Let me just get this out of the way: I am so not a seamstress. I've been known to injure myself while hemming things, and patterns seem to be written in a language I'm just not fluent in.

That said, this book's very clear, step-by-step instructions have me feeling like I might be able to make some of these dolls without hacking off my own thumb, which is really high praise.

ALL of the patterns are adorable. The base dolls are all made with the same pattern, with varying details that turn one simple pattern into a whole pantheon of adorable characters. There are patterns for each doll's embroidered details (all of which look simple enough to actually use) and for its clothing and construction. Some even come with tiny accessories. Unicorns and elephants and foxes and an owl -- there are a ton of dolls that any child (and quite a few adults) would be happy to receive, I'd think.

Patterns are included, as well as a stitch guide for the varying embroidery stitches.

My only complaint is that for a book titled "embroidered animals" the embroidery seems a little secondary to the clothing and such. The faces are all very similar, and in most cases, the stitchery's only for accent on the faces. If you're more of a stitcher than a sewist, I can see that being just a little disappointing. But the dolls presented really are cute enough to make up for that.

And despite my lack of sewing skill, I'm *very* tempted to make a run at my sewing machine to make a few of these. (Even if I have to pick up band aids to get through the process. :D)

I received an advance digital copy of this book from the author, F+W Media and Netgalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ms. Down's work is wonderful, whimsical and beautiful. In her book, she shares her craft and passion with the reader to make their own animals and express themselves creatively.

A beautifully illustrated book that has clear concise instructions for crafters of any skill level. An excellent resource book to have in your craft library.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

This book was absolutely adorable! I'm so excited to buy this book for myself. Not only do I think this will be good for rag dolls but for wardolf dolls as well!

THank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a honest review. I recommend to any crafter!

"Gingermelon's Embroidered Animals" gives simple and easy-to-follow instructions for creating adorable fabric dolls like those seen on its cover. The photographs and illustrations in this book are lovely and very helpful, and the doll making process is made more simple by every doll having the same basic base pattern before the additions are made that make each doll unique.

This book is really charming and great for creative people with an interest in such things.

Note: The dolls in this book are created using hand and machine sewing methods, so basic sewing skills and a sewing machine are required.

This sweet pattern book is the perfect choice for making innumerable keepsake gifts.
The dolls themselves are very simple to make with basic sewing and embroidery skills, and the outfits are interchangeable, meaning you have all you need to make a whole wardrobe for your sweet new friend.
The skills taught are also very customisable, so you could adapt each pattern as you go to make truly unique and personalised gifts.

I love the details and the different animal choices for these dolls, it is clear that thought and care went into each pattern, and It would be a joy to make each of them. Any little one would treasure one of these creatures, and many would keep them forever.

Beautiful pictures, easy to follow layout, and simple patterns. Very good product!

If you’ve followed the blog for any stretch of time, you will have probably noticed that Gingermelon crafts are a staple here! So of course, when the newest book, Gingermelon’s Embroidered Animals, released at the beginning of this month, there was no question I had to review it!

Upon flipping to the table of contents, you’re greeted by the full lineup of dolls that you can make from the book. This is unusual and I really appreciate having an ‘at a glance’ page of the book contents.

After just the first few pages, I immediately noticed that this is one of the most thorough books I’ve seen. It has a neat list of every supply you will need for the book’s projects, and each supply has a detailed description that is helpful for beginners.

What I really appreciate about the layout of this book is that it starts off with a basic doll pattern that you will simply tweak depending on the plush designs. The patterns themselves are of the highest quality, and the instructions are detailed while using simple language. This keeps them from being confusing, which is something I have found to be not uncommon with sewing and embroidery books.

Once you cover the basic doll design, you can then move on to all the cute animals! I had a ridiculous time of choosing my favorite, but whimsical mouse is definitely near the top of the list for me.

Ellie the elephant is another favorite of mine! Even if you’re not sure about your interest in embroidery, this book is worth owning purely for the level of detail and eye candy that’s included.

The lullaby lamb near the end is probably my absolute favorite—though I say that with difficulty.

One of the best things about this book is the stitch glossary at the back of the book. I was happy to see this, as it makes such a difference for beginners. It may not be difficult to search for stitch tutorials on the internet, but having it included in the book saves a lot of time.

Overall, I cannot recommend this book enough! Whether you’re a beginner or advanced in sewing/embroidery, there’s something for everyone in this book. You can buy Gingermelon’s Embroidered Animals on Amazon (USA / UK), and be sure to check out the Gingermelon Etsy shop and blog for more patterns.

Rating 3.5

First off I feel the title, Gingermelon's Embroidered Animals, is a little misleading as it is more about sewing animals rather than embroidered animals - yes the face details are done in embroidery but to create the doll there is lots of using a sewing machine.

There are twelve dolls to create from a sweet unicorn, a darling dear and a lovely lion. The first doll pattern is then used as the overall pattern for creating the dolls, with some extra additions of dresses, shorts or facial features in the remaining eleven dolls.

There are steps to follow with drawn pictures at the side to accompany them - personally I would have preferred photographs of the steps, especially of the embroidery parts as I was unsure of the number of strands being used as it mentioned four but the diagram showed one.

Each pattern is at the end of each doll, but the steps didn't say refer to page x for those patterns - I half expected to find them at the rear as no reference had been made.

Overall its a nice book, might suit someone else who is more into sewing.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

This fun little book will teach you how to make adorable little dolls, along with clothes for them. The instructions are clear and easy to follow, with lots of pictures to help. There's a basic doll pattern, then instructions and patterns to help you change the look with different animal heads, and embroidered faces and embellishments. There are also different costumes to dress the dolls in, giving many ways to personalize the dolls. A great book for sewers of any level, from beginner to advanced.

#GingermelonsEmbroideredAnimals #NetGalley

I will be purchasing this book for my branch and plan to use it for a program with the kids. The book is well constructed and well designed to allow me and show girl in the craft club what they are creating.

An excellent book for anyone wanting to make art dolls or just dolls for display. Each doll is made using the same body template and then a different head and clothes are used. The clothes could always be mixed and matched. The features of the face are embroidered. Instructions are clear and easy to follow.

Thanks to the publishers for sharing this one. It's cute. I like that the basic design for the dolls is fairly simple, then it's up to you how much you embellish them. My full review appears on A Comfy Chair.

The photography, instructions and guidelines are clear and well laid out but I find the designs and the animals pretty creepy so I think it is a very niche market.

This is an adorable book of exquisitely beautiful animal dolls. I looked through the book with my daughters and they both picked out multiple they want me to make. Now if only my sewing skills were more than rudimentary. The instructions seem very thorough with a lot of detailed pictures.

This is a absolutely fabulous book with step by step instructions on how to make multiple stuffed animals.

I liked that this book doesn't just show how to make cute animals but shows how to embroider the animals as well to make them that much more precious.

I have not yet made any of the patterns but I'm looking forward at trying my hand at making one of the Gingermelon animals. These little guys would make a special gift to a child or an adult who enjoys beautiful things.
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A nice book for sewing cute decorative dolls. ^^
The instructions are clear, the step-by-step intuitive and the photos are very want to get started.

The only problem with this digital version is that it is more complicated to copy the different pieces of patterns on the fabric since there are no paper patterns.

Great patterns.
I find that it is difficult to work with on a tablet and it would be easier work as a leaflet or a booklet.
Still very enjoyable
Thank you NetGalley & Shelly Down for the ARC.

Gingermelon’s dolls are gorgeous and would make an heirloom gift for the lucky recipient. I haven’t tackled sewing one yet, but the instructions and illustrations are clear and the photographs inspiring!

This book has a lot of cute embrodery patterns, it also has detailed instuctions.
I would recomend anyone who enjoyed embroidery.

Shelley Down In Gingermelon’s Embroidered Animals presents cute stuffed animals which by using hand embroidery and varying details become different animals. She guides the reader through the process of making the basic doll and then instructs how to embroider and dress each one to make it special. It is a basic doll making book which even the beginning sewer can enjoy.

This book was such a nice DIY book. I love all the projects and I think that everything just looks so cute! I can’t wait to actually try a few of these out.