Cover Image: Embroidered Wild Flowers

Embroidered Wild Flowers

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Member Reviews

I love anything craft related and this one did not disappoint. Full of lovely inspiration for embroiderers of all abilities.
The patterns are beautifully written and the photos perfect for anyone to follow each step.
I can’t wait to try out a few of these patterns now!

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What a wonderful embroidery book! I've been embroidering for years and couldn't pass up the opportunity to check this one out. This book was educational, it provides patterns and explanations for each pattern and stitch, this is super helpful to anyone new to embroidery and a large amount of patterns is perfect for seasoned embroiderers as well. It was plain to see that this book was made with love.

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A good, comprehensive guide to embroidering pretty things - if you've ever wondered what sort of stitches you should use to embroider different types of flowers, grasses, butterflies, birds, and other lovely natural things, than this book will be very helpful for you. This book makes me wish I had embroidery skills.

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This is a book of curiosity and feel-good photos of flowers made into textiles that will bring your home nothing but joy!

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

Whimsical and beautiful. Ms. Aoki's work is amazingly photographed in this wonderful book. Clear directions will give even the novice stitcher plenty of inspiration.

5 out of 5 stars. Recommended reading for embroiderers.

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Quick Take

Embroidered Wild Flowers by Kazuko Aoki is a gorgeous collection of embroidered flowers with easy to understand instructions that educates as much as it entertains.

Tell Me More

I have a treat in store for you today!  If you are a fan of embroidery, Japanese crafts, and wild flowers, then I highly recommend the following book.  Embroidered Wild Flowers by Kazuo Aoki provides hours of education, art, and fun in that it provides the reader with scientific insight as well as connecting science and art.  This book is filled with high-quality images of each pattern presented, and easy to understand instructions that take the fear out of embroidery.     

I am a needleart enthusiast, and I have just recently begun to explore hand embroidery.  Apart from cross stitch, I don't have a lot of expertise in the area of embroidery, so I was excited to learn new techniques when I came across Embroidered Wild Flowers by Kazuo Aoki.  I am a big fan of Japanese style crafts due to their detail and complexity, so I couldn't help but absorb this book!

The first asset of Embroidered Wild Flowers by Kazuo Aoki I noticed was how beginner-friendly it is.  The first half of the book shows actual, detailed pictures of the designs once they are stitched, along with the flower's name and a reference to a page in the back of the book that holds the instructions.  The first half of the book is split into sections based on different types of flowers, plants, and best of all, seasons.  My favorite section featured leaves in the fall that are gold, orange, and red  The book is beautifully scientific in that it gives the natural names of each wild flower and plant as well as instructions on how to gather your own plants and flowers to create inspired designs.  But don't be fooled - this book isn't merely a collection of embroidered flowers, it is a collection of plants and bugs in various seasons of natural scenery that end up looking like fine landscape paintings.

Every instructable in Embroidered Wild Flowers by Kazuo Aoki is given as a diagram, which I found incredibly helpful because I am a visual learner.  The diagrams are listed at the back of the book with further instructions and a stitch catalogue. The various stitches in the catalogue represent every stitch that is used by the patterns in the book so that embroiderers of all levels can understand the patterns.  Even though I am newer to hand embroidery, I found the patterns in this book easy to understand and follow. Not only did I learn new stitches and designs along the way, but I learned about various wild plants and insects and how to create my own inspired designs.

Embroidered Wild Flowers by Kazuo Aoki is a gorgeous work of art that every needleart enthusiast and embroider should have in their collection.  Even if you have never tried embroidery but are interested in starting, this book is a must-have because it teaches you along the way.  While the book starts out intimidating with patterns that appear complex, the patterns are dissected and presented in such a form that they become suitable for needleartists of all ages and levels.  I appreciate how Aoki incorporates instructions on how to collect your own plant materials to inspire further needleart creations, which inspires the artist to get outside - or connect both worlds if they find pleasure in the natural and art worlds.    

I can't wait to try every pattern in this book, and make my own!

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5/5 stars, easily.

Embroidered Wild Flowers is a great book for anyone who enjoys embroidery (or wants to start!) regardless of your skill level. The book is broken into two parts. The first involves the finished products and includes tidbits of information about the actual flowers, plants, or wildlife that is being embroidered. The second half includes a details plan for how to make the project yourself. The instruction sections starts with information on how to complete the stitches that will be required to make the design. Then each project is broken down into what stitches to use, what color thread to use, and how many of each thread to use for that particular stitch. The instructions are so detailed that it makes the projects very easy to follow.

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Embroidered Wild Flowers is a new embroidery guide with templates for surface embroidery by Kazuko Aoki. Released 24th March 2020 by Roost Books, it's 96 pages and available in paperback format.

It's nice to see surface embroidery coming back into its own. It seemed for years that almost all of the new tutorial books were aimed at counted cross stitch or quilting. This book is laid out as a series of vignette project sections: along the path, when the dandelions bloom, walking along the embankment, long headed poppies, violets, spring paths, and several more. There are alternative colorways and alternate flower choices for many of the projects.

The projects themselves are mostly line drawings with filling stitches. Some are quite structural and border on stumpwork. They're all appealing and would be ideal for decor or clothing applications. The book is peppered with photographs showing the author's sketchbook pages and color selections (very inspiring).

There is a very short technique chapter and templates of the line drawings of the patterns. This chapter also includes a few tips (how to carry thread, tips and equipment to make stitching more even and enjoyable, etc) which can be utilized to make the projects easier and better.

The photography is very clear. With the diagrams, the projects should be comfortable for a keen beginner. One important aspect of the surface embroidery process which isn't covered in the book is pattern transfer to ground fabric. The info is easily accessible elsewhere, so I haven't detracted anything in the review for the oversight/lack.

The line drawings of the patterns also include recommended stitch fillers.

Lovely and useful addition to the embroiderer's library. I am going to incorporate some of the line drawn motifs in the freehand areas of my next counted thread sampler.

Five stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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This book is a great guide for beginners to advanced.
Embroidery is having a comeback, and it is a relaxing craft.

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Thank you to #NetGalley, #RoostBooks and #PenguinRandomHouse for an advance copy of #EmbroideredWildFlowers for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would definitely purchase a copy for myself or a friend. The book begins with snippets about what the author sees in nature and then develops into embroidered items. It is a mixture of nature journaling, embroidery and art. The second section is a brief tutorial on basic embroidery stitches and techniques, then there are the patterns describing how to transfer them to fabric, prepare the fabric, what colors of embroidery thread to use, how many strands and what stitches to use. Any of the patterns can be adjusted based on personal preference and are easy to follow.

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This is a gorgeous book. It is a collection of amazing and realistic embroidery designs with detailed but brief instructions. However the only teeny-tiny problem about this book is that it might be hard and confusing for beginners. Other than that, there was no other flaw with this book. This book would be very useful for craft-crazy people like me.
This book can be divided into two parts. The first part comprises of the illustrations of all the wonderful designs in this book. The second part tells us about the materials needed for the projects and the method/technique. The book also included the line drawing of the designs which makes making the embroidery easier.
Even though the name is 'Embroidered Wild Flowers', this book also teaches how to embroider other element also like mushrooms, trees, butterflies, insects and birds etc.
I sincerely thank the publisher and Netgalley for giving me this wonderful opportunity to enhance my skill.

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A gorgeous collection that takes you on a wonderful journey with the creative presentation of each design, leading onwards to practical, helpful instructions.

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Absolutely beautiful. I loved this book and it has some very useful patterns to embroider. It was lovely to feel like you’re going on a walk with the author while thumbing through this book. I loved the simplicity of the raindrop pattern, perfect for a beginner to practice satin stitch. The wreath was my favorite. An absolutely beautiful piece. It gives a good intro to stitches and gives excellent instruction walking you through the patterns and what tools are recommended. I do wish the patterns were presented in the back without the stitch arrows to make it easier to transfer. Plenty in here to keep any embroiderer, novice or seasoned, inspired.

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OH EM GEE!! 10/10 for this book. The patterns in this book are beautiful detailed and give the illusion of a photograph. The way Kazuko Aoki has put together the designs and colours is breathtaking.

This book isn't limited to wild flowers. My personal favourite are the butterflies and the other gorgeous little insects scattered throughout the designs of the flowers, trees and fruit.

The book itself is split into different sections like walking along the embarkment, spring paths, and bird watching. It starts with vivid photos of the completed designs, and ends with the pattens for you to trace. Don't fear if you've never tried embroidery before there is a how to make and stitch category section to get you up to speed.

I was lucky enough to be given an advance digital copy of this book and cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy.

#EmbroideredWildFlowers #NetGalley

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A beautiful book in so many ways. Gorgeous illustration, wonderful embroidery. Would make a lovely gift to anybody who love craft and nature. I’ve had a quick go at some of the examples and I am pleased with the results. Highly recommended.

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Prati e boschi ricamati punto su punto, in un esplodere di meravigliosi colori che arricchiscono con grazia ogni tipo di tessuto.
Una raccolta ricca di spunti, per creazioni sia semplici sia più complicate.

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This book is absolutely amazing! It is full of sumptuous photography, inspiring projects, detailed instructions and tips and tricks along the way. It really is a truly mesmerising book which I would highly recommend to anyone interested in embroidery!

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This is the third book I've seen by Kazuko Aoki. After her second book, I've come to expect exquisite needlework and diagrams from her. I was not disappointed!

Love how beautiful her embroidery is, how detailed the diagrams are and how appealing the colours are!

Besides flowers, you will find butterflies, mushrooms, trees, and birds.

Kazuko always makes my hands itch to do some embroidery. One of these days, I will have to break out my embroidery floss and needles!

Thank you Netgalley and Roost books for the ARC. This is my honest review.

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DISCLAIMER: I was given a digital copy of this book by NetGallery, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is pure eye candy!!! If you love nature, you will enjoy the illustrations and the instructions will make you want to pick up a threaded needle.

I would definitely buy a copy for myself or anyone who enjoys fiber arts.

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When I sent my request to read Embroidered Wild Flowers as an ARC in exchange for an honest review, I admit that I had a friend in mind. She loves to embroider and I thought this book might make a good gift in the future. What I found is that I was both right and wrong. Right in the fact that this book is going to make a fabulous gift for my friend. Where I was wrong was that I never took into account how this book would spark my desire to embroider as well.
Kazuko Aoki has captured the most beautiful aspects of wild flowers in realistic and gorgeous designs. I was stunned right away by the dandelion (who knew!) and fell in love with the designs as the author takes you on a journey along a path or river, deep in the woods or in the garden. Stages are shown through seasons and include insects and birds, bringing these designs to life.
The first part of the book shows all the wonderful designs, while the second half describes materials and techniques including pattern transfer. I haven't embroidered in many decades and yet this book has made me want to stock up on floss right away. The only trouble will be in choosing which design to start with (although I'm leaning towards the gorgeous thistle).
Many thanks to Netgalley and Roost Books for the opportunity to review (and fall in love with!) Embroidered Wild Flowers. Kazuko Aoki has created a valuable reference and instructional guide for embroidery.

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