What is Hubble Stitch? As the author explains, it began as a blend of herringbone and ladder stitch, with a close cousin of right angle weave (RAW), all rolled into one. There are two phases (or two passes) based on what she calls her "super picot", which remains perky because of the double pass. The biggest difference this causes is that each stitch is individual, "allowing lots of movement and slinkiness to the textile formed". This is what gives the beautiful, lacy quality to the Hubble Stitch, as developed by author Melanie de Miguel. If you like what you see on the cover, this book is for you!
The author states in her introduction that each chapter is a progression through the basic forms of Hubble (an astronomy fan, she named her stitch after the telescope, which she hopes will inspire all her readers to more complex and interesting forms of the Hubble stitch).
Hubble Stitch, Instructions & Inspiration for this Creative New Lace Beadwork Technique by Melanie de Miguel will progressively introduce the beader to basic Hubble, 2-Drop, 3-Drop, Spaced Out Hubble (both Horizontal and Vertical), Hubble-in-the-round (Circular and Tubular Hubble) and Inverted Hubble. The author mentions that she has been continuing to explore Hubble Stitch, and that we all can look forward to a second book shortly. Having read the names of the progressive stitches she has come up with for this book, I am looking forward to it!
Chapter One explains Materials and Terms in a brief but thorough manner, with some very nice photos.
Chapter Two continues on with the basic Hubble Stitch and four beautiful projects, from a rainbow colored cuff, to a cool frilled eyeglass holder, to a curvy third bracelet with a variation in colors suggested, to a lovely pair of earrings in an elegant fan shape.
Once the reader gets the idea and becomes familiar with this stitch through working her way through this early chapter, the fascination really begins!
Chapter Three offers 2-Drop and 3-Drop Hubble Stitch instructions. Here is where you find your total wow: Project 5 is "Mercury", the cover girl bracelet, and what a gorgeous piece of work you will enjoy making, here. As the author says, "the Mercury cuff really shows off this textile to the max!"
Mercury alone is totally worth the price of this book.
Chapter Four continues on, however, to amaze and engage the reader further. This is where you will be learning Horizontal Spaced Out Hubble, also know as HorSO. This beautiful variation of the Hubble Stitch truly shows off the individuality of each stitch. The author likes it for its integrity, as was mentioned earlier, and also because it is great for beaded beads and bezelling cabochons. There are two projects to help the reader understand how lovely this variation is.
Chapter Five is Vertical Spaced Out Hubble (VerSO). The author explains that this is great for minimizing the passes you make through the beads, "and create really beautiful filigree beadwork especially when bezelling crystals." The Christmas Cuff in this chapter is truly delightful, in greens, light greens, reds, pearl tones and silver lined crystal tones (for a sprinkling of snow)!
The reader is greeted with a whole different look when encountering Chapter Six, Hubble-in-the-round (or Circular and Tubular Hubble). The opening project is one of pretty snowflake earrings, That gets you ready for some beautiful Hubble ropes and a striking scarf ring with pretty crystals.
Chapter Seven addresses the stitch called Inverted Hubble, and what a stitch this is. Inverted Hubble, according to the author, is simply Hubble upside down, however it enables you to "bezel crystals and cabochons in utterly delightful ways".According to the author, learning this technique will lead the beader to many interesting possibilities. From the photos of the projects, including the final project in the book, "Solar Flares", that is certainly the case. This pendant is a beaded rivoli bezelled with size 15 beads in two different colors. The reader will be employing numerous techniques she has learned in this book and will end up with a pendant which is drop-dead gorgeous. If you like, you can continue on from there and make a bracelet of multicolored Solar Flares, which is jawdropping. Earring are suggested too, as is a necklace.
I found this book, Hubble Stitch, Instructions & Inspiration for this Creative New Lace Beadwork Technique by Melanie de Miguel to be fascinating and beautiful. Just like the Hubble Telescope brings us closer to the beauty of the cosmos, Hubble Stitch gives us a chance to get closer to a different sort of beauty. The delight of learning a new beading stitch!
3 comments:
The cover photo bracelet looks gorgeous. I love how you & Melanie described her Hubble Stitch, "allowing lots of movement and slinkiness to the textile formed." I wonder if it has the slinky movement of chaine maille, which I love. It has a more elegant look though, doesn't it? Great review!
Eileen, as I adore chain maille and love making it, I am with YOU on this. She calls it a textile. She is British. Because chain maille originally was made intended to be shirts of armor, which could be considered a woven textile, you could be right!
:)
jean
That is pretty cool. You don't see a lot of new stitches in beadwork these days.
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