About

Mary Corbet

writer and founder

 

I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more

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Archives

2025 (126) 2024 (135) 2023 (125) 2022 (136) 2021 (130) 2020 (132) 2019 (147) 2018 (146) 2017 (169) 2016 (147) 2015 (246) 2014 (294) 2013 (294) 2012 (305) 2011 (306) 2010 (316) 2009 (367) 2008 (352) 2007 (225) 2006 (139)
 

And a Happy Christmas to All!

 

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Merry Christmas, my friends!

I wish each of you all the joys and blessings of a happy Christmas season!

Here in Kansas, I’m celebrating the feast of Christmas with the local family. We went to Midnight Mass last night, so it’s a nice, peaceful, quiet start to the day in my house. But I’ll shift to my sister’s home later, where things will be much more boisterous!

I have an extensive family, so Christmas is always boisterous. My sister and brother-in-law host a big Christmas dinner at their home (which is only about four blocks away). Sometimes, friends join us there, too. Besides dinner, we play games, sing, play music, play with the little kids, and just chatter and gather. So that’s how I’ll be spending my day! I likely won’t indulge in any stitchery – but I might read a book this morning, because quiet, slow mornings are pretty rare these days.

For your Christmas enjoyment, Anna and I put together another I-Spy puzzle for you! Thanks to my baby brother Jim for photographing it!

2025 Christmas I-Spy Puzzle on Needle 'n Thread
Continue reading “And a Happy Christmas to All!”

Christmas Puzzle Teaser and Behind the Scenes

 

As a little harbinger of this year’s Christmas puzzle (which will come out on Christmas Day), I thought I’d highlight our past Christmas puzzles and give you a behind-the-scenes look at creating this year’s image for our 2025 I-Spy and Jigsaw.

I love taking photos of the scenes that we create. Not the Big Photo that we use for the actual puzzle – those are taken by my brother Jim, who happens to be a mighty fine “amateur” photographer with all the sweet equipment that goes with the hobby – but the more intimate photos, inside the scene.

2025 Christmas I-Spy on Needle 'n Thread
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A Trick You should Know for Tying a Bow

 

Schedule Reminder: The Studio and online shop are closed from Dec 3 through December 18, and I have limited access to email. If you email and don’t hear back from me, that’s why. Please leave all non-urgent communications until after December 18th. Thanks! Blog posts will continue through Christmas as planned, though, and there are a few other scheduled posts for you, too!

I’ve had a few emails this season so far, inquiring about bow-tying on embroidered ornaments, and several thanking me for the tutorial they found on Needle ‘n Thread for the very same thing!

It occurred to me that, as time passes, it’s easy to forget all the content out on the saturated internet. And for those who are new to Needle ‘n Thread, you might not know how I tie a bow.

So I’m reviving this little tutorial for you today, in case you’re in a frenzy, finishing up hand-made Christmas gifts that need tiny bows to top them off.

How to Make Tiny Consistent Bows for finishing needlework projects
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J is for Joy!

 

Schedule Reminder: The Studio and online shop are closed from Dec 3 through December 18, and I have limited access to email. If you email and don’t hear back from me, that’s why. Please leave all non-urgent communications until after December 18th. Thanks! Blog posts will continue through Christmas as planned, though, and there are a few other scheduled posts for you, too!

With Christmas on the horizon – not even 10 days away! – this particular A-Z dive in the archives seemed kind of appropriate to me.

Did you know that there are many monogram alphabets available on Needle ‘n Thread? I have a Thing about Monograms. I love embroidering them. I think it’s because they are, by their nature, singular and usually somewhat small.

The funniest thing about my penchant for monograms, though, is that I have very few (if any!) monogrammed items, myself. I don’t monogram for me. But I often monogram gifts for other people.

But back to today’s little resurrected bit from the archives. J… is for Joy.

Holly & Joy
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Twinkle Twinkle 7: The Decorative Beaded Edge & Finished!

 

Schedule Reminder: The Studio and online shop are closed from Dec 3 through December 18, and I have limited access to email. If you email and don’t hear back from me, that’s why. Please leave all non-urgent communications until after December 18th. Thanks! Blog posts will continue through Christmas as planned, though, and there are a few other scheduled posts for you, too!

Welcome to the final installment of Twinkle, Twinkle, our Christmas ornament stitch-along for 2025!

If you’re just joining in, you can find all the previous lessons – including materials lists and embroidery design – available here in the Twinkle, Twinkle project index.

If you are a member of the Needle ‘n Thread Community on Patreon, you have already received all this information! Members of the “Avid Stitcher” level have also received access to thorough video tutorials for every aspect of this project. If you’re not a member on Patreon and you would like to access any of the videos, you will find them listed in this Collection on the membership page, where you can purchase access to individual videos.

Let’s get started so we can Finish!!

Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Ornament stitch-along - finish
Continue reading “Twinkle Twinkle 7: The Decorative Beaded Edge & Finished!”

I is for … ???

 

Schedule Reminder: The Studio and online shop are closed from Dec 3 through December 18, and I have limited access to email. If you email and don’t hear back from me, that’s why. Please leave all non-urgent communications until after December 18th. Thanks! Blog posts will continue through Christmas as planned, though, and there are a few other scheduled posts for you, too!

Exploring deep into the Needle ‘n Thread archives from A-Z, today we’re at the letter I, which has proven to be a challenge.

Igloos, iguanas, incunabulums, interpolators, and inkwells are all well and fine, but I’ve never used these things in relation to embroidery.

Or in relation to anything else, really.

What to do… what to do?

Oh, I know! Ask Anna!

And sure enough!

Inchworm in Embroidery
Continue reading “I is for … ???”

Twinkle Twinkle Part 6: Assembling the Ornament

 

Schedule Reminder: The Studio and online shop are closed from Dec 3 through December 18, and I have limited access to email. If you email and don’t hear back from me, that’s why. Please leave all non-urgent communications until after December 18th. Thanks! Blog posts will continue through Christmas as planned, though, and there are a few other scheduled posts for you, too!

Welcome to Part 6 of our current stitch-along here on Needle ‘n Thread, Twinkle, Twinkle: A Christmas Star Ornament! Today, we’re going to construct the project into an ornament. If you’re not used to finish work, it might seem daunting, but I promise you, it’s pretty easy and it’s not going to take too long.

If you’re just joining in, you’ll find all the previous installments of this stitch-along available here, in the Twinkle, Twinkle Project Index.

For members of the Needle ‘n Thread Community on Patreon, you’ve already received the PDF that covers all this information.

If you are interested in video instruction for this entire project but not interested in the monthly membership (it’s $5 for “Avid Stitcher” level), you can purchase access to the individual videos that you’d like to view. You’ll find the videos listed under the Twinkle, Twinkle Collection on my membership page, including the videos for finishing the project.

Nitty-gritty announcements are over – let the fun commence!

Twinkle, Twinkle Stitch Along Part 6: Assembling the Ornament
Continue reading “Twinkle Twinkle Part 6: Assembling the Ornament”