Today, courtesy of Yvette Stanton, I’m giving away another copy of Portuguese Whitework: Bullion Embroidery from Guimarães. If you’d like to know what this book is all about, and what it can teach you about hand embroidery, you’re welcome to read my review of this book that focuses on a beautiful whitework technique.
If you’d like a chance to win this book and add it to your embroidery library, just follow these simple requirements:
1. Leave a comment below, before 5:00 am (Central Time, USA) Saturday, June 16th. You can click this link to go directly to the comment form on this article. The give-away is now closed – thanks for participating!
2. Please make sure you leave a unique name either in the “name” line on the comment form or as a signature on your comment. If your name happens to be Sue, for example, to distinguish yourself from another Sue, you might put “Sue in Oregon” or something to that effect.
3. In the comment form, please answer the following question:
What’s your favorite type of needlework and why?
It’s that simple!
I’ll draw for a winner on Saturday morning, nice and early, and announce the winner some time that day. If you happen to be the lucky one, you’ll need to drop me a line with your mailing address.
See what I mean by simple?
Good luck!
This book would be a delightful addition to my library. Thanks for the opportunity
My favourite is whitework. Simple and elegant, the options with white thread on white fabric are truly astounding and no need to agonise over choosing colours!
French knots – so I suppose the answer to your question is Crewel – but I love the prospect of design adventures with French knots.
thank you
lorraine m in California
I love all forms of embroidery and the Portuguese Whitework is one I have yet to explore. Please include me in the drawing for this wonderful book.
Best regards, Linda Hayes-Trent
My favorite type of needlework is needlepoint. I like using lots of decorative stitches and stumpwork on my projects.
General embroidery is my favorite because I love to put together colors. I’ll work all in one color or work colors that I “see” in the material I’m using.
Dear Marymentor:
I have to say that my absolute favorite needlework is any and all stumpwork. That would also include anything but cross-stitch. I love to “feel” the three dimensions of my finished product and cross-stitch is just too bland for me. My Grandmother from Poland started me on cross-stitch when I was 4 or 5 but I since have graduated and progressed, thanks to her beginning and your continued tutelage. Thanks again..Judy in Pittsburgh
OH PS. I have a very old Battenburg (sp?) lace doily that I have “tried” to mend, and refuse to part with. It looks like this book might really be helpful. ??
My favourite embroidery form is surface stitching. There’s a sense of rhythm that suits me. I like how one can still learn, after many years of embroidery, new stitches and new ways of using them. There is also history to the stitches as well as learning how stitches have been used in various countries. It seems to be a universal language among women.
How happy am I to enter this give away.I can’t say what type of needlework I prefer!I make crossstitching,creative embroidery,knitting,crochet work!well,I think I have needlework’s bullimia!!! Couson
I have always loved to do cross stitch patterns but I am looking for new ways to do needle work.
Ohhhh, exciting! I especially love quilting (both the patchwork and quilting aspects). Embroidery has become a very close second.
My background is Portuguese and I’d love to give this whitework a try.
My favorite is blackwork, because of the sharp contrast between the stitches and the background fabric. And the patterns can be so intricate and interesting!
I am most drawn to openwork and whitework, so this is a perfect book for me. I am so glad you draw these specialty titles to our attention. I will *never* get tired of learning more, and this looks like another book that should not be missed!
All forms of textural hand embroidery make me happy & the bullions on cover of this book compel me to hope for a win. I stitched “wild rice” bullion kernels to completely cover a fabric sculpture Calif. Brown & Wild Rice Bear so I am confident this book will direct my joy further. Christine
What a generous giveaway. I was just sending your website to a friend when I saw this give away! I love all kinds of embroidery, but I must confess the thing that got me started in it was kitschy little vintage patterns. I’m currently trying to improve my fill stitches…using your tutorials, of course!
My favorite type of Needlework is counted stitch work that is not just counted cross stitch. I have done them mixed in tall “samplers” which do not have alphabets, but may have a saying on it. I can’t think what the name of this kind of embroidery is called, neither can Mary in #28.
I would love a copy of this book ~ I’ve been following Yvette’s blog for some time, and would love to have instructions for this beautiful needle art form. Pick me, please!
My favorite kind of needlework (at this point of time in my life, LOL) is needle painting. I recently bought Trish Burr’s latest book and I’m learning about color and shading.
In my mind I have this list of techniques to learn and Portuguese Whitework is near the top of that list. I love the simple elegance of it. Thanks for a chance at winning the book, Mary.
I love surface embroidery. I teach Brazilian and silk ribbon embroidery so I really love the wonderful results we can get with these mediums. I really love all hand work.
My favorite type of needle work is lacy stuff like hardanger… this book would be right up my alley! Please enter me to win
Thank you for all you do! I love your site!
I love working on a special project for someone I love. Knowing how much they will cherish it makes me smile.
Amo bordar! Atualmente estou bordando bastante ponto cruz, mas quando criança aprendi bordado livre e realizei alguns trabalhos com ele. Adoraria ganhar esse livro para aumentar meus conhecimentos com essa arte lindíssima. Conheci seus trabalhos agora e estou amando tudo que vejo, parabéns.
I love brazilian embroidery because or the three dimensional look and colors of threads.
I love to do cross stitch, but have done swedish embroidery, crewel and other things It would be so much fun to learn another form of needlework.
I think this book is so beautiful. I love embrodery and my eye has fallen on the white work of late and tone on tone. I would love to have this book to get started right.
Favorite needlework? That’s like favorite child!
The easy answer is either whatever I’m working on now or whatever I’m planning next. If it has history it’s high on my list, and I tend to large projects, but I also enjoy occasionally sitting down and working on a simple counted cross stitch ornament for a friend. Every form of needlework sings a different song to me.
Beautiful! Would love to have this book…please enter me in the drawing!! Good Luck to everyone!
I just like having a needle in my hand–cross stitch if I can concentrate, other embroidery if I am doing something else too.
I’ve done a very small amount of whitework, just a sampler. Took a long time, it was gorgeous.
I love all forms of needlework but at the moment I will have to say I am liking embroidery best because I am drawing my own designs and embroidery is the medium that goes along with this best. I draw and then stitch what I draw. I love learning new forms of needlework. I have done whitework with a teacher but never on my own. I like it and would like to do more. A book sure would help.
Patricia in Colorado Springs
It seems that whatever I am working on is my favorite at that time. Currently I am trying out the art of stumpwork – I had never heard of it until I was looking for ideas for my Crazy Quilt. I love how it gives dimension to a project and how different it looks from other types of needlework. Would love to win this book.
Looks like a nice book and a way to learn something new that I could use in church linens.
My favorite type of embroidery is anything with color, but I know it is important to be able to do whitework also.
I know it’s not really a type of needlework, but I love ecclesiastical embroidery. Both the opulent needlepainting and goldwork on the vestments, and the whitework on the linens.
My favorite type of needlework? All of it . . . I’m mostly involved with CQ these days, but that encompasses a whole lot of different embroidery stitches. I’m very interested in the Portugese whitework because it seems to resemble (sort of) hardanger as well as English cutwork, both techniques that I love to do as well as bullion knots which are a work in practice . . . Wonderful giveaway as usual! Grovenore
I very very much would like to win this book!
I treasure whitework so!
Pick me, pick me! I would love to have this book to follow along with. Good luck everyone!!
Often my favourite type of embroidery is whatever project I’m currently working on (satinstitch+goldwork or tapestry or drawn-thread whitework, etc), but I think the various folk forms of whitework is my favourite. I like the simplicity of white on white with the variation of stitches, the clean unembroidered portions of white linen, and the voids where threads have been cut and the surface underneath shows through. There’s just something magical about the lacy effects of positive and negative space that fascinates me.
My favorite type of needlework is samplers with all types of stitches. I especially like doing smalls (needle books, scissor holders, etc) for the multitude of sewing baskets I have collected for my granddaughters. This Portuguese Whitework book is needed to add another dimension to my stitching and I have a dear friend who’s husband is Portuguese and I’d like to stitch them something special!
Thanks Mary for having these give aways. I so appreciate all you do for the stitching world.
I enjoy crewel embroidery. I want to learn
how to do other kinds.
I learned to embroider when I was 10 yrs old. I have gotten away from it, but would like to renew my skills.
Right now my favorite type of needlework is embroidery, mostly because that’s the main project I’m working/playing with now. I also like to cross stitch, sew, and crochet. They are all so rewarding and relaxing!
Love white work!!!
That’s an easy one! Hardanger! Not as “hard” as it looks, and any of my “anger” is abated when I see the beautiful results. Oh, I know, bad pun…but I love it!
My favorite form of needle work is Brazilian Embroidery. I just love the dimensional aspect. My favorite stitch is the bullion, so this book would be perfect for me.
Mary in Oregon
I would love to learn this technique. I think that I would have to say that Hardanger is my favorite at this time. I love the fabric/linen and the geometry of the technique.
Being asked to choose your favorite needlework is like being asked who your favorite child is. I like anything that has a lacey effect like pulled and drawnwork, hardanger and needlelace. I also prefer white on white in the color schemes. And thirdly, I want my embroidery to be functional as well as decorative. There is only so much wall space that you can use.
I love doing “freehand” embroidery to build seam treatments for Crazy Quilts. The mix and matching of different stitches to build wonderfully complex or simple thread patterns on Crazy Quilt seams is so much fun. It’s like painting with stitch types. I love to learn new stitches and techniques and play with them.
I just love your embroidery tutorials, so an opportunity to add to my personal library is terrific. My personal favorite form of needlework is smocking, but a close second is drawn work. (The cover of the Stanton book makes me drool!)
My favorite needlework is needlework. The favorite because of the variety of fabrics, threads and stitches that can be used. There is always a variety of effects and looks that I can create. It just brings out my creative feelings.
As a kid I did mostly cross stitch got older tried counted cross stitch, a couple of ornaments later decided it wasn’t “me”. Kind of got away from stitching except for the Flower power jeans of the 70′s.
(aged myself there) But then in 2004, I was introduced to redwork by a friend who need patterns for a class ……It is my “go to” stitching, I used to stitch in just red or blue, but now I approach it with more modern patterns and by adding some other stitch techniques not usually seen in redwork, sometimes adding other colors but not so many that it’s like the pillowcases and doilies. I love to explore stitch techniques and fabric manipulation!! That’s what I love about your daily posts all kinds of stitch goodies!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SITE!!!!!! Thanks also for a chance to win a book with a fabric/stitch techinque new to me!!!! Cyndi loves to stitch, stitch, stitch!
White work is so fascinating, timeless and exquisite. The stitches combined with cut work make the embroidery interesting and beautiful to view. I love counted work of all types and this book would extend my knowledge and style. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to put our names forward for a giveaway
Kind regards
Gail – from Napier, New Zealand.
Thank you for offering another give away. My favorite needlework seems to the the project I am currently working on. Whatever it is at the time is my favorite. I like it that way so that I am always encouraged to finish a project and always ready to try a new method, technique or fiber art. White work as I commented before reminds me of my Grandmother’s beautiful white work linens around her home.
My favorite embroidery is counted-thread–blackwork probably most (double-running-stitch border), though cross-stitch was my first needlework passion and is a little less repetitive (to get a piece large enough to be useful).
My favorite type of needlework is Canvas work. I do other types (cross-stitch, hardanger, blackwork) but I get the most enjoyment from Canvas work. I have recently subscribed to Inspirations Magazine (based on your website) and am very motivated to now try a few more types of embroidery such as Whitework. A copy of this book would be a wonderful reference.
I learned embroidery from my mom at a very young age. I am 40 years old and have just picked it up again after so many years. I am finishing some projects and headed in the crewel embroidery direction. Wish Me Luck!!!
I’m a Crazy Quilter, so I like any kind of embroidery to add to my pieces…
The techniques in this book would be perfect!d
I am fascinated by whitework. I have several books and have read them from cover to cover. I hope to do some pieces for my church, and I have already purchased some linen to work on. I have admired this book on this site, as well as on the Inspirations web site.
Patty
I love to make bullions and this book looks like it would have wonderful designs in it.
I would say crewel because my first really nice project was crewel-back in high school!
Thank you for the chance to win such a neat book! I really like the look of “controlled” bullion stitches, the ones that are more freeform remind me of worms and kind of freak me out. The ones shown in this book are very nice and close to the fabric though, so I think they’re beautiful.
Needlepoint is my favorite kind of needlework. It takes little thought, after you have put the pattern onto the grid. It is kind of like coloring, only with yarn or floss, and is totally transportable! It’s a great way to keep your hands busy, while your mind is elsewhere!
That’s a lot like naming my favorite child: I love them both, but each has his own pluses (and minuses, I suppose). Or like defining blackwork: it’s black, except when it’s not; counted, except when it’s not; reversible, except when it’s not… But if I must choose, I like monotone, so blackwork, redwork, whitework. But I also like colorful, so crewel and surface work, canvaswork with their great variety of color and texture. Most of all, I enjoy learning all the different varieties of needlework; this book fits right into that quest to learn new things.
My favorite handwork is anything with a needle and thread. I enjoyed felted wool applique the most, cotton applique and cross stitching. I even love it when the kids come home with a shirt to sew a button on, or a seam that’s been pulled out.
What a great chance to win a book. Thanks.
Ann in Bend
I am a beginner to embroidery and have been self taught for most of my attempts. I have only tried a few types of embroidery so far and I would have to say I really enjoy stump work the best. I find it challenging and often intricate. The end product is always something beautiful that others are often in awe of it given that its three dimensional.
I have always loved all types of sewing and have finally discovered embroidery is my thing. I would love to try Portuguese white work and see if this too can be added to my growing skills and loves of all things hand work.
Thanks
Kiria
I love whitework and would love this book to try Portuguese Whitework
A favorite, oh, only one? All that give a 3-d effect, coming off of the ground fabric. Brazilian, stuumpwork, ribbon, etc.
I love crewel embroidery the most. Embroidering with wool and the complex designs in the petals and leaves keep me interested in the project long enough to finish it. LOL
Thank-you so much for offering another give-away for the White Work book.
Diane – from Upstate New York
Yippee! There is nothing better than a second chance….except meybe…winnine
.
My favorite form of needlework is embroidery. All of the amazing kinds of embroidery is fantastic. I will not have enough time to try them all…..
I loved how this technique includes drawn thread with the bullion knots, the dimension and textured effect are eye-catching. The pages shown in the review show excellent instructions for executing the techniques.
Sharon in New Jersey
I love drawn thread work! The technique I learned is also called Puerto Rican work and is used on baby clothes. I would love to learn Yvette’s techniques.
My favorite type of embroidery is White Work. I have done a fair amount of Ukrainian White work, Hardanger, Filet work and pulled thread work, but I have no information on Portuguese Whitework and it looks very interesting.
Yes! this is the book i can really use. i am about to start a white work project. i have a hardanger book but i think some of these techniques would add a lot.
Please don’t make me choose my favorite, it depends on what room i’m in. knitting and embroidery in the living room, chrochet and quilting in the family room. i love learning new stitches in any medium. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowlege!
KelleyP in Peoria
My favourite embroidery technique has to be the one I’m working on at the moment (whatever that may be)! But I do love doing canvas work, Jacobean crewel work and whitework as they all use a variety of stitches so are interesting to work. This book would be a great addition to my collection.
It’s hard to choose a favourite because there are so very many great techniques to try, but I really love whitework (in all its guises!). Would love to win this book and learn how to make perfect bullions every time.
Hi Mary
Another opportunity? How wonderful! Thank you!
I enjoy embroidery and crocheting and love CQing as it allows for mixing, matching and going totally crazy with textures.
But obviously whitework is special – have done a couple of things and will definitely try something from Yvette´s book!
What can you say. The cover says it all. BEAUTIFUL
Hi Mary from beautiful Southern Oregon! I would have to say my most favored needlework is hand embroidery. By that I mean every single stitch you can think of, lol! I also enjoy beadwork too:)
Picking my favorite is very difficult, but at this time I think it would be cross stitch. I love all forms of needlework, and usually have projects going in at least 3 or 4 different types. I am totally intrigued by this Whitework, and would love to learn how to do it!
I love to do white works. It is fascinating to see what can be done with different types of thread an type of embroidery.
the result is always beautiful.
Pascale Perron
Most of my experiences have been with counted cross stitch,I would have difficulty choosing a favorite needlework method,as I love them all.My fingers are crossed with each generous give away,Thank You.
My favorite form of needlework is canvas. I enjoy using different threads and stitches and like the holes to know where to put my thread.
Karen
I love basic embroidery because I know how to do it. I would really like to expand my stitch knowledge (love your videos & stitch play ideas!) so that I can be more creative and make different projects.
Thanks for the opportunity to win a great book.
Diana in Sioux Falls
I love French Handsewing (by hand not machine).
I get lovely garments, it incorporates embroidery, and is very relaxing.
I would love to win this book!
What is my favourite type of needle work? That is very hard to say as I really enjoy almost anything. I do not like cross stitch as I cannot count past 4. I have done brazilian, counted work, white work, black work, pulled and drawn thread gold work, silk shading, crewel, canvas work. I am currently obsessing on white work. I love the look of Italian white work since seeing the current edition of Inspirations magazine. As I am mostly self taught a good book is invaluable to the learning process. Thanks for this opportunity.
Cheers,
Melody in Virginia
My favorite kind of needlework is any type of hand embroidery. I love all the colors available to use. Not too fond of machine embroidery even though it is pretty too. But yes, I love hand embroidered pieces. I can remember my mom doing this when I was a child many years ago.
My mother taught me to embroider when I was eight years old…it’s still my favorite hobby. I’ve done it all, quilting, tatting, crewel, rug hooking, etc. I love to crazy quilt and use evry type of stitch and thread I can get my hands on to embellish.
Connie from New York
Embroidery is my favorite because it’s used in such a variety of ways….whitework, heirloom clothing… Baby clothes are my favorite things to embroider!
i would love this book, so thank you so much for another chance to win it – my favourite stitchery at the moment is freehand – my last project was to decorate my DGD doll’s cot blankets!!
My embroidery career started embroidering my own doll’s cot sheets when I was about 5 or 6 – I am sure I was the only one who knew what the ‘pictures’ were though!!
I love all types of stitchery, and this technique looks fabulous.
Blessings
Maxine
Another great giveaway! My favorite type of needlework is Hardanger embroidery mostly because of the challenges & the fear of cutting the wrong threads for the openwork.
Sheila from CA
I am full blood Portuguese and would LOVE to have this book. The work looks beautiful and I would love to learn how – please pick me!
My favorite form of needlework is hand embroidery, done mostly on the crazy quilts that I make.
Dear Mary, this is wonderful and a thank you to Yvette, I already have her’s and Prue Scott’s book on Mountmellick and really enjoyed teaching myself how to do this work from their book, the instructions were very easy to follow, I saw Portugese whitework at a craft fair and thought it was lovely, and would really, really love to teach myself how to do this style of embroidery.
Fingers crossed, Flora C
I have several other of Yvette’s books. They are beautifully written with clear directions and I would love to have this one too.
I enjoy various types of needlework, generally my favorite is what I’m working on at the time. Currently, it is canvas work, I’m relatively new to canvas work so it is new learning. I have a Schwalm Embroidery piece ready to start so that will mostly become my favorite. I think that my preference changes because I enjoy the challenge of learning something new.
Mary,
My favorite kind of needlework? Gosh, that’s not an easy question at all. It depends on the day…canvaswork, whitework, samplers, stumpwork, temari…I love them all!
But just for the sake of this book, I’ll keep it relevant and say whitework is my favorite for today!
A favorite style of needlework? How can I choose…I love every one I have tried although most often I have done crewel work and sampler embroidery. I just recently stitched my first blackwork piece inspired by Tanya Berlin’s mini mystery project and am hooked on blackwork as well. Love to try and learn about new stitching. Just need to add several more hours to the day to attempt to do all I would like to do!
Adoro bordado de todas as formas, adoraria ganhar esse livro para aprender mais. É um lindo trabalho
Desculpe ter postado novamente, não vi meu comentário acima, obrigado
Hi Mary,
My favorite type of embroidery is anything that falls in the category,” Counted Work”: cross stitch, blackwork, hardanger,pulled thread, drawn thread. There is something reassuring about the faithfulness of numbers!
Thanks for the opotunity.
Marlene Smit
My favorite type of needlework is hand embroidery. There are no restrictions in hand embroidery. You are free to make your own design or use available patterns. You can be creative in the design and choice of colors, in addition to the creativity involved in utilizing different stitches for different effects. Hand embroidery can be completed on practically any available surface, and it is as portable or stationary as you care to make it. While other needleworkers may be able to say all this about their favorite needlework, for me it is hand embroidery.
Thank you for another opportunity to win that lovely book.
My favorite form of needlework is cross-stitch on linen.
I guess even though it’s hard to decide I have to say that Silk Ribbon embroidery is my favorite of the needle arts to do.
I like Brazillian Embroidery allot too.
Thats why I would love to win this book with all of it’s boulions.
Robin from Nebraska
this book certainly interests me as I am pretty much a beige-ee whitee— lite color lover….and RED! lol…I want very much to tackle something red and white…I don’t think I have a real favorite yet…I do many types of stitches, but there are OHHHH SOOO MANY I havent even tried as yet…but ty for asking! luv your blog!
That’s a tough question since I love so many different forms of needlework! I always love learning new techniques but if I must choose, I’d have to say that my favorite is hardanger. I have several of Yvette’s books and they are awesome with wonderfully detailed instructions and pictures!
I love all types of needlework. My Mother taught me basic embroidery as a young child. I love the thread and many colors to make flowers. Later my Grandmother was making needlepoint covers for chairs and I had to learn how to needlepoint. She also made me a needlepoint pincushion with my name on it. And later still when cross-stitch was very popular I did many projects as wedding gifts using cross-stitch. I have also enjoyed crewel embroidery and hardanger more recently. I am taking an EGA correspondence course in Schwalm whitework. I am making the piece on very pale yellow (fabric from my stash), I think it will be pretty. I would love to learn another kind of whitework, Portuguese Whitework. So much beautiful needlework to learn from all over the world.
My favorite type of needlework is quilting because it is beautiful, useful and charitable all at the same time, and has helped me make many wonderful friends. I also like that it can be used as a palette for many other types of needlework: embroidery, applique, free motion quilting design, even knitting if you count my latest AAQI creation, “Clothesline Capers”. 8)
Take care,
Susan in Texas
My favorite is anything stitched. I love to learn new techniques and stitches and am slowly working my way through different types of needlework. I have learned Hardanger and Schwalm Work. Portugese Whitework looks interesting and fun to try and also master. I tell my grandaughter’s that I am creating heirlooms. I would very much like to win this book for my library.
I would love to win this book. I’ve done a lot of crewel and cross-stitch but I’d really like to try goldwork.
My favorite embroidery and why…wow! Such a vast subject. I would have to say thaty favorite type of embroidery can be found in the great book “Elizabethen Stitches”, but I just started researching drawn thread embroidery and white work. There is so much beauty out there! And boy does Yvette Stanton capture and recreate it for us mere mortals with such ease and knowledge! Any winner would be truly lucky (but I still have my fingers crossed!).
wow, give away spree going on!!! I love love love whitework, I just finished a project, actually I did it in white and light grey, I wish i could send a pic but don’t know how. At any rate I would love to win this book as I intend to concentrate on whitework for the next year. It just fascinates me with its subtle pure presentation. Thank you for all your inspiration Mary.
Lyn Procopo
My favorite type of needlework is still evolving. I can say that it is the kind I am doing at the time I am both learning and creating. I am learning new things every time I sit down to work. I love this form of creativity in all its manifestations, and have practiced various kinds of needlework. I am currently working in crewel and needle painting. I would love to learn more about the beautiful white work because it is amazing to contemplate and seems beyond my abilities. If I had a book on the subject, I think I would love to try my hand at it. I am self taught for all my efforts except sewing.
Denise a lifelong learner and teacher
my favourite is bullion stitch, i am newly in emroidery . bullion stitch is dificul but look soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo perty. if my name will not draw ,nevermind i will buy , please tell me in which country you live,thanks gul from pakistan ,karachi.
I guess my favourite type of embroidery would be freestyle? I love to mix up all kinds of embroidery in a project to make it unique. I like to embroider useful items, eg needle books, bags, sachets, table linen etc. It’s hard to choose one type of embroidery as my favourite as I seem to go through stages… At the moment it is mountmellick embroidery I’m concentrating on……
I would love to win this book, as it will not be available in South Africa for many months to come….
My favourite needlework is Mountmellick which encompasses so many techniques of surface stitching. Different threads give different effects. I love it.
I love hand embroidery so much. Would love to win this book and to learn Portuguese Whitework. This book looks so excellent. Thank You for offering this!!!
Cheers
Tanuja Rajah
Chris from Australia
Love bullions,love surface embroidery, love whitework but drawn thread work is a bit daunting and it sounds like this book of Yvettes is just the thing to overcome the wobblies
my favourite embroidery is wool work but i just love any surface embroidery and embellishments i would really like to try Portuguese whitework and from your review this looks to be a very good guide and instruction.
Mary, I decided some time ago that I don’t have a favourite type of needlework. There are so many which I enjoy doing! Whitework, surface embroidery, counted thread, stumpwork, goldwork – how can one choose just one?
White work. It is simply beautiful and useful. It also spells luxury and pampering( bed linen, table linen and clothing)and takes me back to my childhood where there were no man made fibres!
My favorite stitching is any type of surface embroidery. The subtlety of white on white is especially elegant.
hi Mary,
I love all types of surface embriodery.. ofcourse i love all types of knots… I can try all the knots in whitework if I get a chance and have a knotty affair afterwards…It is so nice of you to announce so many give aways…
After reading all of then names of the many different types of embroidery everyone does I’m thinking a stitching retreat where people bring their UFO’s would be fun just to see the different types of stitchery that we all do. Does anyone know what twilling is? A friend of mine asked me about it, but I am clueless. Supposedly it is some type of whitework like candlewicking.
Hi Mary, Thank you for this opportunity to be the owner of this beautiful book. I love stumpwork but just recently have been doing thread painting which I am enjoying
There is nothing simple about choosing a favorite type of needlework! I love so many, and especially combinations.
I am an interior architect, so i love to make things i can use to decorate a house. I am now working on a series of pillows, 24 in total. (did i mention i love BIG projects?) My previous project was upholstering a 1920s chair with an embroidered fabric. For that i used your free patern ‘tulips and carnations’ as inspiration. I would love to send you a picture of it, but i haven’t figured out how. (could you let me know?)
When i saw the book, i had some ideas for a summery tablecloth. Maby that could be the next project?
best regards,
Evelyne
I really enjoy your website for new hand work embroidery. I find embroidery on quilts to be very fun and relaxing. It’s the time you spend to make a beautiful hand embroidery quilt. It is truly a work of art!! I hope i win your book as I would do more designs to frame and hang on my wall for everyone to see! Sincerely a lover of embroidery hand work Mary Patrick
Hi Mary, My favourite embroidery is usually the piece I am working on at the time. Right now, I am doing a project for a course. It uses bullion knots – lots and lots of them! I have come to love these little stitches sooo much and I am already thinking about what I could use them for next…. and lo! – Portuguese whitework and Guamaraes. It looks so enticing, if a bit daunting – but this book would be there for me every step of the way.
Dear Mary
I do not have a favorite type of needlework, it all depends on how I am feeling and how much energy I have. When I have worked hard the whole day and I want to relax, I do my counted crossstich. When I have a lot of energy I like to do embroidery that calls for more brain-activity: free embroidery, Schwalm, canvaswork, whitework …. and making teddy bears!
Love, Anne
To let everyone know, you can Pre-order Portuguese Whitework from Nordic Needle at http://www.nordicneedle.com. For $29.99. You can also buy the Left and Right-handed embroidery Companion books. I don’t remember their prices. I ordered one of the right-handed ones and am going to get the book for left-handlers for my sister. I love Whitework of all kinds. It is always so simple and fresh-looking. It always reminds me of days gone by, of a much more simple time. If I don’t win the book, I will definitely Pre-order it from NN. My favorite kind of needlework is counted cross, because I find it so relaxIng to start with a blank piece of beautiful linen and luxurious silk and transform it into a work of art. Counted cross is so much more than just making crosses. We have Algerian Eyelets, Long Arm Cross Stitch, and the ever perplexing Montenegrin Stitch! If you can master that stitch, you have arrived! I love to stitch 16th and 17th century reproduction samplers. When I stitch one, I try to think of the young girls that stitched the same thing I am stitching, only about 400 years ago!
Hi Mary,
My favourite type of needlework is cross stitch. It has been with me from I was a little kid (am 23) and it was my grandma who taught me. She has made these beautiful, big cross stitched pictures and they have always been an inspiration for me. She also taught me to keep the back neat and to never start on a new project before I finished the one I’m doing, otherwise I probably wouldn’t finish them. (She knows me too well)
I really hope to win this book so I can expand my needlework projects to go beyond the world of cross stitching and learn a new skill.
Thank you,
Michelle from Copenhagen
Thanks for another chance to win this book, Mary. I prefer regular embroidery for the variety of stitches that make it so interesting!
Oh please “needlework Angel” help that I get this give-away. I love Whitework, and what a beautiful form of needlework Portuguese Whitework is. I didn’t even know that this form existed, until your review of the book a while back. I would very much like to try this. Its simply stunning! My favourite needlwork is stumpwork goldwork and whitework with ecclesiastical embroidery catching up fast. funny how one tends to stick to what you know and like and being wary of trying new avenues. Owning this book will definitely do the latter.
I don’t think I have an absolute favorite type of embroidery. I do a lot of hardanger and thread painting. I currently have two projects lined up, one is blackwork and the other is goldwork. A favorite???? Each type of embroidery has it’s own beauty for us to learn and enjoy. That’s my favorite thing about embroidery, there is a type for everyone.
Hello Mary, maybe this time I’d be the lucky one
? I love Hardanger because I love how it looks. There’s some counting involved in it and I was good at maths in school, so maybe that’s another reason 
. Cheers!
I would love a copy of this book! I can’t pick a favourite kind–I like all embroidery for different reasons
What a beautiful embroidery. I’d love to try this one. I love hardanger and see some similarities.
Hi
Thank you again for this great opportunity and for your generosity.
I am really intriged by this form of whitework – so much so that I tried to get my local bookstore to order this book in. Apparently it is unavailable. I really love bullions and the combination of some of the elements used in Portugese workwork is definitely something I really would like to try. Whether I win this book or not, I do hope to get my hands on a copy in the near future.
I love handwork, but don’t do as much anymore. I have taken quite a few classes from the Martha Pullen School of Art and learned so much from the various teachers there. I am not sure what the type of embroidery that I have done is called….I just love the different stitches and am amazed the way a stitch changes depending on the threads used.
Debi MS
My favorite type of embroidery is definitely white work together with pulled thread work. I just love the lacey effects they produce. my birthday is the 16th so maybe I will get lucky and win this fabulous book.
Hello Mary
It’s difficult to tell you what is my favourite type of needlework,I enjoy so many type of embroidery. At this moment , I love most japanese embroidery (it is so neat and the silk threads are so beautiful) and crewel and jacobean embroidery (I love the drawings).
Thanks for this new giveaway
Severine (France)
Hi Mary,
I enjoy embroidery the most, but I have just starteda cross-stitch project which I am finding somewhat challenging. I probably should have started with a printed pattern rather than a counted x-stitch. In any case it has interested me in trying new things.
This book would be a fabulous addition to my needlework library.
Thank you for the opportunity,
Greta596 from Nanaimo, BC
I like embroidery … any kind … since I have needle and thread at my hand …
Thanks for all your informations here …. is a very usefull library online e better … for free!!
Angelina
I adore portuguese whitework!!!Ilove to do simple things ,I learned a lot with you Mary !!My problem is that internet iss not very good here ,and I am bad with technology ,kids are all married and gone ,have no one to teach me .I don’t even know what website means .???ha ha I’m olga from Argentina !!!
My grandma Claypool taught me to embroidery when I was a little girl and would visit her in the summertime. Many patterns were stamped on dishclothes and the adventure began. Simple chain, lazy daisy, backstitch and stem stitches were used. As an adult now, I marvel at her patience with me when I constantly had knotted thread and the needle slipping out all the time. She was a gem and also taught me how to crochet around a pillowcase edge. Although I have done counted cross stich and crewel, I still enjoy prestamped embroidery that’s so convenient to take anywhere and work on it for an hour or fifteen minutes. I’ve only recently subscribed to this great website and I can’t wait to try some new stitches. Great inspiration!
Hi Mary, I was looking at this book last night and thought how great it would be to have it. I love the stitching things that you present and look forward to seeing them everyday. Thanks Judy Fox
It is difficult to say which type of needlework I like the best. I like needlework at all, all kind of it. Few years ago it was cross stitch, last year it was beadwork. I love silk ribbon embroidery very much, it my favorite this year
) it is because my new project is with ribbons.
It’s difficult to name a favorite type of needlework. Often favorites become exactly that because I’ve gained knowledge of the type, viewed pieces executed in it, and gotten to “know” it. Favorites also depend on a piece that I might be planning, and what is required for the finished piece. The skill of the embroiderer must also come into play. The more I learn and study surface embroidery, the more there is to love about each and every type of needlework. The top of my list would include Ecclesiastical embroidery, and whitework, with many others following close on their heels.
I enjoy needlework of all types and I like to learn new stitches and challenge myself. I admire Whitework of all types and would love to learn more about it. But I always seem to return to counted cross stitch, so I guess I’d have to say that is my favorite.
I love cutwork. Hard to come by patterns. I search on Etsy shops and vintage pattern shops online for old transfers. Then I trace them and use a better way to transfer my design. If you want to do it, you have to love doing the buttonhole stitch. I would like to try some different whitework. Thank you so much for the chance.
I would love to delve into this kind of embroidery. My favorite “thing” right now is Hardanger. I have learned so much since I started to receive your newsletters.
My favorite type of needlework is goldwork. I enjoy and love the results of all the other various neelework forms, as they each have a certain beauty of their own. But nothing is as beautiful, breathtaking, or gives greater honor and glory to God as goldwork done on a vestment used at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!!!
Hi Mary:
I would love to be entered into the give-away for this book. I love surface embroidery of all types. I started with jacobean crewel as a little girl in the late seventies and have progressed in fits and starts from there. Right now styles I have tried include, crewel, goldwork, freestyle, Mountmellick, silk shading, Hungarian and Unkrainian and needlelace. I love the more complex stitches and love to do knots and prefer surface to counted forms, even though I love the way other people’s counted work looks. Thanks for a wonderful site and so many great give-aways.
To pick a favorite? I have been doing counted work – cross stitch, hardanger, pulled thread, canvas work – for so long. I’m just now starting to venture out into other forms of embroidery so I don’t have a wide range to compare to. But so far my favorite has been temari. So different, and so much fun!
Hi Mary
My favorite type of embroidery at the present time would have to be a tie(Stumpwork -Whitework.)I love the dimensional effect of stumpwork,so realistic and the openwork and raised effect of whitework.Would love to try the portuguese whitework-looks fabulous.
My favorite is any type of surface embroidery.
Elaine in New Mexico
I love to do smocking and embroirey on lil girls dresses. I have always wanted to do whitework and think this book will give me the push i need. Thanks for all that you give away
Hi!
my favorite type of needlework is satin stich, because i like the feeling of thickness it makes, that heavy and rich feeling, especialy if bright colours of threads are used. i am a begginer and I don’t know many stiches but satin is my favorite now.
thx. for lovely giveaway!
I would love to learn many styles of hand stitching which includes other cultures. This book you’re giving away has me so intrigued. I would love to learn what’s in it. I am in charge of teaching young quilters hand stitching and I am in awe of how they learn and how much they want to know. This book would help immensely.
I loved learning the Palestrinia stitch from you and I’m teaching it to these young ones. They are also being sent to your blog. Thank you for what you’re sharing.
I’m working on a full size crazy quilt and am having the time of my life.The chance to use so many types of patterns, stitch and color combinations is exciting and rewarding.I won’t be done soon (it’s my biggest project to date)and I like to take breaks and work on smaller projects.I like to broaden my knowledge and would like to learn about whitework. I love the clean look and can imagine many kinds of small projects I would love to do.Whether I win or not, I’ll be looking into this technique more.
Wow! You ask hard questions! My favourite type of needlework is apt to vary by the day or mood but I think I lean mostly toward counted work with a variety of stitches – hardanger, for instance, or Schwalm. I’m more comfortable with the ‘guidance’ of the math, it seems. Having said that, I have to say that I also love blackwork. I grew up doing what we called ‘embroidery’ – mainly on pillowcases or tea towels – stem stitch, satin stitch, lazy daisy, french knots, etc. and still enjoy that as well. Usually I prefer to work on linen or even-count as opposed to canvas but canvas is good, too – I like Hapsburg lace, for instance. And I love to learn about new (to me, anyway) techniques especially of the ethnic variety which is why I’m interested in this book. Until i heard about it, I had been unaware that such a thing as Portugeuse embroidery existed. – Carol from Alberta
Dear Mary,
Bullion knots is my favourite technique. Congrats for this perfect review and amazing give-away!
Mary Souza, from Brazil
My favorite form of needlework is petit point done on loose linen – I love geometric forms in thread in a monochromatic pallet. The color does not matter – they are all beautiful.
Rachel the Serious Book Addict in St. Louis (The Finest City Ever)
My favorite type of embroidery is needlepoint. I have a lot of trouble with tension, and I find that the canvas helps to keep me on track. I have noticed that my tension is beginning to improve, so it may be all the practice with canvas that is finally having some effect.
Thanks so much for this giveaway–my maiden name is the same as the city across the bay from Lisbon, so learning Portuguese embroidery would be a real treat.
I don’t really have a favorite type of needle work, what I like is that there is so much of diversity in needle work, so you never get bored! I do have a crush on anything that has a white background, not only portuguese whitework but also any kind of redwork with a white background!
I truely love all types of needlework. Each has it’s special look and of course I am not as good in some needlework as others…but it does not it make it any less favorable. And too the history is amazing for each technique. At the end of the day, I would have to say cross stitch is my favorite.:)
Embroidery on crazy quilts… love it.
Is there no end to wonderful white work styles?
Funny enough, I love doing blackwork!
I enjoy working on 17th century samplers the best but also enjoy doing surface embroidery.
Thank you.
Hi Mary,
My favourite type of needlework is anything involving cut & drawn threadwork. My absolute favourites are punto antico & reticella as I love the challenge of cutting & withdrawing,the simple pleasure of preparing the foundation, and the joy of needleweaving & surface stitches,the final glorious stage.
Debra,Sydney, Australia
That question is easy for me to answer – embroidery, hands down!
Wow! What a beautiful book! Whitework and cutwork always remind me of my gramma’s dresser scarves and other things she made when I was a kid. Surface embroidery is my fave needlework. Been stitching since I was four years old. Thanks for the chance to win!
Gosto de todo tipo de bordado e muito de patchwork. Gosto muito do site Mary Corbet’s e adoraria ganhar o livro Portuguese Whitework. Estou aprendendo muito, navegando no site. Muito obrigada.
This is such a great book. I’ve looked at it, but don’t own it. But would really love to. I use to correspond with a lady in Ireland who taught Montmellick. I have done some and recently finished a work that should have been white, but did it in soft pink and added pearls. It wasn’t my pattern, but I really enjoyed doing it.
I do several types of needlework – cross stitch, applique, and stitch play (thanks Mary!). I just can’t pick a favorite, but my favorite cloth is linen and cotton threads take up the biggest part of my collection.
Bullions are one of my favorite stitches and can be done beautifully in color (for roses) or in white as in the book. I would love to have a copy. Thanks for the offer!
I still have a lot of needle work I haven’t touch yet, however so far my favorite is Shwalm, so many different filling stitches.
and I love the look of it.
thks Anick
from Montreal Canada,
Olá Maria!
Não tive a sorte de ter os ensinamentos de uma avó, tia ou mãe para a arte de bordar… mas, tenho a sensibilidade para admirar belos trabalhos e agora, a oportunidade de poder aprender e o desejo de tê-la como professora! Não tenho um tipo preferido de costura ainda; bordar o branco no branco, tem seus encantos…
Agradeço esta oportunidade!
Norminha
Hi Mary,
Thank you for organising another wonderful giveaway.
I love fine embroidery on linen, generally even weave, which means any of the counted embroideries. This includes Hardanger, drawn thread, pulled thread, black work and, originally, counted cross stitch. Having said all that, last month I did a wool embroidery course with Gabrielle Henderson at the Queensland Embroiderers Guild and had such fun with the sheer freedom for the work and the variety of stitches that I am wondering whether it is time to branch out into other areas ( am still recovering from the wedding veil, so doubt that it will include much more embroidery on net!)
Thanks
Jenny
I do not have a favorite type of embroidery at this point, though I am enjoying learning many new stitches to incorporate in my needlework. Your site has been an exciting find for me, and I love your tutorials and inspiration. A wealth of information! Thanks for all.
Hi Mary! I really enjoy doing crazy quilt stitches with silk buttonhole twist. My other fave is Elizabethan-style stitching, which I am gradually learning. Thanks for a fun book giveaway!
Mary,
I really enjoy any kind of hand embroidery-both to look at and(as far as my attempts have gone) to produce. I have not attempted any Portuguese whitework, but I am sure I would enjoy the opportunity to learn.
I love the simple elegance of whitework. I haven’t done an official project yet, but this book looks beautiful and inspirational!
Would love to be the proud of owner of this fine book. Thanks so much for offering.
Love embroidery work…it gives me a chance to be creative, and it allows my sewing to evolve.
I love counted cross stitch, but have started to do more embroidery pecies. Always creating new designs, and using different stitches is what makes it so enjoyable for me.
Gosh, this was a hard question!!
I love many kinds of needlework, love specialty stitches which I am gradually learning. I envy you Mary for the evenness of your crewl and satin stitches, the medallion project was incredible and a treat to watch your progress.
But if you ask my favourite, I would probably have to say needlelace. And the reason, well, I love bobbin lace and needlelace looks so lacy too, I am part way through my first piece of Zele lace and am really enjoying watching it develop. And I hope to design my own needlelace patterns one day!!
cheers
Julie in Australia
My favorite type of needlework is the reason I would really like to win this book – I adore all types of whitework. It can be old-fashioned and modern at the same time. Don’t get me wrong; I love color. Nothing insires me as much as looking at a full display of DMC embroidery floss (we don’t have a real needlework shop anywhere nearby or far-by for that matter), but then sanity rears it’s logical head and says, “Would you really use all of this thread, let alone where would you put it all?”
Karen in NC
My favorite is whitework. It’s wondrous how the combination of a single white thread, with many stitches, snips and wraps, can transorm a plain woven background into an image that invites the eye to linger.
Doreen from Maine.
I love hardinger. I am a database admin by profession so that should tell you about my ease with and desire for order and exactness. To me, hardinger has all of that plus allows for a creative outlet that results in a work of art that is quite beautiful. So it’s very pleasurable to work with it. It also combines my love of counted thread, white work, and withdrawn thread work.
So many loves, so little time.
Love embroideries of all kind! My favourite type of needlework is crochet, though.
These past week I’ve been watching the BBC’s TV series PRIDE & PREJUDICE (hIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!) and it’s such a happiness to see the girls sitting and embroidering all time! Thanks! sarita
I’m not sure I’ve got a favourite yet, I’m enjoying trying new kinds of needlework
My favourite form is blackwork but also enjoy hedebo, canvas and hardanger. we recently did a course in our guild of Romanain Point Lace.
I’d enjoy this book which offers a new stitching challenge.
I love Hardanger embroidery and cut work! This book looks awesome!! Thanks for the chance.
I like plain old embroidery because it is relaxing but mostly because it reminds me of my mother who taught me how to do it when I was 4 with a big needle, blue yarn and a pencil drawing of a daisy.
Gotta’ love redwork! I’m always on the move, so doing work in one color is handy–and red is my favorite color!
I’m a cross stitcher. But I love other needlework techniques too, recently I wanted to try Richelieu embroidery because I found it fascinating, however my project turned out as a Broderie Colbert piece.
Thanks for the giveaway
I’m not well versed in the different types of stitching. I only just started crafting, and only have enough time to sew 10 minutes at a time. I am interested in learning to stitch though. I can sneak in more time to do something fun that way.
My favorite needlework would have to be blackwork – I love that you can create such detailing and dimensions with just using one colour and a running stitch! Blackwork is what I made my wedding sampler in too
My favorite needlework form is counted cross-stitch. Been doing that for *years* but something crazy pretty like this would be a wonderful change of pace! Thanks for the chance to win.
I am barely learning how to crochet and work with needles. I love to see the embroidery especially on napkins since I like to use them to cover up my homemade tortillas, in Mexico that type of embroidery is called “bordado”. That is my most favorite type of work because you end up losing yourself into your peice of artwork, you get to use all those beautiful colors, and at the end I show off my masterpiece when we eat!
While I love all types of embroidery, whitework and cutwork are what always make my heart do that pitter patter of excitement. I love the soft, timeless feel. After reading your review and looking at the pictures in the book, I know I would love to have it.
Whitework is a technique I have not tried. The book would be a nice addition to my library.
My favorite needle work is knitting but I really want to get back to embroidery. I would love to start doing Portuguese Whitework.