Embark on a creative journey through a daily embroidery practice!

Does the thought of embroidery evoke a vision of pre-printed patterns, threads chosen by others, and a paint-by-numbers approach with neat and uniform stitches? Free yourself from this trope. For author Jennifer Clouston, embroidery means a blank page, a new beginning, an opportunity to create freely without reason or purpose.

In her new book, Foolproof Freeform Embroidery, Jennifer Clouston invites you to become a kindred spirit in her freehand embroidery techniques. Her book will inspire you to explore your imagination, and develop a unique stitching process that works for you. You might even develop a regular creative practice that unlocks doors to self-discovery that you never knew were there.

You’ll start by preparing yourself with her simple five-step process. In steps 1-4, you will be guided through gathering your supplies, preparing your background, selecting your stitches, and developing a color palate for your thread choices. From there, in Step 5 you will create a “daily stitching stream of consciousness.” By simply picking up your needle and thread to stitch, you will engage your brain in the creative process without regard to the outcome. Jennifer finds this is the secret to clearing your mind to allow for joy and creativity. 

Before you panic with the fear of a blank hoop, hold tight. This is only the beginning of Jennifer’s book, and it is the first part of your creative journey! Jennifer proceeds to share step-by-step embroidery instructions for 45 of her favorite simple stitches. She then demonstrates how to add creative spice and flair by adding embellishments to create pressure points, movement, and softness in a section she calls “Nuggets of Goodness.” This opens up a whole new world of possibilities by exploring ways to add dimension and texture on a variety of textiles.

Are you ready to find respite in a creative practice, and begin an artistic journey? Why, of course! It is the perfect moment to discover the beautiful, life-giving qualities of freeform embroidery. Shop for Foolproof Freeform Embroidery here or at your favorite local quilt shop.