My Favourite Embroidery Books!

Some of my favourite embroidery, floral drawing, cross stitch, and textile history books in my library! I am a self-taught embroiderer, and I used a combination of stitching books, YouTube videos, and sketching my own ideas to teach myself. Here are the ones I use the most and/or enjoyed the most.

Happy Stitching!

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Tudor Textiles

If you are interested in textile history (or an interesting angle of Tudor history that you haven't heard before), this book is a must.

RSN Stitch Bank

I reference this book the most when there is a look I am going for, but I need to figure out which stitch is going to help get me there.

Cat Lady Embroidery

The cat in the top corner looks a bit like my cat, Monkey. I bought this one, so that I can practice cats. All my cats look angry.

The Kew Book of Nature Samplers

This book has project templates and not just techniques. I use this one for botanical ideas and silk shading techniques

RSN Crewelwork

Crewelwork is one of the most interesting embroidery skills to me, I just don't have a ton of opportunity to use it for orders

Cross Stitch with Cattitude

I used the "The cats have been fed, don't believe their lies" project for a gift. I like cross stitch for gifting, even if I don't use the skill in my embroidery business

A Year of Embroidery

I've used this book for seasonal flower ideas for projects throughout the year and weddings in different seasons

Book of Embroidery

This book covers 8 different embroidery techniques taught by the RSN

Beautiful Birds

I've been using this book to practice birds on my own clothing. My 2025 project was to upscale some of my plain clothing for work

The Fabric of Civilization

I am really interested in textile history, and I loved the audiobook version of this book, which I listened to while stitching!

Goldwork

I haven't had much opportunity to do goldwork in practice, I mostly bought this book for the history of goldwork at the beginning.

Whitework with Colour

Whitework is the most difficult technique for me because I have a hard time seeing white thread on white fabric. This book helps me learn the technique because colours are visible.

Contrast in Crewelwork Embroidery

This one helps with colour experimenting and imagining how designs look different with different colours

Drawing Flora and Fauna

I am using this book to learn some drawing skills that I can translate into designing my own embroidery patterns

Creepy Cross-Stitch

These cross stitch patterns are cute for Halloween crafts.

Stumpwork Embroidery

During the Blue Jays World Series run, I was using stumpwork to create brooches of Blue Jay birds for my friends and family to wear during the games

Goldwork Embroidery Chinese Style

I bought this one because I have an interest in styles of embroidery that are different from western embroidery techniques.

Paint with Thread

Silk Shading is the technique I use most in my wedding embroidery business, and I love the floral and nature motifs in this book.

Crewel Animal Portraits

This book has a more contemporary take on crewelwork. The designs have a folk art feel to them.

Crewel Embroidery

This book has more traditional crewelwork designs, but what really attracted me to the book was the colour combinations and the inspiration provided by colour use

Mystical Stitches

This book combines embroidery with magical and spiritual symbols. I really like the frogs and mushrooms (which I am just learning how to do)