RSN Essential Stitch Guides: Canvaswork

Rachel Doyle gained a degree in Textiles at Nottingham Trent University and then completed the RSN Apprenticeship in 2009. Rachel teaches for the RSN in both the UK and the United States as well as on their Summer Intensive Programme. She has worked on a variety of commissions in the RSN Studio, including bespoke pieces for Savoir Beds and has taught Bespoke Classes for the RSN around the UK.

• The Royal School of Needlework 6, Introduction 8, The history of canvaswork 10, Materials 12, Framing up 18, Design 24, Stitch order 32, Stitches 34, Algerian eye, variation 36, Alternating cross 38, Barred square 39, Broad cross 40, Byzantine 42, Cashmere, diagonal 43, Chain 44, Chequer 45, Cushion, crossed 46, Cushion, reversed 47, Double linked cross 48, Double straight cross 49, Dutch 50, Fan 51, Fern 52, Fishbone, stepped 53, Florentine 54, Flying cross 56, French 57, Gobelin, encroaching 58, Gobelin, straight 59, Gobelin, tied 60, Half Rhodes 61, Hungarian grounding 62, John 65, Leaf 66, Maltese cross 69, Milanese 70, Moorish 71, Norwich 72, Oatmeal 73, Oblong double tied cross 74, Parisian 75, Perspective, variation 76, Pineapple half drop 77, Plait 78, Raised spot 79, Rhodes 80, Rice 81, Romanian couching 82, Scotch 84, Shell 85, Tent 86, Tied pavilion 88, Turkey rug knot 89, Upright cross 90, Victorian step 92, Web 93, Moving on 94, Index 96

As someone who has done cross stitch, I was really interested to learn canvaswork. I think this book is a great introduction for beginners, it is mostly focused on initial set up and has clear and large pictures and charts of the stitches with concise info about their usage. There is small section on creating your own design and regular pictures of finished works to give you inspiration. I think this book would be best used to practice sampler stitches, before moving on to larger pieces or perhaps a kit or two. It is a book that I will likely refer back to as and when I get more confident and attempt a design of my own.