Use your sewing machine to turn bits of nature into exquisite art

Renowned textile artist Meredith Woolnough creates replicas of nature using a delicate system of tiny stitches. Her artwork is breathtaking, and now, for the first time, she offers crafters and fiber artists a lesson in how to use her "organic embroidery" technique.

Look behind the scenes of her art process, from the initial fieldwork sketching and research that inspires her designs, to the production of her ethereal embroidered sculptures. She'll guide you through 12 creativity-prompting activities to help you begin your own mastery of this method.

Learn to find your desired shape or pattern in nature, from sources like leaves, shells, or coral, and use your sewing machine to turn it into openwork art. You'll also enjoy dozens of inspirational photos of Woolnough's own art pieces. Woolnough's instructions offer simple but highly versatile techniques and allow you space for your own creative approach.