Embroidered Birds and Their Habitats captures my interest primarily because of the habitats in the title. When I first read through the book, in fact, I had a hard time seeing it as a book of “hand embroidery techniques and inspiration.” To me, it is much more of a textile art book that focuses on the process of building a whole work of textile art.
In a Nutshell: I think this is a wonderful book for embroiderers and mixed media textile enthusiasts. I really enjoyed reading the whole book from cover to cover. I loved seeing Judy’s creative process. More than anything, though, I think that Embroidered Birds and Their Habitats makes this type of scenic textile art doable to those who might see it as complex. I know I’ve often looked in wonder at this type of art and thought it would be too complicated for me to enjoy doing it. This book completely turned my head around on that notion! She makes the techniques super accessible.
Finally, after reading the book, I found myself much more attuned to what I was seeing in the environment around me. Now, when I look at birds – even if they’re on my feeders – I find myself looking beyond the birds. I notice better the places the birds are hanging out in. I notice more about the bushes they’re in, the shapes of the twigs, the buds and leaves. I notice the ground and its multiple textures and shades of color. And I find myself thinking in layers.
—Mary Corbet’s Needle ‘n’ Thread – March 2023
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