Paint with Needle and Thread A Step-by-Step Guide to Chinese Embroidery

Embroidery is one of the most typical traditional crafts in China, and has been practiced for two to three thousand years— an art form that has survived through time. This book combines the most classic techniques of Chinese embroidery with modern aesthetics to offer a new creative experience. A comprehensive guide to embroidery, the book is illustrated with detailed text, close-up photographs and computer graphics, and step-by-step explanations of the process of embroidery. This book will help you to: • Understand the unique aesthetic designs and color schemes that have emerged from traditional Chinese embroidery; • Fully master the tools, materials, and basic techniques used in embroidery; • Learn nearly 20 classic Chinese embroidery techniques, and use each one to embroider a beautiful small-sized piece or pattern; • Produce around 10 pieces, including butterflies, flowers, and kingfishers, integrating a variety of techniques; • Gain new inspiration and stimulate your imagination and creativity for new projects. • Find transfer patterns for each piece in the appendix for you to print out and use. Containing all the knowledge beginners need to take up the craft, the book also allows experienced embroiderers to explore their potential. These beautiful patterns can be used in every aspect of your life. Treat the fabric as a canvas and the needle as the brush to bring your ideal world to life with embroidery!

Qiao Shuang is a teacher at Nanjing University of the Art and a doctoral candidate. She is mainly engaged in teaching, researching, and creating embroidery, as well as quilting, hand printing and dyeing, fiber art, and textile design, and has published several papers and books. Her work was awarded the gold medal in the International Young Artist Competition in France, and she was a visiting scholar at the ENSAD in Paris in 2006. In 2007, she was a visiting scholar at the Kunsthochschule Kassel in Germany. She has been invited to participate in many art exhibitions in China and overseas.