Overview

A vibrant celebration of Mexico's rich embroidery heritage, covering eight key traditional and modern styles with over 30 templates to trace off and use. Keep the stunning traditions of Mexican artistry alive in this evocative visual journey through the diverse embroidery traditions of Mexico, blending hands-on instruction with cultural reflection. Artist and researcher Gimena Romero takes readers deep into the symbolic language of stitch, tracing its threads from indigenous communities to contemporary urban streetscapes. Part travelogue, part artistic meditation and part practical guide, this book invites embroiderers of all levels to discover the living heritage of Mexican embroidery and make it their own. Discover: distinct regional styles including Tenango, Street, Mazahua, Thought, Mixe and Purepecha embroidery, each introduced through vibrant photography, storytelling and in-depth technique; experimental practices such as Lavin embroidery (using human hair) and Romero's own abstract, texture-based compositions; stitches, motifs and techniques including: Tenango foot, Xi (tree leaf), Zigzag, Eye, Leaves; fruit-based filler stitches like Open banana, Pineapple, Strawberry and Woven watermelon; Mixe stitches rooted in regional language and culture, and contemporary embellishment techniques: Cortes braid, Moss, Mexican coral stitch and Interlinked hearts; practical guidance on tools, materials, and transferring designs; 8 pages of full-size templates, ready to copy off and use. Stitches are not merely technical tools - they carry symbolic, poetic meaning. Many are named in indigenous languages or with metaphorical phrases that reflect daily life, identity and ritual. Gimena encourages readers not only to replicate these stitches and embroideries, but also to reinterpret them in their own artistic voices. A translation of the Spanish edition by popular Mexican embroidery artist Gimena Romero.

Full Product Details

9781800924185

Table of Contents

Reviews

A colourful tribute to Mexico's embroidery traditions, with over 30 reusable templates. Gimena Romero reveals the symbolic language of stitches. The book covers regional techniques, experimental practices and poetic motifs, all enhanced by amazing photography. Romero aims to inspire embroiderers to reinterpret heritage through their own creativity, so that Mexico's rich textile legacy continues to flourish! * CrossStitcher magazine * In a deliberate, scholarly yet approachable manner, Romero shares her embroidery discoveries across Mexico. Every one of the eight different stitching styles is prefaced by a description of her hands-on research among practitioners. In Mexico City, for example, previews of a workshop on street embroidery attracted dozens of needleworkers, filling a void in real-life historical examples. Even well-schooled stitchers will understand the differences between Otomi Tenango, Deer People (Mazahua), and Oaxacan work, not only through selected examples but also in the step-by-step photographs and excellent color prints of (usually) fronts and backs of finished pieces. Nearly 30 stitches are clearly explained (more than a few resemble common needlework, like the satin stitch and the French knot), and a handful of Romero's own creations appear in the ""Texture"" chapter. Eight pages of templates are included in the appendix along with a chart showing names and provenance of stitches. Crafters will clamor for this project-driven book devoted to the colorful embroideries of Mexico. -- Barbara Jacobs * Booklist *

A colourful tribute to Mexico's embroidery traditions, with over 30 reusable templates. Gimena Romero reveals the symbolic language of stitches. The book covers regional techniques, experimental practices and poetic motifs, all enhanced by amazing photography. Romero aims to inspire embroiderers to reinterpret heritage through their own creativity, so that Mexico's rich textile legacy continues to flourish! * CrossStitcher magazine *

Author Information

Gimena Romero is an artist and illustrator who specializes in textile graphics. She was born in Mexico City in 1985 and currently lives between Mexico City and Madrid. A graduate of plastic and visual arts from the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado 'La Esmerelda', of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (INBA), she did part of her degree in arts at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Lyon, France. She has won numerous prizes and international mentions such as Iberoamerica Ilustra and FILIJ Catalogo de Ilustracion Mexicana. In 2010 she was the cultural representative for Mexico in France with the Vargas Lugo prize and completed her textile training at the Ecole Lesage.

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