A beautiful sewing reference guide full of exercises designed to inspire great ideas and motivate readers of all skill levels to create. This inventive book is a treasure trove of over 40 inspiring practical exercises, a rich and creative exploration of fabric and stitch, and a fascinating all-round read. Elizabeth Healey’s approach to sewing is that it should be fun, and not like a chore or an exam we need to excel in. Her aim is to simply encourage you to pick up a needle and thread and get sewing! The exercises draw inspiration from around the world: create corded works of art inspired by Milton Glaser’s iconic Bob Dylan poster; craft bold embroidered African masks; layer up and cut away to make Mola applique; use bleach and fabric paint to create Aboriginal dreamtime lizards; create knotted works of art inspired by ancient Mayan counting systems; embroider varsity cross-stitch letters; or try out decorative Japanese book binding. Alternatively, try a host of other techniques such as quilting, printing, dyeing, couching tumbled crockery, creating pleats and puckers, and needle lace. Packed with stitch galleries and bursting with slow sewing ideas, the book also contains “behind the stitches” features: illuminating insights into sewing movements such as Boro textiles, Gee’s Bend quilting, and Dorset buttons.