After admiring many hand-stitched creations, I thought I should start to learn a little bit about this art. Many people, including the wonderful Artistic Artifacts staff, recommended this gorgeous Sue Spargo book as an excellent place to start. The book certainly lives up to its reputation — it is excellent. The meticulous directions for each stitch are clear, detailed, and augmented with beautiful photos — which are very helpful. I also like the book’s compact size — which makes it perfect for taking along when traveling. Highly recommend.