Book Review-How to Be Creative in Textile Art

I came across this book, How To Be Creative in Textile Art  

        by Julia Triston and Rachel Lombard, in our local library, and was so impressed by it that I bought it a couple of days later! 

This is a great book if you are interested in stitched textiles and

 are looking for guidance to turn your ideas into your own artworks. Beginners or advanced students or artists/practitioners would be equally inspired by the ideas outlined by Julia and Rachel.

The book is clearly set out, with wonderful photographs. You could use the book to take you right through the journey of making a piece in stitched textiles.

The first chapter GATHERING shows how to start off collating information and source materials, suggests some themes and talks about sketchbooks. There are so many ideas and suggestions to inspire creativity, right through to the last chapter FINALIZING DESIGNS AND CREATING YOUR OWN TEXTILE.

I was particularly taken by the suggestions about keeping theme sketchbooks, and as soon as I had read that bit, I went off and found some books from my sketchbook collection (I bet you have one too!) and stuck in the loose pieces of source photos and cuttings that were all together in a shoe box. I am delighted with the results as I now have several ideas books in progress, and if I come across something connected to the theme, I know exactly where to put it.

I absolutely adore this book! I wish it had been available when I started my City and Guilds course in Embroidery and Stitched Textiles! I feel that it holds a lot of answers to questions I had then and now, and am sure that it will help me to progress with my textiles work.