Zakka Embroidery

With a kaleidoscope of thread colors available, the task of picking just the right palette for an embroidery project can be overwhelming to beginners and experienced stitchers alike. But when you take away that challenge, a whole world of texture and style becomes available. In this book, Japanese designer Yumiko Higuchi presents embroidery motifs to be stitched in just one or two colors--creating patterns and designs that are more evocotive for their form than for a play of colors.

Moving away from traditional embroidery motifs, the designs here are an elegant hybrid of Japanese and Scandinavian style: the motifs and patterns are spare and graphic, yet softened with organic shapes and imagery drawn from nature. The result is embroidery that evokes a personal feel and conjures a sense of nostalgia and longing. What is further appealing is the seeming simplicity in recreating these designs: by creating designs that use either one color or two colors the work here feels very approachable and appropriate for beginner stitchers.

Each embroidery design is paired with a simple project, such as ribbons, pillows, and pouches.