SuZy’s Small Stitches by SuZy Murphy

October 4, 2026, 10:36 am
Filed under: Needlepoint Books, SuZy's Small Stitches by SuZy Murphy

In preparation for stitching Colors of Praise letters next year with my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter, I purchased SuZy’s Small Stitches by SuZy Murphy. I have a couple of books on stitching in small areas but I didn’t have this one. It was published in 1998.

Amy Bunger and Jean Hilton were proofreaders. Jean comments on the book in an introduction by urging you to read what Suzy says and experiment with stitches. Sounds like my kind of book.

In addition to the many stitches, I am looking forward to reading all her tips, tricks, and humor she picked up from many of the teachers in her day. Suzy passed away in 2019 at 75 years of age.

The Table of Contents is 5 pages arranged into sections by Tent Stitches, Straight Stitches, Diagonal Stitches, Cross Stitches, Round and Square Stitches, and Pattern Stitches. There are 185 Stitches in total.

At the back of the book, there are 5 pages of stitch samples in color covering 170 of the stitches. That’s followed by an alphabetical index of the stitches and a Bibliography with some fantastic books. I’m missing a few from her list such as Brenda Hart’s Favorite Stitches and two of Marnie Ritter’s books on canvas patterns.

Based on one of her comments, Suzy must have stored her threads in color families. That’s how I have mine.

Each stitch has its own page with large diagrams, a sentence or two about the stitch, what the stitch would be good for (such as hills, water, etc.), and an insight about some aspect of needlepoint. After reading tips on the first 50 pages (of 162), I was familiar with all of them but one suggesting a folded paper in a triangle be used as a needle threader if you don’t have anything else available.

I heartily agree with Suzy in that it’s our patriotic duty to keep the economy going by supporting cotton farmers, wool growers, textile mills, and stitchery shops!