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Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Reference Volume
Review: For the serious needleworker, Shay Pendray's Inventive Needlework is a must-have book. Included are discussions on materials and on techniques, clearly drawn diagrams, and excellent color photographs. Examples of various techniques are drawn from both the author's own teaching pieces and from other pieces which have been exhibited at ANG National Seminars. I was particularly excited by the close-up photographs, which show stitching details clearly. (Many of the goldwork photographs were stitched on a black ground) Note that this book is about techniques, and is not a catalog of diagrams for specific stitches - there are many other reference books which fill that purpose. For needleworkers who are interested in advancing their skills, or who have wished for opportunities to examine advanced-level stitching in detail, the excellent photographs and elaborating text of this book offer a great deal of inspiration.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reference Volume
Review: For the serious needleworker, Shay Pendray's Inventive Needlework is a must-have book. Included are discussions on materials and on techniques, clearly drawn diagrams, and excellent color photographs. Examples of various techniques are drawn from both the author's own teaching pieces and from other pieces which have been exhibited at ANG National Seminars. I was particularly excited by the close-up photographs, which show stitching details clearly. (Many of the goldwork photographs were stitched on a black ground) Note that this book is about techniques, and is not a catalog of diagrams for specific stitches - there are many other reference books which fill that purpose. For needleworkers who are interested in advancing their skills, or who have wished for opportunities to examine advanced-level stitching in detail, the excellent photographs and elaborating text of this book offer a great deal of inspiration.
Rating: 
Summary: Not what I expected
Review: This book does offer insight into shading and goldwork techniques, but has few, if any, practice projects. The pictures are very lovely, but I was led to believe that there would be more patterns to practice on.
If you are looking for a book with projects, minimally practice projects, this book is not the one to buy. No projects, thus no materials and fibers listed, no patterns.
As a non professional needlework enthusiast, I need a head start on any project, because I don't have time to design a project from start to finish; books with projects offer the headstart I think most people in my position need: the hard work is done (which is why we pay for the book) and it is left to the individual needlework enthusiast to tweek it here and there to fit his or her decor/color favorites/personalization, etc. This book does not save any time or give any headstart to any project, which is the reason people pay money to the professional needleworker for their efforts. These efforts have not been made in this book.
I would say a person looking for a book in goldwork or embroidery (shading, with silk or wool) would be much better off buying "A Victorian Floral Alphabet" "Redoutes Finest Flowers in Embroidery"; "The Art of Painting with a Needle"; these books make beautiful, individualized embroidery projects a possibility for those of us who don't have the time to start from scratch.
This book is the equivalent to buying a pair of stamped pillow cases or a tablecloth to embroider, but when you get the pillowcases or tablecloth, they are blank, there is no design stamped on them, and the manufacturer includes instructions on how to embroider them.
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