Does anybody know the most popular way to learn new stitching techniques? I learned petit point from my DS, cross stitch from my SIL, knitting from my aunt, and the rest, including crochet and tatting, from books. It's a toss-up who showed more patience, my aunt or the books! LOL
Maureen
I think it's a toss-up and depends upon the personality of the stitcher. It's always nice to have a mentor, but for some people - me included - I don't like to show my clumsiness. Everyone's pretty clumsy when they start something new, and for some this can be a real deterent to learning. So, well written books can be a boon for these individuals. Even with that, however, it's nice to have a mentor one can turn to after initial steps are taken.
The problem with book learning is scale of diagrams. If you're learning cross stitch or needlepoint, that's not a problem. The cloth/canvas determines scale. But in surface embroidery, looking at diagrams, it can be difficult to understand how that translates to needle/cloth/thread. Take stem stitch. How long should it be? Under what circumstances do you use one technique as averse to another? Most books don't cover all this ground. So learning from a book can be great, but is limiting in some ways.
Some people can't figure out the graphics in illustrations. They do better with videos (or CDs with visuals).
Some people can't figure out counted stitching readily. I learned by using graph paper and connecting the dots. :-)
The best help by far? Forums like this.
Dianne
I have learnt most embroidery from books. I haven't done many classes, because I usually can't afford them, but when I do, I love all the little tidbits - the hints and tips - you get from the teacher and others in the class.
In some ways I think that this lack of having done other people's classes has hindered me in running my own - because I don't know how other people do it. But on the other hand, I think its been good because I don't have any preconceptions about what a class *should* be like. I run a class the way I'd like to have it if I were in it.
Back to books: I find that usually there is a book to teach me the new technique I might want to learn, even when I can't find a person that knows about it. And I love books... and researching...
But, I know that many people can't learn from books (that's why classes exist!) and I know I am fortunate to be one who can.
Yvette Vetty Creations, Sydney Australia
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