Friday, March 1, 2013

Interview with Aimee Ray and a giveaway

&Stitches interviews
We thrilled to have an interview with Aimee Ray - to celebrate her new book, Doodle Stitching - Embroidery & Beyond (read my review of it here). It's always fun to hear about the inspirations behind a book - especially when it's of the stitchy variety! At the bottom of the post we also have a giveaway of a copy of the book! But don't just skip the interview to get to that, there will be a quiz! Ok, not really... ;-)

Thank you, Aimee!

Doodle Stitching Embroidery & Beyond
What inspired your new book? 
Since I first started embroidering, I've come across many different embroidery techniques that captured my interest and I wanted to try them out. I've never seen one book that served as a basic introduction to different types of embroidery beyond basic stitches, so that's what I set out to do with this book.

This book has a lot of different types of embroidery - did you learn something new while working on the book? 
I learned a lot! It was my first time experimenting with a lot of the techniques. I basically self-taught myself Cutwork, Stumpwork and Shisha stitches from many different sources and then simplified them to create my own designs and projects for the book. It was so much fun to research and dabble with new ideas and I know these new stitches will continue to find their way into my own projects.

Doodle Stitching Embroidery & Beyond
What's your favourite type of embroidery from the book? 
I found myself really enjoying the Crewel projects. They are very time consuming and there are no shortcuts to creating a large Crewel piece. I'm normally a pretty fast paced person so it was nice to slow down and dive deeply into them and take my time to make them right.

Do you have a favourite project in the book? What inspired it? 
I particularly like the Crewel Family Tree, the pattern is inspired by traditional Jacobean crewelwork and I stitched it while I was expecting my baby boy. It's hanging on my livingroom wall now. :)

Doodle Stitching Embroidery & Beyond

We have one copy of the book to give away.

To enter the giveaway:
Leave a comment on this post.
- you can not get extra entries by tweeting, liking on Facebook etc etc. One person, one entry.
- we'd love to hear about what kind of embroidery you'd like to try, but that is optional!

There must be a way to contact you, so make sure to either leave an email address, a link to your blog or somewhere else where an email can be found. We will not notify the winner by leaving a comment on your blog. You can also leave your Flickr name or Twitter @
Entries by 'Anonymous' can not be accepted, we must have atleast your first name - and a way to contact you as mentioned above.

The giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere.

The giveaway closes on Tuesday, March 5th at 8pm UK time.

Good luck!

The giveaway is now closed, thank you for entering!

50 comments:

  1. Aimee's book looks great! I've never tried cutwork so it would be a wonderful opportunity to try it. Thank you for the chance of winning.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love this book! :)
    Thank you for this opportunity to win it!
    I'm new in embroidery, but I'm experimenting new stitches and tecniques everyday. I like everything can give a modern touch to this art!
    silviatriv @ g m a i l . com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'd love to try crewelwork and stumpwork but I always felt I needed someone to teach me!! Aimee shows us this is not the case!
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This looks a lovely book. I am keen to try some embroidery - so far I have only used running stitch to embroider words on to quilts, but would love to branch out!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That little clock is so cute and just the thing I need for my kitchen.
    Amy's new book looks like it's got lots of fun projects. I've done lots of embroidery and would like to give crewel a try.
    The interview was great and thanks for a chance to win the book!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'd love to try blackwork. There aren't that many good guides out there for explaining exactly how to do it.
    g e o b q n @ a o l . c o m

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love Aimee Ray, she makes the cutest things. I would love to try crewel work one day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have been thinking of getting this book. I am pretty new at embroidery and it would be nice to have a book where I can have all of the stitches in one place I can use. I would like to try satin stitch soon. Pbnj0802@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. This book is on my wish list. I would be great to win it and therefore save some money for new floss. Yarn and Floss on Flickr.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I like Aimee's books very much and this new one is already on my wish list. I would like to try stumpwork.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/28957501@N04/

    ReplyDelete
  12. I would love to learn shisha and get into crewel a bit more. Brodwaith on flickr. Crossing my fingers!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Yay! The projects in this book look great! And I really want to try crewel. I don't know why I haven't yet, but maybe this book will be the tipping point. :)

    leahthezombie at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I would love to learn shisha! And this book is also great just for project ideas - love the idea of the family tree!

    1961girl @ gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. This book looks fantastic. I learned crewel first, when I was a little girl, and then abandoned it for cross-stitch and other needlework techniques. Now I'd love to get back into it, and learn some new stuff!

    Rose
    pippirose59 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great giveaway, thanks for the chance to win this book.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'd really love to try crewel work. :) Thanks so much for the giveaway!

    ~Kristin
    sewtechnicolor (at) yahoo (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I would like to do some drawn thread embroidery. I've been looking at this book. It's on my
    Amazon wish list. I love Aimees Matroishka Doll. Thank you for the chance.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Whoops I forgot
    lovebirdmom at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ooh, yes please - I have both Aimee's other books and I love them :) I would love to try crewel embroidery, it's something I'm yet to try my hand at. Thanks for the giveaway x

    ReplyDelete
  21. Aimee's projects look lovely. Embroidery is a friend to me and takes me to a quiet space of thought.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I want to try cutwork. That just sounds (and looks) really awesome. Of course, she makes everything look awesome :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. I would love to try everything in the book!

    ReplyDelete
  24. That book seems beyond lovely!

    I'm currently digging through a bunch of old textiles that I've been given by my mother and grandmother, and I love the work that has gone into embroidered handkerchiefs, tablecloths and even laundry bags - that is what inspires me at the moment. I'd love to carry on this tradition, but with a touch of the modern and the whimsical. Aimee's designs seem like a really nice starting point, I'd love to try them all :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Aimee's patterns are wonderful! I'd love to own this book :). Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I'd love to win this book! I've just tried goldwork and am interested in expanding my stitching

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'd love to learn some new embroidery techniques, and if this book is as fun as the original Doodle Stitching, I know I'd love to own it!

    msgould_ams (at) hotmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Oh how neat! I've recently been getting into needleworks of all type but know very little about anything other than cross-stitch, so I would love the chance to get to explore this book!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Crewelwork look so lovely - would love to try it sometime. This book looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I would love to try cutwork. This books looks great. I love the pin cushion on the cover! :)
    mooshiestitch@gmail.com
    mooshiestitch.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I am looking forward to trying crewel embroidery. It's been on my to try list for some time. Thanks so much for the chance to win, Aimee is one of my faves!

    sweeney.susanna@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. I'd love to win this book! I'm dying to make the little mushroom pincushion on the cover.

    jenniferingalls@live.com

    ReplyDelete
  33. I recently branched out from cross stitch to other kinds of embroidery--learning new stitches is always great fun! I'd like to try mixing paint in with embroidery, like in the clock above.

    alison.anne@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  34. I have Aimee's other books and love them. It was fun to read her thoughts on this one. I'd love to be in with a chance of winning, it looks like there are so many adorable projects in the book

    ReplyDelete
  35. I've never read one of the Doodle Stitching books, but have heard a lot of good things about them! I'm relatively new to embroidery, and I'm always interested in new techniques :) My e-mail is on my Blogger profile, and I am also on Flickr!

    ReplyDelete
  36. the book looks beautiful, thank you for hosting a giveaway. I was so inspired by the shisha pieces I recently saw when traveling in India, it would be great to learn this technique.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Lovely book. Keep meaning to try sashiko and would have lots of fun with this book.

    ReplyDelete
  38. I would love to Doodle in stitching,meaby then I can use it in my mixed media art!

    ReplyDelete
  39. I've never quite got around to proper crewel work, looks good. thanks for the opportunity.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I love embroidery and you are realy inspired, great job!

    ReplyDelete
  41. I am just starting to get into embroidery so this book would help me tremendously! Thank you Aimee and &stitches for the giveaway! <3
    smjohns63 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  42. Awesome looking book as usual. I love to embroider on felt. Thanks!
    chartier3@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  43. Oh what a lovely book, the crewel work is beautiful, I could not imagine doing anything so good! I would love to learn more stumpwork. Thanks for chance of winning.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Hiya, I've just found your blog and going to make a cup of tea and spend some time catching up. From a quick glance I think it's going to be an enjoyable morning's reading. I like to embroider too, especially when I need a mental distraction from worklife stresses and so would love to win this fabulous book. Thank you for the chance.

    ReplyDelete
  45. O, I would really like to win that book! Thanks for an inspiring blog.

    ReplyDelete
  46. WOW! I would so love to win this book. It is on my wish list :-) My blog is www.elizabethanneembroideries.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  47. I've taught myslef how to embroider with Aimee's first book, so naturally I'd love to give her new one a try as well. Being an illustrator who likes to work with mixed media, I often embroider paper. It's a fun way to combine drawing and stitching. In the future I want to try more techniques, especially crewel embroidery.

    silke.molitor@googlemail.com

    ReplyDelete
  48. That's so inspiring! It looks really fun :) I love the clock! rosiebud63 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  49. would love to try my hand at crewel again!

    ReplyDelete
  50. I am new to embroidery and would love to learn any and all techniques but especially doodling with embroidery!

    ReplyDelete