Book excerpt: One look at these pages and you know that this isn't your grandmother's crewel, but a hip, contemporary update that will have everyone reaching for a needle and thread. And these projects are easy, too, because crewel has no counting, no grids, and no cross-stitch--just beautiful free-form embroidery. Dive right in, guided by a basics chapter that explains how to do the different stitches, ranging from French knots to laid filling. Novices will swiftly move on to the 30 practice designs, all accompanied by easy-to-follow instructions and diagrams, and a dozen lovely projects. Make a card or keepsake scrapbook embellished with stitched motifs, colorful totes, table runners, and an elegant tryptich.