Complete Book of Sewing Techniques by Dorothy Wood

This is an amazing little book that covers most aspects of sewing, patchwork and embroidery with clear well written text, step by step colour photographs and some simple projects.

The book is in three sections starting with Sewing which gives an excellent grounding in the sometimes baffling world of the huge range of options available.  It introduces the reader to the basics of equipment (both hand and machine), fabrics and dressmaking techniques.

Then it moves on to the more specialised areas of patchwork and embroidery.

Patchwork covers specialist equipment, terminology, templates, hand and machine piecing, a variety of blocks and the various forms of applique, quilt assembly and the various forms of quilting and has projects with templates included at the end of the book.

Embroidery covers specialist equipment, preparing fabric, a wide variety of stitches for various uses (illustrated with clear photographs, excellent stitching diagrams and easy to follow text giving a bit of information about each stitch and tips), shisha, ribbon embroidery, counted thread work, assisi, blackwork, drawn-thread work, needlelace, goldwork, beadwork abnd machine embroidery.

Given that most techniques are covered with a two page spread the book is in many ways just an introduction but the information is clear and excellent.