book review // sew & stitch embroidery

Alyssa Thomas of Penguin & Fish has written a really fun book filled with sewing, stitching, and embroidery, and I'm honored to be part of the blog tour for Sew & Stitch Embroidery! If you've never seen Alyssa's delightful work before, you're really in for a treat. If you have seen her work before, I don't want you to feel left out...you're still in for a treat!

When I think of Penguin & Fish, I think of animals...but not just because that's part of the name. No, it's because of all of the darling animals patterns, fabric and plush that you find in her product line! This book has plenty of cuddly critters, but it's not limited to animals. You'll also find shoes and starscapes and feathers and more.



The photography is stunning and really makes you want to step right into the book. Who wouldn't want to sew in a space like this? Of course, more importantly, you get a great sense for the projects as well as inspiration to get to the making.




Now, let's talk about my favorite thing about Sew & Stitch Embroidery. It's the "big stitches." A few summers ago, I taught an online class and part of the class was about these kinds of oversized embroidery pieces, and they are so much fun! But they're also, well, oversized...and how many quilting hoops filled with stitching can a person actually have?

Alyssa has done an amazing job of crafting projects that put this technique to use around your house. I especially love the skunk floor pillow and whale shower curtain! Since I have a sister who we sometimes call "Stinky" maybe I should start stitching for Christmas...




The book includes a great basics section, but more importantly, there's lots of information about how to do the big stitches. There are a variety of techniques listed, and lots of tips for doing this with success. If you're at all interested in altering the size that you stitch at, you'll want this book.



But it's not all giant work, there's also some smaller projects, and I do love this sketchbook cover! Look closely and you'll see that this, like all the other projects, is ranked by difficulty, and the sewing is level 3. Can I sew at level 3? I'm not sure yet.

But for all of those who are looking for a book that isn't just for beginners, most of the sewing here is ranked at levels 2-3. It doesn't scare me entirely though, because even if I only focus on the embroidery, I'm set for stitching some sweetness.

By the way, as an added benefit, many of the projects in the book have iron-on transfer patterns at the back. How nice is that?



Sew & Stitch Embroidery is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers, but if you want an autographed copy (and to support the author even more!), order yours through Penguin & Fish.

And of course, be sure to visit all of the other blog tour stops! You'll find more reviews, sample projects, some giveaways, and even more surprises!

Tuesday, Oct. 8 • Mr. X Stitch
Wednesday, Oct. 9 • Pellon
Thursday, Oct. 10 • While She Naps
Friday, Oct. 11 • The Last Piece
Saturday, Oct. 12 • Feeling Stitchy
Monday, Oct. 14 • Wild Olive (You're Here!)
Tuesday, Oct. 15 • Bad A** Quilters Society
Wednesday, Oct. 16 • Spoonflower
Thursday, Oct. 17 • Sew Mama Sew
Friday, Oct. 18 • Skunkboy
Saturday, Oct. 19 • Meet Me at Mikes
Monday, Oct. 21 • Quilt Dad
Tuesday, Oct. 22 • Follow the White Bunny
Wednesday, Oct. 23 • Sarah Jane Studios

For more from Penguin & Fish, check out her website, blog, and shop, and sign up for her newsletter to get a free pattern set too! Thanks, Alyssa for inviting me to be part of this exciting release!