Book excerpt: Illustrated throughout with diagrams and step-by-step photography, this book combines techniques with inspiration. French knots, tufting, stem stitch, whipped spider's web, woven picot and more are included and combined with painted backgrounds, couching, padded work and twisted threads to create a sequence of easy-to-follow projects. Pat Trott guides the embroiderer through each stage, showing how to build up scenes and pictures. Using nature as her source of design, she demonstrates the techniques involved in creating flowers, plants, woodlands and seashores.