Goldwork: Techniques, Projects and Pure Inspiration Paperback – November 1, 2011

Hazel Everett's new book is simply one of the best I've seen on goldwork. While it doesn't knock the greats by Jane Lemon, Beryl Dean, Valerie Campbell-Harding, and others out of the box, it certainly belongs in there with them. I was wary about ordering it sight unseen and without reviews, since I have an excellent collection of gold/silver/metalwork books already, and this book isn't cheap. But boy, I'm glad I did. It's worth every penny and then some.It's not a pattern book; however, Everett has designed several pieces which are suitable for anyone who wants to get started in this fascinating subgenre of surface embroidery. Her brother, she writes, is an entomologist; thus, she's designed more than a dozen delicate "bugs" to be done in gold thread. They're delightful--even whimsical--and I plan to try several, perhaps in a sampler (she illustrates one) or simply adding a few bugs to another work. There are three dragonfly designs, although one is actually a piece of jewelry, not embroidery. The large one, not part of the bug section, is a perfectly elegant interpretation of these fascinating insects. She also has two butterflies, a spider (with gold kid leather, too), a cricket, beetle, ant, hoverfly, bumblebee, shield bug, ladybug, weevil, caterpillar, and two views of a snail. She's taking liberties by putting snails in with bugs, but they look good together.Lest you think she's bug-happy (or I am), there's a dragon, seahorse, two lovely needlebooks (and how to fabricate them once the needlework is complete), a beautifully-realized fritillary, a butterfly, six simple designs for hanging ornaments which would look lovely on a tree or in a slightly shady window, and what I believe to be one of the ugliest samplers I've ever seen, titled "Cornucopia." Maybe Warren Buffett could pay me enough to make this pattern for him; then again, maybe not. Your mileage may vary.The cover piece is gorgeous, and she includes a pattern and instructions for it. Her ability with a needle is evident. Glancing through the book, just seeing Everett's work, makes that clear. While mostly taught at home from youth, then self-taught after, she did study formally in England at (of course) the Royal School of Needlework, where she was an apprentice. It's telling that this book is by an Englishwoman, by the way. With the exceptions of the notable Shay Pendray and a few other Americans, all of the great metalworkers seem to be from England. Even Japanese embroidery, while making dramatic and supremely artistic use of metal threads, doesn't go completely mad the way the English do.There are a few photos of historically significant pieces, and a very few words about the history of the craft. This just isn't that sort of book.She spends a lot of time explaining supplies and technique, which makes this an excellent book for beginners. In fact, I believe it just might be the best book out there for beginners. All of the photos are full color, and most of the patterns are life-size. Some are enlarged by 50% to give embroiderers a better view while working on the smaller pieces.I haven't done metalwork in at least 20 years and didn't realize how much I'd forgotten about materials. I was crestfallen to find out that my favorite supplier was no longer in business, and Everett doesn't list any vendors in the book. While I know that any such list could become outdated, I think it's an oversight on her part. Still, using the search phrase "goldwork supplies," I was able to find two perfect ones, plus a few other half-decent sellers. One great one is in Canada, so our noble neighbors to the north don't have to struggle with outrageous postage and customs people. (I'm a bit jealous of them; that supplier has everything.) Everett illustrates everything, showing how each material is used, warning not to mistreat some (take care not to stretch the pearl purl!), and discusses the pros and cons of real gold and silver threads as opposed to mostly common metals.If you're a beginner, I believe you can't be without this book. By beginner, I mean someone who has at least some proficiency with beadwork and embroidery floss, including silk. You're stepping up to the "bigs" when you enter the house of goldwork. It's difficult, but not as difficult as you may think. You're not going to be working with cotton floss anymore, because it just doesn't do justice to the metal the way silk does. Besides, it's simply not sensible to spend the time and money you will with metals only to couch work down with cotton, or miss out on the nuanced, sophisticated luminosity of silk's sheen next to gold's on a satin stitch leaf. Honor your work, your art, your craft. You're worth it, and so are your creations. The fine samples we have today of works done several centuries ago would never have lasted this long had they not been done in silk, and on a silk or linen ground.Experienced embroiderers will also enjoy this contribution to the field. Not only is it useful for review, it's a marvelous source of inspiration. Her style is traditional-modern, if that makes sense: representational, not abstract expressionism. In other words, she's not Jan Beaney, whose work is beautiful but certainly modern. Everett's work has supremely clean lines, is elegant and graceful, often airy, occasionally complex, and sometimes even has a touch of humor.If this book is her debut, and I believe it is, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

I never review a craft book if I haven't tried the instructions myself. I bought two other books on goldwork in my quest to add this technique to my repertory and finally sprung for a new copy of Goldwork. I have yet to look back. Hazel Everett's Goldwork has the best instructions for both traditional and modern techniques that I was finally able to draw up a quick little sampler on my doodle cloth and incorporate several types of metal threads and techniques, including the japan threads, purls and bullions. I will now try a more complex design for this wonderful technique.In addition to including wonderful instructions on the stitches and techniques, Hazel Everett's book includes a thorough review of the threads, fabrics, tools and history of goldwork. The review of threads is especially valuable as there is a lot of variety in materials, weight and technique and some of them are hard to find and a thorough understanding of what you are looking for is essectial. Everett also provides technique and inspiration to expand the application of goldwork from its traditional element of eccesiastical embroidery to jewelry, boxes and modern household items and artwork.Most of the projects are small and intended to teach the techniques, but they include florals and wheat, an entire selection of insects and critters that could be jewelry or adorn a larger embroidery and a couple of lovely needle cases. Boxes are a staple of goldwork both traditional and modern and while this book doesn't provide instruction on box construction, that information is available elsewhere and the designs in the book could be easily applied to boxwork. The sampler, Cornucopia, is as another reviewer noted, underwhelming, but that is the single flaw in this excellent book.Colored metal threads and purls and bullions are widely incorporated for a modern and lovely sensibility and all of the techniques for couching, chipping and raising goldwork surfaces are covered in easy to follow instructions. Great direction and inspiration for the adventurous embroiderer and for the embroiderer who actually wants to be able to try goldwork as a self-taught method. I can't say enough about this wonderful book.