I really appreciate all the input from the comments on the first post introducing the embroiderer's workstation / trestles from a couple weeks ago! Brian kept an eye on the comments and took them into consideration, and is working on some tweaking. In the meantime, I wanted to show you some other pictures of trestles after I moved them out to the studio....

One of our bigger concerns about the trestle stand is the manner in which the frame is attached to the trestles. Anything too "permanent" (such as lashing, which was often used on old convent embroidery workstations) impedes the flipping of the frame. So we've tried a couple things, and the one that has worked best so far is a ratchet clamp.



Here, I've got the trestles set at a pretty good slant, and I've used a ratchet clamp to attach a Q-snap frame to it. The point is, you can attach anything this way - hoop, frames, even heavy slate frames. Ratchet clamps are easy to use - they release with the flick of the lever, and they don't require any heavy squeezing to tighten them. But... still... it's not "ideal." If you're working with a large frame, that reach to the back to undo the clamp if you want to flip things is a bit inconvenient.

This question of securing the frame is the main element of the workstation that has Brian going back to the drawing board, and I think he's come up with a solution! Haven't seen it yet, but when I do, I'll show you what it is!

In the meantime, though, I have to admit, for regular sized project, I like the ratchet clamps. Maybe it's just because they're tools, and I feel so universally capable when I use tools with names like "ratchet clamp"! But seriously, I think it's just because they really hold things on well. I don't know why I never thought of this kind of clamp for other needlework applications. (Actually, I wasn't aware of the existence of these until now...)



This is the other little table for the trestles, and in fact, the whole workstation can be populated with these, as they fit in a variety of places.

Brian and I discussed the lip on the table suggestion... I see his reasoning on this: it is easier to pick something up off a table or to brush something off into your hand (and even, if it falls on the floor, to pick it up) than it is to try to work something out of a lipped corner on a piece of furniture (something like a needle or a bead or something small...) He is right about that! But the idea is still there, stewing. So we'll see where that goes.

Rounded corners on things (like the tables and feet) were suggested... good idea...



This is the whole thing on a slant, from the side. The present adjustments being made would actually eliminate some of the bulk from the slanted supports there, where the dowels fit. In fact, the dowels probably won't be used for the actual frame support. I like the dowels because they're universal - if you wanted to add another support, you just run to the hardware store and pick up a 1" dowel. Besides wanting another way for the frame to stay on the stand without a clamp is the whole question of rolling dowels. Should you clamp something heavy to the dowels (like a light), the dowel tends to roll, unless the item being clamped is perfectly balanced - and a bump can upset the balance pretty easily. So Brian's frame-holding solution should also solve the rolling dowels. It'll also streamline the look of the sides there.



This is the workstation, on a slant, with a larger piece being held by one clamp. It works great, and the clamp is within easy reach.



And this is the workstation horizontal. And this is my favorite position! It is so nice to work sitting there, with the piece resting horizontal, perfectly secure, no bouncing, no feeling of unstable support - it's as if your embroidery work has become your table. You have perfect access underneath, can easily flip the needlework, and it's actually a very comfortable way to sit and stitch!

I've sat at a frame propped between to tables before, lying horizontal. It was "ok" but not very comfortable because the tables were regular-height tables. The frame was just too high to work on comfortably, but I didn't realize that was the problem until I set this up horizontally. It's slightly lower - not low enough to have to bend over, but low enough to be easily on top of the work. It's perfect!



Now I understand the horizontal workroom situations of old! And, when horizontal, another advantage is that a second stitcher can sit on the other side...

So, we're still open for suggestions or questions or anything. Any thoughts on this set-up? Any points of improvement that may have occurred to you since introducing the workstation? We're all ears!

Labels: hobby room, needlework tools, pictures, trestles

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, March 31, 2009
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If you don't work from embroidery kits or books, then you probably come up with your own designs. What inspires them? Throughout history, artists have taken their inspiration from many sources - from nature, from religion, from life and all aspects of life.

When it comes to embroidery and needlework, looking around at all the brilliant designers and stitchers out there, I often find myself somewhat dissatisfied with my comparative lack of inspiration. But there are a few things that do inspire me, and occasionally, there are those little moments when something bursts upon the eye and lights up the brain, screaming, "You want to embroidery me!" The fat robin outside my window right now... the frozen tulip in the corner of the yard, encased in late-season ice... the twiggy branch covered with pale green buds that's scratching on my window; the design in the carpet at my feet; the colorful engravings on a piece of foreign currency... these things catch my eye, and I think they would make interesting subjects for embroidery.

But, to tell you the truth, that's about as far as they go. They catch my eye, they spark my interest, they suggest a design. But they rarely materialize.

Why not, I wonder... Part of the answer lies in my lack of drawing ability. I would like to be able to draw better than I do. Stylized patterns and motifs are fine, but realistic sketching is not a skill I've remotely perfected. Another part of the answer (and probably the greater part) lies in a lack of concentration or focus on creating, due to the lack of time and the overabundance of other responsibilities. Without the "leisure" required to attend to artistic pursuits, it is difficult to hone in and take perception to fruition in a completed project - or at least to do so while the inspiration is vivid. In fact, it's often difficult just to take the time to really see things and get inspired!

But inspiration doesn't have to come from the "raw," and, in fact, as far as actually working a project goes, I take more inspiration from other pieces of art - already done, already realized in another medium - than I do from nature or other raw sources.

I'd like to show you an example of what I mean. Lately, I've been musing and stewing over stumpwork. Do you know what it's like when an idea, technique, or project begins to gnaw away at your imagination and consume all your thoughts? That's how I've been about stumpwork lately. You've actually seen some of the consequences of this stumpwork obsession in my recent posts - my re-awakened interest in the Plimoth Plantation jacket project; the kits I posted the other day; the links to Thistle Threads (with that beautiful museum-licensed box project!); Jane Nicholas's Stumpwork Embroidery book review; the book review on Embroidered Flora & Fauna - all of these posts are related to my recent stewings!

More than anything else, though, two books that are not embroidery books have occupied my mind. I'm not writing a book review here! Rather, I want to show you how one art form can directly inspire ideas for another.

This isn't a new connection, though. Illumination (painting or drawing to embellish a written work) and embroidery have developed side-by-side throughout history. But take a look at these two books on illumination, and you'll see where my thoughts are going as far as stumpwork is concerned.



The first book here is Beasts Factual and Fantastic by Elizabeth Morrison. This is a beautiful little book full of colored photographs of different illuminated works throughout history. The author concentrates on the animals (both the realistic and the fantastic) in illuminated manuscripts and books. From bunnies to bears to gargolyes and strange mixed breeds, somehow, they all found their way into illumination.



This picture in particular captures my embroidering fancy. The bear is a study for padding and French knots. The hives, for couched gold on felt padding. The monster bees, perfect for turkey work and wire wings. Further additions of flowers and grasses could cheer the scene up a bit. While there's something about the picture that borders on grotesque - the long claws of the bear, the more "human-like" form of his body, the insanely disproportioned bees - there's also something charming about it, and it could be made really charming with the addition of a little brightness. I like it! It's morphing about in my mind! Will it result in anything finished? I don't know yet!



The second book is The Medieval Flower Book by Celia Fisher. This book explores in particular flowers as embellishments of manuscripts and books.



The close association between illumination and stumpwork can certainly be seen here. I love this dragonfly and the bright red poppies.



Again, another illumination that begs for a stumpwork interpretation! The blue flowers, the thistles, the butterflies, and the little hairy petals that surround the painted pearls are all perfect for interpretation in embroidery.



It's funny how, when looking at the page on slant, the butterfly is so perfectly rendered that its wings seem to be lifted up off the page!

These two books have provided my night-time reading lately, as well as my lunch-time book browsing. When I see something I particularly like, I note it down or put a marker in the book, so I can come back to it later and consider it from the point of view of the embroiderer.

Inspiration can come from anywhere, really. Right now, mine is definitely coming from a variety of books that I've been reading. As the weather warms up, perhaps there will be more of an opportunity to get inspired outside, but in the meantime, I'm completely besotted with these two books and the ideas they're fueling in my head!

What inspires you?

Labels: book review, embroidery books, embroidery resources, historical needlework, miscellaneous embroidery musings, pictures, stumpwork

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, March 30, 2009
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Here's a nice resource for some free embroidery designs and some excellent embroidery instruction.

The last couple days, I've been mentioning Tricia Wilson-Nguyen's website, Thistle Threads, first in conjunction with the embroidered jacket at Plimoth Plantation, and second, when I was discussing needlework kits yesterday.

If you haven't perused her website deeply yet, you may have missed a couple real gems on there. The website, by the way, is newly over-hauled, so if you were familiar with her website, Thistle Threads, before but haven't been in a while, it's worth taking a look at it!

On the new Thistle Threads website, you'll find a section called Web Instructions, under which you will find two categories, projects and stitch diagrams.



Under projects, you'll find three little free projects, with thorough stitching instructions.



Under stitch diagrams, you'll find 8 PDFs for different stitches, and each one is detailed and easy to follow.

So, if you haven't visited Thistle Threads, you might want to take a look at these excellent offerings from Tricia!

Enjoy!

Labels: embroidery resources, free embroidery patterns, needlework websites

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, March 29, 2009
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Continuing with the Celtic monograms for hand embroidery: the letter Q...

If you're looking for embroidery stitch suggestions, please visit the Celtic A monogram, where you'll find several ideas for stitching up the monograms in this series.

Here's the small Q:



And here's the large Q:




For more hand embroidery monograms, check out my Index of Monograms for Hand Embroidery. If you're looking for other hand embroidery designs in general, check out my Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns, where you'll find an updated list of hand embroidery designs here on Needle 'n Thread.

Enjoy!

Labels: free embroidery patterns, monograms

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, March 28, 2009
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Do you use embroidery kits? The answer to this question seems to divide embroiderers into different groupings: 1. The no-never types; 2. The yes-always types; 3. The yes-but-only-selectively types. Within these categories, there are different mentalities about kits. There are, for example, the no-nevers-on-principle, who believe that kits stunt the creative process. Then there are the no-nevers-on-opportunity, who don't want to pay for kits. Then there are the no-nevers-whatsakit?, who have really never considered kits, and don't care either way about them. And the list could go on....

I belong to the 3rd category - yes, but selectively.

I have a couple embroidery kits on hand that I want to work, and I'll show some of them to you here.



My favorite kits so far in my needlework life have been Tanja Berlin's needlepainting kits. Through them, I've learned a lot about needlepainting! I haven't worked a kit in ages, but I've got a few of hers in my stash, awaiting the day, specifically the squirrel and a bird or two...



Country Bumpkin needlework kits are also among my favorites. One of my Christmas gifts this year was an order from Country Bumpkin, and included in that were two kits: a little "Summer Harvest" stumpwork kit and a needlepainting kit called "True Love" that I find downright hilarious and that I'm planning to use as a future wedding gift.



The differences between Tanja Berlin's kits and Country Bumpkin's kits are notable. I thought I'd point some of the differences out to you, in case you're looking for a new project to work or a new technique to learn and are thinking about starting with a kit.

Country Bumpkin Needlework Kits:

1. Country Bumpkin relies upon your owning the magazine in which the project is featured. Kits are an off-shoot of their magazine, Inspirations. The purpose of CB kits is simply convenience: the kit includes all the supplies you need to complete a project featured in one of their magazines, but it doesn't include the design or the instructions. It is simply a materials kit. If you don't subscribe to the magazine, you have the option, when you purchase the kit, of purchasing the copy that coincides with the kit. The articles in the magazine have very detailed stitch instructions, diagrams, up-close pictures, and so forth. Each magazine has many beautiful projects in it, so when you buy one magazine, you're actually getting excellent instruction on many projects, not to mention all the other interesting stitching tidbits and stories. It's a great magazine!

2. The kits (in my experience) always have PLENTY of fibers to work the project. I've never felt as if I would run out of the required thread. Whole skeins and spools of most threads are included, rather than partial skeins or bits of threads. Also, any notions required in the project are also included (buttons and so forth), as well as supplies such as interfacing, wire, etc. In short, all materials! (Note: some blanket kits do not include the fabric backing; this is always noted in the kit contents.)

3. The design is not transferred onto the ground fabric. This is something you have to do, using the design in the magazine. I was a little surprised by this at first, because when I am working from a kit, I do like to launch right in (and forego the pre-work of transferring, which is not my favorite part of a project!). However, it makes sense. Country Bumpkin's first focus is their magazine. If they sold kits with instructions and designs, it would be somewhat of a conflict of interest! On the bright side, if you are out to really learn embroidery, then knowing the ins and outs of transferring designs is an essential part of the process, so it's good for the learning curve!

4. Country Bumpkin kits ship from Australia. For those of us in the States, anything we save in exchange rates is definitely eaten up in shipping. In this regard, the kits are somewhat expensive... and shipping tends to be a bit slow. But, if you want the kits, that's part of the package!

Tanja Berlin's kits:

1. Tanja's kits come with everything you need to complete the project: instructions, design, colored photo of finished project, all diagrams, detailed stitching instructions and troubleshooting guide, all fibers, fabric, needles. She also has the option on her website of on-going consultation for stitchers working her kits, so if you run into a trouble spot, you can contact Tanja and she'll help you through it.

2. Tanja's kits contain just the amount of fibers you will need to complete the project, with a little leftover. So you don't normally get full skeins of floss or spools of threads. She organizes the threads on a color card, with each color number marked clearly next to the thread.

3. In her surface embroidery kits, the designs are already transferred on the fabric for you.

4. Tanja is located in Canada. Depending on the exchange rate (which has fluctuated quite a bit in the last couple years), if you're in the US, the kits may be slightly more expensive or slightly less expensive than the actual listing on her site. Shipping, too, is somewhat pricey, but she has lots of shipping options, so you can choose the least expensive one (though you'll probably wait a little longer for your order). Tanja ships very quickly if she is not out of town teaching (she always leaves a notice on her website if she is out of town, and tells you exactly when she'll be back...)

So those are the two kinds of kits that I have primarily indulged in over the years.

Other Types of Embroidery Kits



I've also worked kits from Roseworks Designs. They're located in South Africa, and have some pretty kits available through retailers or ordered directly through Roseworks Designs. Their kits include fabric with the design on it, detailed stitching instructions, and a color key for Anchor and DMC colors, but they don't always include the threads. These kits were more widely available in the US, but now I can only find one online retail shop that sells them here. The other shops I knew of that sold them have since gone out of business.

Another type of kit that I've purchased but haven't worked is an Anchor Fleur de Lys teacloth. Margaret Cobleigh, however, persevered through the finish of the same kit, and graciously wrote up a whole document on how she altered the kit to make it more interesting. To see what these kits look like, you can check out her Spring Teacloth and her Strawberry Teacloth here on Needle'nThread. I have never quite gotten back to the Spring Teacloth. It has just never "grabbed" me, though I think Margaret did an absolutely stunning job on hers!

Embroidery Kits I would Like to Work

Now, there are other kits offered out there that I'm interested in, but have not had the opportunity to try.



First, Alison Cole's kits. One of these days, I may indulge in a couple of those, including her Illuminated Floral stumpwork and goldwork kit (which I've mentioned before) and some of her mini Or Nué kits (the frog, gecko, and strawberry, to be precise). Though I haven't worked her kits, I assume they come with excellent instructions - her books are certainly excellent.



Then, there's Tricia Wilson-Nguyen, the lady behind Thistle Threads, known for her expertise in historical needlework and her current work on the Plimoth Plantation 17th-century embroidered jacket. Did you know she offers kits? They're mostly of an historical nature, and some are quite elaborate. Besides her exquisite licensed museum adaptations (part of the proceeds go towards the museums that host the original studied object), Tricia offers some limited edition kits that are neat, and many "regular" kits that are also enticing. The kits that I'm really interested in of hers are a bit out of my range, but it's inspiring to look at them, nonetheless!

Trish Burr is also working on putting together some kits, and if and when that happens, those will definitely be something I'm interested in. Her books are greatly instructive, so I'm sure her kits will be, too.

My Embroidery Kit Philosophy is pretty much this: A kit can be an excellent way to learn or polish an embroidery technique. If the kit appeals to me in some way, I am not adverse to working a kit, and actually can find great pleasure and freedom in working one. I like buying kits from specific designers (as opposed to mass-produced commercial kits such as those found on the needlework aisles in chain stores). It's a lot like making the effort to shop at a local needlework shop. Embroidery designers, writers, instructors, etc., keep the art of needlework alive - and many of them rely upon their designing and teaching for their livelihood. I don't mind supporting that at all! (when I can afford to!)

That's pretty much the way I look at kits. Do you like kits? Why or why not? Do you have favorite kit designers that you would recommend? In general, what are your experiences with kits? Please share!

Now, having said all that, I bet you think I'm heading off to get started on one of those kits. Nope - I've got "real" work (school work) to do all weekend long! No needlework for me this weekend (unless I can sneak in a wee session here and there when no one's looking!)

Have a great weekend!

Labels: embroidery kits, embroidery resources, goldwork, historical needlework, miscellaneous embroidery musings, needlepainting, stumpwork

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, March 28, 2009
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Embroidered Flora & Fauna: Three-Dimensional Textured Embroidery is ... well, quite a book! I hesitated about buying it, really, because I thought "No - it's just not me." But I was won over by a fig...

The title of this embroidery (more "fiber art") book is daunting, and the double authors with double names is, too: Embroidered Flora & Fauna: Three-Dimensional Textured Embroidery, by Lesley Turpin-Delport & Nikki Delport-Wepener. Wow. It's a mouthful. I'm funny about titles. I often tend to judge books by titles, and, though I try not to, I tend to judge books by their covers, too!

It was the cover that enticed me to buy this book after all, even though I was skeptical about it at first.



The red flower in the lower left is an eye-grabber, isn't it? But that isn't what grabbed me! It was the fig right next to the flower. Now, that is a fig, if I've ever seen one. A fig. And it's embroidered. Wouldn't it be fun to have a bowl of embroidered figs in the middle of your table?

If an embroidered fig could look so like a fig, I thought the book had to be worthwhile.

And I was right.

Let me tell you a little about the book, give you a little tour of it, and then some pros and cons.

The book begins like other good embroidery books, with a discussion of supplies. Threads are especially discussed, as most of the techniques in the book require, to a wide extent, a variety of different fibers (this isn't your typical DMC embroidery here!).



Then, the authors launch in to techniques, beginning with photo transfers, which I found interesting. The color photocopy of a picture, in mirror image, is applied to the fabric (using a solvent or lacquer thinner), heat set with an iron, then the embroidery is worked over it. I've never tried such a method, and I wonder about the chemical properties of lacquer thinners on fabric - it would be neat to explore this further!



They continue the techniques section: preparation of background fabric, working with textured threads, scale and shading, applique, barbola, stumpwork inspired ideas, trapunto, felt, ribbon techniques, beading, networking, machine stitching, and working with metallic threads. A wide variety of techniques are used in combination on most of the projects!



After taking the reader through the individual techniques, the book is divided into chapter headings by color inspirations: oyster white; red; green; yellow; blue; lilac & lavender; salmon; brown; pink; burgandy; indigo; and grey, black & white.



Under each of these chapter headings, you'll find different projects that fit into the color categories.



Finally, the book has a stitch glossary...



... followed by a section of templates for various projects.



What delights me most about the book are the various projects featured in it. They are unbelievably beautiful and very realistic.



The pomegranates look as if the seeds are bursting out of the fruity flesh. The roosters look as if they could start crowing! The flowers beg to be picked, and most of the bugs - especially the grubby looking ones - make you shudder at their utter buggy creepy-crawliness.

The artistry of the authors is quite evident, as is the passion they have for their art. And truly, the book is about fiber art. It's not strictly embroidery - many other techniques besides "stitching" fill these pages.

The pros of the book:

1. It's a good resource for realistic inspiration. If you've ever wanted to recreate, with needlework, something that looks utterly real, then this book will help you do it.

2. It's beautiful. It's a coffee-table-conversation-starter book. Just point out some of the grubs crawing on some of the plants, and you'll enchant your guests into discussing the wonders of needlework!

3. It instructs the reader clearly on techniques, and offers step-by-step guidelines for the various projects within. These guidelines are nice and clear.

4. There's a really nice section full of line-drawn templates. The designs can be worked realistically, or if you're more of a stylized sort of stitcher, they can still be adapted to stylized embroidery.

5. It's fun. I enjoyed reading it and browsing through it.

Cons:

1. Some quirks in the text here and there. For example, coton a broder is listed as "cotton a broder / flower thread - a fine, matte cotton thread." Coton a broder and flower thread are, to my knowledge, entirely different threads, one major difference being that one is mercerized (has a sheen) and the other isn't (matte finish). It's not really a big deal, but I found it somewhat surprising. But, you know - maybe there is a kind of coton a broder out there that is matte thread, and looks like flower thread...

Update: Thanks to Sharon Boggan (Pin Tangle) who kindly e-mailed me a discreet and gentle note of correction, Monika (comment below) and some reading and research yesterday, I've discovered that what I'm used to calling "coton a broder" (that's the white mercerized cotton I use for whitework) is a type of "coton a broder." The term "coton a broder" is actually rather generic, and does include other types of thread. In Australia and the UK, Sharon says that "coton a broder" is matte, like flower thread. So this is a cross between a regional thing (same name referring to different things) and a way of labeling many types of cotton embroidery threads. Now I know! Thank you, ladies, for your help!

2. I don't normally hard-line classify books as "beginner, intermediate, advanced," because I'm convinced that beginners can pick up a book and learn what are classified as advanced techniques. But this is a book that I'd say is definitely intermediate and beyond. There are some things in it that a beginner could pick up - and still, any determined beginner can accomplish even the advanced techniques herein. However, I'd not recommend it to a newbie at embroidery.

3. For most of the projects, the fibers involved are not so easy to come by, and tend towards being expensive. If you don't already do this kind of stuff, I could see the development of a Whole Nuther Line of Stash! Still... could be worth it, if you want the beautiful end product!

Overall, I like the book very much, and I'm glad I've added it to my library! I think intermediate to advanced stitchers will really like it, as it will certainly give you a new perspective and plenty of inspiration for your embroidery projects!

Labels: book review, pictures, stumpwork

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, March 27, 2009
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Continuing with the Celtic monograms for hand embroidery: the letter P...

If you're looking for embroidery stitch suggestions, please visit the Celtic A monogram, where you'll find several ideas for stitching up the monograms in this series.

Here's the small P:



And here's the large P:




For more hand embroidery monograms, check out my Index of Monograms for Hand Embroidery. If you're looking for other hand embroidery designs in general, check out my Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns, where you'll find an updated list of hand embroidery designs here on Needle 'n Thread.

Enjoy!

Labels: free embroidery patterns, monograms

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, March 26, 2009
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, March 26, 2009
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When I was finishing up my miniature embroidery piece a while ago, I ran into a little dilemma. The piece called for beads speckled here and there on the original design. I was going to sew some on... but...

... I forgot that the miniature embroidery piece was so much smaller than the original design was intended to be! The beads called for were Mill Hill Petites, which are size 15/0. They're relatively small, but they look huge on a miniature piece.

Not knowing too much about sizes of beads (I've not done a lot of bead embroidery - just used them as embellishments here and there...), I wrote off the beads entirely.

One day, though, I was perusing Robin Atkin's site, Beadlust, where you can see some drop-dead-gorgeous examples of bead embroidery. I left a comment mentioning my lack of teeny tiny beads, and Susan Elliott of Plays with Needles kindly responded and recommended Beadcats, an online bead store that features vintage beads that are ... well... tinier than I ever thought beads could be!

Look. I am a downright weird-o when it comes to embroidery supplies. I was on a kick of sorts. I felt I lacked beads, that beads were something suddenly essential to any embroidery that I was ever to do again in my life, and that I had to have beads. Beads! LOTS of beads.

And now I have exactly that - lots of beads.



The sizes range from 16/0 - 24/0. Remember that Mill Hill Petites are 15/0. The higher the number, by the way, the smaller the bead (like needles... and wire).

Not knowing much about beads - that they are actually classified beyond just color, in jolly categories such as "greasy" or something to that effect - I felt obliged to try all different types and descriptions. Greasy beads, by the way, look eerily greasy. And little bags of teeny tiny black beads look eerily like tiny caviar. Opening the package and exploring the beads was an interesting experience!

But what amazed me, and what I want to get across to you, is the size of these beads. Mill Hill Petites, the common "little" seed bead you can buy at any bead-carrying craft store, hasn't got anything on these when it comes to being "petite"!



It's really hard to get across sizes online. In the photo above, the metallic pink bead looks remarkably large, and yet it is a 15/0 Mill Hill Petite. The blue is a 16/0 vintage bead. The black is a 23/0 vintage bead.

That black bead can get lost under your fingernail. It could be mistaken for a speck on a table. A speck of something really small, that is. Horton Hears a Who comes to mind here!



The black bead practically fits in the hole of the Mill Hill Petite. I'm pretty sure it would've fit, with a little manipulation.



Guess what? It was really hard to stack those little guys up and get them to stay put. They had some sort of serious static charge running through them that made them want to dance around a bit!

Anyway, that was my adventure with teeny tiny itsy bitsy super-dee-duper small beads. Have I actually done anything with them yet? No. I'm not exactly sure what one does with such things that small. But I am sure they have a purpose, or they would have never been made! I look forward to the discovery of that purpose some day. I suppose I better do it while I'm still in my 30's... or my eyes may revolt!

Do you embroider or embellish with beads? If so, have you ever used beads in sizes 16/0 - 24/0? What do you use them for? Can you recommend any books? Can you recommend any websites with photos and ideas? I'd love to hear something about these intriguing tiny things!

Labels: beads, embellishments, embroidery resources, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, March 26, 2009
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Last time I was playing with my whitework embroidery sampler, I was beginning the cutwork motif. Here, I've got the pattern for you AND the incredible progress I've made on the cutwork motif! How exciting!

Well, I already feel bad about saying that - not a fib; rather an exaggerated jest: I have made very little progress on the cutwork motif. Still, every little bit counts, right?

Here's the design for you, in case you ever want to use it for cutwork - or for any other kind of embroidery or craft usage, for that matter. You can click on it for a slightly larger image (and a larger file size!).



And, if you want, here's a PDF version:

Cutwork Design for Hand Embroidery

You can size the pattern up or down if you want. If you size it up, it may take more time, but you could also work with heavier threads to cover more ground a little faster.

Here's my progress on the cutwork design so far:



Oh. I know you're impressed!

Actually, I was debating whether or not I should put progress photos up at all - it practically seems pointless! But, still, there it is!

I transferred the design using the tissue-paper-and-tacking-stitches method, which has worked well so far with this design.



There it is, up close. I was debating about whether or not I would go with fine bars. Sometimes, the attaching bars on cutwork are mere threads, you see... and that lends to a very delicate, lacy look - absolutely beautiful on fine white linen. But given that this fabric is a little coarser than normal (for most fine cutwork, that is), I decided to go with a heavier look on the bars and on the overcasting around the edges of the design.

I plan to get some photo tutorials up on cutwork eventually, once I make a little more progress on this piece.

Now, to step backwards a bit, remember the monogram I set up for the sampler? The plan on that seems to be taking a different direction in my head. Initially, I wanted to do some trailing (which is super-raised satin stitch, over a bunch of cords), but I'm thinking about another technique right now - something... something a bit odd. On the wide parts of the letter, what think you of a raised stem stitch? Or casalguidi? I was kind of thinking it might be fun to do something not-quite-as-typical-of-whitework, and with a bit of texture. Anyway, that idea's ripening right now. We'll see what it develops into... If I keep plugging away at the cutwork, it'll have plenty of time to ripen, that's certain!

Funny thing is, while I was working the bars in that tiny bit there, I had the sudden desire to finish up the Schwalm pomegranate right below the cutwork motif. If I had students bouncing around like this, I'd tell them to settle down, take a deep breath, and FOCUS! Physician, heal thyself!

I suppose the next time we come back to the whitework sampler, we'll all be surprised at what transpired!

Enjoy the pattern - hope you find it useful!

Labels: cutwork, drawn thread embroidery, free embroidery patterns, needlework pictures, pictures, sampler, Schwalm, whitework

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, March 25, 2009
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Here's a really simple drawn thread embroidery treatment that you can work with coral knots. Once you've bunched up threads this way, there are further possibilities of embellishment, too, so this is just a basic treatment which can be further expanded with other embellishment.

The coral knot stitch in drawn thread embroidery is often used to bunch together threads. If you haven't looked at the photo tutorial for the coral knot, you may wish to, since this basic treatment depends on the coral knot.



Beginning with a relatively wide strip with threads withdrawn, anchor your working thread in the satin stitch bars on the right. Take the working thread up from this central point to the top of the vertical threads. You can work as many coral knots across the top as you'd like - it depends on how many bunches of vertical threads you want to group together. Here, I'm grouping together four bunches of vertical threads, so I'm working four coral knots, one around each bunch.

Then, move your thread down to the bottom of the area of withdrawn threads, and work an equal number of coral knots around the bunches. Move back up to the top, and group together the same number of bunches. Continue across the whole strip, then anchor the working thread behind the satin stitch bars at the middle point of the edge (exactly opposite where you began in the right side satin stitch bars).



Return to the right side of the piece, and anchor your working thread in the same place behind the satin stitch bars.

Now, work down then up with your coral knot bunches, so that your working thread crosses over the thread of the previous journey, to form an "X" between the groups of coral knot bunches.

Continue this across to the left side of the area, then anchor the working thread behind the satin stitch bars where you anchored your previous thread.



Now you have a simple "canvas" for further embellishment, if you like. Or, you can leave it as it is. I decided to try some woven wheels around the "X" between the coral knot groups...



But, to tell you the truth, it is my least favorite motif on the sampler. The wheels are not quite even, they look "heavy" compared to the rest of the work around them, and I don't like the vertical white threads. But - live and learn! That's the whole point of a sampler!

Next time I work this basic motif, I'm going to work an opened diamond in the middle of the coral knot groups. I think that'll look nice... When I get to that point, I'll show you how to do it!

For further information:

More Drawn Thread and Whitework Embroidery

Drawn Thread - Securing Edges with Re-Weaving
Drawn Thread - Securing Edges with Satin Stitch
Drawn Thread - Hemstitch Tutorial
Drawn Thread - Chain Loop Bunches
Sampler Update with Schwalm Embroidery
Online Book on Drawn Thread Techniques
Diamond Stitch in Drawn Thread Work
Coral Knot Bunches in Drawn Thread Embroidery
Zig-Zags in Drawn Thread Embroidery
All Whitework Articles on Needle 'n Thread

You can find more tips and tricks for hand embroidery - including all the above tutorials - indexed on my Tips and Tricks for Hand Embroidery page.

Labels: drawn thread embroidery, needlework pictures, needlework tutorials, pictures, sampler, Schwalm, whitework

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, March 24, 2009
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We haven't visited the goldwork iris in a while, and I left everyone hanging with the last post about it, when I asked what you thought I would do for embroidery thread! I never did answer that question, so now I will bat around the ideas in my head about this piece.

First, I'll admit right upfront that I haven't given this little piece of goldwork embroidery a chance! I have worked on it in fits and starts, usually in 15-minute (or shorter) increments.

The 15-minute sessions are great when you have a project set up and you know exactly where you are going with it. I have found that, in such cases, short sessions are useful in making progress. The drawbacks to short embroidery sessions like that, though, are that you can't always get a good rhythm going with your stitching, and you can't make enough progress to know exactly whether or not something is working out, if you are "feeling your way through" a project in the first place.

And that's kind of my situation with the goldwork iris.

This is as much as I've progressed on the project:



I really only have three full threads couched. I went with the Soie d'Alger because that's the silk thread I had on hand in the right colors, but of course, the whole time I was stitching, I was bemoaning the fact that I didn't have the silk I wanted! However, I made a firm resolution that I would not buy anymore threads until the middle of April, and I am sticking to that! So I told myself the Soie d'Alger would work for this test piece.

And it does work! It's fine. It's not necessarily what I would have preferred, but it's a good thread, and it does work.

I received a lot of good advice on the project from other stitchers who have tried this technique, and I'm really grateful for that! I wish I hadn't started stitching already when some of the advice came in. For example, I wish I hadn't made so much of the outline (especially the dark green) so solid, and had left some space for the gold to show through. I did towards the top, but now I'm dissatisfied with that, because it is inconsistent with the rest.



There's not enough stitching done here to really tell how it will look, and I'm more and more convinced that, with this technique, the whole picture develops slowly and you really need to give it a chance! So I haven't given up on it - I need to make greater progress to see how things are going to go with this piece.



There's one part of the design so far that I really do like about it, and that's the purple. In fact, I like the purple so much that I'm completely glad I didn't order the Piper's silk (or TESS), or didn't pick a not-quite-right color.

So, right now, that's where I am on this project. Truth to tell, I've put it away for a little bit - it's packaged up, threads and all, until I can devote some serious time to it. While it sat among my present embroidery tasks, I felt pretty anxious about it. Better to put it away for a little bit, until I can devote more time to it!

I am still plugging away on my whitework sampler - the cutwork section has a few bars worked in, and that's about all I got done with needle and thread this past weekend!

And now, as I'm in the midst of a very busy time at school, it looks as if it'll be a little while before I can get back to some serious stitching! I'll have to rely on 15 minutes of whitework here and there if I want to make any progress.

I hope you all had a chance to get in some stitching this past weekend and that the week promises some good opportunities to you for the same!

Labels: goldwork, needlework pictures, pictures, silk

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, March 23, 2009
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Gail Marsh, author of 18th Century Embroidery Techniques which I reviewed previously, has written another book. Let me tell you about it...

19th Century Embroidery Techniques by Gail Marsh presents to the reader the popular embroidery techniques of the 19th century.



Marsh focuses on six particular technique categories of the 19th century needleworker: canvas work, surface embroidery, whitework, patchwork and applique, fancy work, and learning to sew. In each category, she presents a case study, with pictures of historical pieces and information on materials used, method of work, and so forth.



Among the case studies are beautiful photos of pieces complete and incomplete, demonstrating different embroidery techniques from the era. Along with the photos is a detailed explanation of the history of the technique, with bits of information about the history of the different pieces in the case study.



In presenting the different popular techniques of 19th century embroidery, Marsh also offers excellent line drawings and instructions on different stitches commonly employed.



In the section on surface embroidery, she discusses silkwork and other surface techniques. The silkwork photos are gorgeous! She also talks about the history of supplies, the development of popular embroidery shops, the development of pattern printing, and so forth.



Under canvas work, you'll find a windfall of information on the sampler.



The pictures of the various pieces in the book are sumptuous and inspiring! and sometimes, daunting. The small section of a flounce of the petticoat pictured above is worked entirely in eyelets, by hand. Whooweeee, that's a lot of eyelets!

The book also has a nice section on the needleworker's tool box and a good glossary of terms, as well as a thorough index.

Pros of the book:

Oh, no. Here we go again - too many to list, but these are the things I like particularly:

1. Engaging writing on the history of embroidery during this time period. The author supplies good insight to the time period through the discussion of needlework. In fact, I'd say the book would be intriguing to anyone interested in history, especially the history of the 19th century and the Industrial Revolution.

2. The case studies are splendid and her analysis is clear and engaging.

3. The book is riddled with quotes from letters and works of the times, which make the era come alive. They're also often worth a good chuckle!

4. Her explanation of techniques and her stitch diagrams are excellent, as are her line drawings of different motifs.

5. I love reading about the development of different types of threads, dyes, fabrics, and embroidery supplies during the time period. Very interesting stuff!

Cons:

Haha. Only one:

The book is too short! I want more!

As far as readability and interest are concerned, I find both of Gail Marsh's books extremely engaging. They're tops on my favorites list. They're not written like some weighty tomes on art or needlework (which have their place, but which I don't find as entertaining), but they are thorough, appealing, and instructive. And while you get a sense of the era in reading her books, there are no commentaries on social mores, or judgmental prose. The focus is the needlework.

19th Century Embroidery Techniques is available through Amazon:



And you can also find Gail's other book, 18th Century Embroidery Techniques, through Amazon, too:



Both are great additions to any embroiderer's library!

Labels: book review, historical needlework, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, March 22, 2009
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Continuing with the Celtic monograms for hand embroidery: the letter O...

If you're looking for embroidery stitch suggestions, please visit the Celtic A monogram, where you'll find several ideas for stitching up the monograms in this series.

Here's the small O:



And here's the large O:




For more hand embroidery monograms, check out my Index of Monograms for Hand Embroidery. If you're looking for other hand embroidery designs in general, check out my Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns, where you'll find an updated list of hand embroidery designs here on Needle 'n Thread.

Enjoy!

Labels: free embroidery patterns, monograms

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, March 21, 2009
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, March 21, 2009
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Finding slate frames for hand embroidery is no easy task. In the past, I introduced readers to Evan Burroughs, who made my large slate frame. I don't know if Evan is still producing the frames, though. I have tried to contact him, but with no luck. (Evan, if you're out there, please contact me!)

So, here I am again, looking for a good source for frames, and realizing that it might be necessary to find someone again who can make them! In the meantime, though, I want to talk to you about another aspect of the slate frame - trestles.

There are few professional embroiderers who don't agree that the best possible way of achieving tension for hand embroidery - and especially for more complex techniques such as goldwork - is to use a slate frame. In days of yore, the slate frame was widely used, and it was used in a variety of sizes - from small to really quite large. In some books, you can find illustrations of slate frames with more than one person at the frame.

In 18th Century Embroidery Techniques (see my review), Gail Marsh shows a massive slate frame supported across the back with a stabilizing bar, on which frame the embroiderer could lay out a large project - like several pattern pieces for a jacket - on one stretched ground fabric.

In several of the old books on ecclesiastical embroidery, the guild workplace is shown with large frames on which whole banners, chasubles, etc., are stretched. Large works, indeed! At the beginning of Church Embroidery and Church Vestments (PDF - scroll to page 12), you can see a photo of ladies in the guild room, two of whom are sitting up to one slate frame, working.

Today, the slate frame is still used - it is not defunct! Despite the convenience of hoops, of stretcher bar frames, of plastic Q-snaps, and so forth, the slate frame is still employed by serious stitchers. Its revival in popularity is certain to continue growing, as more people take interest in historical needlework, and as the interest in techniques such as goldwork also continues to grow.

I've used a slate frame. I have a large one, so I don't use it as often as I would like! I would like a medium-sized slate frame and a small one, but there will be time for that in the future - if I can find a supplier! There is nothing so nice as the perfect tension one can achieve with the slate frame, and the unpuckered, immaculate results when the piece is removed from the frame. It's wonderful!

The most difficult thing I've found about a slate frame is how to support the thing. Especially if you are working on a medium or large-sized frame, it is impossible to support the frame with one hand while stitching. At the same time, the slate frame tends to be heavier than other frames (stretcher bars, for example), and so commercial stands cannot support large frames, and cannot always support medium frames - or can "just" support them. Of course, there's always the two-table set-up, where the frame is rested horizontal, between the edges of two tables. But that has its drawbacks, I assure you!

In the past, the slate frame was generally supported by a pair of trestles. Originally, these were saw-horse type trestles, so that the frame rested perfectly horizontal, parallel to the floor, like a table, and the needlework sat up to the frame on a stool, and worked in that manner. Then, trestles began to develop a bit. You can see in the turn of the century book Church Vestments, mentioned above, that the "trestle" is actually an adjustable support, where the frame is placed between the body of the trestle and a top board, which is tightened down on top of it.

I've seen other set-ups of trestles, specifically some left over from convents that used to make embroidered vestments. These trestles were even a little more complex, and their adjustability allowed for the frame to be supported completely vertically (as is seen on the front of the book, Embroiderers from the Medieval Craftsmen series), at various angles, or flat.

While I was considering the whole dilemma of the elusive slate frame and pondering the notion of trestles, it so happened that a friend's dad volunteered to do some designing and building of a set of trestles - an embroiderer's workstation, actually, which could accommodate a slate frame (from small to very large), stretcher bars, and even hoops.

The concept developed by considering different types of trestle set-ups of the past (especially those found in convents before the 1960's), and understanding what the embroiderer today would want in a workstation.

Last week, the protype trestle workstation arrived. I want to show it to you and ask for your feedback.



They arrived in a box custom-made for shipping them.



Everything needed was included in the box. The carpenter (Brian) was very meticulous in the packing of the crate and in the assembly of all the pieces of hardware.



The prototype is made out of rough wood - not cleaned up or "beautified" yet. It's for testing purposes. Still, for being "rough," it's really nice. All the pieces were sanded and clean, easy to handle for assembly. The whole assembly process required me to use only a phillips head screwdriver to place 20 screws in the correct (pre-drilled) holes. (Good thing - I'm not so great with larger tools!)



Those are all the pieces, leaning up against the furniture. It looks complicated, but every piece went right together as the instructions indicated. It took me less than twenty minutes to put the whole workstation together for the first time.



These are the main pieces, though the leg braces are not attached yet.



This is a shelf support.



This is the whole set-up, almost completely extended. On the sides, you can see that there are, front and back, adjustable vertical bars. Into those vertical bars are placed the supports for the dowels, which in turn support the frame. The dowel supports can be angled a variety of ways. I'll show this in more detail later, after I have played with the set-up a bit more.



Here's the set-up with a stretcher bar frame resting on it. The trestles have been moved closer together than they are in the previous photo.



This is an attached table, and the workstation actually has a variety of options for attached supply tables, clamped lighting and magnification, etc.

So here is the initial introduction to the trestle workstation. I'll be taking more detailed pictures of it this weekend, in "action." I've since moved it out to my studio, where I will be able to work better with it. I have a very small living room (smaller, I think, than most people's closets...) so the workstation tends to look larger than it is in the photos above (I'll measure it for an accurate "footprint"). When the dowels are removed, the two trestles can nest together to conserve space.

What I've learned about it so far: it is sturdy. It's like sitting down to a piece of furniture. This is the real thing! It goes together very easily. In concept and design, it makes good sense. There's a myriad of possibilities for extension and accesorization, but more on that later.

Brian, you are a wood-working wonder! Thank you!

Now, dear readers, do you have any thoughts on this? Do you see any glitches right off the bat? Does it raise any questions in your mind? Do you have any ideas that you think would make sense concerning the workstation?

I would really appreciate your input on this! You are, after all, embroiderers. You know what you would like, or what you think would make sense, in this type of equipment. How can this become the ultimate embroiderer's workstation?

I'll be sharing more details on this as I work with it, and let you know more detailed discoveries.

Thanks for taking the time to read and to respond, if you want!

Labels: historical needlework, needlework products, needlework tools, pictures, slate frames, trestles

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, March 20, 2009
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Continuing with the Celtic monograms for hand embroidery: the letter N...

If you're looking for embroidery stitch suggestions, please visit the Celtic A monogram, where you'll find several ideas for stitching up the monograms in this series.

Here's the small N:



And here's the large N:




For more hand embroidery monograms, check out my Index of Monograms for Hand Embroidery. If you're looking for other hand embroidery designs in general, check out my Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns, where you'll find an updated list of hand embroidery designs here on Needle 'n Thread.

Enjoy!

Labels: free embroidery patterns, monograms

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, March 19, 2009
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Last night, I was enthusiastically starting into the cutwork motif on my whitework sampler. I finished transferring the cutwork design and picking off all the paper and was super-eager to start stitching on it, just to see how it would go. So I started stitching, and to celebrate the occasion, I made a rather bumbling and obvious mistake!

Cutwork is a kind of whitework embroidery where the design is stitched along the edges, usually with little attached bars of sorts between different design elements, and then the background fabric in parts of the design is cut away. Here's an example from an old post on whitework, where I reviewed the A-Z of Whitework, Book One:



Here, you can see that the outline around the cutwork area and the bars between the outline's lines are all about the same size, and the cutwork looks kind of "squarish."



Here, it's slightly different - the "bars" are not as bar looking, but look more like long web-like strands.

In both examples above, the main elements of the design have been stitched around the edges with overcast stitch, which is simply satin stitch worked in a very narrow line all around the outline. The way it works is this: you have your design. You stitch a running stitch around the area to be cut out. Then, the first thing you stitch are the bars, by the passing the thread back and forth wherever you want the bars, and then either overcasting them or buttonholing them on the return journey. Then, you stitch the edges, either with overcast stitch or buttonhole stitch. I'll show you up-close how it's done... eventually!

Well, I was very enthusiastic to get started on my cutwork motif after getting the design down. Funny. After transferring the monogram, I was keen to start on it, to the detriment of finishing the drawn threadwork, which I was eager to start on to the detriment of finishing the Schwalm pomegranate. I can't keep doing this!



But can you blame me, really? Doesn't that just look fun?

This is the cutwork motif. I like it a LOT. I LOVE IT! If I can do it justice, I will really be thrilled with it. So far, I think it's my favorite bit on this sampler - but I know it's also going to be the most tedious bit!

When you realize how much I love the design, can you forgive me for jumping around so sporadically and inconsistently?!

Anyway, my plan with this particular design was to use a cord underneath the overcast stitch along the edges, to make those stitches stand up. I want a bit of "relief" on the design - some height and definition in the outlines. One of the reasons is because of the relative roughness of the fabric. Mostly, you see cutwork worked on high count, firmly woven linen. This is rather not the stuff of cutwork, but it'll still work...



For the "cord" that I'm stitching over, I'm using DMC Cebelia #10.



I began the overcasting with enthusiasm! For the overcast stitching, I'm using #30 coton a broder.



Stitching over the cord really lifts the stitches nicely. I like it so far.



The design has a kind of "double" outline around each cutwork area - that's one of the reasons I like the design so much. So, here I am, starting back on the double line... this line is the line that directly outlines the cut out area. Stitching along, stitching along... very happy. Liking the whole thing a lot... dum dee doo... having fun....

Suddenly realizing...

?

What?

I'm getting kind of tired of these head-slapping moments.

I complete forgot to the put the bars in. Ugh.

Yes, well, the monogram's looking pretty good! Maybe I'll stitch on that tonight. Who needs this cutwork stuff, anyway?!?!

Labels: cutwork, drawn thread embroidery, embroidery tips and tricks, needlework pictures, pictures, sampler, Schwalm, whitework

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, March 19, 2009
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Continuing with the Celtic monograms for hand embroidery: the letter K...

If you're looking for embroidery stitch suggestions, please visit the Celtic A monogram, where you'll find several ideas for stitching up the monograms in this series.

Here's the small K:



And here's the large K:




For more hand embroidery monograms, check out my Index of Monograms for Hand Embroidery. If you're looking for other hand embroidery designs in general, check out my Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns, where you'll find an updated list of hand embroidery designs here on Needle 'n Thread.

Enjoy!

Labels: free embroidery patterns, monograms

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, March 18, 2009
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Here's a little update on my whitework embroidery sampler. I haven't gotten tooooo far, but I did manage some stitching last weekend. I'm still working on my 15 minute sessions, and I haven't forgotten the goldwork iris, either! Juggling two projects at a time has its drawbacks - but more on that later!

The last time we visited this project, I was doing some drawn thread embroidery in the scrolls, in a 15-minute session. I haven't finished the scrolls. Come to think of it, I haven't finished the Schwalm pomegranate motif, either. Don't worry! I will. That's part of the fun, perhaps, of a sporadic embroidery sampler - you can pick up and leave off different parts, moving around hither and thither as the creative spirit moves you, reinvigorating your interest in the piece if need be.

So, this past weekend, I placed a monogram:



It's a large monogram. I chose the "M" for unusual reasons, actually! It has nothing to do with the letter itself - I would have chosen any letter that fit my plan. See the last downward stroke on the "M" on the right? It's perfect for demonstrating a satin stitch technique called trailing. Hence, the "M."

I like this monogram style, by the way. I think it's really pretty. It's from an early 20th century ladies' magazine, too, so eventually, I'll clean up this set and share them with you. (First, I will finish the Celtic monograms, though!!)

To transfer the design, I'm using tacking stitches and tissue paper, as I demonstrated before with a photo tutorial. I would like to have used regular tissue paper - the kind you use for wrapping gifts - but I didn't have any on hand, so I stuck with this yellowish stuff.

After using large stitches around the monogram to hold the tracing paper in place, I turned the frame around to work the tacking stitches.



It was easier to reach the top of the design that way. I suppose I could have re-adjusted my frame and stand, but I didn't. I just turned the frame... After stitching the tacking stitches all over the design, I took a sharp needle and ran it over all the stitches to split the paper and make it easier to remove. It came off great!



So, here's the transfer. It's nice and clear. This time, I worked the stitches in white (rather than green, as in the tutorial on transferring patterns this way.) MUCH better in white, methinks. Whatever possessed me to use the green, I shall not know. Anyway, the white worked great, and I don't have any worries, in case I can't remove some of the tacking stitches. They'll work right in to the embroidery.



Farther away, you can't see it so well, but you can get a hint of the size of the monogram placed on the sampler. You can also see all the little bits I haven't finished!!

I've found a nice cutwork design from another early 20th century magazine, too. It's a fairly complex design, but complete in itself (not the edge of a tablecloth or runner or anything). It's not too big - perhaps 4.5 inches tall and about 3.5 inches wide. I'll be transferring that on, right above the Schwalm pomegranate somewhere. Those will be the last two "large" motifs on the sampler, and everything else I do will fit between and around everything that's there, I think... though there is that upper left corner that could accommodate something a bit larger. Hmmmm...

So, that's where I am. Keep your fingers crossed that I can squeeze in some 15(0)-minute sessions and make some progress on this thing, will you?

Have a terrific Wednesday! (Halfway there!)

Here's my "further information" blurb:

More Drawn Thread and Whitework Embroidery

Drawn Thread - Securing Edges with Re-Weaving
Drawn Thread - Securing Edges with Satin Stitch
Drawn Thread - Hemstitch Tutorial
Drawn Thread - Chain Loop Bunches
Sampler Update with Schwalm Embroidery
Online Book on Drawn Thread Techniques
Diamond Stitch in Drawn Thread Work
Coral Knot Bunches in Drawn Thread Embroidery
Zig-Zags in Drawn Thread Embroidery
All Whitework Articles on Needle 'n Thread

You can find more tips and tricks for hand embroidery - including all the above tutorials - indexed on my Tips and Tricks for Hand Embroidery page.

Labels: drawn thread embroidery, embroidery tips and tricks, monograms, needlework pictures, pictures, sampler, whitework

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, March 18, 2009
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Monday was a banner day - several needlework books I've been itching to own were delivered to my front door, and though I couldn't spend all afternoon with any of them, I did get to linger over one with my lunch and a cup of tea, followed by another cup of tea, followed by.... you get the point. I've been dying to own Jane Nicholas's beautiful book, Stumpwork Embroidery, for a long time. It was worth the wait...

For beginner embroiderers, you might think I'm nuts if I told you that you CAN do this stumpwork stuff. Yes, it generally falls under "intermediate" or "advanced" techniques, but if you find you are getting the hang of beginning stitches and you're liking your new-found embroidery hobby, don't think you have to wait years, practice your fingers off, and relegate yourself to backstitch for the rest of your life because you consider yourself a "beginner." Not so, not so! If you understand how a needle works (you stick thread in it and use it to manipulate the thread in and out of fabric), then you really can enjoy this type of embroidery. All it takes is a little gumption and some commitment to trying it!

I only bring this up because I think this is the typical reaction of relative newbies to this type of embroidery. In fact, the first remark a friend - who is just getting into surface embroidery - made upon seeing the book was, "I could never do that." When I protested, she insisted it would take "years" before she was good enough to do stumpwork! So we talked over the book, read some of the instructions, looked at the diagrams, and eventually she said, "I could probably make that bee..." followed by, "I think I'll try that bee, and the hive, too..." And now, she's sold, and determined to do it! (I told her to buy her own book!)

As we were growing up, my Mom always said, "I Can't is a sluggard too lazy to work." I don't know if that's always true. There are some things I know I can't do - I can't ski, I can't run a 25K marathon (not even a 10!), and I can't eat bananas raw without gagging. True, I haven't tried the first two, but I'm pretty sure I'd be putting my life seriously on the line! Lazy? Perhaps! I suppose I could eat a banana raw if I were hungry enough... but I know I can't do it without gagging.

The fact is, I'm not really interested in taking up skiing or running a 25K marathon. Niether is something that I'd put my mind to or energy into. But if you have a genuine interest in something, especially something like needlework of this kind, if you put your mind to it, despite your current skill level, I think it's something you can do! Yes, it may take a little practice - like skiing or long-distance running - but you can do it!

So if this grabs your attention - if it makes you say to yourself, "Wow - I'd love to do something like that!" don't be inhibited by thinking you're "not good enough yet."

That's my pep talk (it's the teacher in me - sorry!). Here's the book. I'll show it to you and then discuss my personal pros and cons.



The cover is beautiful. It's a hard-bound book and looks well made. It's one of the Milner Craft Series books, and they generally do a very nice job on their books, I think. The cover reminds me a lot of Celia Fisher's books on illumination, if you've ever seen those...



When you open the book, you're met with this Jane Nicholas masterpiece on the endpapers of the book. I've seen this piece on the Jane Nicholas Stumpwork Embroidery website - in her gallery - but on there, you can't really get upclose to the piece.



But in the book, you can see such beautiful detail. You can linger over each little motif in the picture. I almost think the endpapers are worth the cost of the book, I got so much pleasure from looking at them!



About half-way through the book, you start to run into color plates. The first half of the book is black and white instruction, with line drawings and so forth - but the last half of the book is definitely the icing! Colored projects are depicted in their glory - simply, on white pages, some of which just have a little 4" x 4" colored photo smack in the middle. But what a photo!



The projects featured in the book include a supply list, instructions on working the project, a color plate of the finished project, and a line drawing of the pattern. The instructions are titled "Order of Work," which is nice. They take you step-by-step through completing the project, cross referencing Chapter 3, "Individual Elements."



In Chapter 3, "Individual Elements," the author instructs on creating each type of technique. This is where you learn to work each element featured in the projects - from grasshoppers to flower petals to leaves to bees to hives to caterpillars, and so on.



The last chapter of the book is a stitch glossary. From the simple backstitch to turkey work to needleweaving to trellis stitch, every type of stitch you need for the projects in the book is explained. The stitches are illustrated with line drawings, usually several per stitch.



And the book ends with the same picture with which it begins.

All in all, it is a beautiful and useful book for the embroiderer interested in stumpwork and raised embroidery techniques.

Like most good embroidery books, the first chapter is dedicated to materials and equipment. Here, you'll find information on the threads, wires, hoops and frames, needles, etc. needed for stumpwork. The majority of threads used throughout the book are DMC, though the author does list several other useful types of threads, which you will also find required in some of the projects.

The second chapter is devoted to general instructions about stumpwork - methods for stitching over wire and attaching separate elements to a motif, how to stitch a leaf without a central vein, how to use felt with small pieces of different elements (using fusible interfacing), using organza, and so forth. You'll also find a nice section in this chapter on finishing techniques, from mounting work on a box lid to making a paperweight & brooch, to lacing embroidery to a board before framing. All in all, a nice, thorough chapter of general, useful information.

Chapter 3 is discussed above. Chapter 4 contains all the projects in the book: four types of brooches; a rose, pomegranate and strawberry piece; a rose and bee; acorn thistle and bee; acorn, thistle, and butterfly; butterfly and berries; Christmas rose and dragonfly; pomegranate and gooseberries; Christmas acorn and berries and Christmas acorn and pomegranate; dragonfly and berries; hellebore, berries, and dragronfly; Christmas rose, berries, and dragonfly in white; and two Medieval mirror frame patterns.

Chapter 5 - the stitch glossary - is mentioned above. The book closes with a bibliography and suggested further reading, a thorough index of the book, and, finally, information on ordering stumpwork supplies, kits, etc., from Jane Nicholas.

Pros:

Wow, the pros are almost too many to mention:

The book is clear, clean, bright, and crisp - a nice, quality book with excellent content. The pictures are gorgeous, though there aren't a lot of them. The layout of the book is functional and pleasing: the cross-referencing in the projects page to the individual elements and stitch glossary is effective. The fact that the reader is instructed on many different individual elements is conducive to further creative endeavors with stumpwork - you certainly aren't limited to just the patterns in the book.

Cons:

I would like to have seen more elaborate stitch instructions. Two or three diagrams don't always do it. But they're not "bad" stitch instructions - they're good and thorough. By reading and referencing the diagram, anyone should be able to accomplish the stitches explained in the glossary. I was also initially surprised by the lack of color throughout the book. Don't get me wrong - there are many beautiful color plates of the projects in the last half of the book. As previously mentioned, each project has a color plate that corresponds with it. My initial surprise gave way to admiration, though, for a nice, clean, clear book. There's nothing "cluttered" here - the book seems enticingly simple in all regards, though dealing with a much more complex form of embroidery.

This is one of those books that I'd put on the "highly recommended" list. It is fascinating to read, a pleasure to browse through. I like it a lot!

You can find the book used through Amazon right now, for under $12. New, it runs around $23.



If you have the book, what are your thoughts on it? Do you like it? Have you found it a helpful and instructive reference?

Labels: book review, embroidery books, stumpwork

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, March 17, 2009
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I haven't done a "most popular needlework books" post in a good nine months or more, so it occurred to me that it might be interesting to see what books off my website were considered most popular among readers. Here's what I found out...

It's always interesting to look at the reports to see what's "hot" on the needlework book list. When I perused them this weekend out of curiosity, it was kind of fun to see what was popular.

Keep in mind that any books I recommend (or sell through Amazon) on Needle 'n Thread, I own myself, and I like each one for one reason or another - there is, to me, some definite value for embroiderers in the book, or I wouldn't recommend it.

Here they are, then - the top ten most popular selling needlework books on Needle 'n Thread so far in 2009, from 10 being the least popular to 1 being the most popular, out of 74 needlework titles that were looked at by readers:

10. Redoute's Finest Flowers in Embroidery

9. 4000 Flower & Plant Motifs: A Sourcebook

8. Beginner's Guide to Silk Shading

7. Embroidered Monograms & More, Book 2 (Leisure Arts #4366)

6. Long and Short Stitch Embroidery: A Collection of Flowers (Milner Craft Series)

5. Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches

4. White Work: Techniques and 188 Designs (Dover Needlework Series)

3. The Embroiderer's Handbook

2. The Embroidery Stitch Bible

1. Beginner's Guide to Crewel Embroidery

Those are all really good titles! I ordered some books myself the other day - after a long hiatus from book ordering, and I'm looking forward to reviewing them carefully. One is the book 'Twixt Art and Nature , which has already been reviewed a number of times online. The others, though, I haven't really seen reviewed. One I'm particularly looking forward to is 19th Century Embroidery Techniques by Gail Marsh, who also wrote 18th Century Embroidery Techniques, which I've reviewed here already. I liked that book a lot, so I'm looking forward to seeing if the subsequent century is as delightful and informative.

And a couple others on the list are stumpwork-related and design-related. If they are as good as I hope they are, I'll tell you about them!

Labels: embroidery books

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, March 16, 2009
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The purpose of today's article is both instructional and inspirational! I usually post reader's embroidery projects because I find them particularly interesting or inspirational, and I think it's nice to see what others out there are doing with their needles and thread. Here's a beautiful metal-thread embroidery project which features satin stitching...

Christiana embroidered this fleur-de-lis in satin stitch, using #1 silver Jap. The design she's using is from Tanja Berlin - one of the elements on her goldwork sampler. But Christi says she doesn't like filling with purl, so she wanted to try satin stitching instead, using the #1 silver Jap, which is a very fine metal thread.

She chose a blue silk ground, which sets off the silver beautifully.

In communicating over this project, we sent pictures back and forth and discussed the methods and so forth, and she took notes on what she was doing, which she subsequently scanned and sent along, too. So what I've done here is put together her project so that you can see how she did it, and maybe pick up some tips and tricks along the way.



Christi was working on her goldwork feather and the fleur-de-lis at the same time, so both projects were set up on a slate frame. Notice that the slate frame is dressed with linen, then the ground fabric (blue silk in this case) is basted onto the linen, so that she is working through both the linen and the silk. This is normal for most ecclesiastical work - and goldwork in general - that, behind the ground fabric, there is another layer of supporting fabric. Specifically, in ecclesiastical work, it is typical to set up a slate frame with a piece of linen, then mount the finer ground fabric on the linen. Often, when several small motifs are being worked, they'll be set up on one frame to save time and linen.



She used tissue paper to tansfer the design, tracing the design onto the tissue paper then using dark blue thread to stitch over the design to transfer the pattern. Using the dark blue (same color, more or less) as the ground fabric eliminates problems later, if the tacking threads can't all be removed. They aren't as noticeable!

For the top part of the fleur-de-lis, thin felt is used to pad the shapes. Christi stitched over the felt with a fine white thread to secure the felt to the fabric. This method of securing the felt differs from person to person and technique to technique. When I secure felt, I generally stitch very tiny stitches along the outside of the felt. This causes the felt to stand up a bit in the middle. Stitching over the felt as Christi has done helps minimize the height of the felt, which is what she wanted.

Instead of using felt on the arms of the fleur-de-lis, which are narrow and spindly, she discovered something: when removing the tissue paper from transferring the pattern, she noticed that the tacking threads held the tissue paper pretty firmly in place on the arms of the fleur-de-lis. She wanted the arms to be less padded than the top part of the design, and she thought that perhaps the tissue paper would serve to barely lift the thread off the fabric, to provide a white background behind the silver, and to give her a sharp edge for satin stitching. Maybe she didn't have to use felt on the arms after all, and this could save her a step!



And that's what she did - she left the tissue paper from the transfer on the pattern and stitched over it. She said it worked really well and it's a technique she'll use again. You can see in the photo above the tissue paper still attached to the fabric...



Here are the two arms and the base completed. Funny how the cameral makes the threads look more gold than silver... but really, it's silver!

Now, with the base of the design, Christi said she had some problems deciding how to stitch it, and here are her notes on the subject. You can click on them to see a larger version.



When satin stitching different shapes, it's important to take into consideration the length the stitches will cover in the longer parts of the shape. Stitches that are too long can loosen over time. Also, they don't always lie well. So this was good thinking, to split up the design!



You can see here the base of the design. I think it looks good, but I understand why it would have been better to split the design into three, instead of two, stitching areas.



Satin stitching around curves can be tricky, and one of the most common problems is keeping "perfect" stitch direction. Christi didn't like her shifting stitch direction in the areas marked, so she noted that for future improvement. Um.... well, the truth is, we always look at our own work more critically. I think this looks good.



After finishing the satin stitching, she outlined the main part of the design with silver pearl purl.



And here's the finished piece - really beautiful!

Thanks, Christi, for sending the pictures along and the explanation of work!

I hope you enjoyed seeing this project, and that you picked up some ideas from her experiences working it!

Feel free to ask any questions...

Labels: embroidery tips and tricks, goldwork, needlework pictures, pictures, readers embroidery, silk

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, March 15, 2009
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And yet another Celtic monogram for hand embroidery: the letter L...

I'm almost finished with this monogram alphabet!! Yippee! The funny thing is, I've got several more alphabets I wanted to clean up and post! This is turning into a never-ending project!

Again, you're looking for embroidery stitch suggestions, please visit the Celtic A monogram, where you'll find several ideas for stitching up the monograms in this series.

Here's the small L:



And here's the large L:




For more hand embroidery monograms, check out my Index of Monograms for Hand Embroidery. If you're looking for other hand embroidery designs in general, check out my Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns, where you'll find an updated list of hand embroidery designs here on Needle 'n Thread.

Enjoy!

Labels: free embroidery patterns, monograms

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, March 14, 2009
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I keep playing with scrolly medallions for hand embroidery patterns... deep down, it's because I want to work one. But, deep down, I think I should be working on other things. Still, they're fun - and maybe you can work one for the fun of it!

One of these days, I'm actually going to embroider one of my embroidery patterns first, before posting the pattern. Ideally, I'd be posting "finished" pictures with each pattern, but truth to tell, I haven't the time! I need a ... what's the word? An assistant stitcher? (But then the assistant stitcher would get all the fun! Forget that!)

This design is somewhat like the scrolly medallion embroidery pattern I posted last week. Again, I think it'd make a neat design on a pillow, or on the outside pocket of a tote, or something to that effect. It could be worked in a single color, or it could be worked in multiple colors - it just depends on what you want!

For stitching ideas, I'd use line stitches of some sort - chain, heavy chain, Portuguese knotted stem, stem stitch, coral stitch, split stitch, Palestrina stitch, etc., (or a combination) for the lines. For the dots, though I know it would take ten forevers and require some precision, I have to admit, I'd go with satin stitch. I'd at least try it, anyway!

Click on the design below for a larger image you can save to your computer (you can then resize it as you wish) ... or use the PDF file below.



Scrolly Medallion #3 (PDF)

For more free hand embroidery patterns, visit my Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns.

Tomorrow, I'll show you a really pretty piece of reader's embroidery that's worked in silver threads on a blue background - really nice!

Today, I'm setting up my slate frame again, so I can experiment next week with a new piece of equipment that I can't wait to tell you about (but I'll wait, until the prototype is here!). I need to set up a project on my slate frame, but I haven't decided what project yet!

I hope you have a terrific weekend!

Labels: free embroidery patterns

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, March 14, 2009
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Continuing with this set of monograms for hand embroidery, here's the W.

Again, you're looking for embroidery stitch suggestions, please visit the Celtic A monogram, where you'll find several ideas for stitching up the monograms in this series.

Here's the small version of the W:



And here's the large version:



For more hand embroidery monograms, check out my Index of Monograms for Hand Embroidery. If you're looking for other hand embroidery designs in general, check out my Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns, where you'll find an updated list of hand embroidery designs here on Needle 'n Thread.

Enjoy!

Labels: free embroidery patterns, monograms

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, March 13, 2009
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Have you heard of The Silk Mill? It's a company in the UK that produces silk thread for needlework. It's a nice company - professional, friendly, and... silk producing. What more could you want? I had the opportunity to try out some of their threads this week, and so I thought I would introduce them to you.

The Silk Mill produces an amazing color range of silk threads for hand embroidery and other needlework techniques. They have over 500 colors, and it looks as if they are producing new colors with regularity.



Along with the packet of threads came a very nice brochure with all the colors (with corresponding names and numbers) illustrated. I'm just weird enough to really enjoy spending time looking at these types of brochures. I read them. Yes, I do! Like a book. There isn't a lot of information in the brochure, but I read the names of all the colors and look at the colors. I am sure this is a result of my fiber infatuation, but at the same time, I think it's also an attraction to color. I find the variety of names we give to colors fascinating!



The brochure groups the colors according to... well, colors! So in the yellow group, you'll find great names like Tiger Flower Yellow, Golden Sultana, Corn-on-the-cob, Saffron Crocus, Yellow Wagtail, and so forth. In the Orange list, some of the colors are Glazed Carrots, Firecrest, and Mexican Sunset. In the pink list, try Salmon Mousse and Popsicle Pink!



Besides individual skeins of colored silk, the Silk Mill packages skeins in different "theme" colors. For example, the package I'm reviewing here is titled "Winter at the Beach," and the colors correspond to a wintery beach. There are color packs (they call them mini-sets) titled enticing names such as "Moonlight and Champagne," "Summer Dress," "Winter in the Woods," and so forth. And all the colors work for the names! I love that!



You can purchase The Silk Mill threads individually, but they are more cost effective if purchased in groups of ten, or in mini-sets or full sets.



Here, you see my first set of Silk Mill silk, "Winter at the Beach." It's a five-skein set. The sheen on the silk is quite nice! This is monofilament silk, so the sheen is much higher than that of spun silk (like Soie d'Alger).



The skeins are actually a twist that, when untwisted, come apart into a large circle.



To untwist the skein, just find the knot that holds the bunch together. Once you find the knot, hold onto it and take the twist out, until you have a large circle. I'll show you below how I prepare this type of thread for stitching, in order to avoid frustration from tangling...



The silk is stranded - 6 strands in a bunch, like DMC floss.



After I opened the skein into a large circle, I cut the point where the knot was, so that I had a bunch of very long strands of silk. I divided the bunch into three equal lengths. You can divide it just in half, but I think the stitching length would be too long, for reasons mentioned below.

After cutting the threads to my stitching length, you can see that I had a rather boingy mass of silk... which would be a pain in the neck if it were left just like this - destined to knots and disorder... Plus, I don't like the boinginess of some silks. I prefer, if possible, to calm that down a bit.



Here, you can see that the thread is significantly "calmer." How did I manage it? I put the kettle on for a cup of tea, of course! I didn't think it right to play with silk from the UK without enjoying a good cuppa!

As soon as the tea kettle was whistling, I took the silk bundle in my hands, holding one end in one hand and the other in the other, and moved it back and forth in the steam coming out of the whistling tea kettle. I do this with a lot of different types of threads and have never had any adverse effects. I don't leave it soaking in the steam - I just pass it through. It goes straight immediately.



Once the thread was straight, I let it sit while I found something to hold it with. I used a key tab, as demonstrated in my previous article on thread organization and key tabs. Using the method shown in that article and the article on preparing coton a broder, I looped the silk onto the key tab ring and loosely braided it. I secured the end of the braid with a slip knot made out of soft cotton thread, gently and loosely secured. Now, I can pull one individual strand at a time from the braid.



At last! The comparison: on the left, one strand of DMC. On the right, one strand of Silk Mill silk.

Do you notice something? Look closely at the twist. I didn't notice this until I lined these two threads up for the picture. DMC is an S-twisted thread. The Silk Mill is a Z-twisted thread. If you are already familiar with rayons and some other silks (I believe Trebizond is also Z-twisted), you have stitched with Z-twisted threads. It doesn't make much of a difference in stitching, except with a few specific types of stitches. For example, if you work a stem stitch with a Z-twisted thread, it will look more like outline stitch (the stitches will roll around each other and be less distinguishable). If you want your stem stitch to look like a stem stitch, with the "rope" look and more noticeable separation in stitches, when stitching with a Z-twisted thread, you have to actually work an outline stitch. Also, with bullions, you twist the thread around the needle in the opposite direction. But for most stitching, the difference is minor, if not at all.

Back to the strands themselves: you can see that one strand of DMC is slightly smaller than one strand of Silk Mill silk.



Looking at a thread is never enough to tell you whether or not you will like it. You need to stitch with it! Put the thread through some paces and see how it feels. The thing is, I can never really "know" a thread until I stitch with it quite a bit. Still, a little bit of stitching should tell you right away if it's likely you'll like it.

So I stitched a few small bits. First, I stitched a little satin stitch swash. I also worked the chain stitch using two strands together.



I worked some cross stitches, stem stitch, Holbein stitch (double running stitch) and back stitch, and some split stitch.



Conclusions:

1. The silk is beautiful! It feels good in the hands - it doesn't snag or anything like flat filament silk is prone to do. It's smooth and luxurious feeling. The colors are vibrant and consistent. The thread is soft and fine.

2. I found it requires short lengths for stitching. As I neared the end of lengths of thread I was playing with, the thread started to exhibit some definite fuzziness. In short lengths, it performs fine (14 - 15").

3. It stitches beautifully. The sheen is nice, and thread, though boingy at first, behaves ok. In this regard, I would classify the ease of managing the thread somewhere between managing regular cotton and managing rayon (which I always find to be more persnickity than other threads). The stitches looked nice, and the sheen is exceptional.

4. Would I buy the thread? The brochure I received says the skeins are £2.75 each, or £2.50 for 10 or more. Mini-packs (5 skeins) are £8.50 each, and larger sets range from 11 skeins in a certain color group at £19.50 each, up to 27 skeins for £39.50. On the brochure, there's also a sticker that indicates that all skeins are £2 each, so perhaps there's a price reduction thing going on there? Also, on the website, you can see deals such as 10 skeins for £17.50...

With the current exchange rate, £17.50 ends up to be about $24.35 - $24.50. So one skein of silk would be $2.43 - $2.45US. And you know what? That's not a bad price! Of course, there's shipping to consider, but even with shipping, if I were ordering a larger order, I still think the silks would be a good price. This all depends, of course, on the fluctuation in the exchange rate, but right now, it's not bad! If the skeins are £2 each, the work out to about $2.70... I think the economical way to go is to buy them in packs.

So... would I buy Silk Mill silks? I think I would! In fact, I think I will! I like them! I like the threads - especially the feel and the sheen; they have a magnificent color selection; and they are reasonably priced.

Just for the sake of comparison:

Treenway Silks: 10 yards - $5.00
Soie d'Alger: @ 5.5 yards - $3.75 - $4.00 (it's got seven strands in each length, though)
Caron Waterlilies: 6 yards - $5.75 - $6.35
Needlepoint, INC: 5.5 yards - @$4.00
Thread Gatherer Silk 'n Colors - 7 yards - @$6.50 - $7.00 (12 strands per length)

So, if you're looking for silk, and you want to try something new, try the Silk Mill silk threads! If you order from them, tell them I sent you!

And let me know how you like the threads... I'd like to hear other people's opinions on them! Have you tried them already? Do you like them? What type of needlework do you use them for?

And, finally, just so you know - I'm not affiliated, this isn't a paid advert or anything like that! It's just my review and my opinion... you may have a different opinion - if you do, don't hesitate to share!

Ahhh. It's Friday - enjoy the weekend!

Labels: embroidery resources, embroidery tips and tricks, needlework pictures, pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, March 13, 2009
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I'm getting there!! I'm utterly determined to finish this alphabet, so I can move on to other hand embroidery patterns without having this unfinished business hanging over my head! So, on that note, here is the Celtic I...

Again, you're looking for embroidery stitch suggestions, please visit the Celtic A monogram, where you'll find several ideas for stitching up the monograms in this series.

Here's the small version of the I:



And here's the large version:



For more hand embroidery monograms, check out my Index of Monograms for Hand Embroidery. If you're looking for other hand embroidery designs in general, check out my Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns, where you'll find an updated list of hand embroidery designs here on Needle 'n Thread.

Enjoy!

Labels: free embroidery patterns, monograms

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, March 12, 2009
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Have you noticed that weekends are a lot shorter than the work week? This tends to cramp my "embroidering style," but I can't seem to figure out how to do anything about it! I can never get as much embroidery done on the weekend as I want to, and during the work week, I can hardly get anything done! So, I'm enjoying my 15 minutes with my needle and thread.

A couple weeks ago, I introduced the topic of setting aside 15-minute needlework sessions, grabbed here and there during the day, to at least make some progress on embroidery (or other) projects. My point, I suppose, was that you can actually get a lot done in 15 minutes, and those 15-minute sessions do add up to real progress!

Admittedly, sometimes those 15-minute sessions can be a bit of a wash, like my last 15 minutes with my goldwork iris! Argh. I still haven't recovered from that one! But at least I learned something!

Here's a 15 minute session with my whitework sampler.



I mentioned the story behind these large curly things on my whitework sampler the other day. So, here, I am finishing the filling work inside this curl. The stitch is an un-named mistake, but would be called reversed wave stitch, if I had done it correctly! Heh heh.

So, I set the timer, and with great enthusiasm, I picked up my camera, snapped the above photo, and then grabbed my needle, and the race was on!

Wait! Wait!!

Stop!

Racing won't do!!

I found I have a tendancy to want to race in these 15-minute sessions. "How much can I accomplish in 15 minutes?!" But that's not the point. The point is 15 minutes of regular stitching, not rushed stitching! Besides, when rushed and feeling pressured, mistakes are sometimes more likely!

So, I snapped a picture, took a deep breath, sat back, picked up my needle, propped my feet up (on the couch!) and just ... sttiiiiitched with nice, normal pacing until the timer turned off.

In the back my head, I was sure I could finish filling in this curl, and, while I was controlling the urge to really rush, I still figured I had it in the bag. Surely I could finish this filling...



But alas! No! I was just beginning to stitch the first stitch on the bottom of the second to the last row there, when the timer went off. Oh... I could've cheated. I could've kept going! I wanted to, that's for sure! But with other things pressing (like my first class starting in 10 minutes!), I thought it wise to stop!

So there's a 15-minute session. As usual, I was excited and fired up to get home and finish the filling! But as luck would have it, I haven't had a chance to get back to it yet! (Maybe tonight?!) I'll let you know!

Labels: 15 minutes, drawn thread embroidery, needlework pictures, pictures, whitework

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, March 12, 2009
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Here's the next monogram for hand embroidery, the Celtic H.

If you're looking for embroidery stitch suggestions, please visit Celtic A monogram, where you'll find several ideas for stitching up the monograms in this series.

Here's the large version of the H:



And here's the smaller version:



For more hand embroidery monograms, check out my Index of Monograms for Hand Embroidery. If you're looking for other hand embroidery designs in general, check out my Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns, where you'll find an updated list of hand embroidery designs here on Needle 'n Thread.

Enjoy!

Labels: free embroidery patterns, monograms

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, March 11, 2009
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Last time I mentioned the goldwork iris project, I was befuddled over what threads to use for couching. I went out to the studio, then, and decided to end my befuddlement.

I went through my selection of silk threads to see if I had anything I'd like better to use as the colored couching threads. While out there, I also dug through all my other threads, and happened upon - shock! horror! - some Sulky machine embroidery threads.

So I brought everything I found inside to the iris to do some pondering.

I pondered thus:



I like the fineness of TESS silk. This is Helen Stevens's silk thread line, made by the same folks who make Piper's Silk. But alas, as you may already be guessing...



... I don't much care for the colors I have on hand. The greens are ok - in fact, I like them! But the purples leave a lot to be desired, as does the closest color I came to "coral."



Pondering further, just for the fun of it, I lined up the Sulky threads. Oh - you have to admit - the colors are really nice! But something.... something.... just grates against the thought of using a polyester machine embroidery thread. *Sigh* Am I a fiber snob? I don't think that's exactly it. It's more a matter of the combination. Silk and gold just belong together!



But wow. I do like the colors. I like the purples especially...

I furthered my pondering by stitching over the gold with all three threads, the Soie d'Alger I originally started with, the TESS silk, and the Sulky machine embroidery thread.



The Soie d'Alger is on the left, followed by the TESS in the middle, and the Sulky on the end.

My heart longéd for the right colors in the TESS! I love the look of that fine, flat silk over the gold! And it stitches well over the gold - very nicely! And the fineness of the thread is most excellent for the couching of the gold, varying the distance between the stitches and so forth.

Alas and alack, without the right colors, though, I knew I would not be happy.

I didn't much like stitching with the Sulky threads. I sort of knew I wouldn't. It looked ok, but not that great.

What do you suppose my conclusion was?

Labels: goldwork, needlework pictures, pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, March 11, 2009
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Not a whole lot to show you on the whitework and drawn thread sampler, but at least I did manage a wee bit of stitching. This is the progress so far...

As a short background, my purpose in this project is to explore a variety of whitework and whitework-related techniques. I'm working on a 36 count natural colored linen. It's an even-weave linen, meaning that the warp and weft threads are approximately the same size, so that one can count horizontally or vertically approximately 36 threads in an inch. It's not the ideal ground for some whitework techniques, but it works great for drawn thread, pulled thread, and Schwalm embroidery.

Normally, whitework is worked white-on-white, but I chose a darker background fabric for the sake of the photos.

As I've been working on the sampler - which is totally random, just doing "whatever" whenever and wherever (this is probably going to be a bit of a mistake!), I keep thinking ahead to the next thing I want to do on it. I'm contemplating the difficulties of good satin stitching on this fabric. I generally like working satin stitch on a higher count fabric that isn't necessarily even-weave (though it can be). Anyway, I think I can manage it on this fabric, as long as I use a crewel needle or similar, with a sharp point. With tapestry needles that have a blunt point, it is difficult to stitch into the fabric threads, but with satin stitching, to get a smooth edge, I know I'm going to have to split fabric threads.

Looking ahead to some satin stitching, I'm trying to decide precisely what I want to satin stitch. The logical choice would be a monogram, since they are very often the subject of whitework. I want to demonstrate a technique called trailing, though, so if I select a monogram, it will probably be the best letter to demonstrate the technique of trailing. It will need to be flowy, with narrower and wider parts. I'm thinking an "S". But why would I want something embroidered with an "S" on it??! So we'll see about that!

In the meantime, this is what I've been doing on the sampler. Now, I know it's kinda weird-looking! But let me tell you how it developed before you chalk it up as too bizarre and unfitting for the rest of the sampler so far!!



See those big curls. Weird. But back to that in a bit... The last time we visited the whitework sampler, I had not yet worked the motif directly below the insanely large curly things. In that drawn thread patch, I attempted to mimic a variation that I saw in Therese Dillmont's book, Drawn Thread Work, which I reviewed a few weeks ago. I'm not satisfied with the results. I think it looks bizarre. But, it was interesting, and at least it was something to learn. The wheels in the middle (the big white dots) are made by weaving the thread around the intersections of the the coral knot threads traveling up and down from one bunch of threads to the next. In Dillmont's illustration, she doesn't have the vertical white threads working up to the wheels, but I put them in there because I didn't do the wheels as I went, while working the coral knot "waves." Those vertical lines make the whole thing look kind of strange!



Now, about these chunky curly things. They were completely spontaneous. I wanted to work a variety of drawn thread and pulled thread fillings, but I didn't want to keep working in squares. I thought about circles (and I still might do some!) but I ended up doing these scrolly things instead. They're worked in chain stitch, using a #16 coton a broder.

Inside the curlies, I withdrew some threads so that I could work some filling techniques.



And here's the first attempt. Hilariously enough (I'm not really laughing! Ok, actually, now I am!), my first filling was going to be a reverse wave stitch, which I was going to photograph upclose for tutorial. (You can see the reverse wave stitch in the crown on top of the Schwalm pomogranate.) Oh, golly! I started going, and realized I was not really doing the reverse wave stitch. I had run amuck somehow. But since it was working out (more or less), I left it.

Notice that in this particular curl, the drawn thread areas get closer together towards the top. You see, originally I was taking out two threads from the fabric and leaving three in. As I worked higher on the curl, I took out two threads and left only two in between the drawn thread areas. I thought that this would help give a "shaded" look (just an experiment!) to the curl, because the white stitches would be closer together. But once I got going, I realized it isn't the white stitches that show - it's the gaping holes. They get closer together, but it isn't that noticeable!



So, this is where I am, working out the fillings in the big fat curls. I'm planning on working some more decorative stitching outside the curls - different sized scallops or something. We'll see how that develops!

And then, once I finish these elements, I'll move on to... well, something else in the sampler. I was thinking of going straight into satin stitch at first, but the more I look at the sampler right now, the more I think I'll add some filling. But then on the other hand, if I don't break away from this drawn thread stuff soon, I fear the whole sampler will end up dedicated to drawn thread, with a bit o' Schwalm thrown in!

What think you? Any ideas for future elements of the sampler? I'm all ears!

More Drawn Thread and Whitework Embroidery

Drawn Thread - Securing Edges with Re-Weaving
Drawn Thread - Securing Edges with Satin Stitch
Drawn Thread - Hemstitch Tutorial
Drawn Thread - Chain Loop Bunches
Sampler Update with Schwalm Embroidery
Online Book on Drawn Thread Techniques
Diamond Stitch in Drawn Thread Work
Coral Knot Bunches in Drawn Thread Embroidery
Zig-Zags in Drawn Thread Embroidery
All Whitework Articles on Needle 'n Thread

You can find more tips and tricks for hand embroidery - including all the above tutorials - indexed on my Tips and Tricks for Hand Embroidery page.

Labels: drawn thread embroidery, needlework pictures, pictures, sampler, Schwalm, whitework

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, March 10, 2009
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, March 10, 2009
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, March 09, 2009
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Continuing with the Celtic-styled monograms for hand embroidery, here's the T.

If you're looking for stitching suggestions, check out the Celtic A monogram, where you'll find stitching recommendations. But don't just rely on my recommendations! Feel free to experiment!

Here's the large version of the Celtic T:



And here's the smaller version of the monogram:



For more hand embroidery monograms, check out my Index of Monograms for Hand Embroidery. If you're looking for other hand embroidery designs in general, check out my Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns, where you'll find an updated list of hand embroidery designs here on Needle 'n Thread.

Enjoy!

Labels: free embroidery patterns, monograms

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, March 09, 2009
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It's been a long while since I've posted a free monogram for hand embroidery! I'm determined to finish up this Celtic alphabet, though... so here's the J.

You'll find suggestions for embroidering these monograms under the Celtic A. You'll also notice, on the Celtic A, that the area inside the loops formed by the knots are seeded with little dots. To cut down on the time spent cleaning up the monograms, I skipped the dots, but you can certainly add them into your embroidery, using seed stitch or French knots, if you wish!

Here's the large version of the J:



And here's the smaller version of the J:



For more monograms - in this alphabet and one other floral alphabet - please visit my Index of Monograms for Hand Embroidery. You'll also find a bunch of free embroidery patterns here on Needle 'n Thread under my Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns.

Enjoy!

Labels: free embroidery patterns, monograms

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, March 08, 2009
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... but is it cheating?

You see, I just love daffodils, and I don't go outside this time of year without seeing them, and thinking, "Golly. I just love daffodils." I've never embroidered daffodils, and in fact, I've never seen them in any needlepainting kits or books... Why not, I ask! The daffodil is the Cheeriest Flower of All! And it is the harbinger of that happy season, Spring! Woe is me! Why hath the poor daffodil been overlooked??!

With such thoughts bouncing around in my head, I began to think of the daffodil as a subject for embroidery. Needle painting, of course! Sure, it could be cross stitched, it could be needlepointed - but needlepainting would do it justice!

I'm not an artist, when it comes to good sketching of realistic things. Oh, yes - I try, but ... wow. Never mind! That's one skill I'd love to have - to be able to sit down, whip out a sketch book, and produce something that looks real, with the correct proportions, shading, and so forth. Some people say it just takes practice. I think it probably takes a wee bit of specialized talent.

So, I jumped online and started looking for images, which brought me to the popular site, How Stuff Works. I don't get how this fits under the heading of "how stuff works," but they do have a section on there on "how to draw a ___ in 5 easy steps."

I bet you're thinking I sat right down and taught myself to draw a realistic daffodil in five easy steps, right? WRONG!

It's the finished product on the "how to" pages that caught my eye.



The finished product of the five easy steps is supposed to resemble these daffodils. Well, there they are! I figure you can print out these black and white drawings, make some adjustments if you like, play around a bit with color using pencils or watercolors, then match threads and there's a good needlepainting project!

Now, to make things really exciting, I started roving through the list of "how to" drawings and found the following plants, flowers, and fruits, all of which would make nice embroidery patterns:

Grapes

Daffodils

Irises

Poinsettias

Lily of the Valley

Daisies

Flower Arrangement

Orchid

Cacti Scene

Wheat Field

Geraniums

Lilacs

Lily

Marigolds

Palm plant

Pansies

Plant Arrangement

Poppies

Pumpkin on a vine

Roses

Strawberry and Blossoms

Tulips

African Violets

I especially like the grapes, daffodils, tulips, lilies, and strawberries. The cacti scene and the wheat field could be the beginning of a highly textured landscape piece.

All in all, it was a successful search for the daffodil. I'm afraid I probably won't be paying homage to the chipper little flower any time soon by setting it down in thread, but some day, some day...

I hope you find these drawings useful for your own embroidery projects!

In the meantime, I'm still plugging away on my goldwork iris, as well as the whitework sampler. I'll show you a bit of both of those this week!

Labels: embroidery design, embroidery resources, free embroidery patterns, needlepainting

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, March 08, 2009
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Sticking with the scrolly theme and following up on my scrolly medallion for hand embroidery, here's a scrolly design that can be hand embroidered as a corner, an edge, the top of something - you name it.

This type of scrolly design is a good way to practice line stitches, especially stitches such as stem stitch, coral stitch, Palestrina stitch, and chain stitch. The design itself would be easy to embroider, and you can add a bit of variety to it by varying your stitches or your threads, or by working different types of stitches side by side.

Think placemats, table cloths, cloth napkins, towels, aprons, dresser scarf, pillow cases ... You can even create a mirror image of the pattern to fill up a square area for pillows, etc.

This is actually a take-off from a sconce on my sister's wall in her living room, with a bit of elaboration to it.

Here's the design. You can click on it for a larger version and resize however you wish. A PDF version follows.



Scrolly Design (PDF)

If you're looking for more hand embroidery designs, check out my Index of Hand Embroidery designs - you'll find all kinds of stuff there, including a long list of patterns available at other websites. Feel free to recommend a website, too, if you know of anyone offering hand embroidery designs...

Enjoy!

Labels: beginner embroidery, free embroidery patterns

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, March 07, 2009
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, March 07, 2009
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, March 06, 2009
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I've been playing around with some scrolly medallions and other motifs for hand embroidery, doodling in trusty Inkscape (hey, it's free, and it works! I like it a lot!).

Lately, I've been looking at all things from the point of view of potential embroidery designs. I live close to a beautiful historical site, where the old buildings, built in brick and some in native limestone, are adorned with wonderful little bits of art - from wrought iron railing to caps on buttresses, to little stonework designs over windows. It's funny how I never really thought in terms of embroidery whenever I saw these buildings - but now, I do! (In fact, I think of so many things I see daily in terms of embroidery, that it's starting to worry me!)

So, here's a design that can be used for anything - you can size it up or down. I think it'd be great in multiple layers of stitches. For example, you could "bolden" up some lines - like the parallel lines in the center - with a nice line of Palestrina stitch, then, right next to it, a tiny line of chain stitch or backstitch (as is done in Schwalm work, with coral stitch and chain stitch right next to each other for the bold lines). Then you could work the other scrolly bits with lighter lines, for a good contrast and to give interest and dimension to the design.

The dots (center and tips) can be filled or outlined. If you're not up to satin stitch on dots, just outline them!

Here's the design. You can click on it for a larger version, which you can save and resize as you wish... or you can pick up the PDF version below and resize before printing.



Scrolly Medallion Hand Embroidery Pattern (PDF)

I think this would look really pretty in white, by the way, on a natural linen background - perhaps on the outside pocket of a bag? Or on a square journal cover? Hmmm... lots of possibilities!

For more free hand embroidery patterns, I've got an Index of Hand Embroidery Patterns that includes those here on Needle 'n Thread, as well as free embroidery patterns online. And, if you're wondering how to stitch, feel free to check out my Video Library of Hand Embroidery Stitches!

Have a terrific Friday, and have fun with the new pattern! (Hey, if you do anything with it, let me know!)

Labels: free embroidery patterns

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, March 06, 2009
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, March 05, 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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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, March 04, 2009
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My miniature embroidery trial project is finished! Overall, I liked working on it - a lot!! As with most projects, now that it's finished, I can take a retrospective view on the experience and conclude that, sure, there are a few things I'd change if doing it again... but overall, I'm pretty happy with the wee thing.

For this little piece, I used 48 count Alabaster Angel from Legacy Linen. The design comes from a Sweetheart Tree kit I picked up while on vacation a couple years ago. In the original kit, the fabric was a 28 count pink checkered linen, which was to be stitched over 2 threads. If the piece were stitched by the kit directions, the final project would be between five and six inches square.

I used one thread of DMC in the colors recommended for the kit. Unfortunately, the beads included with the kit (Mill Hill Petites) were too large to include!



The finished size of the embroidery is just barely shy of 1.5" x 1.5". I used the tent stitch (half cross stitch) for the whole piece.



In needlepoint, which generally makes regular use of tent stitch, the stitches are generally always worked in one direction. However, I found that, when adapting a cross stitch design - especially one with different parts pointing in four different directions in the corners - it is acceptable, wise, a good idea, necessary even, to change the direction of the tent stitch... I figured that out a bit late with some parts of the design.



In the original kit, the inside of the parallel lines that make up the central diamond is filled with Algerian Eye stitch worked in white. I suppose I could have been a bit adventurous and filled in the diamond thus, but I liked it better as it is. I though the filling stitches would crowd the piece too much.

Now, for another treat, here's a photo Ginger sent of a miniature coverlet, stitched in surface embroidery stitches. She took the photo at a museum, where the curator allowed her to. The silver stitching and the silver lace on the edge are really nice, and I love the fact that it is all regular surface embroidery! What fun! Imagine the time that went into this tiny thing...



Thanks, Ginger, for sending the photo. I've replied in the usual place...! Sorry! I'm looking into getting that problem fixed!

I suppose most miniature embroidery is done for doll houses. I, on the other hand, intend to frame and hang this little piece, along with Christiana's sampler!

Speaking of framing miniature embroidery, here's an excellent tutorial by Larry at Wood'n Bits on making miniature frames for embroidery. He takes you step-by-step through making tiny frames which you can then mount silk gauze onto, and stitch, and, when you're finished stitching, you have a framed piece. It's a great tutorial. He continued it with another post on more miniature frames, which he sells - take a look!

And finally, speaking of silk gauze, once upon a time, I thought I had a link to somewhere online that offers 72 gauge silk gauze. Of course, I've lost the link... but to wonder if I imagined it? Does silk gauze come in such a fine mesh? Anyone know? and if so, would you happen to know where I can find some? I think I like this little stuff - not for looooong term, on-going embroidery, trust me! But for fun little projects, I like going micro!

Labels: counted thread embroidery techniques, embroidery resources, miniature embroidery, needlework pictures, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, March 04, 2009
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, March 03, 2009
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Is there a better combination in the world of needlearts than goldwork and silk? You'd have to twist my arm to make me believe there is! I'm a sucker for both of them - but in combination, I'm completely twitterpated! Every time I get into a goldwork project, I find I have tunnel vision - I spend the day looking forward to getting back to the project! Well, I've recently set up a small goldwork project, and here's the beginning of it...

The gold in this goldwork project will be gold passing thread. If you're not familiar with what gold passing thread is, feel free to look at a few previous articles: gold passing thread up close, the Agnus Dei project, the golden pomegranate, or my goldwork Christmas ornament from this past Christmas - all of them make liberal use of gold passing thread.

In this technique, which is called Or Nué, the gold passing thread will be couched with colored silk to form a picture. I've recently run a couple articles on Or Nué techniques (Margaret's goldwork flower and Christiana's goldwork peacock feather) if you want to get more of a sense of what the technique is all about.

Here, I'll be going step-by-step through the process of Or Nué embroidery, and I'll tell you up-front, I've only worked the technique a few times, on simple projects. This little iris is more complicated than any Or Nué I've done before, and I will undoubtedly be troubleshooting along the way!

I'm off to a bad start, anyway. Let me show you what I mean...



Here's the design, traced onto tissue paper. It's from 4000 Flower & Plant Motifs: A Sourcebook by McCallum - an excellent book for little motifs perfect for embroidery. I modified the design slightly.



After laying in some (really sloppy!) color using prismacolors and centering up the design, I added in that swashy looking line, because I'm thinking I'll work the gold thread in some other pattern besides just a straight line. I don't think this particular swash is going to be my gold thread guide, though....



The next thing to do was to consider colors of silk. Actually, the next thing was to consider TYPES of silk. I wanted a fine thread, to ensure that I didn't end up with too much bulk over the gold threads, which could distort and push them out if I didn't space them correctly. It was at this point that I noticed that none of my finer threads were available in the same colors - or in any extent of color - compared to my rather haphazard collection of Soie d'Alger. Now, Soie d'Alger is my favorite thread for needle painting (long and short stitch - like this needlepainted iris, which is actually worked in DMC cotton). I found as I was planning out this goldwork project that I was thinking too much in terms of needlepainting. This may pose a problem later - we'll see!



Anyway, I had a good collection of purples and greens in the Soie d'Alger, so that's what I decided to go with.



I selected a palette. I think these are way too many shades of color!! (And I know you're probably wondering about that coral. So am I!)



I'll probably end up using these two purples...



... and these two greens predominantly.



So, colors selected and pattern more or less messily prepared, I headed to my light box to transfer the pattern onto the fabric.

And here comes Mistake #1:



I outlined in black, using a micron art pen. Oh dear. It didn't occur to me until later that I really don't want those harsh black lines on the surface of the fabric. I know that there will be some space between the gold threads - not a lot of space, but some, nonetheless. I don't want any vague black outline peeking through...



And this could be Mistake #2, but I don't know yet. I used prismacolors (soft lead colored pencils) to lay the color in on my fabric. Normally, this would be done with watercolor paints, but .... mine are packed away, and I was over-eager. I tend to think it'll be ok.

Regarding the black line, I'm planning on couching stitches long that black line, so I'm hoping they will be sufficient cover up. We will see!

After I finished transferring the design, I mounted the linen on an Evertite Frame, which have fast become my favorite frames. (I don't have a slate frame that's small enough for this project). Now, my next step is to prepare all my supplies and put everything together in one basket for easy access. Then, I'll set up my Needlework System 4 stand with the frame in it, and have that ready for those 15 minute moments when I can take a few stitches during the week!

So that's my current colored project! I'm still working on the whitework sampler, though not regularly. I'll be dividing up a few days a week for whitework, a few days a week for goldwork now. I did finish my miniature embroidery piece, and will show you some photos of that tomorrow.

What are you up to? Do you have any projects going? Are you blogging progress on any projects? Feel free to share a link to your blog, flickr account, etc., below, so that we can see what you're up to, too!

Labels: embroidery tips and tricks, goldwork, needlework pictures, pictures, silk

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, March 03, 2009
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In another 15 minute session with my needle and thread, I managed to accomplish a tiny bit of embroidery on a tiny embroidery project. As luck would have it, this 15-minute embroidery experience was nowhere nearly as productive as the last one!

Miniature embroidery has its drawbacks. The most noticeable one, for me, is the fact that it's miniature! Now, don't get me wrong - I like this project. It's fun! But on such a small scale, once the stitches are in, it's actually hard to see which direction the stitches are going. This wouldn't be a big deal, except for the fact that the four corners point in four different directions, and I quickly found that the design looked better if the tent stitches were altered to point in a certain direction, depending on the corner.



You can definitely see the problem with the center of the motif - I should have changed the direction of my stitching on the the right-hand leaf! I may take that out and fix it. (Then again....)

So, once again, here's a 15 minute segment of stitching. I took the above photo after setting the timer for 15 minutes, and when the timer went off, I stopped stitching.



I managed to get in the top of all the flowers in the light pink! I was so happy!

But then I realized that the stitching on the bottom right corner was done in the wrong direction! I didn't take it out at that point - I figured that would make a good job for another 15-minute segment!

Anyway, the little motif is coming along. I'll show you finished photos of it later on - with a ruler to give you a sense of size...

In the meantime, I've got a lot of work to do to catch up on a weekend that was insanely busy! I hope you had a chance to check out the goldwork peacock feather, which I didn't get a chance to post until later Sunday night. It's quite a beautiful piece of work!

Enjoy your Monday! And I do hope you get in a good 15 minutes (or more - lots more!) of stitching today!

Labels: 15 minutes, counted thread embroidery techniques, miniature embroidery, needlework pictures, pictures

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, March 02, 2009
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Here's a bit of goldwork done by Christiana - a peacock feather... it's really beautiful and speaks for itself...

The project is a type of goldwork called Or Nue´ in which colored threads are used to couch gold passing thread to form a picture. The gold that isn't couched in color is couched with regular gold couching thread. Christi worked the design from a grid, rather than on a painted surface, using the lines of the gold to form the "grid" for the picture. I believe the original design was one by Michael Cook, who made it for weaving.



Here's the piece in progress. You can see the grid on the left. Working over the gold threads, the grid got a bit "squished" so that the feather ended up a bit shorter and wider - but it doesn't in any way diminish the beauty of the piece!



Here it is! Isn't it amazing? I think it's really beautiful! The "hairy" threads on the end still need to be plunged...



This is the design the threads made on the back of the fabric. Neat, eh?



Here you can see a distance shot of the feather, set up on a slate frame with another project (a fleur de lys worked in Japanese silver #1, on a blue background - more on it later!).

I really love this piece, and it, and Margaret's Or Nue´ flower, have done gone and inspired me! I set up an Or Nue´ project this weekend between bouts of company (it's the only embroidery-related thing I accomplished!) I'll chronicle my progress on it, and hopefully be able to share some tips and tricks as I go along. You can learn from my mistakes, for I'm sure to make some!!!!

Thanks, Christiana, for sending along the photos! Congratulations on finishing a really beautiful project!

Labels: goldwork, needlework pictures, pictures, readers embroidery

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, March 01, 2009
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