Book Review: Cat Lady Embroidery: 380 Ways to Stitch a Cat by Applemints

Cat Lady Embroidery: 380 Ways to Stitch a Cat by Applemints was originally published in Japanese in 2016, this is its first publication in English. Fat, striped, cheshire, or grumpy, this books offers more than 300 embroidery stitch patterns for cat lovers. Each set of patterns offers a range of ideas in different styles, shapes, genres from simple to more complex. Original designs and clear instructions make this book a must have for any embroidery enthusiasts library. 

Cat Lady Embroidery: 380 Ways to Stitch a Cat offers readers exactly what the title suggests. There are cat faces, cat butts, cats sleeping, cats in action, cats sharing their thoughts, cats in floral motifs, holiday cats, and more. The full size templates and stitch guides are precise, although there is room for customization. I think embroidery fans that also happen to love cats, or want to add cats to their skill set, will want to add this to their collection. The use of a grumpy cat look alike made me curious about copyright or trademark rights, and some text did not work as well after being translated. I am not sure that I would recommend this for beginners, but those with a basic grasp of embroidery terms and skills will be happy with the book.