Seamless Embroidery is a beautifully curated collection of surface embroidery designs with tutorials by Yumiko Higuchi. Due out 28th May 2024 from Shambhala Publications on their Roost Books imprint, it's 100 pages and will be available in paperback format.

The included projects are all stylishly appealing and full of colorful surface embroidery featuring a large variety of small repeatable patterns to cover areas or a whole surface. All of the tutorials include full color pictures as well as detailed line drawings with stitch guides and directions. Materials are readily and widely available. Although the tutorials are specific to finished projects, they could all easily be adapted to whatever finished form the reader wishes.

The stitch diagrams which are provided include clear pictures of straight stitch, lazy daisy, satin, French knot, chain stitch (used in most of the projects), and other surface embroidery techniques. It would be possible to complete the projects in the book by just using the stitch tutorials, but obviously having a more experienced stitching buddy (or youtube) would help.

Full size templates are included as well as materials lists and suggested finishing instructions.

It should be noted that this book is about surface embroidery, not cross stitch. It's lovely to see tutorials and and upswing in interest for the other fibrearts; it seems like only cross-stitch had any following for a long long time and it's nice to see surface embroidery enjoying a renaissance.
I enjoyed the book very much. It's a worthwhile and fun introduction and guide to learning embroidery. Many of the designs in the book could also serve as a good jumping off point for dimensional embroider/stumpwork.

Four and a half stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Seamless Embroidery by Yumiko Higuchi offers beautiful ideas for delicate embroidery projects stitched on practical objects. Highly recommended for purchase by embroidery fans with some experience. .Highly recommended for library craft collections.

I've checked out several of Yumiko Higuchi's books from the library and this latest work is a welcome addition to the mix. Her embroidery designs blend classic simplicity with fresh modern style. The easy to follow instructions are accompanied by beautiful photography of the completed projects in a variety of settings. I love the flexibility of the seamless designs, which look just as good in a single row as they do repeated across a table runner. The wide mix of botanical patterns, houses and farm imagery make it a versatile book for any stitching occasion.

This book was such a lovely book to look through. The book has great illustrations, easy to follow patterns and great explanations. I haven’t been doing embroidery very long and it was easy to follow.

A great addition to my embroidery pattern collection. Something here for everyone to use to practice their embroidery skills and/or embellish any project.

This work is a collection of 21 embroidery patterns and 21 projects that are unique and, once completed, will leave you with a lovely new item for yourself or for gifting.

I liked that many of the patterns have an older feel, almost more like folk art. There were also many creative ones that included carousel horses, trapeze artists, a city scape, and many lovely floral patterns. Not only are the transfer patterns included to make for easy stitching, but there is also a whole section showing the patterns embroidered on home goods ranging from clocks to chairs to bags. Instructions for making these items was included as well, which I loved as it meant all you need is this book to go from raw materials to an embroidered, working clock.

Helpful instructions including getting started with embroidering, materials required, and tips for embroidering were included. This was not only helpful but made even the more intricate patterns feel less daunting. That being said, some of the patterns are certainly not beginner-friendly, and as they’re not rated for difficulty, it might take some time to find the right project to start with.

If you’re interested in embroidery and looking for ways to use your embroidery as more than just pillowcases or napkins, then this book is a must read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Shambhala Publications for allowing me to read this work, which will be published May 28, 2024. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I enjoyed this book. It offered some different techniques and projects. Everything was quite beautiful.

Yumiko Higuchi’s book seamless embroidery presents beautiful patterns highlighting the use of repeating designs. The designs are intricate and inspiring, and the stitching is exquisite. The sample images are gorgeous, and the instructions are clear. It is a wonderful book that I would recommend to craft enthusiasts, particularly those interested in stitchery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shambhala Publications, for a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

There are some absolutely lovely repetitive patterns included in this book along with decent photos and instructions. My only issue, and this could be a formatting issue in the digital edition, is that the photos of the projects are not located with the instructions. Not such a big deal in a print version because you can easily flip back and forth among the pages, but that is much more difficult in a digital edition.

I’ll recommend this for libraries with large collections of needlework books, and to needleworkers who are looking for some new inspiration.

The designs are absolutely gorgeous and provide lots of possibilities. The variety of projects is also impressive.

2.5 seamless stars, not rounded up

Seamless Embroidery shares patterns that go completely around an object. Because the patterns repeat, there is lots of stitching to do. Stitching is used to decorate objects, not for stitching as art or expression.

A large detached collar is a project that I don’t think anyone would wear in this century. The designs are woodsy and feminine, all showing women or girls in the photos. I would have liked to see a few bolder projects. In the chicken and eggs mini basket project, it looks like the chickens are pooping out the eggs. I like embroidery – how it looks, doing it, but the projects were not appealing to me.

I would have liked to see the projects be listed by difficulty, starting with the easiest. The projects are not beginner level. The book lists photos of all projects, then stitching basics, then specific directions and colors to use. I prefer all the information on a project in one place, rather than in different sections. The stitching directions are very basic and the photos are not helpful.

This embroidery book has some beautiful patterns. I liked the inclusion of some practical sewing patterns for things you can embroider onto. This definitely helped spark some ideas of my own. Some of the designs don’t align with my taste/style but I did find most of them to be quite tasteful and farmhouse style. The patterns are easy to read and stitches and color choices are easily identifiable.

This embroidery book takes a unique view and offers a selection of repeating patterns and designs. The embroidery stitch directions are clear, concise and well photographed. The included projects to use the stitch designs and projects are interesting with one or two being a little quirky.

You will find a lovely selection of botanical and other stitch patterns to use on your projects. Many of the patterns would be lovely additions to cuffs, collar, hems or straps. Some items would make lovely gifts for a friend or loved one.

For a new embroiderer you will likely find this to be a good stitch reference. I find it quite useful that they include what the reverse should look like! This will definitely help improve your stitching.

For an experienced embroiderer you’ll find some new ideas and combinations that may inspire your future projects.

I received an ARC from NetGalley.

While I usually enjoy the more meditative based process of crocheting, I do like to embroider every so often and when I saw this title and the cover photo, I was very interested to peruse the book.

The work is both lovely and impressive and the repetition is aesthetically soothing. The reader goes from feeling a rather overwhelmed at the concept of creating their own embroidery to feeling like it’s all one part at a time, and might not be impossible.

If you enjoy needle crafting, give this one a try.



Thank you to Roost Books and NetGalley for the DRC

As someone who likes to embroider, I'm always on the lookout for new books on embroidery that would help me with expanding my craft. I appreciated how Seamless Embroidery thinks outside the box (or the embroidery hoop) to create patterns made for all sorts of household decor items. The patterns and instructions are clear and well formatted, and the picture examples give a great idea of how the projects will look in a home. This book is the perfect buy for any embroidery hobbyist. A huge thank you to the publisher for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for my thoughts!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
This is a really pretty book of hand embroidery patterns and projects with a delightful twist.
All of the patterns are repeatable, and sometimes interlocking, units; I can imagine all sorts of projects where you could use a single motif, and then the repeating motifs in tandem.
The author's use of colour is lovely, and even though the stitches you need to use to complete the projects are quite basic, the effect is always very artistic. The projects are simple enough for beginners, but appealing to more advanced crafters as well. The way the designs are use is sure to inspire readers to create their own projects too.
The repeating motifs are reminiscent of a lot of ethnic embroidery, but the designs are modern and varied (I really loved the chicken and egg!). The photos are clear and the instructions are well written too.
Would recommend for anyone who loves pretty sewing.

What a beautiful book with many designs of embroidery. Not only does the author provide beautiful graphics but also detailed instructions, drawings to make all the projects. My favorite was the bookmark. Great book for a beginner or advanced sewer.
I received a complimenatry copy of this book, opinions express in this review are solely my own.

Higuchi is by far the most talented embroidery artist out there. Her beautiful, clean lines and stitches are what all stitchers aspire to be like. I loved all the patterns in the book but especially The Trees! What is unique about these projects ( and is true in all her books) is that she not only explains the stitches, and gives a template, but she explains and gives directions to the finished objects as well.
As always 5 stunning stars!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thanks to Net Galley and Shambhala Publications, Inc. for a digital copy of Seamless Embroidery by Yumiko Higuchi. This book not only provides beautiful embroidery designs, but each embroidery design is paired with a different object you can make with the embroidery pattern on it. The front of the book is filled with beautiful pictures of the finished projects and the rest of the book is filled with clear and precise, photo-illustrated instructions. I think the basic stitches might not be clear enough for someone new to embroidery. If I didn't know the stitches already, I think I would have found the numbers on the photographs unclear. But other than that, the instructions are very clear. The sewing crafts in this book will be fun even when not doing the embroidery. It's a beautiful book for embroiderers of all ages.

An absolutely beautiful book by Yumiko Higuchi. Not set out in the traditional way of a craft/sewing book which works well for this style of craft.

All of the very beautiful, interesting and well photographed projects are all displayed in the beginning of the book. Stitching instructions (with great diagrams) follow, the stitching patterns are next finishing up with directions on how to make all of the projects, after the stitcheries are completed.

Very enjoyable and a worthy addition to any craft book library. I look forward to having a go at some of these projects myself.