about shop patterns projects printables extras sponsorship wild olive twitter flickr pinterest subscribe

stitch love // book walk-through

Stitch Love Walk-Through

About a month ago, my book, Stitch Love: Sweet Creatures Big & Small was finally released, and although I've talked about it here, I've never shown a look inside! So that's what I'm here to do today.

When I first started talking with my editor about the book, she suggested that it be all about animals. I sort of freaked out about it, because if felt outside of my abilities. But I worked on it, and sketched, and now I'm completely smitten with animals and so happy with how this all came out.

Stitch Love has 25 projects and over 100 embroidery motifs, with animals are from around the globe. And I did my very best to make each one super cute!

Ready to take a look inside?

Stitch Love Walk-Through

Some of the projects are shaped like animals, like this frog pond game with froggy and lily bean bags. The arms and legs flap and fly in the breeze!

Stitch Love Walk-Through

One of the things I keep hearing from people is that the line on the front is what sold them on the book: Cute Kitties and Cows and Cubs and More...and a Yeti. And this is the yeti. (There's an embroidery motif of the yeti too!)

The yeti is an ice pack, like a boo-boo bear or bunny. Jess made one already, but she made hers into a little plush instead of an ice pack.

Stitch Love Walk-Through

Also from the cover are these little outback animals. You can even make little house pouches for them to carry them along with you. Oh, and Nancy used this style of animal to make a bunny from the Stitch Love Valentine Blog Hop. I just love that people are using the projects and making them their own!

Stitch Love Walk-Through

Speaking of the blog hop, the Cat Loaf bread cloth that I made used the Holiday Mouse Furoshiki Cloth from Stitch Love. Furoshiki is the Japanese method of wrapping gifts or other items with fabric, and the mouse design on here can be changed for different holidays and celebrations!

Of course, you could use any embroidery design on there, like I did with the cat loaf.

Stitch Love Walk-Through
Stitch Love Walk-Through

Each project has illustrations to show the steps, but they are simple enough that you probably wouldn't even need the how-to images. This is definitely a beginner-friendly book, but I find that fun and easy projects are a nice change of pace for even experienced sewists.

As I was working on the projects, studying the animals and deciding which creatures to focus on, I learned a lot, and added a few fun facts in throughout the pages. There are also some bits of info about favorite animals in my family, like manatees, guinea pigs, and chickens!

Stitch Love Walk-Through

At the back of the book there's a basics section with illustrated instructions for embroidery, sewing, and working with templates, including a link to download the project templates at full size. I find that PDF templates are so much easier than tracing or copying them from the book!

Stitch Love Walk-Through

But this is my favorite part of the whole book. I love embroidery, so you shouldn't be surprised that I would love the embroidery section the most. But what makes it special is that every motif is shown stitched.

Every single one.

At one point I thought about asking some stitching friends to help with this, but I'm ridiculously proud of the fact that I stitched all 117 motifs by myself. From a waving walrus to kissing prairie dogs to a fantastical wolpertinger (yes, that's a thing), and of course, many more, each is stitched with love.

There are more than a few things in here that are a nod to Japanese-style craft books, sewing, and even artwork. The pages of embroidery are one of those things, and that owl with his sleepy bubbles are another. The aesthetic is pleasing to me, and hopefully it is to you too.

Stitch Love: Sweet Creatures Big & Small is available on Barnes & Noble, Amazon, your local bookseller, and many more places.

If you've already purchased Stitch Love, first, THANK YOU! Next I'd love it if you leave a review online (either from the place you ordered, or your own blog). And finally, when you stitch love, post a pic and tag it #stitchlovebook so I can see and share your work with others!

One last thing. Some of my favorite reviews for Stitch Love: Sweet Creatures Big & Small have been from kids. Evie said, "It's so cute!" and Jess's daughter made this awesome video review! Even though there are plenty of kid projects in here, I didn't consider that the book would be as loved by children as it has been, and I just love that.

Thanks all for the support on what has been such an incredible critter-filled journey!

14 comments:

  1. I just ordered your sweet book. Can't wait to see it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations Mollie on your adorable book!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Have it! Love it! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous7:58 PM

    I have it and love it, everything in it is so adorable!! I have been wondering though what you can do with the embroidery motifs? I love a ton of them but don't know what I can do with them!

    Anna

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Anna! You can start by adapting any of the projects that have an embroidery motif used: the apron, quilt, furoshiki cloth, placemats, doorknob hanger (you might need to change the text, or omit it), baseball cap, pocket pal shirt, sleep shorts, sweater, or brooches. But from there, you can also use them for just about anything you want to stitch on!

      Back in the Wild Olive archives, I have some posts showing ideas for projects using embroidery, and many of them would work well with the motifs in Stitch Love:
      http://wildolive.blogspot.com/search/label/TTDW%20Embroidery

      I'm also working on a few more mini projects using embroidery that will show up here and on Instagram!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous9:36 AM

      Thank you, that is very helpful! I look forward to seeing the projects!

      Anna :)

      Delete
  5. Oh, I've got to order one of them. I really love your embroidery and I think they would look really cute at little purses and mugrugs.
    Greetings, Rike

    ReplyDelete
  6. I was lucky enough to win a copy of your book, Mollie, and it is just adorable. I love how you get such expression and character with a few simple stitches. Every design makes me smile. I also like using the motifs as appliqués. Very clever and fun.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It looks like a fabulous book Mollie, you should be very very proud indeed. Great job! and wishing you every success for the next one! ;-) xo

    ReplyDelete
  8. I would expect no less than wonderful from your brains and hands! This book delivers! Way to go Mollie!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Congratulations! The book looks beautiful and the projects are wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I will definitely leave a review on amazon soon! I LOVE your book!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous1:36 PM

    Hi Molly, I went to the link in the book to download the full size templates and there is nothing there at that link. Will it be available soon?
    Michele

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm...they were there. I'll look into what happened and get back to you as soon as I hear back from my publisher. So sorry about that!

      Delete

I often reply to comments in the comments...check back if you have a question!