewed it in 2021 apply here as well -- this is a great resource, a clearly photographed guide to 114 stitches (in addition to the 120 in the original) with clear instruction on how to make them, use them, alter them, and so on. Lots of wonderful examples of projects using these stitches in combination, and ways to add to them with unusual threads or objects like beads or textile ephemera. 

I enjoyed the ideas shared here, and I also like the way that this book is published in exactly the same format as the last one - they make a great matched set. The book is a usable size, with easily read photos, and is bright and glossy but also flops open easily so that you can leave it open at a page that you're trying out stitches from and it won't constantly close itself. Thoughtful! 

Anyhow, not much to add to this except to say check it out if you can, it is a super resource for any stitcher. 

All Day Culottes: a free pattern from Matchy Matchy Sewing Club

In August, a sew-along focused on culottes was happening on PatternReview. At the same time, I noticed a new free pattern from MatchyMatchy Sewing Club, the All Day Culottes. Since I have been wanting to try making some more pants to try to find a pattern I can actually wear, I thought this was perfect! I did get them cut out in August, at least 😉

There are two views in this free beginner's pattern, and I liked the one with three rows of tucks at the bottom. It adds a nice touch, even if you can't see them really clearly in black unless the light is right. They are wide legged culottes with an elastic waist all the way around, and really great deep pockets. I really like them! 

 I chose to make the Large size, and used a mystery fabric I found at the thrift store a while ago. It is clearly some kind of poly blend, but it's actually fairly nice despite that. It has good body and a nice texture as well. I think it really worked for this pattern. These would look different in a drapier fabric for sure but I like the structure here. 

Even though it's a beginner friendly pattern there are great details and instructions. These are cut-on pockets, not side seam, are made in one piece, folded and French seamed along the bottom of the pocket bag before being inserted - I've never done that before but I really like it. I prefer this kind of pocket and these ones are the perfect depth and size. 

The waistband is just one row of wide elastic, mine was just marginally smaller than the waistband once sewn down and I had to struggle a bit to get it all threaded through. Should have taken a slightly smaller seam allowance at the waistband seam since I was just using the wide elastic that I had in my stash which was fractionally wider than called for. It worked in the end, though! 

I am really pleased with these. I wore them to work with my bright stripy Blaine blouse, which kind of picks up the pleats at the hem. But I think it also looks nice with a softer blouse, tucked in. This was a surprisingly fun pattern to sew, and I am happy with the results. Pants I will actually wear!

Patchwork Trio Top

Another item I finished in August (at the very end of the month!) was this quick little top pattern. It's the Trio Top, a pattern from the Matchy Matchy sewing club book. 

There was a scrap sewing challenge on IG in August, & that along with a couple of other stash sewing initiatives, inspired me to try to make something scrappy. I decided to use a handful of small leftover bits from various projects to make the central panels of the top - which is simple enough to let the patchwork shine. 

The squares incorporate pieces leftover from 3 tops, 4 dresses, a skirt, vest & 2 accessories I have made previously. The black bits are the more narrow leftovers from a pair of culottes I cut out recently but haven't finished yet!

I cut 3.5" squares for a finished size of 3" but ended up adding the small elastic casing at the top of the centre panels using bias binding. The pattern has you fold over the top but I hadn't accounted for that in my patchwork & didn't want the top row to be noticeably smaller than the rest so a bias binding to the rescue! I actually really like the accent of black at the top & feel it pulls it all together.  

This is a simple pattern but I did make a couple of small adjustments. I cut a medium but lowered the neckline & added 1.5" to the side panels to make it all even. I would probably only lower the front panel if I made it again as the back feels a bit weird at this level. But the front is definitely better for me this way. 

I used up a few of my very small leftover pieces & some of the larger bits & had fun putting them together. This isn't my usual kind of thing but it was a fun project to make. It's a cute pattern & with fabric that's a bit drapier I think it would be a softer look. I was quite impressed by the way my red/pink leftovers all went together for this one!

Weekend Review: The Embroidery of Mexico

The Embroidery of Mexico / Gimena Romero
Tunbridge Wells, UK: Search Press, 2026.
192 p.

I am back to regular blogging & to start off another year of Weekend Reviews I am sharing this amazing book on the embroidery of Mexico. This is a translation of a book by Gimena Romero, a Mexican textile artist & researcher. Her connection to her material makes every page sing -- such a cultural journey is shared here, alongside multiple stitches. I loved it! 

The photography is also stunning. Rich, bright, lots of close-up images of both the front and back of stitched pieces to inspire & instruct. (Photos by Pedro Aragon). 

The book includes a section of instructions on tools, transfer methods, stitch technique etc, also illustrated. And then Romero takes the reader on a journey around Mexico, covering eight traditional & modern styles of stitching. She shares the region, the parameters of each style & how to create something in that style. From more familiar kinds of Mexican embroidery to a tradition of stitching with hair, and modern street style, or her own recognizable stitching, she covers a lot. It's fascinating - where these traditional styles came from & how they were maintained, the language of stitching which is tied to the location and Indigenous language, the kinds of threads, colours, patterns- there is so much variety. She also includes 8 pages of templates of motifs you can trace & use. 

This is a beautiful & unique book, perfect for a coffee table read or some actual stitching inspo. I would say that beginners might not find this the best starter book as it contains a lot & assumes a bit of familiarity but for visual inspiration & cultural exploration it can't be beat. Loved this one, highly Recommended!

Butterick 6722 in thrifted purple

 

One of the things I finished in August was a purple dress that I've wanted to make for a while - ever since I thrifted this purple fabric a year ago! It was a slightly narrower fabric but I had over 3 m. so I thought I'd be fine. I was waffling between two Butterick patterns, 6758 and 6722, which I bought around the same time. They are quite similar, but I ended up going with 6722 because I liked the bodice more. 

I made View B, which has one ruffled tier at the bottom. I'm not really a big ruffle person, but I like it in this design. This went together very easily. The front skirt has a placket and buttons, but the waist is an elastic one so I knew I wouldn't need the actual buttonholes. I sewed it all together then stitched black buttons through both plackets as permanent buttons (you can barely see them anyhow). 

One note, if you are planning on making this with actual buttonholes -- the instructions have you sew it all together and then insert the buttonholes last, while wrangling the whole dress and the sewn together top of the placket. I would definitely sew the buttonholes in before attaching the skirt to the bodice to make it easier on yourself. 

Anyhow, the rest is pretty straightforward. View B has little slits on the top of the sleeves but I wasn't keen on that detail so sewed them up quite normally (and boringly I suppose, but it works for me!). I considered adding the sleeve bands from View A but thought they might weight down this fabric too much. I'm glad I went with just a plain sleeve as I really like it as finished. 

The sash tie is quite long but I think it all works nicely together. As usual for me, I cut a 14 at the neck, 16 at bust and 18 at waist. It fits well. And I moved the pocket bag up to be caught in the waist seam to reduce flopping. I know I shortened both bodice and skirt but can't remember exactly how much as it was a month ago -- I believe I only shortened the bodice by 1/2" and the skirt pieces by 1" each but am not 100% sure any more! In any case, it's such a rich purple and I'm so pleased I have finally used it. This was a fun project started at the beginning of August and completed quickly. I really like this!

September Sewing Plans!

 

I am back after a lovely August break & ready to get back to sewing and blogging! This year I'm feeling more "back to school" than I have in a long time. Hoping to learn some new things this fall & try out new projects & techniques.  

In September I will have a couple of things to share which I finished in August. Then I will try to finish and share a few items I started in July & August! I have a couple of those to complete but I am already feeling like it's time to move on to some fall sewing projects so that will be what is next. 

Related to that I have a bunch of Burda patterns to trace out, a few recent ones & a couple of oldies which I think will be nice fall outfits. 

And I hope to share the next Literary Sewing Circle pick by the end of this month as well. Lots going on but a busy month at work too so I will have to be organized. I'm ready to go 😄📚🧵

August = Blog Break!

 

Photo by Elin Melaas on Unsplash

Hello loyal readers! Just a quick announcement that I will be taking a blog break for the month of August.

 I may pop up on IG now and again but I'm taking some time away this summer. 

I will be back in September with new projects, book reviews, and our Fall Literary Sewing Circle round, late in the month. See you all then!