Crewelwork Then and Now: Exploring traditional designs and contemporary stitching - Hardcover

Blomkamp, Hazel; Turnbull, Phillipa

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1800922884 ISBN 13: 9781800922884

Publisher: Search Press, 2026

Synopsis

Journey through the vibrant, living history of crewelwork, from traditional Jacobean designs to innovative, contemporary projects.

Create 8 sumptuous embroidery projects, each with complete written instructions and a full-size embroidery chart.

Written by world-renowned crewelwork experts Phillipa Turnbull and Hazel Blomkamp, this inspiring, practical book provides a fascinating overview of how the art form of crewel embroidery has evolved over the centuries. 

Praise for historic embroidery expert Phillipa Turnbull: 'Phillipa is a renowned expert with over three decades of experience [...] Her work is celebrated for its authenticity and historical accuracy, often replicating designs from the 17th and 18th centuries.'

Praise for contemporary embroidery expert Hazel Blomkamp: 'Always fanciful, sometimes flamboyant, Hazel’s designs are wildly ingenious when it comes to her use of patterned and textured elements.' Mary Corbet, Needleandthread.com

Inside you'll discover:

• 8 inspiring crewelwork designs each with detailed instructions, charts and a full-size embroidery pattern, suitable for confident and experimental embroiderers.
• Designs from then and now: 2 designs celebrating historic embroideries; 2 original contemporary designs; 4 side-by-side designs (2 designs, both stitched by each author, for a direct comparison of how traditional and contemporary crewelwork can produce stunning and varied results).
• A comprehensive illustrated stitch directory featuring over 100 stitches, divided into traditional and contemporary ways of working.
• A full-size embroidery chart for each project.

Phillipa, an expert on historic embroidery and the founder of The Crewel Work Company, reveals the rich history of crewelwork and celebrates its vibrant beauty. Through her stunning projects and inspiring insights, discover the traditional threads and stitches used and uncover a deep and direct connection to the embroiderers of the past.

Hazel is a globally renowned embroiderer and best-selling author, who focusses on innovation in crewel embroidery, experimenting with stitches, threads, beading and more to give her work a contemporary twist. Her joyful, visionary approach breathes new life into this traditional craft.

About this title

About the Authors

Hazel Blomkamp has taught embroidery and beadwork in South Africa for over 30 years. She is the author of Crewel Twists, Crewel Intentions, Crewel Creatures, Hand-Stitched Crazy Patchwork, Animal Portraits, two stitch guide books – Needle Lace Techniques and Needle Weaving Techniques – and has collaborated on Freestyle Embroidered Mandalas with Di van Niekerk and Monique Day-Wilde. She is a regular contributor to local and overseas publications, and runs a busy website from home, providing embroidery supplies and kits globally. Travelling extensively both around South Africa and abroad to teach and promote her work, Hazel is regularly invited to teach at international conventions. Her teaching has taken her to Australia, New Zealand, Western and Eastern Europe, North America and Asia.
Visit Hazel’s website www.hazelblomkamp.com to see more of her work.

Phillipa Turnbull is an expert on British crewelwork, and an experienced embroidery designer, tutor and lecturer who has been teaching crewelwork with a passion for 30 years. Along with her daughter, Laura Turnbull, she is joint owner of The Crewel Work Company and Lady Anne’s Needlework Retreats, which sell exquisite crewel embroidery kits, offer online courses and organize luxury embroidery retreats both in the UK and abroad. Phillipa researches private and public collections in castles, country houses and museums, and shares her studies with historic needlework enthusiasts worldwide from her home in the English Lake District.

See more of Phillipa’s work at: www.crewelwork.com and @crewelworkco on Instagram.

From the Back Cover

Journey through the captivating history of crewelwork, exploring inspiring traditional Jacobean embroideries, and vibrant contemporary stitching.

Inside you'll find eight sumptuous embroidery designs: two traditional; two contemporary; and four further embroideries (two designs each stitched two ways), providing a striking comparison of crewelwork through the ages.

All designs are beautifully photographed, with full-size embroidery charts and complete written instructions by crewelwork experts Hazel Blomkamp and Philippa Turnbull.

A comprehensive illustrated stitch directory of over 100 stitches provides further fascinating contrasts between traditional and contemporary methods.

Edition details

• Publisher: Search Press
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1800922884
• ISBN 13: 9781800922884
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 216