Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, August 06, 2009
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How do you organize your embroidery threads for your needlework projects? If you're like me, you're always looking for a way to organize your embroidery threads better. Here, I'll show you a method I like to use when I'm working on a project that requires many colors of thread. It isn't anything new - you see versions of this all over the place - but here's my "home made" version, and I'm even letting you have a printable copy of my template, so you can make your own thread organizers, too!

Here on Needle 'n Thread, I've mentioned different ways to go about organizing your threads, from using key tabs to braiding your skeins of coton a broder. Way back, in the deep, dark beginning of the website, I wrote an article on thread organization & storage, exploring some of the more popular forms including bags and rings and such, and then followed it up with another article that included the file-a-floss system and EZ Bobs. So this isn't really a new topic here, but it is another angle...

Thread keeps, thread rings, thread cards - they all have the same thing in common: holes that you put your embroidery threads into, looping them so that it is easy to remove one strand of floss at a time.



Thread keeps can be nice little accessories. They come in all kinds of shapes and materials, from simple wood strips, to bright pink plastic horse-heads (via DMC), to beautiful wood palettes, to mother-of-pearl acorns and hearts. This particular one above is from Kelmscott Designs. It costs around $9.00, and holds six colors of thread.



Thread rings are simply rings that you loop your thread onto. The rings can be attached to needlebooks, as I did when I finished this felt needlebook project. You can buy mother-of-pearl rings (also made by Kelmscott Designs), or you can even buy plastic rings made for curtain tie-backs for cheap, and get the same (thought not as attractive!) results.

Thread cards are a little less permanent than the above options. They are generally made out of heavy cardstock with punch-out-able holes and a place to record color numbers. You'll find them in the needlework section of many craft and sewing stores.

I like thread cards for projects that require using a lot of colors. While I have some thread rings and a few thread keeps and thread winders of different types, none of them are quite sufficient when working on a project involving a lot of thread.

So, I made up a version of a thread card to use with my upcoming Long and Short Stitch Shading Lessons, and then I turned it into a generic pattern for thread cards that can be used with any project. Here's how they work:



These are the cards for the Long and Short stitch lessons. I printed them on my computer on card stock.



I printed and cut two of each sized strip, stacking them on top of each other while cutting. Then I glued (using strip adhesive) the strips together, to reinforce them. If you can find slightly heavier cardstock that will go through your printer, you can skip this step! I only had light card stock on hand.



You can see that I already had the color numbers printed on my sheet before I printed them out. I also happened to have a 1/2" circle punch, so I used that to punch the holes. You can use a regular hole-punch and just not make the holes as big.



Cut your threads into working lengths (I always work with 18" - 20" lengths of threads) and fold the bundle in half.



Feed the fold of the thread through the front of the hole in the card, and make a loop behind the tails that remain on the front of the card, then pull the tails through the loop....



... and tighten it by pulling on the tails.



Repeat the process with all the threads for your project, writing the color number of the threads above each hole.

Now, your threads are ready to use! You can pull one strand at a time from the front of the little loop, without having to separate each bunch. Just slip the eye of your needle under one strand at the front of that little loop, and pull the strand out. Very easy!

If you want to print and use generic thread cards, here's a PDF that you can print out:

Thread Cards for Organization (PDF)

The thread cards include a place to write the project name and a space above each hole for writing the color number of the thread. There are three cards per sheet, with seven holes in each card.

How do you organize your threads for a project? Do you use thread cards or keeps, or some other system? Do tell!

Labels: embroidery tips and tricks, organization, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, July 24, 2009
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, June 24, 2009
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, March 21, 2009
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When you have a hectic work week, how do you fit in your stitching? I often get questions like this one: "How can you work full time, make progress on your needlework projects, and still have time to blog every day? I don't even have time to get any stitching in!"

The truth is, I'm no genius when it comes to time management. I'm not nearly as organized as I'd like to be! But I do keep working on getting there! One thing that helps me make progress on anything - and especially on my needlework projects - is "chunking off" pieces of time. I mentioned before that needlework is my carrot; I use it as a kind of reward. I tell myself that, if I finish this chore or that project, I get 15 minutes (sometimes more!) with my needle and thread. I also make sure that, on most days, I do get at least 15 minutes to embroider. Of course, there are some days when this doesn't happen because life is too hectic! But on most days, if I plan right, I can get in at least 15 minutes of stitching or more, even if it's late at night.

Now, you may (and rightly) think that not a lot can be accomplished in 15 minutes. This is true! But 15 minutes here and 15 minutes there do eventually add up to real progress on a project.

To illustrate the point, here's a piece I worked on this week. It's the miniature embroidery that, early this week, I mentioned I wanted to start. I did start it, in a rather haphazard sort of way - I just plunged on in. (Plunging in has its disadvantages sometimes, but more on that later!)



With today's article in mind ("15 Minutes with Needle and Thread"), one morning before work, when I had everything ready for the day and still had 25 minutes before I had to leave for work, I set the timer for 15 minutes. Once the timer was set, I took out my embroidery basket. I got my camera and took the above photo of the piece. Then, I began stitching. When the timer went off, I stopped and took another photo.



Nope, I didn't get a LOT done, but I got something done. I finished the pink backstitching on the inside diamond and began the green, which I was pretty close to finishing.

Working under the 15-minute time constraint, I had to moderate myself in one regard: when working against the timer, I found I wanted to rush the stitching. But I controlled the urge, and stitched at a normal, comfortable pace, purposely ignoring the fact that the timer was running.

When the timer went off, I was sorely tempted to finish the last green edge on the diamond. Since I had to step out the door in ten minutes, though, to head for work, I put the work down. And this had a funny effect on me. I was super eager to get back to the piece - more eager and more enthusiastic about wanting to embroider than I usually am! This, in turn, had a positive effect throughout the day. I had something to look forward to that kept my interest vitalized in everything I was doing. It forced me to get things I needed to get done, done - and in an efficient way. No dawdling on the computer, no lingering over the mail wasting time at lunch, or anything like that. I wanted to get to my next 15 minutes, so I could finish that green line!

I often hear from other stitchers who say that needlework is a kind of "therapy" for them. I agree that needlework is indeed a balm for troubled spirits in this hectic world. I think that taking 15 minutes a day (or more, if you're blessed to have more time for it!) to climb out of ourselves and focus on being creative is a good practice. No, you won't start and finish a project in 15 minutes, but you will make progress towards the finish, and at the same time, you may find you've landed 15 minutes of relative peace and happiness!

So if you're frustrated by never having time to stitch, try to establish at least a 15-minute rule. Plan ahead and block out 15 minutes to stitch - whether it's in the morning before heading to work or in the evening before calling it a day. Maybe it's in the middle of the day on your lunch break at work, or right after you've put the kids down for a nap. Maybe it's while your dinner's in the oven. Just 15 minutes! I think you'll be surprised how much progress you can make on your stitching with just 15 minutes!

And now that I've been a good girl and written my blog post for the day, guess what? Right! I get 15 minutes with my needle 'n thread! Bye!

Labels: miniature embroidery, miscellaneous embroidery musings, needlework pictures, organization, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, February 28, 2009
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A few months ago, Pamela Alley e-mailed me a kind of photo tutorial on how she organizes her cotton floss, and in Inspirations #61, there's a little blurb on how to set up a skein of coton a broder for use. Pamela's method (which is for stranded cotton) and the method in Inspirations #61 are similar, despite the difference in thread types, and they are both the way I've normally organized my coton a broder (but not my floss), so I thought I'd show you here...

Coton a broder is a specialty DMC thread, used for whitework, cutwork, etc. It's perfect for use in monogramming. It makes beautiful satin stitches. Coton a broder isn't widely available. Even most specialty needlework shops don't carry it, or if they do, it's in the larger sizes (#12 or #16) only. You can purchase coton a broder in size 12 (largest) through size 40 (smallest), in strange increments that make little sense to me. They go 12, 16, 20, then by 5's. #16 coton a broder is about the same size as floche, but they have a different number of plies that make up the thread - coton a broder is a 4-ply thread, floche is a 5-ply thread. I order my coton a broder from Lacis. Sold as "cutwork thread" or coton a broder (you'll find it called both on the Lacis website), it comes in white and ecru in most sizes, and in size 25, it comes in a variety of other colors, too. I just buy white. If I want this type of thread in color, I go with floche, as it has a wider range of colors and shades.

Ok, so that's the thread.

The thread comes in a skein, but it isn't a pull skein, like the kind regular stranded floss comes in. It's a loop that is looped again back on itself.



The higher count threads make up shorter, fatter skeins, while the lower count (larger threads) make up longer, skinnier skeins.



On the label, you'll see the size of the thread marked, as well as the length of thread in the skein.



To prepare the skein for working with, slide both labels off (there's a small "DMC" label on there, which I don't find necessary to keep). Save the label with the thread number on it, because you'll use that for identification of the thread.



When the labels are off, look for the little tied-up area, where part of the bundle is tied perpendicular to the rest of the skein.



Hold the skein at the little tied area (just holding the bunch that is tied), and give the skein a gentle shake. It will fall out into a long loop.



Cut the skein where it is tied, and remove the little tying thread. I also cut the skein a second time, just opposite of the first cut, so that I have perfect lengths of threads for working with. Now, you don't have to do this - some people like working with longer lengths of thread. I personally can never stand working with a thread more than 16" - 18" long, and 20" is pushing it for me! Why? Well, for one thing, I can stitch faster with shorter lengths of thread. For another, after a while of stitching, threads start to fuzz up. Using shorter lengths ensures that I don't get fuzzy threads. I'd rather go through the rigmarole of starting and stopping a thread than put up with fuzzy threads!



There's the nice clean cut. Use sharp scissors, by the way! Using dull ones to cut this bunch of threads will make it harder for you to thread your needle later on - or at least, will require you to trim up before you do.



Now you have the long label with the thread size on it, and your skein, cut to working-sized threads.



Thread the skein back into the label.



Then separate three sections of thread and work a soft braid with the three sections, so that the label is at the top.



Selecting a thread from the top near the label, pull one side out of the braid, then pull the other side out, and you're ready to stitch.

This is a nice way to organize threads, especially threads that come on looped skeins, like coton a broder and perle cotton.

Incidentally, I have another way I'm organizing my whitework threads right now, too - it is a combination of this method and another, and was the result of stopping in at an office supply store the other day. I'll have to show you my weird set-up one of these days!

Do you have any thread organization tips? Feel free to let the rest of us know how you prepare your thread and organize it for a project!

Labels: embroidery tips and tricks, needlework tutorials, organization, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, February 13, 2009
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That's what I was told. "Put up your needlework!" Bemoaning the fact that, as of yesterday, I still didn't have a tree up and that everything just seemed too cluttered to concentrate on decorating for Christmas, my sister suggested, "Put up your needlework!" Ah. The death knoll of needlework!

The fact is, I'm still far behind on my needlework gifts. In fact, it is not likely that I'll be finished with the berry and pine cone towel, though I am on the second pine cone now and I have finished the first bunch of berries. (There are three pine cones and two bunches of berries, not to mention all the pine needles - but those go super fast...).

It was an interesting proposition: if I put up my needlework, would I be more inclined to take care of the Christmas decorating? So I tried it.

I decided that I was not going to put my needlework "UP" (as in, permanently AWAY). Rather, I wanted it accessible but organized, and tuck-away-able.

The first thing I did was take stock of what I was putting away. Now, there's nothing worse than making a bigger mess when you're cleaning up than you had before you started cleaning up! But that's usually the way of it with me when I start "organizing." I didn't really take photos of everything, because I wasn't (by a long shot) intending to write about my present state of general disorganization!



There was this pile of threads and projects that were actually tucked in a bag on the far side of the sofa, where no one really sees it, unless they come all the way into the living room.



Then, on the sofa, in a complete state of disarray, were the projects I'm currently working on.

And then there were three packages of various supplies that I have ordered recently, all still in their envelopes, also tucked on the far side of the couch.

Yes, I agreed with my sister. "Put Your Needlework AWAY!!!" The living room, where the tree goes each year, is just too small for inordinate amounts of clutter. I don't like clutter - I don't like knick-nacks and things like that. When things get cluttered, I just want to sell the house and move somewhere empty. But in my frenzy to get gifts finished, stuff was piling up.

It was time.

To put my needlework away, I required two things: a box of gallon-sized zip-lock bags and a larger something to put the bags in. Fortunately, in my recent goldwork order from Hedgehog, the Hedgehog people were very kind to include a handy-dandy free tote bag. Perfect!

I took each project and all the threads and other supplies (sometimes even hoops) related to it, and put it in a zip-lock bag.

And then....



...I tucked all the zip-lock bags tidily into the tote, which I stowed away in the studio, ready to pull out in the evening when there's time to stitch. I can take one project out at a time, and, when stitching time is up, put it back in the zip-lock, back in the tote bag, and back out in the studio. No clutter, and all is ready to decorate.

So here it is, Monday morning, three days until Christmas! And what do I have to show for it? My tree is up and decorated, the nativity scene is up (well, I did that a week ago), there's one pathetic string of greenery around the top of the porch, with white lights in it and too many red bows (and no extension cord, so it doesn't work, anyway!), and... now it's time to get to work!

Gifts to wrap, some finish work to do on the sewing machine, laundry to do, some baking and ... baking, and .... baking.

I still plan to get some stitching in this evening, if all goes well. I hope to show you a finished berry / pine cone towel by tomorrow evening!

Oh - and I have a last minute Christmas tutorial for you. Well, I bought these very nice red cloth napkins for the table. It was a great bargain. And they actually had 18! So I bought them. But they clamored for embellishment. I'll show you what I did.... tomorrow? Hopefully!

In the meantime, I hope your preparations for the holidays are going well! Enjoy your Monday!

(Did I mention I'm on vacation? It's G-R-R-R-E-A-T!!!)

Labels: Christmas, organization, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, December 22, 2008
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How do you keep your embroidery needles secure in one spot? Do you use a needle book? A pin cushion? A needle box, or a needle tube? I'll show you what I use. You probably won't be THAT impressed! But, hey. It works!

I've always wanted to make a Really Pretty Needlebook, one that looks nice but is comfortably functional and can hold a lot of needles and take up minimal space. I haven't done it yet. I made that felt tool / needlebook thingy, but that's not really what I had in mind, and that whole project was a bit of an accident, anyway. I was thinking more along the lines of something a bit more upscale, like the needlebook patterns you often see in Inspirations Magazine, or something along those lines.

Instead, my needle storage is a little... well. Haphazard, if you can call it that.

Just for reference, I'm referring to the needles I use daily - the ones I reach for when I sit down to embroider. One day, about a year ago, I was cleaning up. You know how it is when you're cleaning up? Well, when I clean up, I get into a kind of organizing frenzy, and I generally find that I am dissatisfied with the way something or another is organized (or not organized) in the mess I'm trying to clean up! On this particular clean-up day, I was cleaning up my needlework basket. I didn't like my needle receptacle, which was a plastic case called a Needle Safe, which has a magnetic base. All my needles invariably got dumped in there, only to become mutually attracted to each other and settle into various lumps of Magnetic Bliss. They didn't lay out where I could see them well. No, no. I just didn't like it.

So I improvised a little needle roll, telling myself it was only temporary, until I made my Ideal Needlebook.

For a year I've used this little Thirty Second Improvisation Job, and I realized the other day that I like it a lot! It has served me well.

If you're looking for a handy way to store your daily needles, you might try it, too. This is a super-easy way to make a needle roll, it'll take you about thirty seconds to make it, and, if you have some scraps of wool felt on hand, it won't cost you anything - not even time!

Here it is:



I took two scraps of wool felt in contrasting colors. I had some scraps of dark green and some scraps of a kind of cranberry color that were pretty nice, so I figured they'd do. They were both long rectangles.

The green felt is about 3.5 inches high and 8.5 inches long, but you can make it higher or longer or shorter or whatever size you wish, as long as its height is enough to accommodate the length of your longer needles. The cranberry felt is about half an inch smaller all around than the green felt.



I then cut two little slits in the green felt for a ribbon (the plaid strip in the diagram above). There's one slit on one end of the green felt, and one slit about two inches from the first slit, towards the middle of the green felt. They're just tiny slits, for a quarter-inch ribbon. I didn't stitch around the slits or anything. I just snipped them and ran a ribbon through them as illustrated, and that was it.

Then I placed the cranberry felt on top of the green felt. I didn't sew it on or anything.



The way I figured it was that the friction between the cranberry and the green felt would hold the cranberry felt in place. Actually, as I stuck needles in, the needles helped secure the cranberry felt to the green by passing through a bit of the green, too, but the felt is thick enough that the needles don't pass through the outside of the green felt.



I rolled it up from the right side of the needle roll, towards the sides with the slits, and tied the ribbon around the roll.

And my needles have been happily encased in this makeshift needleroll for a year now. It's a convenient, user-friendly roll that took about 30 seconds to put together.



It fits perfectly into my little tool box, which fits perfectly into my needlework basket!

So, how do you store your daily needles? If you're looking for a convenient way to store them and you have some scraps of felt lying around, try this! You might like it, too!

Labels: embroidery tips and tricks, needlecase, needles, needlework tutorials, organization, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, December 17, 2008
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Orts are those little pieces of left-over thread snippets that collect when you're working on an embroidery project. If you don't have a place to put them as you work, a resulting stringy mass that spreads itself over your work area could result. In fact, rarely do those little strings restrict themselves to the work area. They stick on clothes, they trail across carpets, they bear witness to the fact that this is the home of a needleworker.

My mind turns to orts - to all trailing, clinging embroidery threads - especially in winter. In winter, orts show their power of perseverence, their determination to adhere to all things, in any place, at every opportunity. And they don't always show themselves right away, once they've found a host. No, often they wait, secluded, then rear their little heads at the workplace, or in company...

You always know when The Ort has materialized upon the scene: your co-worker, in earnest conversation with you, suddenly loses eye contact. The eye flits from you, to your shoulder. Then back to you. Then back to your shoulder. Suddenly, the focus of the conversation is gone. You try to revive it and redirect it; finally, the cause is revealed: "Uh.... you have a thread...." as your co-worker gingerly removes the offensive Ort from its transient throne.

In winter, The Ort has two accomplices in its parasitical work: warm and fuzzy clothes, and that energetic little wonder called Static Cling. The latter is perhaps the more irritating. I am not a great fan of Static Cling, yet I live in a dry, cold climate in winter, I'm prone to wearing skirts and sweaters to work, I use a dryer, and so Static Cling is, at least to some degree, inevitable. To best express my feelings about Static Cling, I wrote a poem about it a while ago, which I'll share with you here so that you have no doubt where I stand on the subject:

On Static Cling
by Mary Corbet

I dislike, despise, truly disdain
Abhor, detest, find quite inhumane
That horrid, despicable, bothersome thing...
That great irritation we call Static Cling.

In my sheets, my skirt, my socks, my shirt
On rugs, on wood, on vinyl, on dirt --
No matter how calm, no matter how hectic,
I hate to encounter this cling that's electric.

That about sums it up!

So, in winter, we have at least one more big reason to be wary of orts and to make an extra effort to tame them.

Yesterday, I tamed mine, and we're all a lot happier for it.

I was dealing with a bit of static in my sweater, and I noticed that, after sitting in my favorite spot to stitch, a small army of Orts were attempting a foray on my arm. Odd, since I have a handy Ort Bin hanging from the arm of the chair, into which all Orts are unceremoniously stuffed once used to their potential.

I made this little bin from two placemats I picked up for very little on clearance at Target. If you haven't seen my little article on constructing a thread catcher, you can check that out, if you wish. It's nothing fancy-schmancy, and there are no extras to it, but it works. This is what it looks like:



Well, it wasn't working yesterday! And I discovered why. The Orts were full up! So I emptied the pouch, and this is what I had:



The whole heap was about the size of a volleyball, when taken out of its compressed state in the Ort Bin. No wonder they were venturing forth to habitate my arm! There was no breathing space!



Oh. Do you see what that is?



Now, do you see? It's a length of pearl purl - 2% pearl purl - with some silk wrapped around it.

I suppose those dear Orts could tell us a lot about ourselves! But though I'm in the mood to wax poetic, I am not up to waxing philosophical or psychological right now. I'll leave that for you to think about!

This is the thing: I started picking over that little pile of offensive, instrusive Orts, and I could connect almost all the threads, or clumps of threads, to a particular project I've worked on that I enjoyed. And some pieces I rescued altogether, because I knew I could use them for something. Like the pearl purl - what a waste, to resign it to the Ort Bin.

By the time I was finished, I realized that The Orts are not quite so offensive, after all. Intrusive, maybe... but not offensive!

So the ort bin is empty, back in its place, awaiting new threads.

And while I was at it, I decided to remove all the pins and needles from one of those really expensive pin cushions, also known as "the couch":



Yes, this is the home of a needleworker. But it's time to be a bit less obvious about it!

Labels: miscellaneous embroidery musings, organization, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, December 06, 2008
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Now that I finished the embroidery on "Breath of Spring," and with the busy school year underway, I want to line-up my next needlework projects so that I don't have to focus so much on set-up, and so that I always have a "carrot." You do use needlework as a carrot, don't you?

For me, needlework is absolutely a carrot - it is my inducement to get myself to perform (whether household tasks, job-related activities, whatever) so that I can embroider with a clear conscience. Basically, I do what I have to do so that I can do what I want to do. That's not to say that everything besides needlework is drudgery; on the contrary, I like my job and I like doing other necessary things that relate to normal living. I always find, though, that if I have a goal (get this done now so I can do that later), I work with more energy and focus.

Do you want to know what my carrots are right now? Well - here they are:

First, I'm working on a goldwork project - a small project that's a lot of fun so far. I'm giving it to my niece for her wedding in November. I would like to have it finished by the end of next week, which isn't impossible. I've done all the silk shading, and now it's just a matter of the goldwork.



This is a picture of part of the project. I can't blog the whole thing right now, as the project isn't really "mine." Once it's published, I'll show you my finished work and tell you about it at length. But don't you love the colors so far?



Here's a little shot showing you how a vine is narrowed using gold passing thread. The vine is originally two pairs of passing thread (gold passing thread is generally couched in pairs). Then, about halfway around, I plunged one thread (half of a pair), and then a bit later, another thread, to narrow the vine to only one pair of passing threads. I think the designer was ingenious with this little touch.

After this is finished, I'll move on to beginning my Pelican.



This is the piece that I bought the threads for on my recent shopping venture. It's painted on 18 ct. canvas and the whole thing will be worked in tent stitch. The canvas was designed and painted by Judy of Possibilities, etc. I've had it for a while, and had every intention of starting it last spring, but, amazingly enough, I never had a chance to go shopping for threads until just a few weeks ago.



I don't plan to stitch the whole piece in one sitting. (Oh, no kidding??) Actually, it's going to be an on-and-off piece, for something to stitch on now and then, between projects and whenever I'm on a needlepoint roll. I don't think I would enjoy glutting myself entirely on tent stitch for months until this is finished. I'm looking forward to working it.

My next little project is going to be BABY BOOTIES. I'm excited about this one!!!! I'm going to make a couple sets of little baby booties out of wool felt (I think I'll try some different lining ideas, though - like lining them with flannel, or, for cold weather, perhaps fleece?). They'll be embroidered, of course, and I hope they turn out cute. I've got a pattern set from McCall's (pattern #2867).



I've also found some cute patterns online. I especially like this Bitty Booties pattern from Heather Bailey Designs (PDF). You'll find it on her blog Hello My Name is Heather.

I've also been in the process of designing a really ambitious project.



It's ecclesiastical embroidery and will feature mostly silk shading and goldwork. The design is still in the works, and it's really l-a-r-g-e. I still have some sketching to do on it, like finishing the angels in the arm of the cross:



My plan is to break the design down into workable elements that will be appliqued together onto the main ground fabric. This is a whole new adventure for me - at least on this scale. I'll definitely be keeping you posted on this project's development. If I flop or just give up, you'll be the first to know!

For light work this winter, I've got a couple of Tanja Berlin's kits still - the squirrel and a bird, I think. So it's likely I'll set those up for stitching.

And between these projects, for more immediate purposes, I'd kind of like to make a stack of Christmas cards before the end of November rolls around. I'm thinking about getting some kids together - or at least a couple of my nieces - and doing a kind of group card-making session or four on Saturday afternoons.

All this is fun stuff and really exciting to me. But the reality is that, as much as I'd like to have all these projects underway with a certitude that I could finish them this winter, I know it will not be likely that I'll get them all done. Oh, the ecclesiastical piece will take years, I know. But it's nice to have stitching goals for the fall and winter months, even though I know that my real job is going to be taking the bulk of time. Still, I do plan to stitch, and stitching always makes a Really Good Carrot for me. If I do my work like a good girl, then I can settle into some serious needlework!

Is embroidery your carrot? Do you make up stitching goals for yourself? If you do, how many projects do you have on the burner? (Or at least stewing in your head?) In short, how do you go about planning and executing your stitching adventures? Maybe if we share ideas on this, we can all become more efficient with our time and our approach to our projects!

Labels: ecclesiastical embroidery, goldwork, needlepainting, needlepoint, needlework pictures, organization, personal, pictures, silk

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, September 13, 2008
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After musing over whether or not I'd apply my Gilt Sylke Strawberry sample piece to the lid of a box, and after reading all the comments and advice on it, I figured what the heck. I took the plunge. Here it is!

One of my concerns about putting this piece on the unprotected cover of a box was the question of "dirt." I was thinking that a piece of good linen and these relatively expensive threads would not fare so well exposed to everyday use. I answered my hesitation on this point with the reality that dirt exists, and things may get dirty, but if you take extra care of your Good Stuff, then it really shouldn't be that big of a deal, right? Besides, at least for me, my hands are never cleaner than when I'm doing needlework. I always wash them well before approaching my needlework supplies. The box itself is kept inside a basket when not in use. How badly could it really get soiled?!

So I positioned the piece of linen on the box lid, put the "window" piece over it, and marked out the outline of the outside of the lid. I cut the fabric away, and pulled off the paper covering the glue strips on the lid. These strips don't really hold the fabric or the "window" piece well enough, so I applied a light coating of glue. I stretched the fabric gently on the glue, and then pressed the window piece over the fabric piece. After wiping off any excess glue, I stuck a stack of heavy books on top of the box and left it to dry.

Here's my new supply box:



I like it, you know, I do!!



Right now, I've got threads in the box. In fact, I think I will use it as a thread box, exclusively, for threads of whatever current project I'm working on.

I've since emptied the box, picked out all the whitework threads I'm using on my current project, bagged up the spare skeins, and filled up the box very tidily. I keep all my good thread rings and keeps in the bottom of the box, too.

The only disadvantage to the box itself (which comes with a Bucilla silk ribbon embroidery kit for the lid) is the magnet. The box is magnetized so it shuts securely (I like that feature), but the magnet is so strong that I find I have to get my fingernails in there to pry the thing open! My scissors come out magnetized, which is great when it comes to picking up needles - but rather annoying when you don't want to pick up needles!

But I'm not complaining, really, because once the thing was assembled, I was Really Happy with it. And I still am! So - I suppose I'll go use it!

Labels: Gilt Sylke Twist, needlework pictures, organization, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, July 25, 2008
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As I prepared for my first kids' embroidery class for this summer, I realized that organization really IS everything. Whenever you teach a class - or prepare a new embroidery project - or cook a recipe - or anything that requires multiple parts to come together smoothly and conveniently, preparing in advance is essential. Any good school teacher knows this. Even if you're running a casual summer embroidery class, the rule holds true. I found that out this morning!

My preparation for my summer embroidery classes began weeks ago, as you know. I've talked a lot about it (I hope I'm not boring you to death!), and I've done a lot of thinking, stitching, writing notes, ordering materials and all the stuff that goes with getting ready to get ready. And that's just it - that was just the background work. Then the real work comes!

As the first class date approached, it was time to actually put everything together for a smooth beginning. So this is what I was looking at this past weekend:



I spent a couple days cutting fabric, separating threads, and putting together each "kit" project for the first class of the first week (I have three kids' classes I'm doing this summer - this is only one of them!) for the first group (ages 7 - 9 years old).



Yeah. The front view wasn't so bad - it's the side view across the room that becomes a bit discouraging!

But no worries!! All the background work is absolutely worth it. After the felt, threads, needles, and everything were sorted, pieces cut, designs drawn, everything was cleaned up and put away, the floor swept, and each child's place set up.

When the children came in this morning, they were met with this:



Nine chairs for nine children - each place with a sampler cloth and a bookmark kit.



Here you have the "place setting."



To the top right, the blue square is a piece of 3 mm. craft foam, cut in a small rectangle. This has one threaded needle stuck in it, ready to go.



The red square to the top left of each place setting is also 3 mm thick craft foam. I used a single hole punch, and punched out about a 6-hole hole. In that hole, I looped their sampler threads. You may be familiar with thread rings, thread keeps, and so forth. Well, this is thread foam. I made it up, but it does work! I wanted some way to keep their threads more organized than just stuffing them in a plastic bag, so, modeling the foam on the idea of thread cards and thread keeps, I tried it, and I liked it! More on this concept, up close down below.



Above the place setting is the bookmark kit, ready to go. It contains the felt front, with the design drawn on, the felt backing already cut with the scalloped edge, a needle, and coordinating threads.



The sampler is a piece of medium weight (clothes quality) linen (I picked up 5 yards on sale for practically nothing!), with a butterfly outlined on it, and the butterfly has lines across the wings. I'll give you specifics on these little practice pieces when I have some finished ones to photograph! As they are here, they're rather plain.



And finally, just to go back to my thread foam a bit... this is a great way to keep thread ready for class use. After punching the holes in the foam, I folded the collection of threads in half and stuck the half fold in the hole, forming a loop. Then I put the ends of the thread "rope" through the loop and hitched it to the foam.

You might think that every time you want a thread off such an apparatus, you have to undo the loop, but not so!



You simply select the thread you want from the front of the looped threads, and pull it straight out. You don't have to undo your loop - you just pull it out, and there it is!

I know it's a simple concept, but I'll tell you why it thrills me. I've lost more money on threads over the years, because kids tend to stuff them in bags or just put them in their sewing box, where they automatically mix up, generally into a knotted mess. This way, I have quantity control over the threads, and the kids are more careful with them, too.

Using the craft foam to make these thread keeps was a last minute idea. Craft foam can be puchased at any craft store for about 79 cents a sheet. The sheet can be cut into multiple small rectangles - and it's much sturdier than regular poster board or card stock for holding threads this way. I had a bunch of the foam on hand, because I'm using it as paper-piercing mats (for embroidered cards) with the older class. While I was setting up the place settings, I mused over how to solve my thread dilemma - and the idea of the foam popped into my head. I had so much fun setting these little things up, and I really think the kids like them, too!

So there's a cheap way to organize threads for a project. I haven't tested the colorfast qualities of craft foam, nor do I know the long term effect it might have on threads, but for this short term use, it seems like a great idea.

So that's the set up for classes. The first day, the kids learn three stitches: running stitch, whipped running stitch, and backstitch. They practice all three on their butterflies, and then they apply what they learn to their bookmarks.

The two hour session today went really well, and I think that goes back to organization. The kids made good progress. Alas, I took no photos! Next week, next week.... Now, if I could only get the next classes that ready, I'll be really happy!

If you've got any nifty organizational ideas or anything that you think would be useful to know in classroom situations, please share! I'm all ears!

See you tomorrow!

Labels: beginner embroidery, embroidery for children, embroidery tips and tricks, hobby room, needlework pictures, organization, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, June 17, 2008
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I had a very busy weekend working to get the garage-gone-project-room somewhat organized. Yes, the space is finished, and I'm really excited about it. I'm sure there are plenty of needleworkers out there who have their own space for pursuing their needlework, sewing, or art ventures, but I bet there are even MORE who use the various regular corners of their living space. The idea of a real project room is kind of a dream! Keep in mind, though, that this relatively small space is not merely for needlework!

I live in a tiny house with very little storage space, so this room is not merely for my needlework supplies, books, and so forth. It is designated space for all household storage, from off-season clothes, to paper goods, to beer and wine for company, to games and puzzles, to Christmas decor, to wrapping paper, blankets, linens - you name it, if it's not in immediate use in the house, it will be out here.

And all that being said, the room doesn't seem nearly so big and luxurious!



It's not a super-wide room. That space where the window and door are now used to be the garage door. The cabinets that line each side of the room are 24" deep, with 18" adjustable shelves.



And that's the other end, looking out into the (dead and winter-looking) backyard.



The cabinets are pretty roomy. The shelves are adjustable (I already said that) - they're not continuous down the line, though. They are split, so that in each cabinet, if more space is needed on one shelf, the whole wall of shelves doesn't have to be adjusted.



Saturday was a day of toting, toting, toting. Except for the bag and the storage containers at the end of the table, it's filled with solely needlework books. My ten-year-old nephew helped me tote books and stuff most of the morning! (I paid him at the end - two handfuls of change! It worked out well for him - and even better for me!)



Oh. I forgot to mention those books, too.



And things going onto the shelves! Ah. Yes. That does make me happy!

I'm cataloging my books before I put them on the shelves - that will be a fun project, and then I can post my library here. Then, if you are looking for a book and want to know what it's like before you buy it, if I have it, you can ask!

Once all is packed neatly and happily into the cabinets (that may take a while, because there's still a whole storage unit downtown to go through - can you say BIG GARAGE SALE???!), I will put a drafting table under the larger window, a large table in the middle, and sewing machine cabinet. Those, and some chairs, will be the only furniture. And then it's done.

Wow. I discovered a few muscles this weekend that I had forgotten about!

Labels: organization, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, March 17, 2008
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Do you leave embroidery thread trails all around your house? I do! I usually sit on the sofa in the living room for "casual" embroidery projects, and when I snip threads, those orts (the thread scraps) end up on the arm of the sofa. I bet you know what I'm talking about!

Building into a good-sized, loose ball by the end of an evening, my embroidery thread left-overs will inevitably cling to the arms of my clothes. From there, they trickle off onto the floor... the living room floor, the kitchen floor, the bathroom floor. I'm forever leaving little trails.

When I think about it, I put a zip-lock bag in my sewing basket, but it's too much bother to dig for it when I'm engrossed in stitchery! Besides, once it's full, I toss it - and then I forget to add another to the basket... until I've got another thread ball building on the sofa.

Well, I finally decided it was time to do something about this! And so this is what I did:

About a month ago, I mentioned that I bought a couple placemats on clearance. I had this particular project in mind at the time, but just now had the chance to see my plan fulfilled:

A Couch Caddy!!!

I'm so excited about it. It isn't pristinely done, but I like it! I'm the first to admit I'm not an expert on the sewing machine! Patterns just aren't my thing, so this project was really perfect. It took me a whole 30 minutes. I had no plan - I just cut some rectangles from one placemat and its liner, and I sewed the stuff together.

Here 'tis:



[Oh dear. Pictures never lie.]

The first thing I did was take one placemat (less than $2 at Target on clearance) and separate the top fabric from the liner using a seam ripper.

Then, with the top fabric on the table just like you'd place a placemat, I cut it in half straight up from bottom to top. I took one half, folded from bottom to top, right sides together, and sewed up the sides. Then I measured 1.5 inches from the corner at the fold, and sewed a little triangle, so that the bag rounded out a bit, instead of laying flat like an envelope. Then I did the same thing with the liner, only backwards, and stuck the liner inside, and top stitched around the edge.



I still had half a placemat, so I cut out another rectangle and made a longer, narrower tube to put scissors and pencils in.



I still had a quarter of the placemat left, so I cut out tabs to attach the two pockets to the base, which was an in-tact placemat.

I didn't line the narrower tube, except by leaving the interfacing that was inside the placemat. In fact, that one came out rather sloppy - functional, but sloppy!



I made sure I sewed the tabs well into the outside half of the base so that I would have plenty of placemat on the inside arm of the couch to weight the thing properly and keep it from sliding.

I still have a little bit of the placemat left - I'm thinking about looking for a heavy-duty magnet I can cover with fabric and put on the top for needles and my embroidery scissors.

The whole thing worked rather well, took me about 30 minutes, cost me less than $4.00, and now I have somewhere to put those stray threads!

Labels: needlework tools, organization, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, March 10, 2008
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This little canvas work sampler has been fun, but it's absolutely time to end it! The problem with "design-as-you-go" samplers is that sometimes, you just keep going... and going... and going. And that can be detrimental to a couple things: the overall design, and the ability to get anything else accomplished!

But I've come pretty much to the stopping point - I'm going to fill in one more tiny section, touch up the flaws, embroidery a tiny border around it, and call it finished.



It's a little... much! And all packed in to about 4" x 5.5" But the advantage to working on something like this is that you don't have time to get bored before you switch to another color and stitch.



I think this little section is my favorite part. I like the diamond pattern on the right side of the paisley, and the gold filling on the left side.



In fact, here's the gold filling up close. I probably used too many strands of floss - the stitches look pretty packed and pudgy. I used 3 strands of Soie d'Alger, in two colors of gold. The stitch is actually upright cross stitch, although with the dark gold, the top stitch of the cross is horizontal, and with the light gold, it's vertical. (I did that on purpose, just to see what effect it would have on the whole filling.)



I also like this little guy sticking up - an afterthought. Too many afterthoughts can spoil the look, but this one, I like!



And I like the little shaded curl. The backgrounds are half cross stitch, in alternating colors of light gold / dark gold, and light purple / dark purple. They also go in different directions. The golds are silk Soie d'Alger; the purples are stranded cotton (DMC); the greens on the curl are Eterna flat silk.

So that's that project, almost finished. I should be able to fill in that empty space tonight and put an edge on it.

And the hobby room is coming along well - should be finished by the middle of next week (I hope!). It was a single car garage on the back of the house. But I live in a small house, which has little interior storage space, so the garage is being converted into storage space for household stuff as well as for hobby stuff, and an area for working projects. There will be a large table out in the middle of the room and, eventually, a sewing machine and so forth.

So this is what it looks like:



Over on the right wall, those are floor-to-ceiling cabinets - there will be adjustable shelving in there.



That's the same wall of cabinets, looking in the other direction.



And that's the wall opposite the cabinets - which will also be lined with the same floor-to-ceiling cabinets. So the only wall space will actually be below the big window, really - a sewing table would fit there. The freezer is also out there, so it's not a LOT of space, but it is space, nonetheless!

I'm still troubling over a good organizational method - bins, or cubby-hole type small shelves - for fabrics, threads, and whatnot. Any suggestions are most welcome!

Labels: canvas stitches, hobby room, needlework pictures, organization, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, February 19, 2008
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, December 21, 2006
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