Publisher: Random House

Year: 1976

Pages: 96

Type: Hardcover

ISBN: 0-394-49910-7

“Embroidering your Disney friends on canvas.”

And who hasn’t thought about doing that? Me. I never thought about doing that until I found this old book in a Charity Shop! Even though it is in pretty bad shape, with writing within the pages and water damage, I still thought that the subject matter warranted saving it.

This is not the first craft / DIY book I have found depicting Disney characters in unusual mediums. Some day I would like to pay someone to create all of the projects. What a post that would make! But time and finances will forever forestall that kind of undertaking.

But if you are a fool for wool and just love spending hours on extremely intricate needle work, than maybe this book is for you!

Lisbeth Perrone spared no effort on this publication. She has provided numerous patterns to choose from featuring many of the most popular Disney cast.

The designs are fun and unique:

The first half of the book has images of the finished products with some of the stencils needed to produce them. The second half of the book contains the remainder of the stencils, along with the materials needed for each particular project:

If you’re interested, it is recommended to use 3-ply Persian-type wool or a 4-ply tapestry yarn. But don’t use standard knitting yarn as it will go slack over time and ruin your creations.

There are a few pages at the very front of the book explaining what tools you will need. Then a brief discussion of how to cut and tape your canvas. How to draw the outline of the pattern. How to keep the various colours straight for each design. Than you just have to stitch, block, and mount your work and you are done!

Honestly, she lost me at the description of a Basket-weave Stitch! But I’m sure it would all make sense to someone already skilled in needlepoint.

The designs and colours are totally 70s! But that is the charm and I think any of these finished projects would be a delight to have today.

I would give this book a 4.5 Out of 5 Stars. I think you would have to be quite an accomplished needlepoint person before attempting any of these designs. Some seem very intricate and would require a lot of time and meticulous craftsmanship. A novice might not end up with a recognizable product!

For an example of another book of crafts based on Disney characters from the 1990s, check out my previous Book Review of Disney’s Family Fun Crafts.