A stitch dictionary is a Must on every embroiderer’s bookshelf – whether you’re a beginner or an experienced embroiderer. And Yvette Stanton’s stitch dictionaries – The Left-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion and The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion – are excellent choices when it comes to selecting a comprehensive, instructive stitch dictionary.
Today’s give-away is one of these books – the winner’s choice, actually – courtesy of Yvette Stanton of Vetty Creations.
I’ve reviewed both books thoroughly here on Needle ‘n Thread – you’re welcome to visit the links below to my book reviews, but remember to leave your comment for the give-away on today’s post, not on the book review posts! Here are the links to the reviews, where you can see what the insides of the books are like and read a bit about them:
The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion Book Review
The Left-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion Book Review
Yvette Stanton writes beautiful and thoroughly instructive books, and you will find her stitch dictionary a perfect companion (just the title says) for your embroidery endeavors. She covers over 170 stitches and variations in each book, with directions written specifically for either left or right-handed embroiderers.
Besides her stitch dictionaries, Yvette has some other gorgeous books in various whitework techniques on the market. In fact, her business Vetty Creations is primarily targeted at whitework. There, you’ll find supplies for techniques like Mountmellick whitework embroidery, which calls for a specific fabric (cotton satin) and a specific thread (matte cotton threads, not mercerized). You’ll also find her other whitework books available there. She has written excellent books for instruction in Hardanger embroidery, Mountmellick embroidery, and Ukranian drawn thread embroidery.
But… Yvette’s not finished writing books! Oh, no! Captivated by a Portuguese style of embroidery involving drawn thread and incredible bullion knot motifs, Yvette has ventured into her latest book, Portuguese Whitework: Bullion Embroidery from Guimarães, which has not been published yet, but promises to be an absolute stunner.
If you can judge a book by its cover – and in this case, trust me, you can – you’ll be looking forward to this book as much as I am. Between you and me, I’ve already had a little sneak peek at the insides, and it is everything – and more – that the beauty of the cover promises!
Give-Away Instructions
Today’s sixth day of Christmas give-away is the winner’s choice of either The Left-Handed or The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion. If you’ve already got the books on your shelf and you win the give-away, you can always gift one to a stitching friend, or even to a local library, so don’t be shy about signing up! Please follow these (simple) instructions:
1. Leave a comment at the end of today’s article. If you click on that link, it will take you directly to the comment area, so that there are no mishaps! Comments delivered via e-mail or on other articles will not be included in the give-away.
2. In your comment, answer the following question:
Lefty? Or Righty? And has it made a difference to you in learning embroidery?
3. Make sure you leave a recognizable name either in the body of your comment, or on the “name” line above the comment box. For example, if your name happens to be Lefty, you might include a last initial or a location to differentiate yourself from any other Lefty that might join in.
4. Leave your comment before January 9th, 2012, at 5:00 am Central Standard Time (Kansas, USA!). All winners for this series will be selected on January 9th, and announced that day here on Needle ‘n Thread. You’ll have to check back on January 9th to see if you’ve won, because the winners will need to contact me within 3 days to claim their prizes. The Give-Away is Now Closed. Thanks for your interest!
Merry Sixth Day of Christmas!
Please do not panic if your comment does not show up immediately. All comments are moderated in the order in which they come in, and they will eventually be posted. If you are looking for your comment, please use the “older comments” and “newer comments” links at the top of the comments section. These will take you through all the comments pages, from newest to oldest.
Hi, I’m right handed. I’ve found a real passion for embroidery, but quite limited in the stitches I know and are comfortable with. Would love a reference to expand my skills. What a great giveaway.
I’m a righty and feel lucky this has never been an issue in learning embroidery stitches. As a former librarian and a someone learning to embroider, new books are always welcome!
G’day Mary,
Well, I’m on the common side of the question, a righty. It’s only in recent years with promotions such as Yvettes Left Handers book that I’ve given it much thought, either for leftys or my own right-handedness. I realize now the advantage us rightys have, to be able to just join in without the distraction of ‘working backwards’ when following a tutor or referring to books.
“I dips me lid” and raise my right hand in a gesture of salute to those leftys out there who are doing magnificently or soon will be, which is all of them!
Cheers, and heartfelt thanks, Mary and Yvette for this special giveaway.
I promised myself I’d be asleep before next year so will have to scuttle, it’s 11.30 pm. Have a lovely last day of the year.
Kath from Oz.
I’m right-handed, so it has been easy for me learning embroidery. My mother (my first teacher) was right-handed too.
But I’m a teacher, and I have some left-handed women that are not able to learn by standing in front of me, they need to see the stitch done as a left-handed person would do. So I have to show them how to do the stitch in the left-handed way, with my right hand… not easy, but I somehow manage to do it.
A left-handed stitch dictionary would be a great addiction to my library 🙂
Best wishes of a wonderful new year to you!
I love this book. Would like to own it.
Lefty! And I always feel like I’m doing it wrong which makes it confusing for a beginner who is already confused! Ha ha! Love all your helps and projects… some day I will tackle something a lot more difficult!
Oh I have wanted this book ever since you have reviewed it! Again, what a wonderful give-away. I’m right-handed, and I guess I’m one of the lucky ones, since most teachers are right handed, therefore when I take classes it is easy for me to follow the teacher. Thanks for the chance to win this book.
Righty – no difference. Thank you Mary and Yvette Stanton for offering the book.
I’m a righty. I don’t think it has mattered to me, but when I was young anyone who was left-handed would have had problems, as teachers thought lefties were doing it all wrong. My view is that they need to sit facing their teacher so they get the mirror image, rather than beside them.
I am a righty. As a beginner, I would love to have the book.
Happy Sixth Day of Christmas, Mary.
Alrighty, now! The only things I can do with my left hand is tie my shoe, scratch my right elbow, and type. So, Lefty? Or Righty? … Definitely Righty!! I’ve never had a problem learning stitches because most teachers, as well as most books, are geared toward right-handed execution. I would love to ad this book to my stitching library.
I hope you have a safe and happy new year, Mary. Nuovo anno felice! Nouvelle année heureuse! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!
I can’t wait to see what tomorrow’s offering will be.
Righty for sure because as much as I try, I cannot do anything stitching related with my left hand – I have taught a few things to a left handed friend but it taxes my brain!!!!!
Definately a righty, grin! I truely can’t say if I have ever had a problem since most patterns are written for a righty, but then I have been embroidering for about 57 years now and have done most types of embroidery, love this book, been thinking about getting it for myself ever since you wrote about it. Still have a small booklet of stitches I purchased back when I was first learning, so will love this one by Yvette! Barb
Hi Mary,
I am right handed and would LOVE such a great book showing me the correct way to stitch. I am self taught and would certainly profit from having such a book on my bookshelf. Oh to do things as they should be done!! MANY thanks for this great opportunity!
Peg
I am a righty and it has never been a problem in embroidery until I was trying to teach my left handed niece to stitch. This would be a perfect birthday gift for her. Thanks for all you do. Happy New Year!!
Hello mary,
I am a righty but it is good to know techniques form for my left hand that I can use in some embroidery stitches.
Françoise Y. Beauchamp
Mafyb Créations Textiles
Bois-des-Filion, Québec, Canada
I am predominantly right handed but when it comes to stitching I use both hands for most of my work. It would be good to see how the stitches “change” in both books.
I am a righty. As a beginner, I would love to have the reference book for righties.
When teaching needlework and embroidery many years ago, I always found it hard to help the lefthanders. The only way I found was to have them standing in front of me. What a boon it would be to have had a left handers book with clear diagrams etc.
I am sure I would even find hints for myself in the tight handers book.
I’m a right-handed embroiderer.But sometimes I’ve to teach kids who are lefty.The kids are beginners
and by teaching them I’ve learnt so much like now
I can work many stitches like a lefty :).This book is in my wishlist.Thank you Mary.
Anita-MM
Mary,
Your newsletter is fabulous and your give-aways are so generous. Thank you so much for all you do.
I am right-handed predominately although, as I age, I work on learning stitches with my left hand. I don’t think my ‘handedness’ has made a difference in my stitching as most all instructions are written for left-handers.
I have had these books on my wish-list since reading about them in your newsletter some time ago. (pick me pick me pick me!!!)
The Right Handed Embroiderers Companion would be a dream come true. Thank you for this awesome opportunity.
I am right handed. Taught sewing many years to middle school students. Interesting working with them, as each brain works differently. Putting a needle and thread in their hands was a wonder. Each developed their own style. I questions if there is such a thing as true right or left. I tend to want to do some things left handed as an automatic response…
They look amazing books, I’d love to have a chance to win one; I’m a right-handed stitcher.
Sue T
in France
I am right handed. So far most instruction I have read seems to be designed for right handers so it has not made a difference to my learning experience. I have noticed on your instruction pages Mary that you do include left handed instruction.
Righty. It has made learning stitches so much easier because the majority of instructions (web-based, book-based, or personal) are for right-handed folk.
It hasn’t made a difference in learning embroidery for me as much as it has in teaching embroidery. I often teach young adults basic embroidery stitches and have had to come up with techniques that work for both right and left handed learners. I love passing this art on to young women. I’m “old school” and try at every opportunity to instill a love for hand worked items that can become a family treasure as time passes.
I’m a lefty and like having illustrations tailored to my stitching direction. Starting a line of stitching correctly really does make a difference.
I’m a “righty” self taught hence the need to really sit down and practice, practice and practice some more now that the holidays are over. As for learning, being a righty hasn’t made much difference other than practicing.
I’m a right handed Embroiderer. I get frustrated at not being able to understand all the steps in a reference guide for stitching, especially the complicated ones. I even try to compile my own stitch guide from different places to see which one makes sense to me. This book sounds wonderful as it could be one ‘go to’ spot for a complete understanding of every stitch. Thanks, Sherry F.
i’m a right-handed embroiderer; never really thought about having any difficulties.
my older sister is left-handed and i know she had some problems as a child with handwriting so i imagine she would have had some issues learning embroidery (if she was interested but she is so NOT a crafts-person). most books did seem to focus on right handers, way back when.
the portuguese whitework book looks very interesting – gorgeous cover!
thanks for all these giveaways
I am a righty, I think it has made it easier because so many resources are geared towards right-handed folks.
Happy New Year!
The LEFTY book would be great for my sister! I am a righty and struggle to teach her stitches. She would absolutely LOVE this book! Thank you for the offer!
Definitely a “rightie” when it comes to needle and thread! I am trying to learn more embroidery stitches and am grateful for you stitch videos! I want to know more and look forward to the opportunity to do so.
Sandy
I’m a right handed Embroiderer. I get frustrated at not being able to understand all the steps in a reference guide for stitching, especially the complicated ones. I even try to compile my own stitch guide from different places to see which one makes sense to me. This book sounds wonderful as it could be one ‘go to’ spot for a complete understanding of every stitch. Thanks, Sherry F.
I’m righty!
I’m looking forward next book by Yvette as well!
I’m a righty and since I don’t think I’ve ever seen any instructions specific to leftys I haven’t had any trouble learning stitches.
Lefty – Righty… Very hard for me to function on the left side. Many years ago, I broke my right arm in the wrist area. I honestly felt insane for six weeks… well, not the entire six weeks. I soon learned to use my left arm and my mouth to create… Ha, not a pretty sight!
JupZi in Morton, IL
I’m right handed. I haven’t found it difficult to learn embroidery, but sometimes think I need more help with hand positioning. (what should the left hand be doing? Is the right hand over or under? Etc) I tend to do whatever comes naturally or comfortably — even if it’s not the proper way. I’ll learn more eventually. 🙂
I am a righty which made learning embroidery easier since I am in the majority. It seems most instructions are written for righties, lefties have to turn everything upside down.
What a great book! I gave my stitch book to a young girl just beginning in embroidery and the one I use is old – black and white diagrams and not very instructive really. Would love to receive the right-handed guide to add to my bookcase. Well, maybe not to add to my bookcase but keep with my sewing box where it would be on hand at a moment’s notice.
Righty. once I got into a book on croched that started out lefty instructions, it boggled my mind, had difficulty reversing the hands and what to do. Then found the righty section and that was indeed easier for me to follow.
I’m a lefty and yes, it’s made a massive difference! Everything is so hard to learn as you can only usually see people doing it backwards!
I’m a righty, so not an issue for me. Now, if I could only be ambidexterious, that would be handy!
Mary,
I’m right-handed, so have had no problems with most directions and stitch diagrams. We do have a “lefty” in one of my stitch groups. I’d pick the Left-handed guide, to learn what she is struggling with, and be able to help her more.
Thanks again for a thoughtful choice. Will also look at the Yvette’s other books.
I’m a righty, which has probably made it easier for me to learn embroidery. I never realized that until a left-handed friend discussed some challenges for her that I hadn’t even considered. Thank you for the giveaway and Happy New Year!
Theresa/OctoberLace
I am a lefty but learned right handed as that is what my mom and great grandmother did. I can do it both ways – which is nice – does give a different twist to the work depending on what I am doing. thanks!
I’m a righty – I did not have difficulty picking up embroidery – I started very young and it came very natural to me. I think it is in my French/Belgian DNA – but I sew and do upholstery work for a living. I also teach hand embroidery workshops once or twice a year at various historical sites/museums and libraries so the book would be a wonderful addition to my library and would be a big help in allowing me to teach effectively.
Mary Ann
Beacon NY
Embroidery is the best thing that accompanied me since I was a little girl. Long ago I realized that when I struggle to learn a new technique or even a new stitch I forget about my aches and pains and time passes very quickly. To be able to show my friends “how to” is very gratifying and your newsletter is a great help. I am right-handed. Thanks again.
I’m right handed. I have a left-handed granddaughter and know that for her it is a challenge when her grandmothers tries to teach her a craft skill. Ah well. Books like this make those things so much easier. Love this idea of 12 days of Christmas gifts.
I am a righty. It has made a big difference in learning needlework because my mother was a lefty. She found it very difficult to pass her skills onto my sister and I. As a result I learned almost all of my skills from books.
Winnifred, Braeside, Ontario
Good Morning! I’m a righty and my teacher was a righty. However, it helps to be able to use both the right and left … I’ve done a few stitches that work better using my left hand. Thank you.
I’m a lefty and go out of my mind trying to translate right handed embroidery instructions! The only thing that has ever worked for me, is watching your excellent video tutorials. Owning a left-handed embroidery book would be plain awesome!
I am a righty and it has made a difference, I gues, in that most instructions are for right handed people so they are more readily available!
righty, i have never tried with left hand. i be nice to see how beautiful pictures are in person.
Joanie M of W TN
I am a righty but with age and stiff fingers I have done stitching even with the left hand. I have two stitching dictionaries but seem I am always looking for better instruction. I would love The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion and as you mentioned, it would be great to donate. Should I win, I am thinking I would donate the books currently in my library and keep the righty.
I’m a righty, and I want to try every stitch I see. I’ve never had to stop and translate the diagram from right to left. Kudos to the leftys who are willing and able to do so.
Doreen
Happy new years eve, Mary! I am a righty. I am married to a lefty and although he doesn’t stitch, my eyes have been opened to what a right-centric world we live in. We have a youth Stitchers group and one little gir is left handed and Yvette’s book has been a great help.
When I was young I used both hands and no one was sure what I was going to be a lefty or righty! Even though I did end up writing with my right hand I have found I use both hands exceedingly well in needlework.It has surprised me because of some of the intricacies of embroidery. I have always loved the challenge of creativity in hand made items so both hands get a dose!
Avis in VA
I’m a righty, and have done things with my left, but never embroidery….
Righty- and no it has not made a difference in learning to embroider. Thank you again, Mary. The Right Handed Embroiderer’s Companion would be a really nice addition to anyone’s stitch reference library.
Jean B.
Righty!
I was born lefthanded, but I had to learn everything righthanded at school. Now I can use both.
Bye, Winnie
Hi:)
Thank you for the nice giveaway!
Happy Holidays!
I am right-handed, do doing my embroidery I use right hand.
I would love to win the “The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion”. I am a “righty”.
I love cross stitching and have just gotten into embrodery. I took a class in crazy quilting and am trying to use some of the stitches for that and I have a wonderful redwork design I am just itching to start. I am sure I would use this lovely book a lot.
Thank you for a chance to win it.
Judy Starkey
Very much left handed! I have never had a problem being left-handed and do all the stitching right-handed stitchers do.
I’m right handed, so have the advantage of most instructions being printed for me. Mary, your prizes just keep getting better and better. You have worked hard to get these donations…and win or lose…thanks for the effort!
Kathy
Lefty! Since I’m a pure lefty, it makes things a tad more difficult for me to overcome challenges in the crafty/sewing world.
Interesting fact: My folks are both lefties. They have four children, three of which are lefties.
Thank you for a chance to win!
Hi i am a righty. i learnt my stitches from design books -those Ondori books. i dont have any stitch dictionary. now i learn more about the stitches from Mary’s stitch dictionary and you tube. it would be great ,if i wonthe book. thank you ansu chennai
I am left handed, but I stitch with my right hand. I am not sure how I am able to do that since it is the only thing that I do right handed. In learning to embroider I don’t think that it made any difference. I taught myself to embroider starting when I was 13 years old. I learned from the instructions that came in the kits that I bought, Dimensions, Sunset, Paragon, etc. I eventually found a book called, “The Stitches of Creative Embroidery”, by Jacqueline Enthoven. This has been my stitch bible ever since. I would love to win this book. Thank you for giving away all these gifts.
Sharon K.
That’s a very interesting question. I never really thought much about the fact that I was right handed. But on the other side of that coin, I can only imagine
the frustration of someone who is left handed. So, when I read your article about
the left or right handed embroidery books, I actually smiled. That’s terrific!
Good morning, lovely to read your post again this morning…the stitch dictionary is invaluable, thanks again for the opportunity to win…Dianne from Brockville Ont
I am a righty and it really does not seem to make a difference on my embroidery that I can tell. But then again most everthing is written for a righty rather than a lefty.
I am a right-handed embroiderer and I could sure use Yvette Stanton’s book right now since I am stuck on a simple stitch that I’m sure I will eventually figure out. It must be so much easier learning embroidery right-handed since so much is written for the right-handed.
I would love to own this dictionary. It appears very comprehensive & would be very useful in teaching grands to sew. BTW, all are right-handed, lol.
Becky in upstate SC
I am a lefty, and while it has not affected my embroidery that much, it does mean that my embroidery tends to get a teeny bit abraded since I usually start at the upper left corner and work my way to the right and down, that means that my hand can come into contact with the embroidery as I take a stitch. I really ought to start at the upper right corner and work my way downward to the left.
Tania
I am a righty but have a daughter that is a lefty. I would love to have either book. I have been stitching since I was about 7 as I would sit and stitch with my beloved grandmother. It seems I have always know how to stitch. However, I am always learning new stitches. Hope I win one or the other.
Beautiful book!
Mary,
I would be thrilled to win the stitch book for righties.
Thank you for all you do for the needlework community. Your work is so beautiful and inspiring!
Righty or Lefty – I don’t know how to answer that question. I am a lefty when I write, and do many chores. However, I am a righty when I stitch. . . Mostly because I could never figure out how to do the stitches with my left hand. It was just easier to make the non-dominant hand the dominant hand for stitching.
Luckily that came easily … when I was in elementary school, a teacher made me settle down and write with just one hand … I apparently annoyed her with my switching the pencil from left to right hand.
Joan
Since you recommended this book so highly a while ago I’ve been wishing I could own a copy. I would love this!
Hi,
I am right handed person. Hence I prefer The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion in case if I get lucky in this give away.
I dont think lefty or righty would make a difference in learning hand embroidery. Though not sure.
I’m a right-handed embroiderer that has found it helpful that instructions are written for right-handers.
I am left-handed. It didn’t made difference, because I am self-taught cross stitcher. When learning the traditional Hungarian embroidery, I mimicked my mother, who is left-handed, too.
I would like to learn tatting, knitting and crotcheting, but there will be some orientation problems…
I’m a righty who learned from a lefty! I was 8 years old and a very patient friend of my familiy spent hours teaching me the basic stitches so I could embroider pillowcases like she did. She was always working on a set of prestamped pillowcases with vivid foral designs and I was fascinated with them.
I am a righty. I could really use this book because I am going to be teaching cross stitch in my LNS. Thank you so much for this 12 Days of Christmas.
I am a rightly never tried left handed stiches
Since all the kits and projects I did when I was first learning to stitch were given for right handed stitchers, that’s how I learned. Since I am right handed it posed no problems. I would, therefore, get much more out of the right handed stitch guide. Thanks for all you share with us.
Happy New Year Mary! I would like to be the recipient of today’s give away- specifically the version for left handers. As a right handed teacher of needlework I am always challenged by left hand students to give them clear instruction…not always as simple as the mirror image technique. Having read your review of this book, I think it might be invaluable in helping me be a better teacher. On that note let me add that I have learned so much from you, including info on books like this. Thank you! Laurie in CT
I learned to embroider from my Mother, we are both rightys so I had no trouble.
My cousin is a lefty and she learned by sitting in front of Mom and,she learned just fine. I love to embroider and would love to win this book, it looks wondergul!
Soon I will be teaching my grandaughter who is coming to visit me this summer. I would love to teach her from this book, and also learn from this book!!!
Thank you for considering my entry!
nora jg
Definitely a rightie. One of my sons is a leftie, which has made me more aware of how a leftie brain works.
Righty. The only embroidery class I have ever taken is Brazilian Embroidery and my teacher was a righty which made it easy to learn.
It is so much easier to plan a piece when you have a stitch reference! I’m definetly right handed, but i know how much my mother in law would have appreciated a book for lefties :-). The bullion work is lovely, reminds me of my grandmother’s linen in France 🙂
Righty !!
Well, I think most explanations are made for right handed people, so I never noticed any problem 😉
Have a nice day,
I’ve always been right handed and would be at a loss if I had to switch! Learning to stitch with my left would be a very challenging task, so i’m glad I don’t have any reason to learn the left-handed way.
I am a righty. I would LOVE to win this book. I smock mostly, but want to expand my handwork. I don’t know that being right-handed has affected my handwork, but I do know that I would never be able to do it left-handed!!
I’m a “lefty” and have found that over the years I’m able to learn from right handed instruction. I supplement with a small instruction book of stitches by Coats and Clark as a reference. All in all I have a strong drive to learn the stitches “my way” and enjoy stitching. Linda 49M
I am righthanded but would love to have the book for Left handed people. I have several neices and a granddaughter who are left handed and would love to teach them to stitch…this book would give me great insights it is on my to-get list.
I have always heard that if you are left handed and sit facing the teacher, you will pick up the stitch or method eaisier…don’t know if this is true or not…some lefties I know do stitches the same way I do.
Thanks for another lovely gift! happy New year.
I’m right handed but because I teach embroidery and have a daughter that’s a “lefty”, I’ve learned to stitch both ways. My daughter is grown now and lives 1500 miles away but I actually sent her a copy of The Left-Hand Guide when you reviewed it and she was tickled pink. Maybe I can win the Right-handed to match hers:)
Blessings to you,
Vickie in Va
Yvette is an excellent writer of books. They are all ‘user friendly’. I am right handed and would love this book. I have all of Yvette’s other books and this would be a fantastic addition to my library. All of her books have helped me with my embroidery. Her embroidery is also exquisite.
would love to win this book to learn more hand embroidery stitches …. :)so I can venture more in to this wonderful realm 🙂 love mouse xxxx
The companion would be a great book to have! It would be wonderful having one that would be the greatest addition to my library! I am a leftu it is so difficult to follow right handed instructions and would be wonderful to be able to use a book that actually makes it easier for me a left handed person to use!! It is such a great ideaAb I love the confidence it would give me to rally understand the stitch without trying to picture it left handed from a right handed instruction! What a great idea!
I’m a right hander and a person who learns easiest from written instructions. I know I’ve learned most of my stitches from books. Can’t say what it’s like for left-handers when most of the instructions are for righties.
Hello,
I am right handed and not sure it’s made a difference in my stitching. I have taught left handed children stitching which I have done by sitting across from them, which seemed effective. I’ve tried teaching a left hander to crochet but was not successful , but then I wasn’t very successful teaching right handers crochet either!
I read the descriptions of these books on you’re web site and they look very interesting. I will be looking at her website when I finish this as I enjoy whitework.
Violet A in NH
Hi Mary!
This book is a dream come true. How I would love to have all that color and information at my fingertips. This is one of the best I’ve seen and passed over because of price.
I am a right-handed worker – thank goodness.
It seems most directions favor this orientation.
This is the prize of all prizes for me!!
Blessings – Jane
I am a converted lefty. I was one of those kids, back in the dark ages, who sat with their left hand behind their back when learning to write. Fortunately, that doesn’t happen to children anymore. I know of one other person who had this happen to him. He wound up being ambidextrous. I wound up with poor spatial relationships and poor fine motor skills in both hands. You would think after all of these years I would be fully adapted and not have any problems, but I’ve never quite worked it all out.
I’m a righty – and have wondered if the lefties aren’t just a bit more creative?? I would be a proud owner of the Right-Handed companion, but you are correct, the new book looks delicious!
It certainly makes a difference when teaching others. Keep an open mind.
These are wonderful books. I would like the Right Hand book as I’m right hadnded. But, I have begun teaching embroidery so if I won the left had book that would come in handy too! It’s hard for me to think “reverse that”.
Thanks again for these giveaways
Judy
Would love to have a new stitch book !! Looks great! Right Hand
Righty! I can only imagine the difficulty of learning all the needlework techniques from a right-handed perspective, if you are left handed.
Looking forward to adding this book to my library!!
I’m a righty, but am teaching the craft to a lefty. We’ve even resorted to having me work in front of a mirror so that she can see what various stitches look like going the other way…
I’m delighting in your 12 Days project, as it’s exposing me to all different kinds of books and blogs. (I looked up Ms. Stanton’s, and actually signed up to receive it!) Thank you for all of this.
I’m a righty, but have a lefty niece and lefty friends so I have experienced the challenges of a righty teaching a lefty how to do needlework. I take photos of what I do, then use Photoshop to flip the images 180-degrees to illustrate my instructions. Janet.
I’m always looking for the right book to take with me for stitches etc. I’ve forgotten more than I remember these days. And it sounds like this is the perfect book!
I’m a righty and I’m sure that has made it easier for me and I don’t even realize. Everything seems geared toward righties. Happy New Year!
I am a righty! I believe I have had an easier time learning new stitches, as alot of people are right handed and most stitches are laid out with diagrams geared towards righty’s. Although a few stitches have driven me crazy enought to think they were geared for lefty’s! lol! Thanks again for this wonderful 12 Days of Christmas giveaway! Happy New Year to you and yours!
Good morning Mary, I love books and that is how I learn as I rarely have the opportunity to attend a class, so yes books make the difference for me. If I win I would need the right handed, only do things with my right so that would make a difference too
Right handed and all those teaching me are lefties. Could do with some help! Thank you for the exciting start to the year. Sandra
Righty here. Most directions are written for us so no problem. I always feel bad for the leftys in a class when teacher asks if there are any and if not are visibly happy to not have to deal with that.
Hugs
FredaB
I recently received my order of The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion and really love it. If I do win I will certainly give it to one of the group of avid stitchers in our Dayton EGA here in Ohio.
Thanks so much – you’re a jewel!!
When Mary recommended the Left Handed Embroiderer’s Companion I went and bought it. For years I was frustrated trying to learn how to embroider in a right handed world when I was left handed. It made all the difference in the world. Now I truly enjoy my left handed book (as I call it). I feel comfortable and not so confused as to which direction to sew.
I enjoy Mary’s site so much. If I win I would do as she suggested and gift it to someone who is left handed and as confused as I was.
Hi Mary, I’m a lefty, and the only difference I think it’s really made to learning embroidery, which I started at a pretty young age, was in using scissors. I have a terrible time with ‘normal’ right-handed scissors, but oddly enough they are what I use most of the time. I’ve developed a very odd way of cutting with them (or so I’m told ever time I attend a workshop!) but it works for me.
As to stitching, I seem to have had Mary Thomas’ stitch dictionary for ever and never really given a thought to handedness when I use it (which is often!) However, if I were lucky enough to win this give-away, I’d be fascinated to find out how much easier it makes it to have lefty instructions!
As a lefthander most of the needlecrafts that I learned are self taught. That was a long time ago and the instructions were all for right handers. As for embroidery, I learned from books and turned the book pictures upside down to accomplish the same thing. Some books devote a few pages to left handers but I would love to have the instrutions for left handers all in one place. This book sounds like just the right fit.
When I was determing to make a crochet dress for my new little girl, I bought a 10 cent book and taught myself. Imagine my dismay when I realized that if I was working on “left front” for example; when I finished it was the “right front”!!
Thank you Mary; for all that you do for the stitching world..
Righty! Which makes life easy for me…but when I teach smocking to lefties, I really have to think it through. It ends up being a blessing for me because I have to have a perfect understanding of it in order to teach the stitch to a leftie. Whenever I want to know how to do something better, I teach it to someone else and I always learn more than I teach!
I am a righty. I find that the biggest difference in learning a stitch is often the quality of the instructions. Some books are better than others; this stitch dictionary is great. I received one for Christmas. Mary, your videos are wonderful. Thanks again,
Shelia in Oklahoma
Hi Mary,
I’m a righty. So most of the embroidery resources out there have catered to me. Even so, I’ve been lusting after this book since I first read your review. It’s beautiful!
I don’t think my handedness has helped or hindered my learning embroidery. What **has** improved my technique is this website because you can focus in on details and subtleties more closely than most books.
I am a lefty, but have learned from righties! I think my technique may be suspect because I adapt what I am taught to make it easier to work. This book would help me to improve in that area. THanks for the blog. Each day is most interesting!
I’m a righty. I don’t think it has made a difference to me. I’m a self-taught embroiderer.
Righty, Love books that instruct in a clear simple way. Would love this one. Happy New Year!
The Lefty Book would help me teach second grade Lefty twin girls Redwork. I believe it would make a difference to the girls because they could look at the pictures. I sit opposite from them at the moment working right handed and it helps a little.
I’m right-handed. As I’m a self-taught embroiderer, it didn’t make any difference. But maybe most books are written for right-handed people…
Nagyon jó lenne új hímzésekkel, technikákkal megismerkedni. Jobb kezes vagyok.
Boldog új Évet!
I’m a righty, but my mother is a lefty and she has always had trouble with embroidery instruction. I initially learned from my aunt, but mostly from books, so I guess being a righty has been a helpful thing!
MzMary
I’m a righty. I learned to embroider when I was 9 so I can’t say that it’s made a difference to how I learned. The schools here used to teach Needlework at primary (grade school?) level, especially Afrikaans schools.
Am right handed.
Love doing embroidery as it allows me another creative outlet
I am right handed and work embroidery with the right hand which most people do. I know embroidery can also be done with the left for those who are left-handed. One has to get used to the techniques involved. I am comfortable doing it with the right hand.
Thanks
Dorothy
I am a right-handed embroiderer. I have only been actively learning embroidery for the past six months, although I have been an appliquer and sewer for many years. I love the beauty of embroidery and love hand work. Thank you so much for the opportunity to win these great resources!!
Jenny P. from Kansas City
I am right-handed and I also think that as most books have diagrams and instructions for righty people, it was easy to learn, but it does feel strange to watch my lefty friends doing the same stitch.
I’m right-handed. Since most instructional guides seem to be geared to righties, I guess it’s an advantage being right-handed. But if you are having trouble learning a stitch — whether one is right or left-handed — some kind of instructional guide is a must. Would love to add this to my needlework library of books
I am a righty. I never thoght of sing my left hand to stitch as I have always been right handed so I don’t think it has made a difference.
I am right handed and have never ventured to attempt the left hand embroidery technique. I have felt frustration for left handers as in the past there has not been acknowledgement of their needs. How nice to see a complete book devoted to the left hand embroiderer! I have put the new book on my wish list.
I’m right handed but have taught a couple of people to crochet left handed. It’s great that someone has written a book on stitching for lefties! Have a great last day of 2011!!
I gave my daughter the left handed version for Christmas. It is a beautiful book. I am right handed and this book would be a wonderful addition to expand my stitching library.
Pam C KS
I’m right handed. Yvette Tanton’s book looks like it would be a good one to include in my embroidery library.
Thanks so much.
Louise
This just keeps getting better every day.
I’m a righty and The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s companion would be the perfect match for the crazy quilt kit that I got for Christmas.
Ann from Whitefish Bay, WI
Happy Sixth Day of Christmas Mary,
I am a right handed sticher, but my left hand helps out!!!
🙂
However, i think it is a great idea to teach from both sides
because it is a slightly different approach. Thanks for the
fun!
Chris
Je suis droitière et ce livre de points pour droitière est un must je plein les gaucher ce ne dois pas être facile pour eux
i’m a righty, can’t imagine learning embroidery as a lefty…I think it would be mighty difficult!
I am right handed and always felt bad that there were less resources for those that were left handed. Glad that is changing. Being right handed made it easier to teach myself to stitch.
I’m a righty and can’t imagine having to do all things as a lefty, but I’m trying to work both hands — just as an exercise (it seems of futility!).
I’m a righty, and all my teachers have been right-handed too, so I haven’t had any problem. However, my Mom started a crocheted afghan for me which was incomplete when she died. Her left-handed sister finished it for me and it is noticeable. I think it makes my gift more special.
Hi Mary,
I am a self taught right handed embroiderer. I love embroidery books. I just recently got Trish Burr’s beginners book on needle painting and a copy of Erica Wilson’s embroidery book. I would love to have a copy of the two books you are offering in you wonderful give away. They would be lovingly added to my collection.
Vicki
My sister was just asking me to recommend a good embroidery stitch book! I am right handed and I guess I never thought too much of that fact, however I did do a hand quilted quilt at Christmas and was surprised that I quite often had to sew a spot left handed. It wasn’t very easy at first. Thanks for another great giveaway.
I teach embroidery and it definitely makes a difference. I am lucky enough to be fairly ambidextrous when I stitch, but I have reaslised that sometimes I just use my left hand, not actually stitch left-handed, so a decent left-handed book would be marvellous. Yvette’s book is high on my list of must-haves for 2012. This would be a wonderful addition to my library
I’d love the right hand handbook. I need all the help I can get!! ~lol~
Thanks for hosting the 12 day give-a-way.
I’m right handed, and I’ve tried to learn knitting from my left handed mother in law, which is extremely difficult. I can’t imagine trying to learn the beautiful intricate embroidery stitches from a left handed person. It’s nice to know someone took the the time to do a book for each.
I’ve been wanting to learn to embroider as my grandmother and great-grandmothers all did beautiful embroidery, but I never learned how, only how to cross stitch. While I love to cross stitch, I think embroidery is so much more versatile as you can do many more things with it.
Thank you Ruth for this opportunity to learn more about embroidery. I am right handes and can do a simple stitch but nothing impressive. I would like to learn more about this craft so I can start on next years Christmas presents. I think a nice tablecloth would be very nice to recieve. I wish you and yours a HAPPY and BLESSED NEW YEAR.
Righty. I can’t imagine trying to learn a stitch with instructions for my opposite hand, even though Yvette’s instructions look so very clear. I would love to have instructions for some of the more unusual stitches that are in the book.
I am ashamed to say that I don’t own an embroidery dictionary…and my work show it…boring, boring, boring. This book could change my life!
Mary, I am a Right handed stitcher of many years..since childhood. I have a good friend who is LEFTy and I would so dearly pass this forward as we struggle together to get her stitching with a feeling of ‘expertise’. Both of us over the hill by a number of years, and yet we do manage to learn new tricks as we go. I just love your newsletter and tidbits…if only time would slow down to do it all! Merry Christmas to you and a very Happy, Healthy, STITCHINGLY great New Year. Karin
Lefty here!!
Mom taught me basic embroidery when I was 5. I haven’t really found that it has hindered me in learning more stitches. I don’t feel that my knowledge is anywhere near complete & this directory would be wonderful to have!!!
I am right-handed which has made learning from most books much simpler. However, I have had problems when teaching left-handers, trying to understand the ‘mirror-image’ flow of movement that is necessary to make a stitch. I think I succeeded, at least they went away with stitched items!
Righty all the way. Can’t say it has made a difference as have been around only right handed stitchers! Thanks for the 12 day give away!
I’m right-handed, and such a book would be so welcomed on my sofa!
Thank you for another terrific giveaway, Mary!
Righty here – and it’s never made a difference, since most instructors & instructions have the same handed-ness.
Katherine
OH this would help me master other techniques! What a wonderful addition to anyone’s reference library! Thank you for the opportunity!
Good morning,
I am a righty, so I have had the advantage of learning from other right-handed stitchers and authors. My sister, who was left-handed, had to either reverse all directions or learn to embroider like a right-handed stitcher.
I am right handed and always have learned things from that perspective. The book would be an excellent resource for anyone who loves hand embroidery. I much prefer doing all my projects by hand and not machine. I think it makes me feel more creative.
Thank you for yet another great give-a-way!!
Converted lefty, I guess, though I never really had a problem with it. Everything I got formally taught, I do with my right hand, everything else (throwing balls, drawing etc.) with the left. I guess I’m a bit ambidextrous as a result, which can be good for some needlework stuff as well, since I just use the hand that’s more comfortable for the task at hand.
I’d love to learn from these books.
I was born right handed … but with stitching I have discovered that I can go faster if I also use the left hand. The book will really help to improve my skills.
Pick me !
I’m a righty…but I have a nephew who is a lefty. He has always admired my handwork and has asked me to teach him. So what could be more perfect than to be able to show him this fabulous book?! Count me in!
I LOVE your give-aways!
I stitch with my right hand, but I thread my needles with my left hand. I think there is a lefty buried in my DNA! I am so glad that there is an embroidery stitch book for lefties! Carolyn from Budapest
I am a “lefty” in writing etc, but living in a “righty” world I have learned how to embroider, knit, crochet etc the “righty” way (no intention of relearning it). Things sometimes “collide” and turn out different in the making when my two sides meet. The end result is usually the same.
I’m a righty, so I suppose the world organizes itself around people like me. I have noticed no particular effects, therefore. However, as I learn to embroider two handed, which I have only just started to do, I have noticed that my left hand is actually better for some things than my right, and am using it more and more. I tend to use my right hand underneath, and my left on top of the work, but sometimes I find myself unintentionally swapping to get into and awkward corner!
I’m right handed but not strongly. I can and have embroidered with both hands, and taught both right and left handed people stitches.
I would want the book for right handed people, but awesome work to write one for each.
I’m left handed but I feel like it didn’t make a difference until today. Since I’m pretty much untalented when it comes to knitting with “normal” instructions, I never had any problems with embroidery books.
Still I would like to know if instructions for left handed stitchers may cause an aha-experience. 😉
Ohhh! the lefty book please! I am so tired of looking at instructions and translating them backwards although it’s good for my brain. I have the book on my list of 2012 purchase indulgences. Thanks for the possibility Mary. Sue
HI Mary!
You continue to amaze me with the high quality give-aways, and after Christmas! What a concept!
I am a “righty” but I am also an instructor. This has made me have to learn both ways in order to teach everyone well.
I look forward to seeing this book as I think it will take my embroidery to the next level. Lovely!
Thank you! From a Righty Embroider.
I am a “rightie” but I teach Brazilian embroidery and often have a “lefty” in my class. When preparing for a class, I try to pay attention to how a left-hand stitcher will need to work and having the stitch dictionary for left-hand would make that less of a challenge.
This looks to be a wonderful book. I will be venturing into doing small designs in 2012 to support our EGA Chapter’s Stitch of the Month. This would be a great guide to use. While most instructions are written for right handed people and I am right handed they are not always clear. These are very well done.
Syvia
I stitch left-handed. I write right-handed. Some things, like tennis and baseball and ironing I can do about as well on either hand.
Usually when I explain that to anyone they ask if maybe I started off life as a lefty and got forced into rightyness. I didn’t. I’m just a little ambi-handed.
I don’t remember having any trouble learning stitches because of the leftishness. Knitting was another thing entirely. I tried several times to learn to knit and just could not get it until a neighbor showed me the continental style knitting which made sense right away.
Your give-aways are getting better and better.
I’m a righty. I have been embroidering ever since I was a child. Learning how has provided me with connections to my past and hours of quite pleasure. Probably around 8 or 9 years old. I grew up with the philosophy “idle hands are the devil’s workshop” so I was never allowed to be idle. My mom was a great crewel embroidery so I learned what I know from her. She also taught me to sew. Between her and my grandmother (who sewed and quilted) I was always learning something from hand sewing a dolls quilt to embroidering a pink mouse. I later move into cross stitching and now I’m back to embroidering and quilting.
I believe in today’s modern age of technology we are so seldom still and quiet that we forget the pleasure of being alone with our thoughts. I think this is one of the joys of hand work and one of the precious skills my granny and mom were trying to teach me as a child.
Since I stopped needlework for a while my library is a bit outdated, so this book would be a wonderful addition.
I am more or less right-handed. My problem is dyslexia – more or less depending on how tired I am. I have both of these books and cannot say enough to praise them both. I sometimes teach and need the Left-handed one for the “odd” student.
I’m a righty. When my hand gets too tired from stitching, I have tried it left-handed which is an amusing fail.
Both of her books look amazing. It really inspires me to experiment with more stitching stuff in the new year.
I am one of those “confused” embroiderers…I am primarily left-handed (eating, writing) but most other “learned” things were taught by my righty mother/father…I am also a book-learner, so anything new I want to learn are from visual sources (books, magazines, etc) I am also one who says that one can never have too many stitching references! I don`t have this one…would love either version!
I am right handed. It has not been a problem learning how to embroider.
Happy New Year!
Joanie
I’m right-handed for most things, but use my left for various things, such as putting (in golf). I’m just learning to embroider, so it hasn’t made any difference, yet.
I’m a righty. I guess it’s easier to be a right-handed embroiderer? The instructions are mostly written for right-handed people.
I’m right handed and it’s sad to say, but most books are written for us “righty’s” – I’m sure it’s much more difficult for the left handed set to get good illustrations.
HI there!
I am a lefty and have always been taught or learned from righties……this would be cool and probably very helpful. Learning how to knit was tough from a rightie so I’m thinking that there may be a certain level of “frustration” that could be removed using an embroidery book specifically for me! THANKS
Lynn
Hi, merry 6th day of christmas. I’m mary varma from india. The answer to your question is Right and since i’m right-handed i’m comfortable with it. Today’s giveaway is wonderful, i’ve learnt a lot regarding embroidery from books, so i would definitly love to win this giveaway.
In the “real” world I’m ambidextrous, which is incredibly handy! I can split my tasks, and use either hand. In sewing, I’m mostly right-handed, partly because it is hard enough to master each stitch with one hand, let alone learn both ways. But with many stitches I can swap “dominant” hands. So I would add the “right-handed” instruction book to my library.
BUT … the whitework book is BEAUTIFUL! I love white on white work, and this book is definitely going on my wish list. Many thanks to Yvette for her generous contributions to this festive give-away! and to Mary for always pointing out interesting books and supplies and techniques.
Happy New Year’s Eve everyone. And happy stitching in 2012.
I am definitely right handed.
I now own (thanks to you Mary) 2 good books
on stitches and I follow your tutorials all
the time, what a help it is. I am a book
junkie therefore another dictionary would not
hurt.
Thank You
France from Canada
Hi Mary,
I am right handed and a visual person. I learn best by seeing stitches been done or by following a good diagram, which Yvette is very good at.
Thanks for the opportunity to win this book.
Esther B
I have friends who are left handed and find it difficult to learn new stitches. I have Yvettes Mountmellick book and would love the Right Handed Embroidery book.
The Yvette Stanton book was part of my Christmas gift to myself this year. It’s residing on my bedside table right now. I would like to win one for my best friend, who is a “righty” like myself. It was my best friend who told me about the Mary Corbet website and newsletter, so I owe her! I have never experienced any problem, because I think the “default setting” for illustrations is for right handers. I pity the poor lefties, and I think that Yvette has done a good thing by providing them with their own book.
Left handed or right handed? I’m a left-hander however I was taught to knit and crochet from a right hander family member. It’s just plain easier to have instructions written for whichever hand you are comfortable working with so if I am lucky enough to win I’d choose the left-hander’s guide.
Born left-handed into a right-handed family, I’ve always had to figure out how to get things done. This book would be fabulous for helping me becme more effective in my stitching. Thanks for organizing all these give-aways! Such a treat.
Being a Lefty, I have tended to shy away from instructional
stitch books and try things on my own. Having this book in my library would probably add a whole new level to my
work.
I am a righty. I learned the basic embroidery stitches as a child from my mother, who was also a right so it has never been an issue. I do think that stitching helps the non-dominant hand perform.
I’m a righty, but even still I know I’d benefit from Yvette’s careful dissection of each stitch. I have her book on Hardanger and it’s fantastic!
Im a Righty. I don’t have either of the books and until this year, I have only done machine embroidery. I’m doing a couple handwork challenges this year to learn handwork. It is so gorgeous.
What a wonderful book! As a leftie I have spent so much time turning books upside down and figuring out how to adapt stitches. This would be so wonderful! I have appreciated your instructions showing the differences in how one holds the threads and direction of stitching as to the end result, but a whole book of lefty stitches! How marvelous!
I am predominantly right-handed but have trouble with right and left – left is left but right is sometimes left.
It makes a difference in that I find that I work some stitches in the opposite direction to the right-handed way. Working right to left often seems more natural. In learning embroidery it is sometimes easier for me to work “upside down”.
I found your comments on stem and outline stitch for left-handers helpful and realised that the left-handed approach might work well for me.
I’m a righty so there hasn’t been a problem for me to learn embroidery from a book. I’m new to your blog and am enjoying it very much.
Righty. I’m mostly self taught for embroidery so it hasn’t made much of a difference.
I am a righty, but I have learned to do many stitches left-handed in order to teach them to students who are left-handed. I also teach applique and do that left or right handed! I would love the right-handed book!
I’m a righty! I think being right handed affects my satin stitch and stem stitch, especially if I start thinking too hard about with of them! Does that make sense? It’s like I get all cross-eyed!
I’m not a lefty, but am a sucker for needlework books, so please enter me in your drawing! Ellen in VA
I have wanted this book for quite some time. I love embroidery books and have lots. I have a friend who swears by this book! What a wonderful gift this would be.
I’m a righty when it comes to stitching, and also was taught the basics by Mom. I don’t recall having too much trouble with those, but sometimes the more complicated stitches require relearning.
Since I already have both of these wonderful books, should I win, this one would go to the local library, which has exactly zero needlework books.
I was born left handed and have been left handed ever since. (LOL) My mother was right handed but attempted to teach me to crochet, knit, tatt, etc. I did take 4-H for quite a long time and sewed most of my clothes and picked up on a few different needlework arts just by reading a book and then because everything was BACKWARDS
I’m a righty … I don’t have either of these books, but have purchased Mountmellick Whitework, which I love. I’m excited to see Yvette has yet another WONDERFUL resource coming out soon, Portuguese Whitework. I look forward to your review.
I am a righty,so of course it’s been easy for me. However, I have taught leftys with much success and even taught leftys to crochet!
Mary,
How fortunate you are doing this giveaway! I have a friend who is left handed & wants to learn embroidery. I would love to win this one to give to her. My friends & I are all right handed & it has been very difficult trying to teach her. I think that since most books are geared to righties, it has made my learning extremely easy (I am self-taught through books & websites like yours). Thanks Mary.
Sheila K in CA
I’m a righty!! I can see how it would be hard for a left handed person to learn the stitches. It is wonderful that someone has written a book just for lefties!
I am a fairly new stitcher and this book would be just perfect to help me learn! Will keep my fingers crossed!
I’m a lefty and yes, for me it is sometimes troublesome to learn or perfect stitches. Many times I do them top to bottom or turn the whole thing up side down. You learn to adapt but this book sure would be helpful!!
I’m a righty! It hasn’t seemed to make a difference to me too much, although I have occasionally started at the wrong end of a seam and needed to pull it out and start at the other end. I would love to win Yvette’s book as I’d like to start working with some more advanced seam treatments. So far, I’ve stuck pretty much with the basics. Thanks for the wonderful giveaways!
im a lefty, but i can also switch to either hand for most things. i only know 4 stitches so far so im not sure if being lefthanded has affected my embroidery or not 😀
I’m a righty, and I’ve learned everything thus far from books, videos, and your Web site. The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion looks so helpful; I’d love to have it.
I am right-handed so I guess the “for righties” book is the better one for me. It’s good to know about the one for left-handers, though, as I have with some frustration (on both sides) tried to help left-handers learn to knit and stitch. This does look like an excellent source for learning and teaching.
Marilyn P. in Las Cruces, New Mexico
I am a lefty! Yes, it has affected how I learn stitches. I always have to rethink each stroke of the needle. When the intructions are showing right to left I am rethinking left to right. Most of time it is not that big of a deal but when it is a complicated stitch with needle wraps or multiple cross overs the whole thing is too much. Sometimes it is easier just to find an alternate stitch that is less complicated. The Whitework book looks amazing. I will watching for it’s release. I purchased the book “The Open Canvas” yesterday and there are several techniques in it worked with white thread on white canvas. Hopefully I won’t have to rethink too many complicated stitches in it!
Deb
I’m a righty, as well as a newbie, so this book would be a fantastic help to me as a beginner. If I’m qualified to enter the give-away (I live in Ireland), please do enter my name into the competition. – June in Ireland
What a stunning embroiderer she is! I think I’m going to NEED the Portuguese whitework book. But the Embroidery stitch book is important too, so if I win please send the right-handed book.
Sorry, this is the first time I’ve left a comment; thought I could write a book. LOL. Please put my name in the drawing. I’d be forever grateful to have this book. Janis K.
I’m a righty and self taught. This book is exactly what I’ve been looking for! This would be very helpful in expanding my embroidery horizons.
Thanks again for another great give away!
Natasha of CT
I’m right handed. I don’t think it has made much of a difference in my progress as an embroiderer or a knitter because I am self-taught for the most part and almost all books are geared to right handed people. I do miss having someone to teach me things because I sometimes come-up with ways of doing things that, though I get the results I want, are less than simple.
Righty, so I haven’t had much trouble learning stitches, except when the instructions are poor. I always love getting stitch books for variations and new stitches. BTW, the new book loooks wonderful! Thanks!
I am a righty. I have tought myself with the help of your video’s so thank you for that!!! I have wanted this book since the day you did the review on it. Thanks for these 10 days of give aways.
Picking up stitchery again, after retirement, means I’ve forgotten more than I remember.
This book would be an excellent re-training manual.
Thanks,
Lee F.
I am a righty! I got into hand embroidery because it calms my mind after a stressful day. Also, I like to see how the embroidery art is becoming something beautiful with each stitch.
I’m a righty and feel lucky to be so as I’ve seen lefty’s stuggle in classes and with books. I’m so glad someone has written something just for lefty’s and also that many teachers are learning both so they can help all of us, righty or lefty.
Alice in Las Cruces
I am a rightie, but my 14 year old daughter is a leftie. I find that she does sometimes have difficulty executing what I show her. It helps to have her sit directly across from me. I am coming to embroidery much more seriously as I get older. I would love to have either book as a reference as I have been primarily self-taught and only really know a few of the basic stitches. I would love to expand my repetoire.
I am a righty. I would love to have this book, it’s one that I don’t have yet. Embroidering has made a differance in my life. I love to make beautiful things and I really enjoy hand work. For many years I have been making quilts but it has become more physically draining to me. This past year I have tried several smaller embroidery projects that I really enjoyed. I love needleworks of all types.
I am a lefty, however, there are many things that I do right-handed. Stitching is not one of them, however, and what an awesome opportunity to read and learn from something written with the Left-Handed Stitcher in mind! I never give a lot of thought to being left-handed, until I try to do something right handed and it just doesn’t feel comfortable. I would really love the chance to add this one to my library!
Diana B. in La.
I’m a righty, but trying to learn with both hands. you never know when something may go haywire.
I’ve just begin to learn embroidery and being left handed, I often find it difficult to do things and orientate fabrics the opposite way as most instructions indicate. It has been fun learning everything so far though!
I’m a righty and have had this book on my “need to get someday” list for quite some time (probably right after seeing reviews on your website!).
Thanks so much for your give-aways days! It makes me smile each morning!
arlene c in NJ
I am most definitely a right handed stitcher. Usually works ok for me. Sometimes I must turn a piece while working on it. So I am very careful with stitch direction.
Surely all the rightys (like me) had an easier road to learning since most books and teachers are right handed.
I am right handed. One of my daughter’s is left handed as are several of my stitching friends. I can’t see that it has made much difference in any of their lives. Back in the “old days” there used to be a big fuss about using the “correct” hand.
Elaine in New Mexico
I’m definitely a righty, but have taught my left hand to work under my embroidery piece. It still feels a bit awkward, but the more I do it, the more comfortable I get. Of course, this is only when I have my work completely stable in a hoop.
I’m a lefty, and am used to reversing the how to images in my head, if I don’t think about it too hard. But some of the more complicated stitches take several tries before I can make them out. I would love a left-handed book!
I’ve always been right handed my left hand just does not work for me in anything I do…The book will still be great to learn stitches which I still do not know how to do and I’m always looking up in how to do books..Thanks for the opportunity to add to my library
I am a righty when it comes to embroidery. I am self taught so it has probably made it easier. This was on my Christmas wish list and Santa did not deliver so perhaps elves Mary and Yvette will come through 🙂
Well, I’m right handed, but I do a lot with my left hand (I even shoot archery left handed), partly because I’m left eye dominant. When I stitch at a floor frame, I work with both hands equally, switching which is on top and which under the work based on where on the piece I’m working at the time.
Now, if I won this choice, I might actaully pick the Left handed one to have on hand for assistance when teaching, I often have trouble helping lefties when teaching.
I’m a righty. And here’s a bit of right-handed humor for y’all:
When you write copy you have the right to copyright the copy you write, if the copy is right. If however, your copy falls over, you must right your copy. If you write religious services you write rite, and have the right to copyright the rite you write. Conservative people write right copy, and have the right to copyright the right copy they write. A right-wing cleric would write right rite, and has the right to copyright the right rite he has the right to write. His editor has the job of making the right rite copy right before the copyright can be right. Should Jim Wright decide to write right rite, then Wright would write right rite, which Wright has the right to copyright. Duplicating that rite would copy Wright right rite, and violate copyright, which Wright would have the right to right. Right?
Righty. Embroidery is a technique that can be used in any handmade craft. When the work is done, embrodery is my favorite craft to fill my hours. Thanks for an opportunity to win the embroidery dictionary.
I’m right handed, which I think has benefited me in learning embroidery, as most instructions assume that the stitcher is right handed. Jane
Righty….no difference in learning embroidery.
Adding much needed embroidering books to my library would be fantastic. I have very few and I need all the help I can muster.
The Portuguese Whitework book is also a book I would like to add to my library. If the book is as wonderful as you say it is then by all means I would love to have it when it is published.
Iam right handed. The right handed book can give me some
pointers maybe my hand would not be as tired.
Mary M California
Great looking books! I am a righty and I have loved all manner of needlecraft since I was very young. I think it has helped me through lots of rough times by taking my mind off of my troubles, and it is a lot cheaper than therapy!
I’m a Righty And no it has not made a difference to me in learning embroidery.
But it is nice to see this book with directions written specifically for either left or right-handed embroiderers.
Thanks! Mary and Yvette
I am a righty but I tend to hold my stitching with the work right side up but with the piece upsidedown to me to work it correctly.
My daughter is left handed and I thought she might enjoy the book. The reviews make them very
attractive. Thank you.
I am a righty! I think it is easier, as most instructions are written from a right handed perspective!
Kathy from McKinney
I am a righty. I have been looking at this book to broaden my horizons (I currently only cross stitch, but know some rudimentary stitches thanks to my grandmother), so I honestly don’t know if it will affect my stitching or not! 🙂
Righty! I love doing all types of needlework and learning new things. Please enter me in your drawing! Desiree in Oregon!
I am a righty. New to needlework and still feeling a bit awkward with my hand positions but trying to find a rhythm to working with a frame. I was reading the review of this book and would love a chance to win – thank you!
Dear Mary,
I am a righty! And like Ellen above, I adore needlework books. I would love a chance to win this great resource from Yvette Stanton. Thanks again for these awesome 12 days. Happy New Year.
Tania in Brooklyn, NY
Hi Mary – Another wonderful gift – I am right handed but I can well apprecaite how left handed people would appreciate having a book that showed them the ‘right’ way round for them! Thats sounds a bit wrong but I am sure you will understand. I checked this one out when you did your article on it and thought it would be a great addition to any embroidery library.
Many thanks and a happy new year to you as it will be 2012 by the time I receive your next mail. Thanks so much for everything you chat about in your emails – I await it every day and so enjoy it.
All the best
Eleanor – Isle of Man
Hi Mary and thanks for another chance to win!
I am a “righty” and have never found it to be an issue in stitching. When stitching on a frame, I use my left hand to hold my laying tool.
Jan B. in Florida
Good Morning Mary,
I am a righty and have not yet started with Embroidery. This book would be of great help to me. Thank you for the chance to enter in the give-away.
PBWY,
Jennifer G.
Wow! I’d love to have this book, just for the cover, if nothing else.
I’m a left-eyed righty. That means that I write, embroider, crochet, etc. right-handed, but throw darts left-handed.
Somehow it’s not confusing to me. Also, it doesn’t seem to make a difference to my work as I just use whichever hand (handedness) that works for the particular technique. Since most books are written for righties, I use that hand. The difference for me is when I want to write instructions for a project for my EGA group: I try to offer specific left-handed instructions where needed.
Thanks,
Cathie B
Lefty. It can be very confusing. Sometimes it is easy to just go in the other direction but sometimes the instructions must be completely reversed. One solution is to photocopy illustrations and flip the images before printing. If that is not possible I sometimes make a copy and hold it up backwards to a strong light, but then the print is all reversed. Left-handed instructions make everything simpler and I am so grateful that Ms. Stanton realizes that.
I am a righty, and it hasn’t really made a difference to me, since I’m somewhat ambidextrous, and if I couldn’t do it with my right hand I could always give it a go with my left until I figure things out!
Right handed and thank heavens since I’m almost entirely self taught from books. I can’t imagine the headaches left handed stitchers have to endure (at least before Y.S’s left handed guide). I love stitch guides and this one would look so lovely on my shelf 🙂
Good morning Mary!
I am a righty as well but do not have a stitch dictionary and would love to have a good reference book.
Thank you Mary and Yvette,
Maria VF
The world of Stitchery is so much bigger than I thought possible. I am new to everything but the basic stitches. I have done plain cross stitch and plain basketweave stitches but am just learning there is so much more out there.
I am a right handed stitcher and would love to have a book that will teach and explain these awesome stitches I see others using.
I’ve recently been inspired to return to hand embroidery and this book would be perfect for experimentation. I love trying new stitches and thinking of ways to use them.
I saw Yvette embroidering the tablecloth that is on the front cover of her new book. I was awestruck then and am doubly so now. How exciting it would be to own another of her books! Yvette is in a class of her own!
Renee
Sydney Australia
I’m a righty with directional challenges; I have to think about which side is which every time, which is kind of embarrassing. It’s never been too much of a problem with embroidery, though. I would have a very hard time choosing which version–I want one for myself and one for my left-handed sister!
I purchased the left hand book for my daughter who is a lefty (I’m a righty) some time ago. Now I would like to have the other for myself. Having 2 left handed children has made me very aware of the differences in handness and the chanlenges they sometime face.
I forgot to mention that Im right handed and manage fine. But, strangely I do all handsewing when dressmaking left handed!
Renee Glass
Sydney Australia
I’m a righty–though I can’t claim that as the reason I’ve struggled with some embroidery techniques.
I am a Lefty, and being left handed HAS made a difference on how to make some stitches. It can be difficult for me to keep my thread untangled when using the blanket stitch and stem stitch.
Righty.
I absolutely love the swirl of color on the cover of this book. I’ve found that more and more I’m attracted to color presentation like that.
By the grace of God I’m a righty. And how I would love this book, but even more intriguing is her new book coming out!
Hi Mary- Righty I am. There are a few stitches I’ve come across that seem awkward to execute but never attributed that to being a lefty stitch.
I am right handed but apparently I do some of my embroidery as a leftie – when using a frame I put my left had underneath and my right hand on top. I don’t think you can have too many stitch books to inspire and teach you new stitches.
I am a lefty who loves to do embroidery and other needlecraft. Yes, following instructions can be confusing. It can take more time to get the stitch to look right. I’ve even tried switching hands hands to work it out. Unfortunately I’m not that ambidextrous! Thank you and Happy New Year!
Once I sat down with a friend to show her how to do some simple embroidery stitches and I was amazed at how difficult it was to show her what I do and have her duplicate it due to the fact that I was right-handed and she was left-handed! The world certainly favors right handers, so it’s wonderful that a book has been written for left-handed embroidery!
I would welcome the addition
of this book into my stitching
library and would consider
myself blessed to win. I have
seen very good reviews on this
book, and just know there would
be something new to learn in there
I’m a righty, so learning was pretty easy for me. Now perfecting…that’s another matter 🙂
I’m a righty, and I don’t think it has made learning stitches harder. 😉 My dad is a lefty, and he taught me to use tools and do handy things, so sometimes I find myself doing some things right-handed, but in a left-handed sort of a way. If that makes any sense. (Oddly, I married a left-handed man too, but he is fairly ambidextrous.)
When I was very little, I used to think girls were right-handed and boys were left-handed.
Hi Mary,
You are so right in saying everyone needs one of these books. I am a right hand stitcher and find it awkward if the instructions are not clearly written for the right handed stitcher. I hope I win this one as I do not have a copy to reference yet. Thank You and Happy New Year to All!
Mary Ann H.
It is so kind of you to host these lovely giveaways. I am a “righty” and find I am spoiled as the directions are usually geared for people like me.
The books sound like valuable resources and the white work is stunning.
Thank you again so much!
This looks like the most wonderful hand embroidery book. I am right handed. This would be a beautiful help in crazy quilt stitching.
Thanks for being so up to date on new helpful stitcher items.
I am so excited about the upcoming book! Lucky you getting a head start. Not lucky actually – perhaps a perk for all the hard work you do? I’m a righty and I’ve never given a thought as to how the lefties out there have had to cope with backward books. The excitement is building. I’m more excited about the 9th than I was about Christmas.
I am a righty! I wish I could use my left hand as well as my right. Thanks for the giveaways. It is fun to enter.
Cheryl in San Diego
I embroider right handed. However, I am
ambidextrous, so instructions are not too
difficult for me.
I’m a “bothie” as I use both hands for many things. For stitching I tend to favor the right hand, but I try out each stitch with both to see what feels better.
I am a definite ‘righty’ with poor left handed control at best. This has most definitely had a negative impact on my ability to do two handed embroidery (i.e. one hand above, the other below the frame.) It is painfully slow work. But we do to the best of our abilities, right?
This book (for righties) is on my ‘bucket list’ of books to acquire and I was planning on ordering it this spring. I have two stitch dictionaries but your review has led me to believe that THIS is the one to own.
I am a lefty and it amazes me how the right handed people can’t believe we can possibly do anything. I always get comments on my hand writing on how beautiful it is but they always tag on, for a lefty. Now is seems there are as many right handed people as there are left. I have learned to adapt to any situation so being a lefty is no problem. I would love to have a great resource on embroidery on hand.
Suzanne from The Woodlands
I am a righty. I am sure that has made learning to embroider much easier. The range of stitches in this book makes it something I really would love to have. Thank you for all you do for us stitchers. I am so happy to be receiving your daily blogs.
Hi Mary,
Great books! I am a right handed stitcher, self taught, or rather, self teaching with a lot of your help! Being right handed has the advantage that there are many more resources than for left handed stitchers. It would be cool to be able to stitch with either hand and would be interesting to see the difference in a stitch done right handed and left handed by the same stitcher.
Again, a great opportunity! Thanks!
I’m a righty…My mother taught me the basics when I was just a little girl. She was a righty so we worked well together. I have a small booklet of embroidery stitches which I use for reference, but what a lovely book in todays giveaway! Thank you, Mary, for everything you do!
righty?
I am a righty – and it has not made a difference in learning embroidery. I love to try new things, so this book would be a great inspiration. Thanks for the opportunity to win these great items!
I’m a rightie and I love stitch books. This would be a great addition to my library!
Once again, thank you for all these wonderful giveaways. And thanks to Yvette Stanton for her terrific stitch dictionaries.
I was taught by my grandmother using a handheld hoop, and since we were both right-handed we always held the hoop with the left hand and stitched with the right. Today I’m still decidedly right-handed when working with only one hand.
For stab stitches on the scroll frame, however, I use both hands: the left hand on top where I can see what I’m doing; and the right underneath where I need its dexterity to “catch” the needle, turn it, and “feel” where the point is going when I send it back up. It’s just something I’ve gravitated toward doing. Even if I start out one-handed, before long the other hand has got into the act.
Phyllis
I am a righty; and I reviewed Ms. Stanton’s right-handed book from the link. Just beautiful, and well-conceived to be useful. I also have a good silk shading book by Clare Hanham, a goldwork book by Ruth Chamberlin, and two wonderful books by Trish Burr – all good examples of the beautiful and useful. I would love to own a copy.
I’m a righty too. I’ve been glad that I am as I think it has mede embroidery easier for me – instructions and pictures – even videos – are almost always for the righty. My granddaughter is a lefty and it is sometimes hard to teach her – I’m very awkward with the left hand.
I’m a righty. I don’t think it made a difference in me learning embroidery since most instructions are written for right handed people.
Hello Mary,
I am a righty. I have recently rekindled my love of needlework and would enjoy learning so much more. I checked out Yvette Stanton’s book when you reviewed it recently and asked Santa to leave it under my tree. Sadly,my Santa is in the desert with Uncle Sam this year…but the book would be a delight. Thanks for the 12 days, but thank you even more for being the one to remind me how fun needlework is! Happy New Year! E.G.Moffitt Youngstown,OH
Merry Christmas Mary!
Oh, what a lovely book and a GREAT question. For me, the answer is BOTH: I so some things in life right handed, and some left handed! I drive, steer, left handed. I write right handed. But whenever I tried to teach my sister and mother how to do a craft such as a new crochet pattern or making ribbon roses, they couldn’t do it my way … until one day they said I do it all left handed … ? I still hold an embroidery needle in my right hand, so all in all I’d chose the Right Handed Embroidery book LOL. And, OH THAT White Embroidery Book!!!
Thanks again for your generosity,
Cathy in PA
Righty! And could definitely use a book like this!
Hi Marymentor:
I’m right handed and this would be so very very helpful to me. I always gravitate toward the “idiot’s delight” instructions, i.e. pictures, pictures, pictures, which aren’t always available with a piece I want to tackle. Thanks for doing this 12 days. Happy New Year. Judy in Pittsburgh.
I am a right-handed embroiderer and am mostly self-taught, but I think righties have it easier than lefties.
What a lovely give away. I have started a memory quilt for my daughter’s children and would like to embellish the blocks with embrodery. She was very young when we lost her a couple of years ago which has inspired me to make the memory quilts for her children. I’m a lefty and have had to self teach myself most crafts. I’d love to have the left hander’s directory. Thank you for your consideration.
A step by step dictionary of stitches would be so awesome to have right beside me while stitching. I usually go to you tube for videos or look up stitches on the web. But that’s not so convenient when traveling and there is no Internet connection. I’m right handed so I haven’t had trouble following the stitching directions
I’m right handed and since I am I’m sure it was a lot easier to learn embroidery or any needlework technique since most instructors are right handed and written material is assumed that the reader is right handed. In the mean time I would love to win a great resource book.
Mary – I’m a righty – and would love to win this book to add to my collection! Thank you for the opportunity!
Tomi Jane
I’m a righty who often does things back-to-front but not quite lefty. Mum gave up trying to teach me to knit (60 yars ago) because I wanted to do it with my left hand. I often have to consult a diagram to know where to start and which way to go, if I don’t remind my self, I go the wrong way. I can see the righty book would be just wonderful.
Every day a new surprise! This books is in my wich list for some time. I am right handed. thanks for a chanse! Happy new Year!
Not to be LEFT out–the left-handed version of 170 stitches/variations sounds like a treat, although I would say, for some stitches, there is more than one “left handed” version! I’ve been relying on the A to Z & Therese de Dillmont books among others. Compensation has quite a different meaning to a left-handed stitcher! Virtually all class materials are written for righties so any difficulties that pop up when learning a new technique can multiply. For an Elizabethan class, I ran the instructor’s book thru Adobe to make mirror images of all the stitch drawings. She didn’t seem happy, but with 6 lefties among 21 students, perhaps it was a wake up call to be more proactive with left-handed instructions. At least there was some sweet revenge at RSN where I learned to work on a slate frame. Right hand above & left hand below turned out to be in my favor because I could make a precise stitch from below with my dominant hand. It’s the only time I’ve ever heard the right handers whine!
Mary,
My right-handedness has not caused me any problems learning to stitch. I do have a problem when trying to teach a left-handed person to stitch. Thank you for this opportunity to win this great reference book.
Diestra, y en algunos momentos segun algunas puntadas alterno las manos…. Feliz Año Mary….
Each day I promise myself that I won’t be greedy and enter a comment. But how can I pass up the glorious items you offer? Would I welcome another book on needlework – absolutely and no question about it. I am a rightie so I never experienced the frustration that lefties have and sail relatively easily through the learning and practicing stages of needlecraft. However, as a teacher I’ve seen the plight of lefties, and I’m so glad there is a book out there now for them! Noel in the Capital District of New York
right handed. These books look so interesting. Any stitcher would enjoy these resources! Would add so much texture and dimension to our needlework.
Hi Mary and Happy New Year’s Eve!
Thanks for all your wonderful education and Thanks for this wonderful and awesome 12 Days of Christmas giveaway!
I’m a righty and this great informative teaching book would be so nice to have right by my side as I stitch away.This book is tops thus far. Good luck to everyone entering!
All righty: that’s me, though I had a left-handed grandmother (who because of the times was “retrained”) as well as a left-handed niece. I know I have been blessed by easy to find tools. The other impact is where I sit to stitch: so there is a table and bright lamp to my right. I could also place a stitch dictionary there. 🙂
What a nice prize this is.
Being a right handed person, I definitely am a “righty”.
It would be great to have different stitche available at my fingertips, so I don’t have to go looking for them all over the internet.
Thank you for such great things.
I am a righty. Would love to win this book to read about all the stitches that I haven’t done and how to do them. Learning something new is a challenge to me. Thank you so much.
I am a righty. It hasn’t made any difference in my sitching. But I am trying to get my lazy left hand to be more involved in my stitching. And it really does take an effort, but my aching right hand could sure use the help. Thanks again for the chance to win such a great addition to my library.
Yes I’m right handed which I suppose has the advantage that most books are written for right handers. I love learning new stitches, the more unusual the better!
Liz in North Yorkshire UK
I’m a righty. It’s probably made it easier to find instruction on the internet. This book looks beautiful!
Thanks for all you do, Mary. Happy new year!
I am a righty, and I am a self taught embroiderer. I never had any trouble, but I know my husband, a lefty has trouble with basic stitches. Once in a while he decides to stitch something, he is very good. 🙂
I’m a righty. I’ve been embroidering since I was a young child, maybe 7 or 8. My Mom taught me simple running stitches and chains to keep me busy on long summer days–probably kept me out of her hair! I think learning to stitch as a lefty would make a huge difference in learning embroidery as there aren’t many books available until now to learn. I’d say that a majority of embroiders are righties, making it difficult for a left to learn.
Right handed stitcher. No it has not hindered my learning of stitches. I would love to win this book. It looks really good. I went to her website and now what all of her books!!!
Iam a righty, but my daughter is a lefty. it is hard for me to try to teach her, this would be a great resource. thank you all. hope your new year is all you hope for.
I’m right-handed, so I don’t think I have had as many challenges learning embroidery as a lefty would have. There are times that I have thought a lefty would have challenges learning a particular stitch or technique. But I have heard very good things about this book and I do have two of her other books. I agree that theya re very well-written. I do have a tip for lefties that may help with some charts. I tried this when I was making stockings for all my family and wanted them all to face the same way; some patterns faced differently. Scan it to a jpg, then use your photo program to flip it. This won’t work for the directions of course, but for charts and diagrams it may help.
Hi Mary
I am a righty and so far if I need help there always seems to be another righty around to lend a hand. I too love books and would love to have another one to add to my collection.
Thanks for the lovely give away.
Joan Turrell from Canada
I’m right-handed. I’m sure it’s made everything easier for me! I absolutely love whitework, and will be keeping an eye out for that book…!
Happy New Year, Mary!
I am lucky to be a right hander. I say that only because it is usually easier for me to learn crafts because most if it is geared towards right handed persons. I have heard many left handers talking about the difficulty in either learning or teaching crafts.
I’m right-handed. I was one of those children of the 50’s who was not allowed to be left handed. I would have liked to have been left-handed. I still do some things left-handed, as did my father.
I find it easier to stitch with my dominate (right) hand underneath and my non-dominate (left) hand on top. Because, I’ve never developed the feel for stitching as a lefty, I have to keep an eye on what that hand is doing.
After this many years, I’ll stick with doing things right-handed.
Righty. So far I haven’t tried left handed, but I have a feeling I wouldn’t be very good at it. I would love to win this book, I think it would be a great aid. Plus winning one would be good on my wallet and save me money for textbooks for my college classes.
I am a right-hander, but there are certainly times when I wish I could use both!! I have a few of Yvette’s other books and they are quite good, so I would love to have this one on the shelves, too. AND I am waiting with anticipation for the Portuguese Whitework! cool! (Happy New Year’s Eve!)
I am a righty, but also do use my lefty to help the other. Guess you could say I am a “bothy”. I have been embroidering off and on for ages, and this book would be a wonderful, useful tool for me! I would love an instructional reference book for sure!! Righty!
I am definitely a righty.
This is the best 12 days of Christmas I’ve ever seen. Thanks so much, Mary.
I am right handed. As far as embroidery work, whether you are left handed or right handed you need good instructions on how to make a stitch and time to practice. The better the instructions and the more I practice the easier it gets.
Definitely RIGHTY! I am glad I am right handed, as it was very easy for me to learn to embroider. Though I am new to embroidery, I LOVE it, and have learned solely through online resources and books! I dont even know anyone else who embroiders. I discovered crabapple hill quilt patterns, and fell in love with the hand embroidered look in quilts, and everything else! I would LOVE this book, and the whitework one looks awesome too!
I’m a righty! I would love this book- I enjoy selecting stitches for my projects and along with everyone else, I would love to have this book as a resource. Thanks Mary- You are great!
Sharon from Bethel CT
I’m a Righty! I teach embroidery and also lead two groups of stitchers, one weekly and one monthly. I need to go check out the “right” book you mentioned….hmmm…or perhaps I should look at the Left book. It’s always a challenge teaching a left-handed student!
Happy New Year Mary!
I am right-handed BUT…two of my grand-daughters are left-handed. I would love the opportunity to be a more ‘informed’ teacher. Owning either of these instructional books would be great!
Honey in Philly
I am lefty. I used to scan the stitch and I reverse it with Photoshop on my computer. It is a big job. Now, I have the book:The left handed embroiderer’s companion. Thank you Mrs Stanton!
My daughter in law and my grand son are Portuguese. I have visited Portugal many times and I saw beautiful embroideries, Madère island is a paradise. I saw a lot of women stiching in the street. Lovely. Sorry for my English, I am French from Québec, Canada. Happy new year. Bonne et heureuse année!
Lefty here! I don’t think I’ve had any trouble with embroidery due to being left-handed. As a lefty, I’m pretty used to turning things around. Also, your videos have great tips for lefties when needed!
I’m left handed, so definitely the Left Companion. However, I have found that being a lefty means I’ve had to adapt in a right-handed world, so I think I do some things in-between with embroidery.
I love reading your reviews about books. Thank you for that service. I’m a righty and no I don’t think it has affected my stitching at all. I don’t really know any other way.
I was just looking into purchasing with Nordic Needle but they’re out. The Portuguese Whitework book looks wonderful. My husband is Portuguese so I’ll have to try this technique.
I am a righty, as most commenters seem to be, so directions are not usually a problem. A stitch book would be a great addition to my needlework supplies. Thanks for this opportunity to own one!
Thanks again Mary! Although I am right handed, I tend to turn the work every which way in order to get to it and probably end up going ‘backwards’ at times. No doubt due to my status as beginner. But I need to learn right hand stitching, yes, and I do think it makes a difference- consistency.
I am a righty and would love to own this book. A happy new year to you Mary!
Lea S
Hi,
I am very left handed, could sometimes use TWO left hands! Anyway, I was taught to knit in 4-H the right handed way, but I crochet and cross stitch and do most everything else with my left. I noticed that when I used a friends floss one time (she is a righty) she wound it on the floss holder the opposite way that I do. Felt backwards each time I needed to take some off! When I try to learn a new stitch I just study it for a bit, reverse things and give it a try. Most lefties have had to deal with this kind of thing all our lives! I would love to have Yvettes Lefty book tho, for some of the more complicated stitches and to see if I can do things better. thanks!
Jan from Michigan
I’m a righty— my mom however, was a lefty and it was incredibly hard for her to teach my sister and I how to embroider, knit etc….. Everything always seemed upside down—- but we made it…. And both love to sew….Thankyou mom, for not giving up!!!!
I’m a righty! Even though I love embroidery I need lots of help in learning new stitches. These books look great. Thanks again for the great give aways! Happy 2012 – Yikes!
Toni in Lakeview OR
Every stitcher needs a dictionary of stitches to reference. I use them often when crazy quilting. Thank you for the chance to win another wonderful book.
I am right-handed & learning techniques has never been a right-handed issue – maybe easier than my left-handed relatives? The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion Book sounds wonderful! I am also enthralled by the “Mountmellick Embroidery: Inspired by Nature” and will be watching for it’s publication. I love the web sources you are sharing in your 12 days of Christmas & am bookmarking all of them!
Mary just what is on the cover is enough to want this book. I would love to have Yvette Stanton’s book.
As a left handed,completely self taught embroiderer, I have had to use right handed manuals since I was around 5 to teach myself the different embroidery stitches. I would love to have this book so I could just open it and voila, directions I can follow step by step without having to prop the book in front of a mirror to mimic left hands-so much easier.
I am a righty. I am in the process of gathering materials for crazy quilt, and what a help this book would be. I ove the cover of the new book. White work items are so elegant .
Love all the information that you impart to us every day.
Thanks sooooo much.
Sharon C
I’m a righty. I’m sure it has been easier for me to learn embroidery than the lefty’s.
Dawn C.
Southcoast, MA
I’m a Righty but I could learn from either a lefty or righty point of view. Both my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law are lefties. Funny…I counted 9 out of approximately 60 responses so far that are lefties.
Hey I’m a righty! I do think it is a right handed person’s world. Nearly everything is created or written for right handed people. Interestingly, I was suppose to be a lefty–(heaven forbid)so my mom forced the spoon into my right hand. I guess it all worked out except I really am not that good with phrases like…”go to your left….or….it’s on your right” Regardless, it is a lovely book. I adore the “crazy quilt” feeling on the cover. It is so inspiring.
I am a righty – and I guess I’ve never thought about how it affects my stitching, I just always use my dominant hand and I’ve never tried to stitch as a lefty 🙂
I am just a beginner and this book would be an invaluable resource for me to learn all the wonderful stitches out there!!
I love all types of hand work but have not tried embroidery. I would like to. This “dictionary” should be enough for me to learn. I would like to add embroidery to quilts, clothing and quilted clothing.
I am right handed and have not had any problems so far. I can’t knit but that is not a handedness issue – it’s a tension issue!
Day number 6!! … half way!!
I am a lefty person … but when I learn embroider and stuff … we didn´t have anything for lefty person … so I learn with righty person (my mom), I sit in front of her to learn and this was easy to figure out in my mind and turn for my side … at first was not easy… but I was a little girl … and kids can do anything!! .. now is all so automatic for me!!
The book of portuguese whitework is fantastic ..
Thank you!!
Walfrida
I am a righty. I don’t think it has affected my stitching all that much. Of course it is a lot easier to find resources for rightys than leftys :). This looks like a fabulous book that would be such a great resource to have. Thank you for all your hard work on the website and for the giveaways!
-Heather in Chicago
The Right-Handed book looks so great. I’m a self-taught from way back if you don’t count the instruction I got from my mother earning a sewing badge in Pioneer Girls in the 50’s. Embroidered through the 60’s and 70’s when jeans and jackets and work shirts were the acceptable pallette. Hung up my hoops for jobs and kids and picked it up again a few years agp to make hope chest-type items for my daughters. Found my patience was so much better so I started “making up” stitches for my little drawings. Love finding stitches that I had named something else like “little snakes” or “bury the tail up top.” Long story short, I hope to add this book to my very dated shelf of stitching dictionaries, one way or another.
I’m a righty, and I’m thankful for that. I would have had an incredibly hard time learning to embroider if I were left-handed as I am spatially challenged. I would have found it nigh impossible to mentally reverse instructions and directions.
I am a righty and I don’t know that it made a difference. I never tried anything with my left hand. I think that I learned embroidery from my mother or grandmother. At least the basics then i expanded on my own.
I am a “righty”. Learned years ago to embroidery & my passion has been renewed for it. It is wonderful therapy for me and I want to expand my horizons with different stitches and fabric.
Sandy from Arkansas
I am a right handed stitcher I would love this book not only can you learn great new stitches it’s just lovely to look at I love to pull out these books and just read them from cover to cover when i snuggle in bed at night
Bernadette Garcia Albuquerque New Mexico
I’m a righty for whom it is a challenge to even try to conceive of the difficulties lying in wait for the lefty embroiderer. But I do enjoy stitch dictionaries. I suspect the Right-handed Companion will land in my library sooner or later–but I am hoping for sooner through this random opportunity. Thank you for all the wonderful chances you are giving through these drawings.
I am right handed. I teach hand applique and it can be tricky teaching a left hander so I think it is great that the book is written for both.
I am left handed with my cross-stitching and embroidery, but learned to crochet and knit right-handed 🙂 I would love to enter for the left handed book and learn some new stitches, Thank you!
I am a right-handed embroiderer who has collected lots and lots of stitching guides. It seems you can always learn something new from each one. I don’t have this one though and would love to win it. The cover really attracts me. Thanks for giving me the opportunity. Kendra H.
Happy New Year’s Eve!
I am a righty. But when I broke my right arm, I did stitching (and everything else) with my left hand. Stitching left handed was much easier than writing, etc! I tend to often use both hands when going back to front on a large piece or when my arthritis kicks in. But overall, still a righty!
i would want the right-handed book. being right
handed makes it pretty easy i think. that’s why yvettes left-handed book made such news in the needlecraft world. when she came out with the right-handed edition i knew i wanted it. so far we have been unable to buy it for me. thank you for the chance to add this great book to my library.
Righty all the way… I learned to stitch so long ago I don’t remember whether it affected me or not. I think I taught myself so just followed the directions! I think when you are doing what comes natural you don’t think about any other way to do it.
I thought I had all the stitch books I needed, but this one sounds like a winner. Maybe I’ll be a winner, too.
I am a lefty. Sometimes I slow down instructors who have never before encountered a lefty in class. I am grateful to teachers like Yvette Stanton!
I am a righty…tried to do a lefty when my hand hurts…no go I get all mixed up….really would love those books . tried to find the right handed one and the price was to much….maybe if I could win it????????
Wow a whole book of stitches dedicated to left handed stitching instead of a few token.
I am happy to add my name to the list and I am pleased to see you continue to entice us. I wish you a happy new year. Maureen
For embroidery I’m right handed, but with the use of my frame stand when I do cross stitching I’m actually ambidextrous.
I’m a right-handed embroiderer – and nearly everything else! Being a flutist and pianist gives me dexterity and control of both hands, but fine movements like complex stitches usually default to the right. Different projects over the years have stretched my stitch repertoire, and I know I would value Ms. Stanton’s compendium both as instruction and as my annotated log for collecting cohesive notes and keeping a record of stitches used in work past.
Marianne C in Toronto
I am a righty that eats and does a lot of things with her left hand. 😀
Probably because I play the piano and stuff and I knit and crochet in addition to embroidery.
I have tried to stitch with my left, but the stitches come out very loose and uneven. 🙁
Have a very happy new year, Mary.
Thanks for all your efforts.
I am right-handed, so that has not posed a problem for me, and would absolutely love to have this book! After a long absence from embroidery, I am just getting back into it and have found that I don’t always remember how to do a certain stitch. This book would be the perfect resource!
Happy 6th Day of Christmas – isn’t this fun!!! I am a ‘righty’ and need all the guidance I can get for all types of embroidery. Want to try Mountmellick Whitework. It is so stunning!!!
Missy Palmer, Grand Junction, CO
I am right-handed, and I don’t think it has had much of an issue in learning embroidery, since most things are geared toward right-handed people.
I am mostly a righty, but can switch hit (I blame it on 10 years of classical piano). The only stitch dictionary I have at the moment is not very useful.
I’m a righty. It never really made a difference to me while learning but I guess that’s because those teaching me were also righties.
Hi Mary, this is Lisette Root from Oregon State, wishing you a very Happy New Year! Well, this is another great prize you have posted! I am a right hand embroiderer, so that is what I would chose if I won this prize. I have a lovely library, and I am always trying to learn new techniques from different artists, so I would definately appreciate this book, and I bet everyone else would too! This has been so much fun!!!Thanks again and to all my fellow stitchers Happy Happy New Year!
I am a righty and feel it makes no difference in my stitching. With the exception that my bedside lamp is also on my right and ought to be on my left so I am not shadowing my work!
~Valerie in CA
I would love to improve my stitching skills with this lovely book!
I’ve always been a righty and it’s never really affected my stitching one way or the other. I suspect our lefty friends are the ones who really have to adapt. I’m still a little new at embroidery and think this book would be an incredible help to getting better.
Righty! When I learned to stitch in my teens it never even occured to me that the directions might be different for lefty’s. I still have this small stitch booklet somewhere with basic stitches, probably by Coats and Clark since that was the floss that was carried at the nearby JC Penney store fabric section. Justine
Hi! I would love this book as one of my goals in 2012 is to actually do — not just admire — some Crazy Quilting. I am a righty, and I KNOW that being a righty helped me love embroidery; I taught myself from stitch kit instructions when I was 11-14 yrs old and we know those are always written for righties! I probably would have given up in despair if I had not been right-handed. Fun giveaway! Thanks!
I am a “righty” but the question posed reminded me of the way I learned to do the “quilter’s knot.” My sister, who is a “lefty” taught me the quilter’s knot and I was unaware that I was doing it the lefty way until a friend watched me and pointed it out. For me, at least, it’s not whether I’m doing something the lefty or righty way but the patience of the teacher who is teaching me that’s important. My sister is very patient!
I am a righty and it hasn’t hurt me in learning any type of stitching. But it is difficult to teach a lefty!
Dear Mary,
I am a left-handed needleworker who has never had an adequate instruction book for leftys.
I sometimes really struggle with reversing the instructions to obtain a lovely looking stitch.
Thanks for all you do in the needlework field for all stitchers everywhere and for organizig this wonderful way to celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas.
I am a righty and a cross stitcher. One of my New Years promises is to learn embroidery. I’m hoping some of my XS skills will be helpful. This book is at the top of my list for learning this new craft. So well reviewed!! Thanks for the wonderful opporunity.
HNY
Barb aka omashee
We all need a little help from our friends. My friend is an embroidery dictionary. This enables me to be sure I’m doing stitches correctly. Nice idea giveaway.
Miss Lorraine
Hello and Happy (almost) New Year! I embroider with my right hand although I found out several years ago after an accident that I am actually a natural lefty — my mother believed that left-handers should be forced into being right-handers so I had a very dyslexic childhood (learning to write was especially traumatic — my parents just said I was a clutz — but I had no trouble with playing piano or accordion — my left hand worked just fine there!). In an odd way, it was a good thing since i didn’t suffer the backwards instructions that most leftys had to cope with although I wonder if I might have been more artistic if allowed to be a lefty. Thanks again for these marvelous contests!
What unbelievable gifts !how very exciting to be able to join in the draw.
I am right handed and cannot imagine how lefty’s must struggle doing a stitch “the other way round” I am sure there are many lefty’s out there who are ever so grateful to Yvette for writing this book.
I am a righty. I grew up in a household of lefties. Both my parents and my sister were left handed. One of the best presants I EVER received was my first pair of RIGHT-handed scissors. My Mom helped me along with embroidery in the beginning, but I am mostly self taught, so being the only righty wasn’t a problem, but getting the right scissors was a real blessing!
I’m a rightie – and since most books are geared for right handed people, it’s been easier to learn most of the stitches I’ve learned. I can’t even imagine how hard it must be for a leftie to learn from the books I did. And these are beautiful books! thank you for offering them – Karen Gass
Right handed..and man, either way, I NEED A STITCH DICTIONARY! 🙂 My stitches all too often look like what they are — “I saw it, I know it can be done, but I don’t know how to do it, so HERE!” stitches!
So no, it hasn’t specifically affected my stitch learning, but lack of info sure does. 🙂 Whether I win this one or not, this book WILL be in my library this year. 🙂
Righty. But no matter, there are still times when I feel like I’m all thumbs. Annette in WA
Hi Mary,
I am right-handed, which was very beneficial since my Mother and Grandmother, who taught me to embroider and sew, were also both rightys.
I have taught a few leftys to stitch, and while the leftys are always using their brain to get along in a right-handed world, it was a good workout for my brain to see and do things their way. Thanks so much for your generosity and contributions this past year.
I am a righty. When I broke a right thumb I tried mightily to learn left. All I could ever manage was a running stitch. This looks like an amazing book-just what someone at my skill level (fairly basic) needs to progress to the next. Thanks for having this fun contest. I am learning about all sorts of new (to me) products1
i’m right handed so it hasn’t had any impact on my stitching “career”.
i would adore the right handed dictionary. i’ve been drooling over this since you first showed it.
donna altieri
I’m LH, and yes, it makes a big difference. I have to ‘translate’ all the stitches. With complex stitches, that’s just not funny. I’m proud to be one of ‘the few’ but jeez, it’s a nuisance when it comes to embroidering!
Rightie! I’m a righty definately. But my older brother was a lefty and always sat at my right at the dinner table. Consequently I learned how to use my left hand in order to eat with the rest of the family; and other survival techniques as well. With three brothers and no sisters, I think I did well.
This would be an excellent reference book to give to my friend who teaches a needle arts class at a local university (after I read it, of course!)
What a nice prize this is.
I’m a righty,
Thanks Mary and Happy New Year’s Eve!
oops. Forgot to mention that I’m a righty, but as a teacher have found it sometimes difficult to teach the lefties. Mirror imaging helps – with the student facing the teacher.
Righty! Since most of the world is geared to us left-brainers, learning any kind of technique has not been a challenge. Since my mother is left-handed, however, I am keenly aware of the lack of good instruction books for those in their right-mind. When teaching an embroidery class, I always try to identify the left-handers and, if any, their special instruction needs. Fortunately, most of the time, they’ve learned how to adapt and they are almost always quite cheerful about it! Any good instruction book is worth it’s weight in gold! I purchased Yvette’s book for my mom last year for Christmas! She loves it!!
Right handed…and it has made a difference in understanding how a stitch should be handled. Love the book. Thanks Mary.
I’m a righty!
I am a righty. I haven’t had any problems with being right-handed. Sometimes being right handed is not the problem:) I practice and practice a new stitch and this book looks wonderful!!!! and a must have.
Happy New Year Mary! I’m a righty and was taught how to embroider by another righty (my mom), so, no, have never had any problems. Years ago, I was teaching a left-handed Brownie Scout in my troop how to do latch hooking. Needless to say it was a challenge for both of us. All of the girls entered their latch hook pillows at the county fair that year and guess who won a blue ribbon?…my little lefty! She was so proud!
Sandy
I am right-handed but my daughter is a lefty so that complicates stitching together. That’s where wonderful tools like Yvette Stanton’s books are so helpful. Thanks for introducing such invaluable information to your readers, Mary, and for the fun Twelve Days of Christmas surprises!
I am a righty. I some time use both hands my right on top and left underneath. I have never really payed too much attention as to if it makes a difference.
Thank you!
Camille VF
I’m a lefty, and both chain stitch and stem stitch plagued me for a long time because I could never get the tension right. Now I have my ways of doing them, but they are still not my favorite stitches.
I’m a righty. For me that hasn’t made a difference in learning any stitches whether it be embroidery, knitting, crocheting, or tatting. That’s probably because everyone I learned from is a righty too. I really don’t know if I would have had difficulty in learning from a lefty! I like to think I’d be able to do it all either-handed but maybe I’m just flattering my own intelligence. 😉
I am a righty and I have no problem with learning how to stitch, since most instructions are done by a right-handed person. But I can imagine it could be difficult for a left-handed person to convert a right-handed instruction. I think it’s really wonderful and clever that Yvette has made a book (two books) for both.
What a great book, I only know how to use so few stitches, I do try to copy from pictures of other Embroideries but they don’t always finish of right so it would be great to win this prize. Thankyou and Happy New Year
Dear Mary
Happy New Year
I am a righty and had to learn needlework from books as my mother was a lefty and had trouble trying to master more complicated stitches herself as there were no ‘lefty stitching books’ 40-50years ago.Yikes. I sure could do with updating my own books. The photography and illustrations are so clear now.
Robyn K
New Zealand
I forgot to say I am a righty!!!!
Hi There & Happy New Years! I’m a righty, but I’m not sure if it’s ever made a difference, or at least not that I can tell since I’ve always stitched the same way. I’m excited about your giveaway, what a great book! Cheers!
I am right handed and it seems the majority of instructions are written for right-handed folk. So, I’ve never had any problem learning new stitches or skills. I do know that those who are left-handed just had to “get used to” doing things in a “right-handed” world.
I would love to have this book (I’m a righty, but sometimes I need three hands). I just earned my Master’s degree, and now that I have time to stitch, it’s been all embroidery all the time. In fact, I wrote part of my thesis on embroidery and goldwork in eighteenth-century French fashion. I would love to add this book to my collection!
I’m a righty but have a lot is sympathy for a lefty. My daughter is one and has a hard time with stitching.
Ren. Mondragon Taos New Mexico
I’m a righty and no problems learning needlework. In fact, the more complicated the stitch the happier I am.
Thanks Mary and Yvette!
Hi Mary
Being a right handed person, there had not even occurred to me until recently that there would be a problem with handedness in embroidery (obviously I have never tried to teach embroidery). It brings to mind the questions and discrimination relating to not being a member of the dominant culture – and the mindfulness we all need to have. Happy New Year!
Jenny
I am ambidextrous so left or right works for me. I am lucky that my brain will mentally flip the instructions. This book was on my Christmas Wish List but Santa wasn’t quite smart enough to even figure out where to purchase this book. I would LOVE to win it.
Heather from Surrey, British Columbia
I’m a “righty” and, being so, have never had any difficulties learning. It must be difficult at times to be a lefty. I recall my Mother once talking about teaching a lefty to knit – the person in question really wanted to learn but had never found anyone who could teach her. My Mother used a mirror to great success.
I am a right handed stitcher and have never had any issues learning a new technique as instructions are usually written for right handers. However, when I learned to tat I could only manage it if I used the left handed technique.
Hi Mary, I’m a righty, with no learning hang-ups other than that which I put on myself in remembering different stitches 🙂
Oh, when I first saw these books on your sire I was so excited!! A left handed guide! No more studying to figure out a stitch! How I would love this book and treasure is as one of my “BIBLES” per say.
I am right handed but I broke my shoulder last year and have had to learn to use my left hand for many things. I do a lot of stitching and seeing how things are done left handed is a must at times. I am also a teacher and need to know how to do things both ways. I have had to place a left handed person in front of me so they see the stitching correctly for them. The books are great! Finding left handed books of instruction are not easy.
Debra Puma
I am a righty which has made learning new embroidery stitches relatively simple. I have friends who are lefties though and learning some techniques is very challenging for them… especially when it comes to following some patterns.
I’m a righty – still sometimes struggle with stitches and directions! And Andra, my library has a book called “Left Handed Embroidery” – maybe yours does too?
I’m a lefty. I didn’t have much trouble learning basic stitches by reversing the instructions in my head, or, in some cases, making a photocopy of diagrams and hanging them wrong-side-out on a window, but now that I’m doing more complicated stitches I find that it’s helpful to have good left-handed instructions. Palestrina stitch was a recent stumper of a stitch, and for some reason zigzag featherstitching eludes me.
Happy New Year! This is a wonderful book to offer to us, whether right or left handed. I agree that this is a great book as I have seen a friend’s copy. Would love to have a copy of my own.
I started to embroider in my teens and gave away my first effort, a pair of pillowcases, as a gift. The interest has never waned, but there are always new techniques and ideas. The right-handed book looks like the only one I would ever need for new stitches and instructions on how to use them. The idea of felt looks fascinating-never having used it. I have not been satisfied with how to begin and end the stitching on any needlework piece and would like to do it well. My next project will be a small piece using the crazy quilting idea, so this book would be especially useful.
I am a righty and have never had a problem in stitching.
I read your newsletter first thing every morning. I am a righty, but find teaching lefties with a mirror or have them sit in front of me helps makes it easier for the student. Thank you for the FINE videos you have published. A picture is worth a thousand words. We use them often in connection with our classes in our EGA chapter. Happy New Year and keep the newsletters coming.
Righty, and I think it has helped because there are so many more instructions written that way
Righty & with everything geared towards right-handed people, I have not had any issues.
Hi Mary,
I am a lefty and am just learning how to embroider. I have had a very difficult and frustrating time trying to learn the various stitches, as I do not have any books specifically for left-handers. I have one book that is for right-handers with only about 6 stitches shown for left-handers. I also do not know anyone in my area that can teach me. I try to look at the book upside down but I still get confused. I am a very visual person.
I just love your website and it is a wealth of information. Thank you for giving of your knowledge so freely.
I’m a righty. I know that I have done some stitches in reverse not realizing that it was the left-handed direction!
I’m a righty, so I suppose that I’ve had it better than anyone who is a lefty. The world is so right-handed that I’m pleased to see that someone has put out a book to help the lefty with her embroidery.
Wow! Yvette’s latest endeavor looks fabuluous. I am a righty and no problems with hand dominance in learning new things. However, I have found that the same stitch has several names. So, if at first you think you don’t know a stitch, find a good stitch guide and voila you might know it under a different name. Guides are also a must have for the more creative of us, there are a plethera of possible stitches to make your projects unique.
I’m a righty, Mary. I’ve never read an embroidery book with lefty instructions. I guess it helps that most instructions are for rightys.
I`am a righty. As I`ve never tried to learn as a lefty, I`ve not noticed a differance.. But I have a 9 year old grandson who is a lefty and I have know idea how to teach left handed.(once in awhile he sees me doing crochet and wants Nana to teach him, not a pretty sight.lol Thanks
I am a right handed stitcher, who was taught by a lefty. My Aunt Lucille has always done beautiful needlework, and is a left hander.
Funny story. One of my nieces is left handed, and I called Aunt Lucille and asked if she wanted to teach Amanda how to embroider. She said “of course” and came over. She had a very hard time teaching another left hander how to stitch 🙂 even though she had been teaching all of us for years. Amanda finally got it right though, and has been added to the ranks of embroidery artists.
I’m a righty. I think it does make a difference in the dominance of your hand. The more dominate one will have better control and will have more regular stitching. But, I’m a visual learner, so learning stitches by reading or telling doesn’t do much for me! That’s why I LOVE the videos. I need to see it to do it!!! 🙂
I’m a righty. However, I’m trying to teach my lefty to help me more! Love instructions books. I need all the help I can get.
Happy New Year!!
I’m a righty and so far as I know, it hasn’t made things any harder. I have had a teacher for hardanger who is a lefty, but she has been very good at still instructing for righties.
I would love to have this book in my library. I’m quite the book lover/collecter, and really like to have materials available to check out the more unknown stitches (at least unknown to me!).
Thank you! 🙂
Hi Mary, I love your book reviews. I recently alerted a library friend to take a look at your site. I am hoping they will improve their selection of needlework books. Thank you. Linda
I am a righty. It did cause me trouble in learning to do any needlearts when I was younger. The person who tried to teach me needlework was left handed. I finally gave up as a child and now am trying to learn it as a aging adult. Better late, than never.
Mary in Oregon
I’m right handed and until your review of the book earlier, I hadn’t even thought of the difficulties left handed folks might have in learning to stitch.
Thanks for offering this book as a giveaway.
A righty – never impacted my learning, but always made me aware that really good teachers could teach stitches left or right with no problem. Then, I had a left-handed child and I wished I had paid more attention!!
I have purchased several books this past year, hoping for an encyclopedic stitch how-to source, but so far I’ve not found the “right” one for me. One of my New Year’s resolutions is to get organized in my areas of interest regarding creative endeavors (if my husband were reading this comment, he’d say, “What area AREN’T you interested in??” Point taken; I have to confess some greed in the area of creativity!). I have a notebook, I’ve printed out your class pages to begin a stitch dictionary, but just can’t seem to prod myself into starting. Yvette’s book would be a wonderful companion with which to begin 2012. Thanks for the opportunity, Mary, and best regards for the New Year!
Aloha,
I am a righty but use my left when possible just to see if I can train it (not easy). I have taught lefty’s and notice that my mind and eyes switch to a different track, so to speak, when explaining to them. I have numerous stitch books but it never fails to amaze me that I can always learn at least one thing from each book. Yvette’s books are great.
Jacquelin Ihsan
Although I am a right handed stitcher I have been taught some techniques by a left handed embroiderer. I stood behind her with a mirror in front and watched through the mirror! It worked, but a book would be so much better because instructors are never there when you need them! I’ve only been sttiching for 2 years and there is so much to learn!
I am righty and not good at all with the left hand.
I have tried before to teach crochet to a little girl that was lefty and did not succed at all. May be with a book it would be easier.
Thanks,
Ginette of Mexico
I’m a righty and the only time I’ve had difficulty learning a stitch was back when I was young, when my Mom, who’s a lefty, was trying to teach me the basics. Otherwise, I’m self-taught. I find that some stitches are quite challenging, but that’s where a good stitch reference book really helps.
I don’t think my being right-handed affected my learning to stitch, I picked it up quite easily and have enjoyed every bit of my stitching. I would enjoy that book on whitework, it looks like it could hold a challenge or two. Regards Mandy
Righty! It hasn’t made a difference at all…but then again, most books are geared toward the right handed person.
I’m a righty 🙂
But I do know that a few Leftys have been put off by lack of info, so this is a great resource
Regards Phillipa in NZ
I am a righty. As a beginner, it would be easier for me to learn from a right-handed. Thanks and Happy New Year to you, Mary. 🙂
I am a “righty” but my sister is a “lefty” so it would be hard to choose a book. Her birthday is in a few months, wouldn’t this be a great gift?
I’m left handed but can stitch with either hand depending on what’s convenient. Weird!
Dear Mary,
first of all, happy New Year!
I am right-handed and had no problem with learning to stitch. And I do not know anyone, who would stitch lefty. But I have few friend, who are left-handed, but they stitch with their right. Maybe they were teached doing so at school.
Agne (Lithuania)
I am a righty and usually don’t have problems because of my handedness. Usually it is more of an eye hand coordination thing. I truly love books that have detailed pictures. Thanks.
Carolw, Windsor, CA
righty please. thank you for the opportunity to win
I am right-handed. My sister is left-handed. It has always been that much easier for me to learn how to stitch than it has been for her. I have seen her struggle to master quite a few things in her life and she needs that much more determination to succeed. I do think it has been somewhat easier for me just because I am right-handed.
I’m a righty and I’d really love to learn more than just the basics. Thanks for the great giveaway!
I am a lefty, but never had a “lefty” embroidery book before. I just worked with the other ones. It will be interesting to see (if I win that is) how differently stitches work up. I crochet right handed and had to teach a lefty a few year ago–it was hard to do it “backwards.” Thank you for the opportunity to win this book.
Dear Mary,
I am a righty and was taught by a lefty. My instructor was gifted with patience that is for sure, bless her.
Thank you so much for sharing with us the instruction videos, tips and techniques and pictures. I love your site and read it daily. So much EYE CANDY! Glad it isn’t fattening. 😀
Hi Mary I’m a lefty! The books are beautiful! It would be great to have a book that would actually show stitches for a lefty! I have tried many ways to overcome learning to do stitches as a lefty with books & classes that are all taught for right handed people!!! The book would really help in learning this beautiful art in a way that I can understand…what a wonderful way to start the New Year! Thanks so much for the chance to win such a wonderful gift of learning!! May all of you have a Happy New Year!
I have spent hours on your blog videos learning new stitches and gaining knowledge. It would be wonderful to have a ‘dictionary’ type book next to my embroidery area to refer to. I’m a righty.
Hi,
I am left handed but did not know there was a difference in how each stitch can be done. I have tried to rectify this and get confused in the oposite direction. But, I have a very old stitch dictionay from Readers Digest and I would love to have a stitch dictionary that has better pictures and more stitches to attempt. Again thank you for such a fun contest.
Melissa Bird
What a wonderful treat for a novice stitcher, althought your site have been a wonderful resource for helping expand my horizons. Thanks lala
I am a right handed stitcher and, luckily, have never had an issue in learning any embroidery techniques because of it.
Thanks so much for doing this giveaway. I would be thrilled to win one of these books.
Karen H. (klmvangard)
When you blogged about this book before I was intrigued enough to order it but it was out of stock so I do have an order in for one. I am a righty and from what you have shown of the contents of the book to me it is a must have. If I win this one, when the one I have on order comes in, I have a friend that would just love to have one also, and i will give her one of them. You are having such a wonderful 12 Days of Christmas, just reading about them is a present in itself. Thank you for giving everyone such a great view of the possible methods of embroidery. Really enjoyable.
I’d love to own this reference.
I’m a rightly so have not struggled with lefties issues. I have been able to figure out most stitches for right hand stitching.
Hello: I could never stitch with my left hand, I am very righted-handed, although you may think I do embroider with my left hand the way some of my projects turn out. Paula.
Righty, my problem is patience. Step by step instructions have always improved my learning new stitches.
you know, i don’t ever remember the issue of being right or left handed coming up! My grandma taught me and she was right handed as am I. One of those things we all take for granted, isn’t it!!!
Lefty! And yes, it made a huge difference as I was growing up! I was always made to feel like the “odd man out,” and the “oh, no, you’re left handed?!?!!!” As a result, I never learned to knit, crochet, swing a bat, golf club, etc.
I’ve got the Lefty book already, but would love to give my right-handed niece the mirror image book!
Happy holidays!
Righty…but sometimes I feel like a lefty anyway when I stitch. I took a few classes with the Royal School of Needlework and have been trying use both hands when stitching. The right to put the stitch in the fabric and the left to pull through on the back.
I am a righty and I was taught by a righty.
I glad to find that Yvette is a good source for white embroidery because I love it. Can wait to take a look at her new book.
Righty! Would love to win the great book!!
Happy new year!!
Diana in Sioux Falls
I am a righty & think that it makes a difference only because a majority of people are right handed. I am a great believer in taking classes to learn because I am a very visual person. I have to see some stitches done before I get it. I think it would be very difficult if I were left handed and had to reinterpret how to make a stitch from observing a right handed teacher.
Sou canhota, não sinto diferença em fazer qualquer bordado.Obrigado pelo brinde. Feliz Ano Novo. Abraços
My mother has done Hardanger with Yevette’s book as a reference for years. What a great resource! I never thought about embroidery from the left hand standpoint until I remembered that as a girl I taught myself to knit and found myself struggling with a stitch detail. My mother observed what I was doing and kindly told me I had taught myself “backwards”. She told me to put it down and to come back to it after a few weeks – she would teach me the right way. Unfortunately, I never have! I would love my ambidextrous daughter to have the ability to use her preferred left hand as she learns stitchery. If it is as good as the other books and your review – it will be perfect for my daughter.
Thanks for the tips and tricks and help you give us daily!
Diane
I always find myself looking through reference books to refresh how to do a stitch I haven’t done in awhile. Can never have too many reference books.
Dear Mary –
I continue to be very grateful for any opportunity to add to my understanding of embroidery techniques. The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion is beautiful on the outside. Several of the instruction/dictionary type books that I use offer strong points for one or more stitches, however, normally I go to several and practice the different approaches and teaching methods. Sometimes I do not get the full understanding until after several practice attempts and find it takes several aspects of the same stitch to get the full description; then, the stitch makes sense…sometimes it is just the tiniest skewing of a persepctive…
I would love a copy of this book, mostly because some of the more challenging stitches require multiple descriptions and practice sessions – before I understand. Thank you again, Charlotte
I have been away from Embroidery for many years
and have recently began again. I would like to
teach my Grand Daughter this wonderful craft and this Book for RIGHTY would be a great Aid for both of us.
Thank you. Kay Rossler krossler@sbcglobal.net
I am a righty and I love your book reviews. After your review of this embroiderer’s companion, I added it to my wish list. Your blog has such great information.
Lefty? Or Righty? And has it made a difference to you in learning embroidery?
Gulp – there’s a difference? 🙂 I’m not that developed in my skills to differentiate a left handed or right handed style – having said all this, I am right handed so I suppose most books are designed to accomodate ME. xxoo for the opportunity to WIN some of these nice products.
What a boon to have for us “lefties”. A stitch guide for left-handers would be great! So much easier to follow stitch diagrams without having to reverse them in our brains…
I’m basically right handed (that would be the book I’d want) but I do have left handed tendencies and frequently use both hands in embroidery and cross-stitch. Thank you for the chance to win this book! I was drooling over them when you reviewed them.
Christy or ChrisTea
botm2@yahoo.com
Righty.
I don’t think it has made much difference, but then I am learning the way that most of the books are written. I have given the left-handed book to several friends who rave about it.
The new book looks great…I will definitely put that on my wishlist.
Happy New Year!
I’m a righty. I am always looking for new ways to learn things. Thanks for have a great giveaway.
This would be great for me to teach my left-handed daughter. There are four embroiderers in my house and she’s the only lefty. This would help a lot.
I have looked at this book before and would like to have a copy. Her Portuguese Whitework book looks interesting also.
I am left handed, but was forced to use my right hand most of my childhood. I can do many things with either hand. I find I can use either right or left handed instructions most of the time. I am able to easily teach a true lefty.
I’m a righty and have found looking at stitch photos really make a difference. I would love a copy of this book!
I am a right hander … at “everything” and always mirror any demonstration of stitching or sewing or sketching to my husband and one daughter and son who are lefties – would be very nice to have teaching tools!! to help me. Thanks for the review of the yet to be published book – beautiful cover.
I’m a “righty.” It has made a big difference in stitching because most books are written for right-handed people. It’s good that someone so qualified has written a book for left-handed people. They should not be left out of doing all the wonderful needlework right-handed people can do.
Since I am a definite righty, it makes a comment about a lefty truly impossible. However, for the past year I have suffered with a torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder that has forced me to be a lefty in many areas, not in eating (I couldn’t find my mouth) nor embroidery, but other areas. I would love to receive the book for right handed embroiderers. Mary, thank you once again for a great gift.
Jane
Georgia Gal
Righty here also, not had any problems that I can remember.
How many times have I gone to the internet to find out just what the definition of a term is or exactly how to accomplish a stitch. I enjoy teaching myself from books and to have a handy reference would be so luxurious! Sue from WY
I am a “Righty”. I have learned techniques from both left and right handed people. I also taught knitting to a left handed lady successfully. Some stitchery uses both hands so much that it should not deter anyone from learning either way.
BTW, the whitework reminded me of some heirloom pieces I have that my Grandmother made in the late 1800’s for her hope chest.
Beautiful!
Im a right handed embroiderer I think it is hard to learn if you are a lefty. I once taught a lefty to play pool. I could think through how to hold everything and show her. I have also taught her to crochet It worked okay. it helped to sit across from one another and mirror one another.
I really never have had a book such as this to guide me through the steps. Would love to have.
Thanks
Marie
I would love another stitch dictionary.
Right-handed so no problem with instructions that plague left handed people. I first purchased the Embroidery Stitch Bible by Betty Barnden, then found the Country Bumpkin Library of publications that covered many styles of stitchery. Yvette’s Embroidery Companion will prove to be a another resource to be kept on hand.
Thank you for another wonderful give away.
My friend is lefthanded and I gave her this book for christmas. Loved the book.
Rosemary V. Australia
I am a lefty and had to adapt my stitching when I started – now I rarely think about it. I have Yvette’s book for lefties and it is wonderful, I wanted to chime in and let everyone know how helpful it is. I look forward to her newest book!
I’m ambidextrous. I stitch with the right… I get tired, I stitch with the left for a while or I start with the left. Some stitches are more comfortable for one hand over the other. My favorite is to really have hands free hoop and do what feels comfortable.
I am a right handed embroiderer. As I have learnt embroidery from books and magazines which all show right handed stitch diagrams I think it must be easier for us righties.
I am right handed and it has not made a difference. This book would be great. Thanks for the chance to win.
I’m a righty–and I learned how to embroider from my grandmother who taught me everything backwards! She was a righty, but she probably should have been a lefty. Thanks for the lovely giveaways during the 12 Days of Christmas!
Be still my heart! lol Now, here’s a resource a beginner can use – one that won’t sit on a shelf. vbg
I’m a righty, and I’ve never been hampered by being a right handed stitcher.I have to agree with Linda a patient teacher is the one of the best gifts a stitcher can have.
Thank you for the opportunity to win this book! I think this might be another patient teacher. :))
Hi Mary,
Tough my mother (whose name was also Mary!) attempted many times when i was a child and teenager to teach me how to embroider and knit, I just didn’t have the patience to learn. so though every summer holiday i would start a new project, I never completed them! And strangely after my daughter was born I was consumed with the desire to learn everything about embroidery! Thats when i discovered your blog and was very thrilled. And I dream of doing all the fancy work i see online. So I have been teaching myself via your instructional videos but would love to have a book by my side too.
I am right handed.
Rose Mary
I’m a righty and entirely self taught. I have always used books to learn new stitches and never considered that if I was a lefty things would be much more difficult.
I have a friend who does some simple stitches and would love to learn more. I am reasonably ambidextrous and have shown her a few things. I would love to give her a present of the Left handed embroiderers companion.
Happy New Year to you, Mary
I am a right handed needle worker and yes, I’m sure that it is much easier to be right handed. It seems that most instructions are written for right handed folks.
Thanks,
Fran Johnson
Red Oak, TX
I am right handed.simply enjoying to embroider.
Righty here. I’m ambidextrous so there are some things I learned to do lefty first, as most of the ladies at my embroiderer’s guild are left-handed and do the teaching.
Most of the time I’ve learned from books with right-handed instructions though, so it hasn’t made a difference. I’ll use either method or both.
Actually, I’m guilty of switching to left-handed stitching when my right hand is tired and sore, to prevent RSI.
I’m a righty. I don’t know if it has affected my learning experience. I tend to be a look-at-the picture-and-figure-it-out learner and go back to the text only if I can’t figure it out, or if I need/want to finesse it. I assume most books are for rightys since this method seems to work for me. But I also have started to realize that I do some things backwards, anyway. While I certainly wouldn’t mind having another stitch book, I imagine a Lefty could use it more since relatively few books are for them. (Does that put their learning to stitch akin to Ginger Rogers’ dancing? — backwards and in high heels?)
Right now I have no embroidery reference books and must run to the computer every time I want to try some thing new!
I am right handed. When I learned to crochet it was hard to be right handed as my teacher was a lefty. In the end, I taught myself from photographed instructions, like most things I’ve learned to do.
Definitely a really strong righty and I think it has made it easier to learn most things, including embroidery. I have taught embroidery to several leftys and managed to do it successfully but the world is really directed towards us rightys.
I am left-handed and already have Yvonne’s book for lefties but I would love to have a right-handed version as a gift!
Sandy O. in WA state, USA
I am a righty. My mother was a lefty. This explains my ” issues” with many embroidery stitches and my complete inability to insert a zipper! I need all the help I can get – thanks!
Joan from Gloucester
I’m a righty! Nope don’t think it has made any difference, since I don’t think I’ve ever seen any lefty pics in books…
I embroider right-handed, but do many activities with my left hand and sometimes stitch left-handed just to increase that ability. I have embroidery instructions scattered among several books so it would be great to have really clear instructions all in a single book.
Would love to win this book! One of my Christmas vacation projects is to learn how to hand embroider. Your online tutorials are very, very helpful. This book would be the ideal complement to the videos. Thank you for the opportunity to enter the drawing. : )
I’m right-handed; always took it for granted. No problems. It looks like a wonderfully useful book, well thought out. And that Portuguese Whitework is gorgeous!
Right handed and all my teachers have been right handed too so no difficulties for me. The hard part has been teaching my cousin who is left handed- she bought the left handed version of this book and it was really helpful.
Oh boy this giveaway series just keeps getting better and better! After reading your recent review, I was planning to buy the Left version of this for my sister for her birthday, and the Right for myself when I can. I think possibly being right handed has made it easier for me to follow stitching instructions??
If I win I will choose the Left version 🙂
Happy New Year, Mary and THANK YOU!!
P.S. I’m a righty!
This book has been on my wish list for a while now. I have learned so much from your wonderful blog. Thank you for reinspiring my love of embroidery. Hand stitching has made 2011 a lovely year. I am a right handed stitcher and I have not found too many hinderences to the learning process. I just need to remember to practice, practice, practice.
Well, I’m a righty who learned sewing, crochet, embroidery and ceramics from a mother and sister who are both LEFTIES! ARGHHHHH, yes I was the oddball righty in the family. So, I would love a book devoted to a righty. In all seriousness though, I am so blessed to have such a talented mom and sister who took the time to try to teach me these valuable crafts. Now, I have a daughter in-law who is a lefty so maybe I would get the lefty book for her!
Hi Mary,
I am a ‘righty’ through and through. And I firmly believe one can never have too many embroidery books so Yvette’s will still very nicely with my every growing library.
Thanks for the opportunity
Chris from Australia
I’m a righty and do not own either of Yvonne’s books.
*Yvette’s*, oops!
I’m right-handed, so I think I tend to use my right hand more when stitching. I’m just expanding into embroidery from counted cross-stitch, so this reference would be tremendously helpful. Thanks for the opportunity.
I’m a south-paw, and I don’t have any printed stitch books as I’ve been wary of how “handed” they might be. I seem to have muddled along fine so far, I mainly work without hoop or frame, and I use scissors right-handed. But I’d love some better instruction!
Righty and since most references are geared to righty’s, I’m glad:) happy New Year!
I am a righty which has made it a little easier to learn different stitches. Of course if I could keep my right and left straight in my mind it would make learning stitches a lot easier. I am very excited about this book as I am always trying to improve my stitching. Thank for having this drawing and all the others.
I am a lefty and frequently people comment on how awkward I look when I am stitching! I usually have to see someone do the stitch to then figure our how I have to do it – often standing in front rather than behind the teacher helps So far the only thing I have not figured out is tatting. I would love the Left Handed book to make life easier!
Righty – I only know a few embroidery stitches (newbie, here), so this would be a fabulous gift to win. Thanks for the chance!
Ohhhhhhh, the Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion has been on my wishlist since you reviewed it!
I’m a righty, which worked to my benefit when learning embroidery since most instructions are for right-handed folks.
I already have Yvette Stanton’s book on Ukranian embroidery and it is lovely. I don’t think you can ever have too many reference books in your library. It would be wonderful to win the Right-handed guide. Thanks, Mary.
Jana
I’m a righty and I don’t think it’s affected my learning of stitches. This is such an amazing giveaway. I’d definitely give this to my sister (also a righty)–she’s just learning and would love a great stitch reference to refer to.
Right-handed, thank goodness. I am directionally challenged and had trouble reading stitching directions and learning needlework at first. Had I been left-handed I might have just given up. I have been coveting The Right-Handed Embroiderer for awhile but the price has been the deterrent. I almost always buy books used on ebay or amazon.com to save money, but this one seems like it will only appreciate in price.
I’m a righty, and since most instructions have been written for right-handed people, I haven’t had issues stitching.
I am definitely a righty since I have never tried anything with my left hand except for picking up heavy bags. This stitchers’s companion will be such a fantastic addition to my library and my 2012 resolution of stitching up with embroidery and tatting combined.
I love the information you provide. A good stitch book is a treasure outstanding to anyone who loves handwork, be it regular embroider, Crewel, Brazilian or counted thread.
I’m definitely a rightie. The one time I tried to learn something from a left-focused set of instructions, I managed, but it was frustrating.
Righty – is there another option? I cannot do anything left handed and am very jealous of people who can do things with their non-preferred hand.
I am right handed so I would love to add this book for right handers to my stitchery reference library. With 170 or more stitches it has got to give one more than ample stitches to use in one’s embroidery.
Wow, Yvonne Stanton is a fabulous author and teacher I have her “Mountmellick” book in my library and the way it was written was soo easy to follow, I would love the “Right Handed” book to add to my library.
Cheers Flora
I am left handed. I am self taught in embroidery because no one wanted to teach me when I was a kid. My mother thought that I could not learn as much as I could if I was a righty. Today I teach embroidery to rightys and leftys and I easily follow instructions for both right or left handed.
Happy new year Mary 🙂
I am a eighty and so far it has not impeded my ability to learn new stitches.
Dear Mary – A righty here, but I raised a righty kid and a lefty kid who are each very proficient adults with needles. Naturally I spent a lot of time working out how to demonstrate things left-handed. I think it did help my own needlework – teaching me to study all the angles! Cheers, Shirley
I’m right-handed and would love to own this book! Thanks for the giveaway…
I’m a leftie stitcher. I stitch with my left hand but I probably use technique for righties since I use the internet for learning. I learned how to cross stitch around 9 or 10 years old from a DNC pattern my dad got me for christmas.
LEFTY. I was able to teach myself to embroider left-handed. When I was growing up there were no left-handed things like scissors etc. so I had to learn to do a lot of things right handed but needlework is not one of them. I would love to have a left handed embroidery book. Have never seen one. I enjoy your newsletters very much. Happy New Year!
Hugs, Cindy
I’m a righty and so theoretically had no problem learning to embroider – LOL! It took me a few years to become what I consider to be adequate. But I love it and can’t imagine not stitching at least a few stitches every day.
I’m right handed and I’m pretty sure that it makes it easier to learn embroidery. My mother is left handed and had trouble learning to knit.
I’m a righty. I suppose it has made it a lot easier for me to teach myself to stitch, since tutorials tend to default to righthandedness. Thanks for the great book reviews.
Righty. Since most instructions are for right handers, i guess it’s a plus. I LOVE white work or any embroidery that emphasizes texture. i have a hardanger project in my queue at the moment that also uses a lot of white work. Happy New Year and thanks for the great site.
Kelley P
I’m a righty, and as most books are for right handed embroiderer’s I’ve had no disadvantage in learning. I’ve often thought of strengthening my left arm and hand (they seem so weak when I do have to use them!)
The Portugese whitework book looks really stunning.
Happy New Year
I’m a righty. I’ve lkearned that when doing embroidery, I need a light on my left, so that my hand isn’t creating shadows where I want to work. I’d love to win this book for right-handers. Thank you for the opportunity.
As a “righty” I struggled to pass on my stitching passion to my teenage daughter who is a “lefty”…and bought Yvonne’s book for her, which she loves and has put to good use. I would love to add the Right-handed book to my collection so we can continue to share our love for the art of the needle. Happy New Year from Australia!
I’m a righty – and I guess it has been easier to learn, as most instructions are written for rightys – but I had not thought about it before! we have both in my family, including an ambidextrous grandfather…
Although I am right-handed I am beginning to feel the need to start learning to use my left hand as the disease that is affecting my right arm is increasing in severity. I don’t really want to buy the ‘left’ book as it will be seen as giving in to the dreaded disease, but if it were to be a gift – well one never looks a gift horse in the mouth (in case he bites).
Oh my, does that look like a great book!
I am fortunate enough to be abl to stitch with either hand, depending on the circumstances. I would probably elect to have the book for right-handed stitchers as I do most activities with my right hand even though I eat and write with my left (I was one of those kids of the 50’s who didn’t have accomodations for the lefties, so I had to learn to do some things right handed!).
Righty, and yes. My mother was a lefty and learning from an opposite was quite difficult.
I have been working on some wool pieces and trying to decide on how to stitch them, I really could use a good book to learn how to do decorative stitches and embellishments, would love a chance to win.
Debbie
Hello Mary,
I am right handed, thank you.
I would be very happy to own the right handed book, however, I would be just as happy with the left handed version. As I understand, both versions have the same information other than the right/left handed tutorials.
I found my passion with crazy quilting and seam embroidery rather late in my life, end of 2006 and I’m 60 this new year!… I have much to learn. Many of my stitching friends tell me my stitching is better than average for being a newbie and I wish to take this opportunity to thanks you, Ms. Mary. I thank you… because.. much of what I’ve learned about stitching in the past 5-6 years has come from you and your very informative stitch tutorial videos. To be able to see the stitches worked right up in front of me is what has helps me know exactly how and where to place the Needle’nThread. Thank you, thank you!! Thanks also for all the needlework knowledge that you have and then pass it on to all of us and thanks for your kind generousity of your give-aways! As far as I’m conserned, you are a Treasure in the NeedleArts world. I hope you have the Happiest New Year in 2012, may you have lots of fine stitching to come. Grateful Hugs!
I’m a righty. It led to me being self taught in a lot of things when I was younger because my mom was a lefty and could’t teach me things like stitching and knitting.
Definitely…a right-handed stitcher for embroidering. I don’t think that I would be able to stitch lefty. I will have to experiment and give it a try!
I love that they show the stitches for both left and right handlers . Great for teaching others.
Hi Mary,
I am a lefty who has learned to stitch righty. I have been known to stitch many things backwards, but one thing I must always be careful of is to finish the same way I started to keep the stitching smooth. Sometimes my work looks a little bit dyslexic and I can tell that stitching looks much more elegant when all the stitches lay the same direction.
Righty… it really didn’t make a difference, I use both hands. 🙂
I am a right handed embroiderer and am self-taught, so I can`t see that it made any difference at all, except for being able to use the right handed books to learn stitches…
Happy New Year Mary!
I’m right handed and I probably would not give it a second thought if I hadn’t had a left-handed friend many years ago. We were Girl Scouts and working on the needlework badge together. As a lefty, she struggled mightily to learn embroidery, crochet, knitting, etc. I was sooooo glad I’m a righty!
Bought Yvette’s leftie book for my sister and was so impressed my other sister and I got the rightie book. Her directions are so clear and understandable that the book would be a help for anyone. I am anxiously awaiting the Portuguese Whitework book. If I won the book, I would donate it to our EGA chapter library which already contains her Mountmellick book. Yvette is great!
I’m a righty.Haven’t tried left handed.
Janiceb
I’m a righty. Whenever I need to learn a new stitch, or to have a refresher on something I should know, I love to consult as many options as possible – on-line tutorials, stitch guides old and new. I’ve love a copy of this book to add to my knowledge base.
Yes Please, I am a lefty and for years people told me they could not teach me because I was left handed. Eventually I picked it up.
I am a righty – have heard how good this book is but haven’t actually seen one as yet. What a great book to have amongst my library to refer to when I am not sure about a stitch. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
I am a right-handed stitcher. I really like the way the instructions are presented and the diagrams seem easy to follow. This book would be a very important addition to my needlework reference library.
Hi Mary,
Books look very interesting.
Thanks,
Nancy R
I’m a righty and I would love to have this stitch dictionary for my library.
Righty! And I am assuming it has made a difference because everything is written for a righty….my family has a few lefties and I think that intructions and books for them would have been helpful….so I appreciate the opportunity for a leftie to have a book just for them! I would love to see comprehensive stich guide…some books are a bit vague on the stich.
I am a righty. I guess I’ve had it easy!
Righty…who always envied the lefties when I was a kid. I tried to teach myself to write left handed but couldn’t do it. I’m sure being a righty makes embroidery easier since most instructions are written for rightys.
Mary,
Righty here…Hit those books and what a great way to learn some new stitchs. What a great gift for a beginner ar one that has been sewing for years. Thank you for these 12 days of Christmas and a Happy New Year to All.
Ambidextrous actually, well in most things. Always a righty for writing and embroidery though.
Rosie
I’m a righty. But I wish I could be both. I used to…long story. Figure it can’t hurt to be both right? Thanks for the chance to maybe win something.
I am a right handed seamstress. I teach sewing, smocking, embroidery, and heirloom sewing to everyone – left or right handed. This book would really come it handy – for whatever hand you choose to use!
Righty. I don’t know if it’s made a difference in my embroidery.
I am a righty and have had some problems mastering some stitches but I think I have had it easier than a lefty!
Pam Lightfoot
I am right handed. Enjoying to try my hands on various styles of embroidery !
I am a left-handed stitcher and I know all the problems we left-handed stitchers can have. You are right Yvette Stanton’s books are great.
I have her Left-handed Embroider’s Companion and it is fantastic. If there is a stitch I have not used for a long time I can go and look it up and there it is plain as day to see how you do it. I recently gave a copy of the Right-handed Embroider’s Companion to my eldest daughter and she is very happy with it also. I can honestly say that these books are well worth purchasing if you do not win one in this competition.
I’m right handed – which has meant that I can usually follow most of the instructions I have read!!! Thanks for the opportunity to win such a comprehensive book of stitches.
Catherine
This is one of the most comprehensiVe right handed bookeS I have ever seen for right hand stitcherS like myself. As soon as the stores open in Tuesday, I am going to buy Yvette’s book on Mount Mellick Whitework. It looks so beautiful.
When I lived in the UK, visited Ayr, Wales and learned about the Whitework women did in 1800 and early 1900’s. What an education!!!!
Happy New Year to all.!
RIGHTIE – HJE
HELEN
DENVER
I’m a Lefty stuck translating in a right handed world. The left handed instructions will be heaven sent, if I’m lucky enough to win today’s contest. Thank you for offering up these wonderful prizes for your devoted followers.
I am a righty.I am sure it has made a difference because most instructions are written for right-handed people. These book look very helpful for a beginner like me!Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!
I’m a mighty righty! So said because world wide there is 1 lefty for every 9 rightys. Leftys are in a very small minority. Isn’t it fab that Yvette took the time to create a book which facilitates skill development despite handedness. I’d love to add this to my small,but growing collection of reference texts. Helen, Botswana
Lefty or Righty? Actually both! I can do most things with either hand but I choose to the vast majority of things with my right hand. I always blamed the fact that I had a left handed father and a right handed mother but I don’t think it’s that simple. For instance when my left handed boy was learning to tie shoe laces I would tie them left handed and do my right handed boy’s laces right handed. It was only when my DH was doing them both right handed and confessed that he wouldn’t know where to start doing it left handed that I realised I may be slightly unusual. I can also read upside down and read mirror writing! (And yes I know the teacher in you Mary will be saying dyslexia – quite probably and discalculia too.) Anyway I would choose the right handed book as I do embroider right handedly.
Just realised I didn’t say if it had made a difference to how I learned embroider. No, I guess not because even if I had a left handed teacher I could still translate to right handed.
Well, I’m a righty and I can’t say if it’s made a difference to me learning as I don’t know any different! Having said that, last winter, we had a long spell of frozen and snowy weather and all the water pipes froze up on our farm. I was having to carry buckets of water from the only tap that worked to the cows that were in the barn with newborn calves and that was about 20 buckets, twice a day. I eventually ended up with damage to the ligaments in my right wrist and then made it worse by doing a marathon cross stitch session the evening after.I should have stopepd when it started to REALLY hurt and cramp up but I wanted to finish it as a present. A year on, I still have some problems with it and I am seriously considering trying to stitch with my left hand. As I’m only a beginner, my efforts probably won’t look any worse than some of my attempts to sew right handed LOL.
Hi, I am a ‘righty’ embroiderer. I think it is probably easier being a ‘righty’ than a ‘lefty embroiderer or so I have been told by my ‘lefty’ friends. I love Yvette Stanton’s books. Gay B, South Africa
Right handed and lucky there are enough books out there for right hand people.
Hi Mary,
another great competition. I am a “righty” with “lefty” tendencies. When I was at school my domestic science teacher would often tell me I was stitching back to front or going the wrong way, from right to left or visa versa. It didn’t dampen my enthusiasm for embroidery and these days just do it how it’s most comfortable and the way the stitching looks best. I would like the left handed book to teach my very left handed granddaughter how to stitch She is only 4 but already knows how to thread a needle and do a few basic stitches.
I’m a righty. I always have embroidery books checked out from the library but this one looks fantastic. I would be thrilled to win a copy!
Happy New Year Mary to you and your family,
I missed posting yesterday so I doing so now. I am right handed and I feel awful to think about it now but I never considered before how lucky RH stitchers have been in receiving instructions, so it is awesome that someone has considered this and written a left handed book also! I checked the links and this book (the right handed one) does sound like something I would use absolutely. As I get older I realize that even though I may have known how to “do” a certain stitch once upon a time, it definately saves whatever brain cells I have left to just go to a reference book and learn all over again! Thank you as ever.
Dottie J.
I’m a righty
This would make a great addition to my books on stitching. My daughters quite often ask to see examples of certain stitches.
Happy 6th day of christmas, it being New Years Eve here in Western Australia.
My grandmother was responsible for teaching me to knit, crochet and embroider. Just simple stuff for a right handed teacher and a right handed student, but my cousin was (is) left handed and Gran could not teach her anything to do with this skill, which on reflection I can now understand why Gran was a bit frustrated and my cousin really angry with me for knowing how to do something that she couldn’t.
I just never thought about how hard it was until I tried to teach a left hander, now I am glad there are books for lefties. Happy new year everyone and especially to you Mary and your family.
Hi Mary
Righty – and it never affected my learning experience even if I have to turn the page upside-down!
Good news about Yvette´s new book on Guimaraes embroidery – will definitely acquire it!
I’m strongly right handed. Since I am almost entirely self-taught, the fact that most instruction books are written for right handed people is a distinct plus.
Thanks for the opportunity to win one of these books.
Kathy Pennington
Diggins, MO
I am right handed. I know this makes a difference if you happen to learn from someone is left handed. A mirror works good for the learner!
I’m a righty. I have taught a lefty embroidery, and had no problems with that. But, it was a real headache when I tried to teach the same lefty to crochet.
I am a righty. The only difference this has every made in my stitching is when I’m trying to teach someone that is a lefty. I have found that sitting directly facing the lefty can help with the instruction.
I am left-handed and began stitching with my (right-handed) grandmother at age five (we still have the sampler: “Make new friends, keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold”). I have never had a left-handed teacher, but have taken lots of embroidery instruction over the years. I mirror-image the learning — whatever the teacher is doing, I mirror it. I consider the ability a real gift! Sometimes teachers have asked me what they can do to help me, but they truly don’t need to do anything but let me watch them, usually while I am facing them. I keep learning!
Righty. I learned from my right-handed mother when I was seven. They were simple stitches, stem and lazy daisy which grew to a larger collection as I found diagrams of more complicated stitches. A good reference book of stitches would widen my repertoire greatly.
Thanks for the give away.
I’m a righty but my daughter is turning into a lefty (much to her dad’s chagrin). When I show her things, I generally mirror them for her and that works out just fine. Sometimes I would like to be able to stitch both ways so that I could orient stitches depending on the project rather than doing them a set way.
I’m right handed, but I sympathize with left-handers because I learned to stitch from my grandmother, a natural leftie, who was retrained in school to do everything (except stitching) right handed.
She was an avid embroider, although she never ventured beyond pre-stamped linen. I still have a few of her tablecloths, and the stamped cross stitch doily I did with her when I was four. The wobbly-X flowers on it were mine. The neat feather-stitched detail around the hem was hers.
I’m a lefty, however I’ve been told I stitch like a righty. I do everything right handed except cutting anything with scissors including hair!!!! As a child my parents bought me left handed scissors but I could never use them, go figure! Happy New Year
Susan
I am definitely right handed and have never actually thought about the fact that lefties might have difficulties at learning certain techniques. I taught myself do embroidery and I suppose that it might have been a bit more awkward if I were left handed. For lefties it is probably very useful to be able to look up stitches in a book designed especially for them…
I am especially looking forward to the book about portuguese embroidery, it looks stunning!
Righty but grew up with a family of lefties and married a leftie so I know the frustration of lefties living in a righty world.
Happy Sixth Day of Christmas!
Being a lefty – It’s not been very difficult learning embroidery. But the Stitch Companion would certainly be helpful.
Being a Righty, has not made a difference in learning embroidery. I sometimes think embroidery or crafty pursuits has improved left hand coordination.
What a wonderful way this would be to start the New Year! Fingers crossed, fingers crossed….
Mary,
I’d love to have either book. Both are right up my alley. I’ve only commented and put my name in on things I’ll actually use!! Pick me!
Gail Romines
Hi Mary!
I am a lefty and it is difficult to learn some stitches from a righty. 🙂 This would be a wonderful resource for us lefties! :)Thank you!
Blessings,
Jen in Oregon
I’m a righty, and was originally taught to embroider by a righty, my Granny. However, I have learned more advanced techniques from lefties, and have been able to do embroidery with both hands when needs arise!
I’m right handed, I can usually follow most of the instructions. Happy New Year to you and all your blogreaders.
oh… is’t my dream to have such a book! for right-side.. I’d be happy to learn bythis book!
Thanks!
Masha
Well, I am right handed so I would be most interested in the book for right handed embroiderers. I have to admit though, that I have taught basic embroidery to lefties and it was very difficult to find information for them. I’m glad to see that there is a book I can refer my student to for further instruction.
I’m a “righty”. Just seemed to be the natural way to learn to me. Looks like a great resource to me.
Hi Mary, thank for another great give away prize. I am a lefty,but not on table for meals. Was force using my right hand for handling knife/spoon when I was little. For me it does made a different in embroideries. It takes awhile to understand some of the stithes, I turn around my embroideries work, sometimes upside down..:)
To win the Embroiderer’s Stitch dictionary for left handed, will be splendid, awesome,woopeee..
As righthander, I think this companion could be very useful….
I am a lefty and I have definitely found learning new stitches a bit challenging. I would totally treasure this book!
I am a righty so it has not made any difference in my embroidery work or learning of it:)
Being right handed seems universal in the instruction section of learning a new stitch, in the pictures it alwalys shows the instructions with a dominany right hand so i have had no problem with trying to switch hands and all that.
Lily
Happy New Year, Mary. I’m a righty with one righty daughter and two leftie daughters. I would love to add this book to my library. I’m always looking for special stitches and want to learn to do them the right way.
I am a righty, but do many things left handed. When I pick up thread, yarn, needle, etc., I never naturally pick up the things the way teachers, or diagrams, expect me too. Eventually I figure out how to accomplish what I want.
Hi Mary,
Thank you for offering these books. A valuable resource for any stitcher.
Bonnie B N.B. Canada
Mary I am a righty! After watching my sister work through diagrams as a lefty, I am thankful for being a righty!
Yvette has done a service for those lefties.
Susie Jarosz in Omaha
Righty. I never thought it could be so different. We’re always learning.
I must buy the book about white portuguese embroidery. I’m portuguese and here we have a lot of difficulties to have books even if it is quite simple to have magazines of portuguese embroidery. I’m curious about a foreign writing about us.
Right handed myself, but I know the problems of left-handed people with some crafts books. By the way, it is a good idea to learn knitting from right to left and the other way. It saves sometimes a lot of time when you do not have to turn your work.
I’m a lefty but I honestly didn’t know there was a difference when it came to stitching. Maybe I stitch right handed??? 🙂
What an inviting book! I just took a class in InDesign and learned how to format a book and it makes me appreciate what she’s done with her content even more. It looks beautiful and so helpful.
I’d LOVE to win this book, it would be so relaxing to start a sampler and stitch in a nice comfy overstuffed chair with my new stitching light in peace.
I almost forgot your question, I’m a righty and feel lucky since most embroidery directions are found that way, so there’s no hesitation to try any stitches.
I’m right handed, so have never really had a problem. My niece is left handed and really struggled learning to knit – I did teach myself to do the basics left-handed just to get her going, though I’ve forgotten it now.
HELP! I’m a lefty and I’m alone! I taught my self to cross stitch several years ago and “wing it” most of the time. I’d love to see what I am supposed to be doing, and in doing so, do it better! THANKS and a WONDEROUS NEW YEAR TO YOU!
OH MY GOODNESS!!! I looked for this book when you reviewed it and I would so love it! I’m a righty. Never really thought about whether it made it easier/harder to learn to do anything. Maybe because most things are geared to right handed. I have a lefty daughter and it has taught me ‘think outside my hand’ when I’m teaching her some things. I hope I can continue to do that, she’s only 10 and I have so many more things I want to teach her!
I’m a righty and would love to win The Right
Handed Embroiderer’s Companion Book.
I’m right-handed, and from what I hear from lefties, it’s made learning a lot easier. I do have neat little story — I saw a post on a needlework forum from a lefty who was trying to learn something from a right-handed video and just couldn’t conquer it. I suggested she watch the video in a mirror, and apparently it helped a lot!
And I would *love* a copy of Yvette’s book — it sounds awesome.
I am right handed and feel lucky to be as I think it is harder for left handers to learn some types of embroidery. When I was in a Brazillian embroidery class there were 2 left handers in the class. I thought it was harder for them to learn than me. My dad is left handed and when I was little my folks thought I was going to be also but it didn’t turn out that way. Thank you Mary for all you do and the Christmas give aways.
Robin Marks
Mary , I am a right handed stitcher& would love to have Yvettes book on stitching I have several of her books & am a big fan on her way of explaining the technique of the stich’s.Am also looking forward to her new book . Thanks for a great giveaway . Doreen c
Lefty – I am left handed and have never found it difficult to copy what a right handed person is trying to show me. But I have had right handed teachers in a real panic when they know they have a lefty in their class, I have been told I should have been shot (Jokingly) I should have been converted when a child (not that easy). Now I rarely tell a teacher and just let them figure it out.
I’m a righty. They look like wonderful books!!
I am right handed, it has never been an issue for me to learn. The embroidery shop I frequent has both left and right handed people who are able to demonstrate in either fashion. Sue, New Zealand.
Im a righty but either would be a great gift. My sister is a lefty and this would be a wonderful gift for her, since she does very little embroidery, cause of her left handed. wow, still a great gift for who ever should win thanks so much.
I would love to win one of these books! I am left handed. I have had 2 strokes in the past, and after the first one, I was paralyzed
on the left. I had to relearn how to write, grip things. My left side is still weak. My embroidery has really helped with my fine motor skills. I didn’t think I could hold a needle, but I can! It is great physical therapy!
Hi Mary, lovely books in today’s giveaway. I shall be looking out for the Portuguese Whitework book, it looks fantastic.
Lefty or righty?? Well, I am right-handed and so most of my embroidery is done left to right including cross stitch. I am always being ‘told off’ because cross stitch is ‘supposed’ to be worked right to left, but I can’t seem to do it that way.
Marian (NZ)
Hi Mary,
I’m a righty but there are somethings I do left handed. I do stitch right handed and would love one of these reference books.
Righty –
I am definatly a righty in everything. At times I have tried to use my left hand to do a stich when it was in a difficult possition for my riGHT hand…but to no avail. I wound up removing the stich and turning the fabric so I could get to it with my right hand.Now I have given up trying to “save time” by using my left hand and just do it the “RIGHT” way!
I am a righty, and it has caused more problems for me in teaching than in learning. I taught a group of girls to crochet, and they all got it except for the one who was left-handed. I felt so bad!
Jane
I am a ‘righty’, and don’t think it has made much difference to my learning – I do most of it from books, but sometimes seeing the ‘lefty’ instructions has clarified things for me.
Thank you for this awesome chance to win.
Blessings
Maxine
I am a righty, but have caught myself doing a lot with the left.
Still R handed writer though, My dad was a Lefty. Love all stitching books.
Pam in Alabama
Dear Mary, I loe Yvette Stanton’s books. I am thinking I have a Hardanger book written by her. I am a right-handed stitcher and would love to have her Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion which I think would really help with some stitches that I have problems with. Thanks as always for this opportunity and for your inspiration to us stitchers.
Brenda
Mary,
I am a righty and I don’t own a stichery guide. I have gotten a couple out of the library, but would love to have one of my own. I love looking at the stitches and how they are done. Thanks so much for the opportunity.
Sheila from Havertown
I have always used my right hand which is OK as now I can’t use my left hand much due to arthritis. Would love to stitch my way through this book, making a sample of all the stitches. What a great way to learn.
Righty. Has not made a difference to me since the majority of stitchers that I know are righty. Friends who are lefty have made me more sensitive to their difficulties with stitch books.
I am right handed and I think that makes it easier to learn embroidery since most embroidery instructions are written for right handed stitchers.
I am right-handed and find it difficult to use my left hand for any task. Therefore I would love to win the ‘right handed ‘ embroider’s companion book.
Rightynand I’ve never given it much thought.
I am a righty. I think that has made it easier for me to learn. I have been told in some embroidery classes I have taken that I “travel” in the wrong direction when I stitch. I looked at the book when you reviewed it recently and really liked the idea of the fingers showing how to hold the thread or wrap the thread etc. I think the instructions are very helpful. I will add this book to my bookshelf!
I am right handed and can’t say it’s made a difference in my learning. I learn by imagining myself making the stitch to look like the completed one. I am not a big reader of instructions. That’s why I like your videos, Mary. Still, I don’t think my “handedness” is or has been an issue.
By the way, this is the best giveaway ever. Thanks for the chance to win these lovely things.
I would love to have the right handed Embroider’s companion. It would be so helpful as a guide for stitches. Would keep it with the work I am presently working on
These look like wonderful books! I thought I had most of the embroidery books out there, but these are new to me.
I’m a righty. I hadn’t realized until recently…when I started teaching, how difficult it can be for left-handed people to grasp things taught “right-handed”. It’s made me rethink my directions and demos to try to accommodate the differences.
Hi Mary, I’m definitely a ‘righty’, but if you stitch on a frame with both hands it really doesn’t make any difference. I’ve taught a lot of lefties with seemingly no problem. For 2 handed stitching just remember to put your STRONG hand under the frame – it has a better guidance system built in! Love the books, anyway.
Victoria, Vancouver BC
I’m a lefty, but I’ve never had any trouble learning embroidery. I look at the pictures in the book and try to do what the illustrations show. If it doesn’t work out at first I try holding the needle and thread until it looks the same as in the book. I would love a left-handed stitch guide. My husband, however says that I should stick to right-handed guides. He wants me to teach him and our children how to embroider and they are all righties. I would love to win either of these wonderful books. Mary, your book reviews have caused the expansion of my embroidery book collection several times!
I’m a righty and mostly self taught from books except for the x, straight and lazy daisy stitches my grandma, a righty, taught me.
The books usually don’t show hands so I guess I don’t think it would make a difference if I was a righty or lefty.
When I was little my grandmother attempted to teach me to embroider to no avail. In recent years, I am 73 and have started to embroder in recent years. Unfortunately my fingers are a bit stiff. I don’t have the book if it would help I would be very thankful. Judy
While I do most stitching right-handed, I am actually ambidextrous so that I can stitch left-handed also. This is indeed handy! However sometimes the gift comes with an awkwardness of being able to interpret from one side to the other.
I am a righty and I know that leftys usually have a disadvantage when it comes to all types of needlework instruction. It’s great this book comes in a lefty version!
I am totally right-handed.It would be nice to have some control of my left hand
Oh,I would love to own this. I am trying to learn new techniques.. and it would be especially useful to learn the translation of all the stitches I learned in Dutch.
I’m a righty. And since most books are geared towards a right hand perspective, it has probably been easier for me to learn how to embroider.
((added to my previous answer, because I clicked submit too soon:
Oh,I would love to own this. I am trying to learn new techniques.. and it would be especially useful to learn the translation of all the stitches I learned in Dutch.
I am a righty!