Embroidered Memories: 375 Embroidery Designs • 2 Alphabets • 13 Basic Stitches • For Crazy Quilts, Clothing, Accessories...

I had a mild craft-lover's panic attack while leafing through my newly arrived copy of Embroidered Memories by Brian Haggard. After scanning past the promising first 20 pages, I reached an alarmingly long section of black and white (technically more like sepia and cream) drawings of designs, lovely but barren of text, color, and the mixed stitchery media pieces that make me pine and swoon like I do over a freshly unsealed pint of Haagen-Dazs Caramel Cone ice cream.Would Embroidered Memories be the "end" of my love affair with Brian Haggard, who first lit my heart with his  Crazy-Quilted Memories: Beautiful Embroidery Brings Your Family Portraits to Life ? Was he really going to tease me and leave me bereft, holding just another design book in which the last two thirds would be given over to (gasp) ... drawings??And then I reached the last section of Embroidered Memories, a redeeming 19 pages of Brian Haggard's gallery selections. Crazy beautiful stitch, texture, and fabric montages brimming with buttons, borders, shades of old gold, raggedy spider webbed edging, an embellished linen jacket, the requisite tote, the surprisingly inspired back of a wing chair, a stitched-to-the-nines mannequin, and a similar marionette. My favorite item is the exemplary "Playful Pixies", a crazy quilt-lette packed with every quintessential attribute that embodies the crazy memory quilt.The initial section of the book contains a warm, friendly background on the author, who reveals himself to be caring, grateful, and committed to keeping hand stitching alive in these times of sewing super-machines and embroidery mega-computers. 40 pages of design drawings follow; this section begins with tips on using Wash-Away Stitch Stabilizer sheets which are used with a printer. (Available on Amazon:  Wash-Away Applique Sheets: Printable; Water Soluble; Single Sided; Fusible; Eco-Friendly ) You'll find nicely balanced and intricate yet doable designs from which you will design your own pieces.It's important to note two additional things about this book:1) Unlike Haggard's earlier book, this is NOT a project-based how-to book. It's a "look what you can do" guide, and a very good one at that.2) About copywrites: Haggard and C&T Publishing grant permission to photocopy any of these designs as long as they are not used for your own personal financial gain or any other commercial monetary profit. This includes craft sales, of course.Lovely and buy-worthy.

Loved it

I so loved and still enjoy his first book that I just automatically purchased this one (his newest) with out taking the time to read or realize that this is NOT a how to/project book. It's embroidery designs. Nice, but I purchased many of these kinds of books years ago which I still have. I saw the preview pictures of the bags which are featured in it and wanted to do those projects. They are models for the Embroidery....which is lovely....but....darn me for not taking the time to realize this is NOT a project book.This book will be a welcomed gift to a friend who does not have any other embroidery designs books. That's why it still gets a 5 star rating from me, because it is still a VERY nice book...just not what I thought or was hopping for.

I also ordered Brian's Crazy Quilted Memories after checking it our from the local library and enjoying it. There are so many examples in that book to inspire and admire. However this book is predominantly embroidery designs, many of which could easily be free-handed without the patterns, and very few photos of actual completed projects.That being said, I love Brian's approach to memory quilts and embroidery and his color sense. And as he says in the book, the designs are good "jumping-off points for your own designs.

I really like the book. It has wonderful pictures and it is full of embroidery designs to copy and use. The only drawback is that the book suggested using a product that I purchased and have not have had good results with so far. It is the C&T Wash Away Stitch Stabilizer. It was difficult to sew through and difficult to remove with water. But overall the book was exactly what I wanted.

I met Brian in the airport many years ago, just after his first book, " Crazy Quilt Memories" was published. Mom and I were on our way to Maui for Mom's trip of a lifetime. Brian is a man with heart, and much creative talent. I am ever grateful for our chance meeting. I'm glad he bumped into me! Wonderful inspiration, and tutorial.

These are the most wonderful patterns. Also, there are lots of REALLY great ideas. Brian Haggard has a style all his own and I love the way he works. I have learned so much from his two books. His first book is the one to start with though. It gives tons of instruction on doing HIS basic style of crazy quilting. This second book adds to the first. I am hoping he will put out another book. I will order it for sure.

I would have liked this book if it had more photos of crazy quilt blocks. Didn't really like the inspiration designs they remind me of the free embroidery sheets you pick up at fabric store. Too small also. Instructions on how to transfer designs was about the only page I found useful. Much better books out there. Would not recommend.

Gives inspiration, with some new ways (for me, anyway) of tackling a design, and also of finishing it. It makes an interesting read or browsing book, but I most likely will not follow these methods - it's not my style - but I would perhaps use some of the ideas.

Fantastic, beautiful book, everything you need to know to make your own. Inspirational, I have made several now for myself and friends. Highly recommended.

A lovely book to learn from, be inspired by, or just enjoy leafing through it. It has something for everyone. I'm looking forward to making some embroidered memories of my own!

A useful book for motifs for crazy quilting, well presented with lots of pictures. This book would make a great addition for anyone taking up crazy quilting.

There is a link in the book to download printable templates and this does not work. I tried going on the author's web site and could not find an email link to get in touch to address this issue.