Blackwork is a classic 16th-century embroidery technique, in which beautiful designs are created by stitching geometric designs onto evenweave fabric. Inspired by the past, Lesley Wilkins illustrates her techniques with a whole host of wonderful designs flowers, plants, birds, animals and figures. She covers everything from the materials to use and working with a chart, to getting started and how to stitch. Patterns are created by small stitched units which are combined in many different ways some heavily textured, some delicate and light. Borders can be built up by repeating and joining motifs. Clear step-by-step photographs accompany the author's comprehensive instructions, and the motifs, borders, fill-in patterns and images are all charted, with inspirational pictures of embroideries showing how to build up finished designs.

The Royal School of Needlework teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard, developing techniques in new and innovative ways. This series of Essential Stitch Guides provides expert tuition on a variety of techniques. In this guide to blackwork, Graduate Apprentice and tutor, Becky Hogg, shows how to develop many different patterns from the basic blackwork stitches, using detailed instructions and beautiful examples of traditional and contemporary embroideries. There is a fascinating look at the history of blackwork, a guide to the materials needed, and then a detailed look at the stitches used. These are then developed into a huge variety of beautiful patterns, and finally there is a guide to varying the look of these patterns through the use of different shading techniques. There are inspiring embroideries throughout the book, both historical pieces and contemporary works by the author and other RSN apprentices.