Celtic, Viking and Anglo Saxon Embroidery

You may remember a few weeks ago I was looking for instructions on how to work Bayeux stitch. One of the resources mentioned by many of you was a book by Jan Messent entitled Celtic, Viking and Anglo-Saxon Embroidery. Specifically, Tracy A. Franklin mentioned that her books were a great inspiration. I decided to order it as my introduction to her books.This book is not a how-to book nor is it full of patterns, instructions and diagrams. It is a book of beautiful photographs that show in great detail a body of work inspired by Celtic, Viking and Anglo Saxon Embroidery. She discusses in the first section of the book her love of working things in miniature. She points out that something done on a small scale is not necessarily quick and easy (something I can vouch for!). The pieces in this book are either small, handmade books or accoutrements that highlight different aspects of life, embroidery, textiles and decoration of the three cultures in the title.This book is not about historically accurate techniques. It is not a review of what was done when and why. It is Jan Messent's imagination let loose within a framework of her vast knowledge of embroidery and textile art of this period. She uses techniques that are completely modern and materials that were not available until very recently. However, she references the past in terms of her designs and the story of each piece. Each of her embroidered, painted, textile pieces takes the reader right back in time.The chapter on Bayeux Stitch was, of course, of immediate interest to me. She uses Bayeux stitch in ways that I hadn't considered and creates some gorgeous effects simply by using a thread I'd never considered. One of her pieces is a sampler of Bayeux stitch and I am now really interested in trying some of the techniques she has used. Although she doesn't always give detailed instruction, she does write enough that an embroiderer with some knowledge and skill could easily reproduce what she's done in their own fashion.This is a book, just as Tracy A. Franklin said, for inspiration. It's a book to linger over and let your imagination take flight, to get lost in, to dream over. If you want a "how - to"  book this isn't the one for you. If, however, you want to feed your creative spirit then this book is exactly what you should put on that wish list...What about you? Have you seen, do you own or have you read any of Jan Messent's books?