Well, after my post the other day about my "mad" purchase of a rather pricey needlebook kit, I felt pretty good after reading all your comments! Nothing like getting a group of people together with the same interests in order to justify the occasional splurge, I say! Thanks for the shot in the arm! I'm pretty excited about the little needlebook, now that the project is underway. Don't expect to be amazed - I've only made a tiny bit of progress - but I thought I'd share it with you and make a few comments about the experience so far.

Before beginning any embroidery kit, it's helpful - I'd almost say "essential" - to read through the directions before jumping in. So that's the first thing I did. It wouldn't do to start stitching along, only to run into a problem that could have been avoided by reading ahead.

The next step is generally set-up work. It took me a couple days to get the set-up done, due to numerous interruptions and a general lack of embroidery time.



Remember that the kit is designed for counted techniques, so it makes sense to grid things off so that the placement is correct. You may also remember my determination to go Surface Embroidery on this kit... and I am sticking with that plan! Still, the lines are necessary to mark off the edge, and to mark off the various areas for adornment on the needlebook. These are just basting lines, and they will be pulled out while I stitch.



This is the monogram I'm stitching. It's from an old Sajou pamphlet (I think?). I had scanned it into my computer and cleaned it up a while ago, with plans. So I shrunk it to fit the needlebook, and altered the flowers (which were daisies) to round circles, which will be bullion roses.

It's kind of hard to see. I traced the monogram on using a .005 (super-duper fine) micron pen and a very light touch. I used a light box to make the tracing possible, and even then, on this fabric (which is slightly darker than a flax or natural colored linen), it was still difficult to trace. Still, it's on there, and that's all that matters.



When the fabric's held at a slant, it's easier to see the marking.



I intend to do the decorative bands that run down the sides of the needlebook covers in hand, without a hoop, but since I'm stitching the monogram in satin stitch, I definitely wanted to use a hoop. I find I get better results with satin stitch when the fabric is taut.



And here's the first bout of stitching. I was surprised at the color. I decided to keep the color scheme for the original design, but I didn't realize just how grey this is. It's really grey!

It's a difficult color to stitch on this color of fabric, when working tiny split stitches around the outline of the monogram. I had a difficult time seeing where I was going!



The color at first did not seem too attractive, and I was worried that I would not be very happy with it. But I decided to stick with it, anyway, and I found it grew on me. It really does match the reproduction fabric that lines the needlebook perfectly, so it's a good choice of color.

This is the padding for the satin stitched monogram. I worked a small, single-thread split stitch around the area, and then filled in with longer stitches.



Starting in the middle of the area to set my stitch direction, I stitched to the top part of this area in satin stitch, over the padding and the outline.

Now, this isn't as easy as it could be, and that's because this fabric, which is well-suited to counted work, is not so well-suited to surface embroidery. There's too much space between the weave, and it requires splitting the weave quite often, in order to get the stitches to lie comfortably next to each other.



This is the finished section, satin stitched. I've managed to pad the top section and I've started outlining the middle area of the letter, but this is as far as I've gotten.

I think I'll be pleased with the result, but we'll have to see. The whole monogram - due to the outlining and padding under the satin stitches - is going to be a bit thicker than I first imagined, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. We'll see how it works out!

I'll definitely keep you posted!

And once again, thanks heaps for your input on the kit purchase. I knew you'd make me feel better about it!

Labels: embroidery kits, Embroidery Projects, Hand embroidery stitches, monograms, needlework pictures, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, November 19, 2009
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Some of the earliest articles that featured photos of my own hand embroidery here on Needle 'n Thread were two posts that examined a project worked with silk threads on silk fabric. The two articles focused on one half of an embroidered stole worked predominantly in satin stitch and stem stitch filling. The first article featurs close-up pictures of the stole, and the second article featurs a photo of the whole stole.

This past weekend, at the request of a friend, I pulled the embroidery project out again, including the second half of the stole, which has been laced up on a scroll frame, neglected for many years.

In revisiting this project, I've had the opportunity to rethink a few things about it.



This is the beginning of the second half of the stole. In my mind, I remembered being about a third of the way finished with this half of the project. I'm not sure why I thought I was so far along. It's discouraging, actually, to see that I finished so little on the second half!

What slowed me down on this project? Why did I resign it to the shelf?

The first thing that happened was that Life got in the way. I remember frantically applying myself to the first half of the stole, and, after about 3 months, finishing it, setting up the second half, and making a start on it. But it was the middle of the school year by then, and things just got busy. So the project was set aside for a time.

Then, one day, I had visitors, a lady and a little girl. And the lady wanted to see my current embroidery project. The little girl - about six years old - was playing outside when I took the piece down. I looked at the piece with the lady, and had just turned away from it, when the little girl came in. I didn't think to pay close attention to her - her dirty hands were wet and sticky and a little muddy. And she made a bee-line for the frame. Before the thought could formulate in my head (I don't think I got beyond the internal "Noooooooooooooooooooooo!"), she had applied one particularly grimey finger to the fabric and threads, leaving a big, wet, dark spot on both the embroidery and the ground fabric.

Do you know how it is, when you have a "big" obstacle to overcome in a needlework project, and the obstacle kind of takes the wind out of your enthusiastic sails? This was the case for me. At the end of that day, I wrapped the frame up in a cloth, and tucked the whole thing away on the highest shelf, in a box. And it has been there ever since.

But in taking it out again this past weekend, I discovered several things.



First, I discovered that the way in which I originally transferred the design had been a good idea, for the image has withstood the test of time magnificently. On the soft gold silk ground fabric, I had used white dressmaker's carbon. The white, once embroidered over, is not visible at all - even if a little fringe of it is left beyond the embroidery. And yet, it is clearly visible on the silk ground fabric, due to its light white-ness and its matte finish against the shiny silk.

Dressmaker's carbon can be an excellent way to transfer a design on smooth fabric. You can find transfer paper in the sewing notions section of fabric stores. Saral Transfer Paper is a good brand to use if you can find it. The variety packs come with a sheet each of red, white, yellow, blue, and graphite (greyish black). The sheets can be used many times over. If you can't find Saral, Dritz also makes a wax-free dressmaker's transfer paper in five colors. It is probably more commonly available at sewing stores, and the size is actually perfect for a project like this stole, which is long and narrow. It comes in 5.5" x 19.5" sheets.

Though the frame for the stole was wrapped in fabric that rested against the design, and then packed again in a box with other stuff, and put on a top shelf for several years, the design is still crisp and fresh and hardly smudged at all. I'm glad to see that.



The next thing I learned is that I tend to exaggerate in my mind how serious a "flaw" is on a piece of needlework. The wet, dark smudge (that I thought could never be cleaned away) was right here, between these two "petals" on the embroidery. Where is it now? Did time take it away? Or was the flaw not quite as bad as I had worked it up in my mind to be? Whatever the case, that excuse for shelving the project is now completely gone. There was only the slightest sign of a bit of dirt on the silk threads in the top petal. A little scratch with the fingernail, and it was completely gone.



I've learned a lot more about embroidery in general, ecclesiastical embroidery in particular, and individual stitching techniques since I embroidered this piece. In my mind, I recall this piece as being a "beginning" step in my pursuit of serious embroidery. As a beginning step, I somehow had adopted the impression, over the years, that I didn't do a very good job on the piece. But in looking at it (and this isn't to honk my own horn - just to make a point), my satin stitching was actually pretty darned good. Had I convinced myself that it wasn't up to par, as a further excuse not to return to this project? It is Certainly Possible!



I can't help thinking that I might be hard-pressed, now, to replicate this satin stitching!



Finally, there is the question of this frame. When I first started this project, I would've killed for a slate frame (not literally, but...). I looked high and low, here and there, and absolutely everywhere for one. I settled for a scroll frame, because it was the only thing that could accommodate the silk, keep it relatively taut, and roll up the excess fabric.

But in looking at the framed up piece now, I can confirm that I was right about my lousy lacing job. And, on top of that, using masking tape to "finish" the edge was probably just downright stupid (though there is actually about 6" of excess fabric on each side of the design).



In my mind, whenever I thought of this project (because it does still hang over my head now and then, and I think on it with regret...), this lousy lacing job and the tape fiasco were obstacles to completing the piece. But are they, in reality, obstacles? Not really. It would be nothing, now, to take this frame apart, remount the piece on a slate frame using proper fabric edges, and tighten it up to work on it.



Going back to the original first half of the stole, I took some photos of it again. Since that first post on the subject oh-so-long ago, I've had two different cameras, each progressively better, and I've learned a bit about light, and also a bit about photo editing programs.



I can't help looking at images of the original finished half of the stole and asking myself if it would be worth revisiting this project and even finishing it.

But now that some serious time has passed since I shelved the project, some serious issues have arisen that are truly obstacles. Of course, obstacles exist in order to be overcome!

The greatest obstacle is that of thread: the original piece was worked with Au Ver a Soie's Soie d'Alger. Though I had, at the time, purchased enough of the same dye lots for both sides of the stole, over the years, I have used those threads. Can I match them closely enough in order to finish the second half of the stole? Maybe. It is worth looking in to, but can't be done until I visit a shop that carries the threads.

There are several - actually, many - things that I would do differently now, if I were making this stole from the beginning. And this is another obstacle for me! It is more of a mental obstacle, though - which are the worst types of obstacles, because they require overcoming self, rather than overcoming something tangible outside of one's self.

I can't guarantee what I will do with this - whether I will finish it or not. Most of the trivial barriers that I had built up in my head regarding the whole project are gone, but a few serious ones still linger.

So, those are my musings on this project from the past. What would YOU do at this point? How would you come to a decision about whether or not to finish such a project?

Labels: ecclesiastical embroidery, Embroidery Projects, miscellaneous embroidery musings, needlework pictures, pictures, silk

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, September 29, 2009
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Right now, Quaker motifs are very popular for counted cross stitch, and I really love the look of them. When I was working on this perforated paper embroidery project last week, I couldn't help wondering if Quaker motifs would 'work' with surface embroidery stitches. So I'm going to try an experiment.

I've drawn up a hand embroidery pattern based on the Quaker motif I used on the paper project. It is, in shape and layout, pretty much the same design, but the use of surface embroidery stitches, I suspect, will change the look of the design quite a bit.

Here's my line version of the motif:



Here's a PDF of the same pattern:

Hand Embroidery Pattern: Quaker Motif for Surface Embroidery Stitches

Ussing the PDF, the pattern should print at approximately 4.5 inches square. It can probably be taken smaller, but for this test run, I thought a medium-sized medallion would work best.

I'm going to combine a variety of stitches on this piece, sticking with the notion that the Quaker motifs generally come from samplers. My plan so far includes the following stitches:

Palestrina Stitch
Mountmellick Stitch
Satin Stitch
Long and Short Stitch
Fly Stitch or Fishbone Stitch (haven't decided which on that one yet)
Daisy Stitch
French Knot

I'll be working on this project over the next few weeks. I'll be stitching on a sturdy linen (Thank you, Méi! I can't wait to use some Portuguese linen!), but I haven't decided 100% on the threads yet. I think it will take some playing to figure out the best options.

What think you? Will this come off, or should I leave the Quaker motifs in their regular form, as counted cross stitch pieces? What's your take?

Labels: Embroidery Projects, free embroidery patterns, Hand embroidery stitches, Quaker designs, sampler

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, September 23, 2009
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Last week, I took it into my head to make use of this book on embroidery & perforated paper. I thought I would make a card. You know - one of those "I'll-just-whip-this-up" sort of projects...

As it turned out, it wasn't a quick project at all. I always underestimate things like this. ALWAYS. It used to be that I thought I was an optimist - and being an optimist is a good thing, right? But now I realize it's not optimism at all - it's a gross under-estimation of the speed at which the hands on my clock move. And this gets me into trouble.

The occasion for the card came and went.

And yet, I went ahead and finished the embroidery for the card. Some day, I'll cut out the lacy edge for it.

The design is one of the Quaker motifs available on the Needleprint blog. I picked the colors to match the cardstock I was going to mount the piece on. For thread, I used regular DMC stranded floss, mostly two strands. The count on the perforated paper is about 18 squares per inch, and three strands is too much for the holes - which was evident after I finished stitching the central "flower" in three strands, and found that the paper was trying not to warp. Two strands were perfect.



I like the blue / yellow scheme, and I think the design is neat. But you know what was going through my mind the Whole Entire Time I was stitching this? Any idea?

I was thinking.... "How can I translate this design (and similar designs) into surface embroidery?" And so, I played with it. And later on in the week, if all goes according to some kind of Plan of Sanity, I will share with you my version of the above design, re-structured for surface stitching.



I tried to get a shot where you could see how the three strands of floss started to warp that center area a bit, but I don't think you can really tell in any of the photos.

Sometimes, I kick myself for starting "quick" projects like this, because it takes away from making headway on larger projects that are already starving for time. But in this case, I made a couple discoveries along the way and came up with some ideas that I'll be sharing with you in the upcoming days and weeks. So I don't count this particular "quick (slow)" project as a complete waste of time!

Coming up this week on Needle 'n Thread: the final lesson in long and short stitch shading, a book review for a nice iron-on transfer book (really nice!), some thread talk, TWO give-aways to celebrate the end of the long and short stitch shading lessons, and any other tidbits that may happen to pop up! So do check back in during the week!

Have a jolly Monday!

Labels: counted thread embroidery techniques, embroider on paper, Embroidery Projects, needlework pictures, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, September 21, 2009
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Before the school year gets underway in a mere week and a half (where DOES the summer go?!), I wanted to get several embroidery projects set up. I'm teaching five courses this semester, so I know my needlework time will be limited once school starts, especially during the first month while getting the routine underway. I'm planning to go back to the 15 Minutes Plan, but I can only do that if I have projects ready to stitch.

With that in mind, then, I set about setting up a project! This is the Schwalm Whitework teacloth that is featured in Luzine's book, Basic Principles of Schwalm Whitework.

I began by measuring out the linen to the prescribed 80 x 80 cm. Instead of working in centimeters, I converted everything to inches - which was probably silly. Anyway, I cut the linen to 31.5" square, pulling out threads to make sure the linen was cut on the weave. Then, I zig-zagged the edges on the sewing machine, so that I wouldn't have stray threads falling off the edge of the linen.

The linen I'm using is from Germany (thank you, Joey!) and is the preferred linen for Schwalm whitework. It's called Weddigen Linen, and it's available through Das Handarbeitshaus. (If you don't read German, you can drop that in Google's translator, and get a very good translation.) It comes in two thread counts: approx. 35 threads per inch, and approximately 50 threads per inch. I'm using the 35.

Once all the linen preparation was done, I divided the linen in half with basting lines, vertically and horizontally, then marked off the square for the pattern with basting stitches, too. The book calls for 20 cm in each direction, to form approximately a 40cm square for the design. I converted that to inches, and blocked off a 15.5" square, and then also basted in the diagonals on the square. How to do all of this - and why - is explained in the book.

Anyway, I found that the pattern was a bit small for a 15.5" square, so I took the square in an inch all around, and was a bit more satisfied with the layout. Then....

I started tracing. The book suggests an iron-on pencil or pen for transferring the pattern, and I have to admit, that would be about ten million times easier. But I have an aversion to iron-on transfer pencils and pens, because I know they don't come out all the way, despite the method of removal. I decided instead to use a watercolor pencil, and I traced the design.

To trace the design, I lined it up with all the correct lines on the fabric, then I pinned it on and placed it over a light box. It was "easy enough" in concept, but it took a long time! But, once it was finished - it was finished!



Once the design was transferred, my next step was to assemble all my threads. I took out my box of whitework threads, to find this general mess:



I've been telling myself for a while that I need to inventory my threads. These threads get used all the time, and they're not easy to come by. You generally can't find whitework threads (coton a broder) at your local needlework / sewing / craft or hobby store - or at least, I can't! So whenever I need a particular thread, I have to order it online. Still, it looked as if I might have enough!



I sorted them all out, and grouped them according to size. I had sizes 12 through 40, in the following quantities:

#12 - 3 skeins
#16 - 14 skeins + 1 partial
#20 - 4 skeins
#25 - 11 skeins + 2 partial
#30 - 7 skeins + 3 partial
#40 - 3 skeins + 1 partial

I put them all in individual bags, according to size. I'll probably order a few skeins of #20 this week, since I'm relatively low on it, and it's a popular size for many of the stitches in this project.

In the book, it's very nice to have a thread chart that indicates the particular stitches for which each weight of thread is used. Size #50 coton a broder is mentioned (you can use #50 or #40), but I can't find #50 available at any shops here in the States, so I'll stick with #40, which is also becoming increasingly hard to find.



I also had a pile of loose threads that didn't have tags on them, so I have no idea what size they are. Let this be a lesson! Always make sure you have a way to identify your thread sizes. These won't go to waste, of course. I will use them randomly here and there on little projects, like my fish.



Then, I dug through my needle box, and found I had the right sized needles. The book calls for chenille needles and tapestry needles in specific sizes. I had plenty of tapestry, but no chenille, so I'm substituting crewel needles in corresponding sizes.



With everything gathered for the project, I packed the threads and needles away in a mesh zipper bag.



Everything's together and ready to go - ain't that grand??!

But the best thing was that I still had some time (it was only 9:30 pm - I had to stop at 9:45, for company coming) so I decided to actually start on the stitching!



Before working with coton a broder, it's a good idea to prepare your thread. I've got a little tutorial here on Needle 'n Thread about preparing coton a broder for stitching - how to handle these types of "hanks" of embroidery cotton. Incidentally, this is the same method that Luzine suggests in her book. So I prepared a skein of #16 for stitching by braiding it with the paper tags left on, so that I can identify the size.

Then....

I threaded my needle...



It was time to start stitching!

... and that's when the timer went off. Time was up! But it was a good evening's work, and I'm ready to go at my next stitching opportunity!

*******************************************

Other News:

If you haven't signed up yet for my Historic Needlework give-away, there's still time! Visit the original post and read the information on how to sign up!

Today, I'm moving. Not moving, moving. Just sort of moving. My habitat (cave, hovel, whatever you want to call it) is getting a little facelift, so all my computer stuff is being shifted to the studio. The Internet People (Wamego Telecommunications) are coming today to put in a new internet line out the studio, so I'll still be able to work online while the remodeling is being done. The point of all this unwanted personal information is simply to let you know that, if you don't hear from me tomorrow (?!), it's because something went wrong!

Now, I'm off to make room for Technology, so that I don't have to rest my PC on beds of embroidery thread....

Labels: Embroidery Projects, embroidery tips and tricks, needlework pictures, pictures, Schwalm, whitework

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, August 13, 2009
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Yesterday, I set up a grab-and-go embroidery project. "Grab and go" projects are those "quick" projects that can be taken anywhere or can be picked up for a few quick stitches when you're on the go. I know this week is going to be hectic, like last week, and admittedly, I'm going nuts without simple and quick to work on.

At first, the whitework sampler was providing ok 15-minute stitching "fixes," but the cutwork part is rather tedious, and since it's the same stitch over and over and over again, it does get a bit on the boring side.

For grab-and-goes, I like color and simplicity! I also like cheap materials! If I'm working on this type of project in the car, in waiting rooms, or outside on the front porch, I don't want to be using expensive linen and silk threads. So, cotton on cotton is great!

This particular Spring Towel is a flour sack towel to use as a basket liner for Easter. Flour sack towels make great liners for large baskets that you might serve bread in - or, in this case, that you might arrange Easter eggs and candy in. You embellish at least one corner (I think I'm going to do two on this one), and then you arrange the towel so that the decorative corner hangs over the edge of your basket. If you're putting bread in a basket to serve a crowd, you would arrange the towel so that the decorative corner folds over the top of the bread.

Because it is likely that the towel will come in contact with food and will need to be washed, use colorfast threads (DMC or Anchor work great).



Here's the corner. I've already started stitching. It's a rough and chunky design, and fun to work. I'm not shooting for "perfection" here as much as just a fun, colorful corner. The design extends about 8 inches from each corner.

I transferred the design by tracing it with a regular pencil. All the lines will be covered - and if they're not, that's ok. They'll wash out.



The embroidery pattern is mostly just a series of strange flowers and leaves. The design came from an old transfer I salvaged from some garage sale junque. I altered the design a bit to turn it into a corner pattern.



I was musing a bit over the colors - at first, I thought pretty pastels would be the thing for Spring, but they didn't seem to go with the bold design. So instread, I picked out a selection of colors reminiscent of bright Easter baskets.



I'm pretty sure I'm going to do all the leaves in fishbone stitch. I just love this stitch! I was going to work with two shades of green, but I have a feeling I'll reduce the whole project to as few colors as possible - just bright and bold. We'll see...

This is also my first complete adventure using Q-snaps. I'm a hoop person, personally, but so many people rave about Q-snaps that I thought I should give them a try. I did try them briefly on a piece of linen a while ago, but ... sheesh... no, I didn't like that! Thinking I didn't quite give them a fair trial, I decided to use them from start to finish on this project. I'll let you know my thoughts once I've given them a fair run!

Now, the question is - should we place bets? I'd like to finish this and the opposite corner (same design) by Easter. Do you think I'll get it done?

Labels: beginner embroidery, Embroidery for the Home, Embroidery Projects, Hand embroidery stitches, needlework pictures, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, April 06, 2009
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After setting up the goldwork iris, I began embroidering it in one 15-minute needle and thread session. The first embroidery session was, admittedly, a wash...

When beginning a needlework project - and this is true of any type of needlework for me, whether surface embroidery, counted cross stitch, goldwork, drawn thread work, crochet, even sewing - I find that my initial moments with the project are always the most important. In the first minutes of actually working with needle and thread, I get a real sense of what the project is going to be about. No more theory, no more vague picture in my head - now I know what must be done to make the project develop toward the picture which I imagined for it.

It's also in the first session of stitching that I tend to make mistakes while I feel the project out.

With the goldwork iris, I realized a few things right off the bat.



Here are the supplies I initially wanted to start with: #5 smooth passing thread (2% gold), Tire silk for couching the gold areas, and the darkest green soie d'alger, which would make up the first colored stitches.



Because this was a 15-minute session, I set the timer before cutting threads and threading needles.



I began couching the gold in the lower left corner, working up toward the swirly base of the iris. This looks positively terrible! Anyway, Tire silk is extremely fine thread. I do like it for couching the gold, but...



... compared to the soie d'alger, it is really too fine. I think I'd rather use a thread closer to the size of the soie d'alger. Otherwise, I'm afraid that, down the road, I'll have a warping problem with the piece - the colored threads will take up more space over the gold and push the design out.



Another thing I didn't like: in my first section of dark green over the outline, the green silk is bulging here and there. Soie d'alger is a 2-ply twisted thread, much like DMC cotton. As the thread works in and out of the fabric, the twist can become tighter or looser, and the plies can lay on top of each other (twisting over each other) just as the stitch is settled into its place. In most surface embroidery techniques, this isn't really a problem. It's the natural way the thread works. But in this technique, I don't want any extra bulges! I'll need to pay closer attention to that. A laying tool will help, but... I don't really want to use one!

I'm thinking about going back through my threads to see if I might have some flat silk that I can use instead. I do have a collection of Helen Stevens's TESS, but I don't know if it includes any purples.



In any case, this is the 15 minute session! Whoo-hoo! Doesn't seem like much, does it? I don't like the "angular" look of the gold, and I don't like the stitching.



So guess what I did the next time I had 15 minutes? Right! I'm starting again, with some wiser (hopefully!) decisions. If I can switch to flat silk, I'll continue to work with the Tire thread for couching the gold. If I don't have suitable colors in the flat silks, I'll probably switch my gold couching thread to something thicker - maybe soie 100/3.

I'm pretty sure, so far, that Or Nué is something you have to give a chance. One gold thread couched isn't going to reveal impressive results. Still. I want to make some changes before going any further!

Any advice or suggestions?

For more information on different silk threads, you'll find a few articles that compare different types of silks under Tips and Tricks for Hand Embroidery.

Labels: 15 minutes, Embroidery Projects, goldwork, needlework pictures, pictures, silk

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, March 05, 2009
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I love working on the whitework embroidery sampler! Exploring the different drawn thread techniques has been fun, and I'm itching to start on some other techniques, such as satin stitch over trailing. But, as with every long, slow project, a break is a good thing! So I'm going micro...

A while ago I showed you this unbelievable miniature embroidered sampler, remember?



I've really fallen in love with the little thing - the more I see it, the more I like it. I'm planning on having it framed in a regular frame, with a tiny hole in the mat...

So, here I've been, mulling this idea of miniature embroidery over in my head.

I know it isn't anything new - some people apparently do miniature embroidery for the fun of it, with no distinct purpose. They like it, like I like goldwork. Others create little miniature projects for doll houses. Still others like the notion of petit point on silk gauze (which I'm dying to try - on 72 gauge!). There are plenty of miniature embroidery books on Amazon.... though some are apparently just "small" motifs stitched on regular fabrics. So I know I'm not talking novelty here.

But for my 'break' from the whitework sampler, I decided to go micro, and see about this miniature embroidery thing. This has forced me into an area of needlework that is not necessarily my favorite - I don't particularly care for (sorry!) counted cross stitch! Oh, don't get me wrong - there are some counted cross stitch items these days that I find really attractive and that I think would be great fun to work. I like the historical samplers, and the Quaker look, and I really like some of the Long Dog samplers - they're pretty neat. But my stitching preference isn't counted thread techniques. (I suppose you probably already know this if you've been reading my blog for a while!)

Still, I think it's worth venturing in for a try. First, I'll try counted. Then I wonder what it would be like to go micro with regular surface embroidery. Teeny tiny - super-duper-tiny - surface embroidery stitches on a wee sampler might be something worth trying.

But, for now, I'm counting. I selected a design that I have from a Sweetheart Tree kit I bought a few years ago when I was on vacation. Then, I picked out some linen. The choice was between two linens: Legacy's shadow work or Legacy's alabaster angel. Alabaster angel is 48 threads per inch. Shadow work runs around 56 threads per inch (I counted approximately 7 threads per 1/8 inch). I stuck with the alabaster angel for this first project. The shadow work linen doesn't have much "body" in the individual tiny threads - it's a relatively sheer linen with space between the weave. This is nice, but I wanted to make sure the stitches were duly supported. Plus... well, truth is, on the very sheer fabrics, you really have to be concerned with the back as well as the front, and I will admit it - I didn't want to bother so much about the back! (Tsk, tsk! Shameful, I know!)

With this miniature embroidery stuff, especially on fabric that's 48 threads per inch, a full cross stitch is too much when working with one strand of regular cotton floss. So the half cross stitch is what I'm using - tent stitch.

I've run into a couple little problems:

1. My needle is very small. Tiny needles have a tendancy to sink into the side of my thumb and cause the skin to split. *sigh* And it hurts like the dickens. Perhaps I should consider a "thumble" of sorts.

2. Tent stitch normally works pretty well when translating from a cross stitch desigh, but it doesn't always work. Because of the one-way direction of the stitches, certain parts of the pattern become a bit disjointed, when they shouldn't be. In some areas of the design, this is easily resolved with stitching in the opposite direction, though I realize this just "isn't" done in petit point, from what I understand! In fact, the design has quite a few half cross stitches indicated, as well as the direction in which they should be worked. So it does help to change the direction of the stitching to fit more with the design.

3. The design relies heavily on beads for accents. I don't think they make beads small enough! The Mill Hill petite glass beads loom over the stitching like giant doughnuts!

4. I made the funniest (most ridiculous) stitching mistake ever. Well, I think it's funny! Perhaps most people won't notice it, though, so I'm not going to mention it now. I'll wait for the photos. Even then, I might leave you to guess!

The design itself is normally over 5" square, when stitched according to directions on the little kit it came in. With the fabric I'm using, it's just barely 1.5" square.

Now, the nice thing at this point would be a photo.... but not yet! Look for it later this week. I'd like to finish the whole piece first.

Other than this, I'm DEFINITELY setting up a little (little, but not this little) goldwork project this week. Christiana sent me some photos of a beautiful little piece of goldwork (Or Nué) that she's been working on, involving a peacock feather, and I just can't stand it anymore! I must set up a project! And so I shall. I might even do a feather of sorts, too. Maines des Merveilles has a beautiful issue full of feathers, and I've never had a chance to do anything with them. Christiana's is really beautiful, and as soon as she gives me the okeedokee (she made it as a gift...), I'll post the pictures.

All that being said, I'm still enjoying the whitework sampler.

Don't forget to sign up for this month's embroidery stash give-away if you haven't already - 12 different types of embroidery threads to try out! I'll announce the winner tomorrow.

Enjoy the day - hope you have time to get some stitching in!

Labels: counted thread embroidery techniques, Embroidery Projects, miniature embroidery, sampler

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, February 24, 2009
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, December 24, 2008
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I received a few e-mails asking me to say a little more about my turkey embroidery that I posted yesterday on Thanksgiving! I felt a little silly that I didn't cover the list of combined projects on that post - and in fact, I feel even sillier bringing up turkey when everyone's had their fill! But, still, here's the explanation:

The turkey is a combination of several embroidery projects. I opened the photos of those projects in Photoshop, and just played around with them, layering different elements, erasing parts, using layer masks, and so forth, until I came up with something vaguely resembling a turkey:



If you want to read about the projects, threads, and techniques involved in each element, you can look at each project page. Here's a list of the projects combined to make the turkey:

Goldwork and Beetle wings (tail)
GST Strawberry (body)
Christmas Chicken (large part of wing)
Red Poll (lower grey wing tips)
Golden Pomegranate (front breast and crown)
Felt Needlebook (head, breast, and foot)
Book cover (leg)

If you haven't seen those particular projects here on Needle 'n Thread, I hope you have fun perusing them! Some of them were quite an adventure.

On this day after Thanksgiving, I refuse to join the holiday shopping crush, despite the great deals that I'm sure must be abounding. Often, I think people shop on this day just to enjoy the challenge!

I'm planning on spending a relatively quiet day straightening up, organizing some upcoming projects, finishing some near-complete projects, and so forth. I know it all won't happen in one day... but it's nice to plan as if it will, anyway!

Enjoy your weekend!

Labels: Embroidery Projects, needlework pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, November 28, 2008
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A while ago, I started a random embroidery project on a piece of felt. My original plan was to use it as some kind of book cover, or needle book, or ... something. But the truth is, initially, it was a spontaneous project that I grabbed just to have something to work on while on a short road trip. The piece developed, and then sat neglected for a long time. I've finally done something with it.

I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do with this bit of embroidery. Really, I couldn't picture it as any certain thing! When I wrote about the piece a few weeks ago, I got a lot of excellent suggestions for how it could be used. I ended up going with a large-ish needle case / tool holder.

The reason I dug the piece out recently to finish is that I had some threads and needles to test. If you read my posts on the Spiral Eye Needles and on Soy Luster thread, you saw parts of the finish work for the piece.

The first thing I did was determine how I wanted to make a cover. Fortunately, when I cut the felt, I left long sides that would turn in to back the two finished panels. This worked out well. After trimming, I folded the felt to the back of the embroidered panels and fused them closed.



And yes, the back is MESSY!!!!

I trimmed a little more, then buttonholed the edge of the cover all the way around.



Then, I had to think out how I would finish the inside. I cut out a piece of left-over blue wool felt to cover the inside, and then started laying tools on the piece to find out how I could arrange things.



I noticed that, with scissor or tool slots, I would have to either put a loop or a flap on them to hold the tools in, should the book be turned upside-down. So instead, I decided to face the tool openings towards the inside fold of the book.

I made two tool holders - one for scissors and the other for either another pair of scissors, or tweezers and a laying tool (I haven't really decided what, exactly). I figured I could put three flaps for needles on the other side, using some other scraps of felt. The whole inside of the book, in fact, is done in felt scraps. I had to rummage a bit to find pieces that would work.

There was still a bit of room between the needle flaps and the center fold, so I decided to attach a large thread ring there. The mother-of-pearl thread ring doesn't really match the "rustic" look of the book, but it'll do.



I cut out the shapes of the tool holders - a V-ish shape for scissor (in the sheath) and a rectangle for tweezers and laying tool. Incidentally, the rectangle was a scrap from this past summer's bookmark project in my kids' embroidery classes, and it worked out just fine.



Then, I began embellishing the tool holders.



I stitched free-hand, whatever occurred to me as I went.



I used a combination of threads - perle cottons, DMC stranded, Soy Luster, floche, and silk. Most were taken straight from a tub of stashed threads that are somewhat disorganized, with the exception of the Soy Luster and Baroque Silk, which were both new and which I was trying for the first time.



I had fun embroidering these little things. Because they are small, I wasn't stuck doing any one thing for very long, and because they were completely free-handed, I could do whatever came to mind.



I liked working with the variety of stitches and threads.



After finishing the tool holders, I attached them to the blue felt using buttonhole stitch all around, facing the openings (as previously mentioned) towards the inside fold to keep the tools from falling out.



Then I embroidered on the needle flaps, using a few different stitches to secure the flaps - herringbone stitch is on the top flap, chain stitch on the middle flap....



And fly stitch is used to attach the last flap.

I attached the thread ring using a tiny scrap of ribbon I just happened upon in my floss box.

Once I had everything attached to the blue felt that would serve as the background to the inside of the needlecase, I attached the blue felt to the book cover using buttonhole stitch all the way around. I found that the blue felt needed to be attached to the cover in the middle of the case as well, to help it fold better, so I ran two lines of running stitch down the center. I worked these through all the layers of wool felt (three, total), so that they are visible on the outside cover as well, just at the border of the embroidered panels.

Unfortunately, I didn't draw the lines and measure things out before I started stitching, so the lines are actually not quite parallel. They run away from each other towards the bottom! After working the running stitches, I whipped them to give the line a more finished look. Anyway, with the stitched lines in the middle and the and the top and bottom edges secured with the buttonhole stitching, I was left with an unstitched edge on the outside of the blue felt, which created the perfect opening for pockets that can hold extra thread or other flattish things:



In fact, it's nice having these two pockets on both sides of the case.



Then, once all was done, I had to have a way to close the case. I was out of ribbon, so using two strands of a coordinating perle cotton #5, I twisted the threads until they were suitable for a cord, and then made little ties out of them, which I attached at the edge of each cover.



In retrospect, if I were doing something like this again, I would not make a needlebook or tool case that closes in this manner - I'd make a flap that can button over the whole thing. The one thread in the middle seems somewhat chintzy, but, still, it ties the thing closed, and for this project, that will do.



Overally, I had a lot of fun working on this little project, though after a while, my fingers were killing me from working through multiple layers of wool felt and a layer of fusible interfacing.

I actually don't know if I'll ever USE the case. I'm thinking about giving it to one of my embroidering nieces for Christmas.

It was a fun project, so I'm not opposed to making another modified version with a different closure and a different layout on the inside. We shall see, we shall see! What think you about it? Any suggestions for a better way to close the thing up? I'm all for pointers, so point away!

Labels: Embroidery Projects, Hand embroidery stitches, needlecase, needlework pictures, pictures, threads, wool felt

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, October 28, 2008
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I've managed to work up a few more stitches on Breath of Spring, which is really turning out to be a super-fun project! Here are some photos of progress and plans!

When I last posted photos for this project called "Breath of Spring," I hadn't quite finished the French knot flowers that look like butter mints. But I finished those up late last night, and you know what? I really like them!!

I'd say I'm a little more than half finished with the piece:



The little blue forget-me-nots stand out a lot more than I realized they would. I'm not quite so keen on the really dark undersides of the foxglove (the bell-shaped purple and yellow flowers on the left), because they Really seem to stand out. But ... I still like them!



This is my favorite section so far - I like the butter mint flowers and the angelica (the other "white" French knot flower burst on the right of the photo).



Over all, the angelica looks white, but you can see that it, too, is worked in a variegated thread of pastel colors. I'm glad - if they really were white, they'd be too stark. I like the subtle shades of color.



A new ladybug - I like this one better than the first, but he's got a little antenna thing going on there, like the tip decided to disconnect. Funny, it took an up-close photo to make this clear. I didn't notice it until I saw the picture!



Here are the "butter mint" flowers. I don't know what else to call them, because I don't know what they're supposed to be! They are worked in slightly darker shades of pastel than the angelica. I like them, after all. I didn't think I would, but I really do!



And this is where I'm going next - the thistle and the caterpillar. I can't wait! That thistle looks fun.



And then, after that, the grasshoper. I'm kind of getting into this bug thing. Embroidering bugs is great fun. Kind of weird, but really fun. "I'm going to go embroider a bug, if you'll excuse me." Not something you say every day, you know?

So that's my progress so far. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be able to sit down later in the evening, after long days at work, and just stitch for a half an hour or so before going to bed. It's great relaxation. I'm so thankful to have stitching as a hobby, aren't you? It's just... the Best!

Labels: Breath of Spring, Embroidery Projects, Inspirations Magazine, needlework pictures, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, August 21, 2008
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After finishing the whitework on the linen pouch, and doing whitework monograms on the embroidered guest towels this summer, I decided it was time to dig out something colorful to embroider! Better yet, something colorful that was already set up...

So, I took out "Breath of Spring," a project from Country Bumpkin's Inspirations Magazine, issue #56. I mentioned this particular project previously, when I was planning to finish it as a gift. But, you know, time just got away from me! So I've picked it up now, to (hopefully) finish relatively soon (boy, doesn't that sound non-commital!!??)



There are lots of things I like about this project!! For one thing, it's Colorful. Some of threads, when seen in isolation, might not strike you as Super Colorful, but when taken as a whole project, the colors are pretty varied, and very pretty!

Another thing I like is that the project employs a variety of stitches, so you never really get bored doing the same old stitch over and over again.

Finally, each separate element in the design is small enough to handle in one sitting, more or less. And once I near the completion of one little element, the excitement builds to move on to the next!

Overall, the piece is easy enough - I'd think any moderately advanced beginner could work it, as long as you had a good stitch dictionary (although I think the stitches are covered in the issue of the magazine...) But there are no really "advanced" techniques - the hardest stitch in it is the bullion knot. But this isn't to say I'm not learning anything as I work the project, because I am! Let me show you some close ups here, and tell you a couple things I've learned along the way.



This is the left side of the piece - the bell-shaped flowers are supposed to be foxglove. The butterfly is a duplicate of one on the right side of the piece. I like the one on the right side Much Better. Now, you might wonder how that could be, if they are duplicates...



This is the one on the left side (seen in the photo above). It's the second of these twin butterflies that I worked. I followed the directions on this one to the "T" - and I used 4 strands of floss on the bullion body and French knot head. For the most part, the whole design is worked in one strand of cotton. But this butterfly's bullion body called for 4 strands.



On the first one I worked, I didn't think 4 strands was quite the thing, so I worked the bullion in one strand - and I tapered the end, down to a longer straight stitch. As far as butterflies go, I think this one looks quite a bit more delicate and butterfly-ish. The one above (on the left side of the design) looks chunky and bulky and thick. I may go back and alter that, but I'm not sure if I dislike it that much!



The parts of the piece that catch the eye first, I think, are the buttercups. They're two shades of yellow.



They're worked in a closed buttonhole on the outside of the petal, and then long-and-short-stitch filling, to add the darker shading in the middle.



I like the side-view buttercups, too. There's just something about bright yellow flowers that's so cheeeeeery.



Ok, I love the lady bugs. But I really flubbed this one up! I'm definitely going to take out the French knots and re-work them. I have no excuse - just sloppy stitching at that point. Three of them look all cock-eyed and silly. I'll take those out and re-work them.

The ladybug bodies are stitched in closely worked fly stitch, which forms a seam down the body between the wings. I like that! Clever thinking on the designers part, methinks. The little head is just a few satin stitches.



I'm a little confused about these fellows.



And the more I work of them, the more confused I get. I like them.... but on the instructions, they are listed as "white flowers," and I checked and double-checked my labeling on my threads to see if I made a mistake. They aren't really what I'd call "white flowers"! I think the colors are pretty. But they sure aren't white. They remind me of baby shower butter mints.



And finally, worked here and there among the flowers are these clusters of forget-me-knots. I jumped in to work a few, so I could see how the blue sets things off. I like them! They'll have a little French knot in the middle of them when they're finished.

I'm really enjoying working this piece! The only drawback I've encountered so far is some of the thread used in it. I purchased this as a kit from Country Bumpkin, so all the threads came with it, although they did make some substitutions for threads they didn't have on hand. The substitutions were ok, and I have no problem with tje idea of substitutions at all. But I didn't like some of the threads in the kit, which is unusual.

This piece calls for some over-dyed threads from House of Embroidery (of South Africa). I have never used their silks (they hand-dye silk and cotton), but I'm not very impressed with their cottons! I love the colors - they're really nice. But the thread itself - a 6-stranded embroidery cotton - pills, snags, frays, and knots a lot. After using about a 16 inch length, I finally cut back to 12 inch lengths, because the thread was just falling apart. Strangely enough, though, not every color did so. The foxgloves (the bell flowers on the left) didn't, but they were worked in larger stitches, and not small stitches that required a lot of passing through the fabric, so perhaps this made the difference. But the the thread used on the wheat and the grasses definitely did. I don't like cotton threads that pill up and shred apart. But maybe I'm just being picky?

I'd love to know if anyone else has used this particular brand of thread, and if so, if you've had similar experiences - or if maybe I'm just doing something wrong. I switched to a larger needle, too, so that there wasn't as much contact between the fabric and the thread. That helped a little bit, but not much.

So that's my colorful project right now. I've got it set up on a stretcher bar frame, and I'm using my Needlework System4 floor stand. When I have time after work, it's all there, just waiting... a perfect palette of colored embroidery bliss! Ahhhhh......

I have two more projects I'm dying to set up before Labor Day weekend, so that I have projects to work on during the first semester of the school year without having to set aside large chunks of time for design and set-up work. So ... here's hoping! I'll keep you posted!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Labels: Breath of Spring, Embroidery Projects, Inspirations Magazine, needlework pictures, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, August 17, 2008
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My embroidery classes for children are coming to a close. I have one more class next Monday morning! So the projects are rolling in, although I don't think I'll see all of the completed work by the end of our last class. I thought I'd give a little recap of the different projects worked this summer and share a few photos of some embroidery projects completed this week.

For the 2008 Summer Embroidery Classes for Children, we worked the following projects, divided into groups by age:

Group A: Children 7 - 9 years old (mostly - there were a couple 10-year-old newbies in there, too) worked the following projects:

• Two stitch samplers - a butterfly and a flower, both filled with lines for practicing different line stitches
• An embroidered felt bookmark
• A white towel, embroidered with a butterfly and flower scene (no photos of that one, yet! Hopefully, next Monday we'll see some completed towels!)

Group B: Children 9 - 10 years old (with a 7 year old thrown in for good measure!) worked:

• A stitch sampler - the lined butterflies
• Embroidered felt bookmark
• Embroidered checkered dish towel (pictures below)
• Embroidered greeting card

Group C: Children 11 - 14 years old (with some younger ones thrown in for good measure here, too!) worked:

• Embroidered Flour Sack Towels
• Embroidered Greeting Cards
• Embroidery project of their choice - linen handkerchiefs, bookmarks, or pillow cases

The kids picked out their own threads and colors for the various projects, with the exception of the stitch samplers, the check towels, and the felt bookmarks.

In all the groups, there were several stitchers who finished all their projects by the end of the last class, but most of the students still had a little bit left to do on their final project, so they were able to pick out enough thread to finish up the projects and take them home to finish during the slow summer days.

Here are a few photos of projects that came in this week:



This is one of the blue checkered dish towels. Originally, they were going to work chicken scratch embroidery on the checked towels, but the checks were bigger than I thought they would be. Still, I like this little design. It reminds me a bit of the Pennsylvania Dutch look.



And here's one of the red checked towels. These towels are Really Nice quality towels. I got them from All About Blanks.



Here are three of the kids' flower sack towels that came in. This was another great find in good towels - these particular flour sack towels came from Embroider This. The designs are the Java Break and Wine Country patterns from Aunt Martha, which you can find at Colonial Patterns. Most the stitching was done in simple line stitches: back stitch, whipped back stitch, stem stitch, and some chain stitch.



This is a larger photo of one of the more complex ones! I was so happy to see them finish these, as they were bigger projects than the Java Break designs, but they seemed to like doing them and were proud of the finished results.



This is one of the select-your-own projects from Group C, done by a 12 year old. These handkerchiefs (from All About Blanks) make really pretty monogrammed hankies. And I think she did a great job, using simple stitches and nice colors. Her tiny stitches, actually, are really perfect.



She used French knots and backstitch - I was really impressed with her even backstitches!

I'm still eagerly waiting the butterfly towels done by Group A, some of which should be done when the come to class on Monday! There are also a few of these towels out:



This is one of the class samples I made up, but didn't finish stitching before the classes started.



I think a reader asked previously about this pattern - it's found in the Repeats and Borders book I reviewed earlier. It's a fun pattern to work, and I'm looking forward to seeing some of the kids' results with it.

I was really very happy with this summer's embroidery classes. We had five two-hour sessions for each group, and I think they had fun, I know I had fun, and although it's a lot of work, I really think it's worth it! If you have the opportunity to instruct children in needlework of any kind, grab it! It's a wonderful chance to pass on to the next generation a love of handwork. You also have the opportunity to give children a hobby that will make them happy for years to come, if they keep up with it! And you never, never know what they'll do with it.

If you are interested in teaching children, but you don't know how to go about establishing a venue or getting the word out, I suggest contacting your local library to see if they have any summer programs for youth that they're looking for volunteers for.

If the other projects show up on Monday, I'll share some photos of those, and then that's it for the kids' classes until next summer! Though I was thinking it might be fun to take a day over Christmas vacation and do an ornament class or something... I'll have to muse a bit over that one!

Labels: beginner embroidery, embroider on paper, embroidery for children, embroidery for fun, Embroidery for the Home, Embroidery Projects, iron-on embroidery transfers, needlework pictures, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, July 17, 2008
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Here's a sample I'm working up for my adult embroidery class, which is also looming - it starts a week from Tuesday, and I have two more samples to work up for it. At the same time, I am setting up a Big Project that needs to be finished before the end of July! So things are hopping here!

This is an embroidered guest towel. It's an oatmeal-colored linen-cotton blend with a drawn thread edge, from All About Blanks. You'll notice the note on the page there - to pre-wash before embroidering. These do shrink quite a bit, but I still like them, and I like them smaller!

I wanted an oatmeal colored towel to monogram in white for two reasons: I love the look of the white on natural-colored linens (I think it's pretty!), and I think, when it's the first time monogramming something, it's easier to work on a color with white than to work white-on-white. The fabric has been really easy to stitch on, but it's not crisp like a 100% linen fabric would be. It's soft, and it does have a bit of a fuzz to it - I like it a lot, and I think one of the reasons is the softness and the fuzz and the ease of stitching on it (or is that three reasons?).

I started by ironing the towel after laundering it and drying it. I folded the towel in half, long ways, to mark the center.



Then I unfolded it, but I noticed that the crease would probably cause difficulties placing the monogram!



I like the wide drawn thread hemstitching there, don't you? Anyway, I pressed the crease out lightly - just enough to still see where it was!



For the first time ever, I am using iron-on transfers. I don't think I've ever actually used one myself, though I've seen lots of people use them and I know lots of people like them. I figured it would be a huge time-saver for me, to have a good selection of iron-on transfers on hand, instead of our having to hand-transfer all the designs, which takes up a whole class period in itself!

So I centered the initial - I'm using a "B" - and followed the pressing directions.



And that's what I got. It's there, more or less - there's some kind of streaky thing going on there, but that's ok. That's the fastest I've ever put a design on a peice of fabric. I was elated!



But I found the blank streaks a bit distressing.



So I took a fine-tipped Micron art pen and drew in the missing lines. No big deal!



I hooped it up. I use Hardwick Manor hoops, made in Germany. They're an excellent embroidery hoop - very firm, very stable-feeling, and the hardware on them is solid brass and very sturdy, so you can use a screw driver and really tighten the hoop. They hold fabric quite well, and even better if you bind the inside ring, which I didn't on this hoop!

I hooped right over the drawn thread hemstitching - the towel is sturdy, and I'm not worried about damaging it. I don't keep my work on the hoop when I'm finished stitching for the day (always take your work off the hoop when you're finished for the day!), so I am pretty confident that this will be just fine!

It's nice to work on a hoop for a change. I usually have my work set up on a frame (stretcher bars, generally), which I clamp in my floor stand (I have the greatest floor stand ever!). But now and then, I think it's really nice to be able to sit on the couch or even at the table visiting, without dragging out my floor stand or a larger frame.



So, the fabric ready, it's time to pick out threads. Ahhh. I love Lacis (Incidentally, they now have free shipping). Here's my box of coton a broder and white floche. I have several skeins of each size, from 16 up to 40.



I originally thought that size 40 would be the way to go. So I began stitching with it, but it really got lost in the towel fabric. I wanted something that would sit up on the fabric!



Soooo... I split it in half, and tried size 20 instead, which I found to be just right. I want the monogram to sit up off the fabric, and there are a couple ways you can achieve this with monograming. One is to use a technique called trailing, where you satin stitch over bunched string. Whenever you need to narrow your design, you sink one or more of the strings in your bunch to the back of your fabric. But trailing is a technique you have to get a feel for - you want to sink your threads so that the change in size is gradual and smooth.

Since this is for more or less a beginner's class, and since the design itself doesn't really come to a tip anywhere (trailing is great for lettering that comes to a tip), I'm sticking with outlining, padding, and then satin stitching.

For the outline, I'm using backstitch. You can also use split stitch to outline under satin stitch. It doesn't really matter which one you use, except I kind of think split stitch might create a smoother line. In any case, I used backstitch.



After backstitching the outline, a worked the padding in long straight stitches, occasionally splitting them to fit a thread in, working down the length of the letter. My satin stitching will be worked on top of this, perpendicular to the padding.



Wow! All those pictures, just to show you an inch of real work! So there's the beginning of the "B."

Quick overview:

Ground fabric: Oatmean colored linen / cotton blend guest towel from All About Blanks.
Thread: DMC Coton a Broder #20, cut in 14" lengths
Needle size: #8 crewel
Stitch: Padded Satin
Stitching Time to this Point: 30 minutes
Thread: 3 14" inch lengths

So that's the beginning of my monogrammed guest towel sample. I'll show you an update soon!

By the way, any good recommendations for iron-on transfer books? I've found a few I really like, but I'd love to hear of others!

This project was written up in four separate articles. If you'd like to view the progress of the project, please follow the links below:

Part I - (That's this article!)

Part II - Continuing stitching, discussion of stitches, some trouble-shooting

Part III - Taking the Curves with Satin Stitch - discussion of stitch direction and working around curves using the padded satin stitch

Part IV - the finished guest towel!

Labels: Embroidery for the Home, Embroidery Projects, gift ideas, linen, monograms, needlework pictures, pictures, whitework

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, June 14, 2008
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This past weekend, I had a million things to do, and that awful sensation of not knowing where to start. I couldn't start my next Big Embroidery Project, because I didn't have one Big chunk of time to get things set up. So I took up a little embroidery project instead - a small silk ribbon embroidery kit that finishes as a little keepsake box.

This is a Bucilla ribbon embroidery kit. A friend gave me a slew of these kits (well, three or four), in case I wanted to use them for my summer embroidery classes. They actually do make great prizes - I gave one as a prize last year. But I thought, for the fun of it, I'd work one up to see how thorough Bucilla kits are.

Bucilla is a well-known name in needlework kits, simply because they're everywhere. You can find them at any local hobby or craft store. But I don't know much about their actual quality, as I've never used one of their kits. So this was an adventure (in a low-key kind of way!), and it was something to do late at night, without having to dig out a big project.

This is the finished product - a fairly sturdy keepsake box, topped by a little silk ribbon embroidery design.



The pros of the kit:

1. I like the idea of the box. It's pretty, it's sturdy, it has a magnetic closure, and it's useful.

2. The stitches are super-duper simple stitches, accessible to any beginner, and the stitch diagrams in the instructions are clear.

3. The project is small enough to be completed in one evening.

4. The overall finished product is attractive.

5. The kits are relatively inexpensive. In fact, for me, they were free (thanks, Amy!). They were bought on clearance, which is always a good way to pick up little projects inexpensively.

The cons of the kit:

1. The fabric is too small, and it's kind of cheapy fabric. If it is supposed to be hooped up, as directed, the beginner might wonder how to accomplish that. You'd have to sew extra fabric around it if you wanted it to fit in a hoop, unless you had a three inch hoop. A four inch hoop is too big, even. I worked it in hand, which isn't so easy with ribbon embroidery, French knots, and so forth.

2. The print of the design was a little off center. This is noticeable when the piece is finished and mounted on the box.

3. There wasn't enough light purple ribbon, but there was enough dark purple, so I just substituted that.

4. They used simple stitches, I guess with the beginner in mind. But there are ribbon stitches that are equally simple that would have been more attractive for some of the flowers. The bunches on each side of the spider web (pale yellow) rose are ok, but not that attractive. But I will grant that they are simple - they are cross stitches with a French knot in the middle.

5. For the spider web rose, they specified the light yellow ribbon, with the spokes worked in the same color floss. Strangely enough, there was only dark green and dark purple floss. No pale yellow in the kit. I could have used the dark green - and probably should have - but instead, I used the ribbon for the spokes.

6. Mounting problems: they supply on the box two borders of double-sided sticky tape (already on the box - you just remove the top strip). The inside border is where you mount the fabric, and after you've stretched it and mounted it on this sticky tape, you are supposed to trim the fabric straight along the edge of the tape. This would be done easily with a ruler and a rotary cutter (carefully - you don't want to slice the box through). But they didn't specifiy that. I started with scissors, but it was a messy job. Then, the outside mounting strip is for the window covering of the top of the box. It doesn't work. The top would not stay stuck, even when I piled some heavy books on top of the box to press it down. So I resorted to Elmer's glue, and glued it on. For good measure, I also glued the edges of the fabric. Then I wiped any excess off with a damp towel, and I piled books on top of the box overnight for it to dry. That worked.

7. Finally, you can see the pattern of the box behind the fabric when it's mounted. If you're expected to put a lining behind that, they should specify!



That's the inside of the box.

Despite the longer list of cons, I think it was a good Quick Project. I'm happy to have the box and the other kits, which I'll work up over a couple evenings. They'll make great prizes for the kids' classes!

Labels: beginner embroidery, Embroidery Projects, needlework pictures, pictures, ribbon embroidery

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, June 12, 2008
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Tonight, I'm going to embroider. I know that sounds strange, because I embroider often. But tonight, I'm embroidering with a purpose!

I'm making a gift for my sister, and I've been so slow about it. I can't seem to concentrate on the piece, because I'm in the middle of doing heaps of bullion knots. I know when I get the bullions done, I'll be more enthused about it!

The current project I'm working on is called "Breath of Spring" - it's a large striped linen bag with an outside pocket that's embroidered, and it was featured in Inspirations Magazine #56. If you follow the link there, you can "flip" through the magazine and find the striped linen bag. Strangely enough, in the photo, it looks like there are blue flowers on the piece, but there aren't!

This is the first Inspirations project I've ever done as a whole. I like to take ideas or patterns from Inspirations and use them on little things, but I've never actually worked a whole project. So this is a first, and I have a month to finish it.

That's what I'm up to, project-wise. Here are some photos of the parts I've finished, which, as you can see, isn't a whole lot. I've taken liberties on some parts...



Some embroidered butterflies...



Some embroidered bugs...



And some shamefully MESSY bullion knots...

Aside from "embroidering with purpose" tonight, I'm also reveling in the fact that I got the rest of the Gilt Sylke Twist colors: dark blue, purple, and yellow.

Hedgehog Handworks carries all colors (but they don't have the green in stock right now), and they're charging $19.80 / spool, which is the least-expensive price I've seen so far. Admittedly, they get you a bit on shipping (almost $15 for 6 spools of thread?), so it all evens out.

The yellow is actually a VERY nice, mellow gold, and with the gold wrapped around it, it really gleams. It will be perfect for ecclesiastical embroidery. I'm generating ideas and will probably be turning them over in my head the whole time I'm stitching. I'm thinking wheat. And that brings to mind the bullion knots I must finish tonight. Aaack.

I wonder how GST will do, stitching bullions?

Labels: Breath of Spring, ecclesiastical embroidery, Embroidery Projects, Gilt Sylke Twist, Inspirations Magazine, needlework pictures, personal, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, April 18, 2008
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