What a fun little book! This simple primer really does tell you how to easily embroider just about anything, from cacti to space ships to sewing machines to Vikings. I do wish the people had arms in the girls, boys, ladies and gentlemen sections, but I was happy to see that people in the fantasy sections and others had arms so I can just steal theirs. :) Darling and accessible, anybody can embroider happy little pictures on everything from cloth shopping bags to clothing to dish towels with these easy instructions.

I love that each set of designs shows finished, embroidered pieces, and then the exact same objects are shown as line drawings with the simple drawn pattern to trace. Gratz also provides instructions to get you started with embroidery if you're new, plus some easy answers to issues you might have.

The patterns also work as simple drawing patterns, which would be great for kids who want to see easy ways to draw things like foxes, houses, you name it.

All in all, a wonderful resource. I don't even embroider at the moment but I would consider buying this for our family.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

Get your needle and thread and start
Quilter and blogger Wendi Gratz has divided her book "How To Embroider Almost Everything. A sourcebook of 500+ Modern Motifs +Easy Stitch Tutorials - Learn to Draw with Thread!", published by Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry, into tow main parts: 1) Getting Started, and 2) Embroidery Stitch Patterns for Everything. The first part introduces everything the readers need to know in a simple way to get their embroidery projects started: fabric, thread, hoops, needles, patter transfer, starting and ending stitches, ... - no matter if they are beginners or more experienced embroidery artists. The embroidery patterns in the second part (plants, animals, people, toys, letters, ...) Can literally be used for all kinds of projects (clothes, curtains, decorations, ...). Gratz considers embroidery as drawing or coloring in slow motion - with a thread. She offers step-by-step tutorials for essential stitches, tips and a resource list to help the artists. The book presents itself with clear photos for the samples and a great design. It is inspirational and uses a great variety of really cute motifs which also can be combined. The book can be highly recommended as a guide for beginners and advanced embroidery artist and it also makes a great present.
It would have been helpful if the author would have included a conversation chart or at least the names for the embroidery floss (she uses DMC, but others might already have embroidery floss from JP Coats, Anchor, Madeira, or other sources). The patterns are not available as PDFs which would be desirable for an easier transfer. The pages need to be photocopied and in this case a spiral- or comb-binding or a binding that lays flat would be helpful since the only other option is to copy the patterns manually. It is also important to note that the book only covers "normal" embroidery and no cross-stitching, tapestry, or other type of needlework.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#HowToEmbroiderAlmostEverything #NetGalley

Cute but rather simplistic designs. I wish there were more designs, design categories and that some were more elaborate. The whole feel of the book is rather kitschy but it comes across as cute while being informative.

I love this book!
The instructions are so easy to follow and I love the easygoing, friendly way it was written! There was plenty of pictures with the steps so that you could see what was being talked about, which makes it a lot easier to follow!
There is a big section of embroidery patterns in the back which are just perfect for anyone want to give it a go immediately or even follow along with some of the instructions!
I will definitely be getting a hard copy of this book so I can have easy access to it during my sewing sessions, and so I can easier use the patterns!
I completely recommend this book for any beginner, or anyone who isn’t quite confident in their embroidery yet!
Thank you for sending me a e-copy to read and review!

Lovely book of embroidery.
Very simple and primitive in style.
I feel designed for the new stitcher or for someone who is looking for these sorts of designs.
Some are ideal if you make cards, would be perfect to stitch and turn into birthday cards for children, which I will do with some of the designs.
Would make perfect sampler pillows or little framed gifts.

A good start for the beginner or near-beginner embroiderer..
As well as taking you through the basic stitches, Gratz has some nice info on basic techniques such as what fabrics and needles to use, how to transfer patterns on to fabric and how to embroider on thin and stretchy fabrics.
The stitches are illustrated clearly and Gratz covers a nice range without making it daunting.
With some embroidery books I feel a bit overwhelmed but this is very down to earth and you won’t need special materials.
The motifs for you to copy are basic but fun. They would suit an older child well.
All in all, an easy to use and clear embroidery starter guide for beginners and those with a little experience who want drawing templates.

Occasionally there is a book which you really, really want to read and enjoy because you are a big fan of other things the author is renowned for. In this case I love Wendi Gratz as a quilter and blog writer because her art work is fun, her ideas original and her instructions very clear. Thankfully this book doesn't disappoint in any way.

The basics at the beginning are simply explained, everything you need to know as a novice or more experienced embroiderer are there and the materials and equipment required are easily sourced but not expensive. The beauty of these designs, all 500+ of them, is that they can be used on anything. You don't need special material instead put them on your jeans, bed linen, even curtains! Also the designs can be adapted to personalise in pretty much any way you can think of.

I was able to read a copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who is already a fan of this author, wants to try freehand embroidery or likes to add their own touch to their fabric projects. This will be a great addition to any crafter's library.