Book excerpt: Embroidery has never looked this good or been so colorful--65 projects to stitch your way to a more colorful home. With inspiration and encouragement from designer and colorist Kristin Nicholas, would-be and experienced stitchers alike will find dozens of embroidery projects that add exuberance to every room in the house. Nicholas's collection opens with pillow covers in dancing colors on unexpected patterns and fabrics, such as stripes and plaids, velvets and corduroys. For kitchens, she offers a joyfully polka-dotted tea cozy or jewel-bright, purchased napkins and tablecloth creatively stitched with floral motifs. Personalized wedding gifts include a luxurious, monogrammed cashmere throw and his-and-hers hot water bottle covers; or for the perfect baby gift, a cozy matching blanket and teddy bear set. Many projects feature fabrics from flea markets and thrift shops, with complete how-to on hand-felting and hand-dyeing sweaters and blankets for the very softest, most colorful look. With her ribbon-stitched craft boxes (perfect for scrapbookers), embroidered stationery, and even a pair of espadrilles, the author explores an exciting world of embroidering on unexpected surfaces and materials.