This is a review of the book Crewel Embroidery, edited by F. Anderson. Octopus Books Limited, London, 1974. ISBN 0-7064-0319-3.
A tip I picked up from this book, which will entertain my fellow Americans no end: remember the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) with the mnemonic Richard Of York Gained Battles In Vain.
Anyway, this book has the usual basic introduction (fabrics, design transfer, stitch diagrams, and so on). The majority of the book consists of 27 patterns for various items (shoulder bag, skirt, curtain, apron, etc.), although you can embroider the designs on something else if you don’t need the item in question. Each section contains the design, a photo of the finished work, a materials list, color and stitch key, general instructions, and advice on making up the suggested item (this advice ranges from useful details to along the lines of “go find a professional upholsterer”). I personally enjoy a number of the designs, and would love to work them myself sometime (of course, some I find uninteresting). I’ve included in the post a few excerpted photos of my favorite designs.
embroidery for ducks 
oooo…I like the Griffin in the first photo!
He’s really fun, isn’t he.
I’ve got the same book, passed down from my mum, and recently pulled it out of storage thinking Hmm, it’s been long enough that some of the designs in here will be quite fashionable again! And yes, the griffin and the pockets seemed most attractive to me, as well, though I like the wastepaper bin, too. In my book there’s a photo opposite the Introduction page of a copy of a late 17-century curtain that has inspired me directly, I redrew and “colorized” it here
Oh that’s a very cool picture.
Brilliant review ! I just ordered my copy ! I love the lion and the elephant pockets on the second photo : )