Threads of Life by Clare Hunter

Some of you may know that I'm super into sewing, but many of you probably don't because I hardly sewed at all for about six years until I started working at Joann's. So, surprise! I really love sewing! So when I saw a book of nonfiction about sewing on the shelf at The King's English I had to have it. And less than two pages in I knew I had made a good choice. Throughout "Threads of Life: A History of the World Through the Eye of a Needle" Clare Hunter tells the stories of historical pieces of embroidery, how the art form has changed throughout history, and her own experiences with it. In the book Hunter tells the stories of her experiences with the same gravity as the stories of the past and that was so lovely to read. In a book that is cataloging history it is important to remember that we are creating history now.

I loved reading this book and I have started two new embroidery projects and planned four or five more since I read it, so if nothing else this book was very creatively inspiring. Hunter's writing is wonderful to read and learn from. And as you read it is clear that she loves to sew, she wouldn't write about it the way she does if she didn't.

I recommend this book, it is so lovely! Particularly if you are at all interested in embroidery/sewing. It brings the subject to life in a way that I wouldn't have imagined was possible before I read the book. It was a pretty fast read, and the separate stories were independent enough that if you read a chapter and put the book down for a while you wouldn't be lost when you picked it back up, which can be nice with a piece of nonfiction. So I hope you have a chance to enjoy this wonderful book and get the chance to create something beautiful soon.

And if anyone wants to hang out and sew together just let me know, because sewing doesn't have to be a solitary pursuit.

XO, Ellen