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
Contact Mary
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
Contact Mary
June 26, 2026
If you happen to live in the Dallas / Ft Worth area of Texas – or perhaps anywhere in the midwest and you ache for a road trip – you might find this particular exhibit at the Kimbell Art Museum in Ft. Worth, worth a linger.
If you can’t make it to Texas by July 12th, though, you’ll miss it. I know! Short notice!
But if you can’t make it, you can still enjoy the exhibit from a distance. Here’s a look!
June 24, 2026
I’ve been stitching a second (or is it third?) approach to a small blackberry project that I’ll be releasing here on Needle ‘n Thread as a stitch-along this summer.
With this project, I wanted to use a natural colored linen, because I’m including some blossoms that are very light, and they will show up better against a natural background as opposed to a white background. I also like the look of this type of design (only slightly stylized, a bit “loose” and natural) on natural colored linen. It works.
The linen I’m using is not high count – it’s a 32/33 thread count weave (so not perfectly “even weave”) – but the weave is fairly full. The linen threads fill up the fabric surface pretty well, so you don’t have that airy, separated-weave look that you’ll often find in some linens made for counted work.
June 22, 2026
Would you like to meet my friends?
On Friday I apparently struck horror and grief into the hearts of many when I mentioned in this book review that …
…it’s true….
I don’t have a teapot.
I was even berated by some for being a self-claimed “dedicated tea drinker,” yet without a teapot!
There I was, reading my email, feeling so inadequate, so incomplete, so… stunted!…
…and then I remembered my friends.
June 19, 2026
If you’ve been building your library of Inspirations Studios Handpicked Collection books, you’ll be happy to know that The Handpicked Collection Volume 7 is out and ready to order! Hurray!
Back in 2024, Inspirations Studios in Australia began publishing a series of embroidery project books called The Handpicked Collection. Each book features a variety of lovely embroidery projects in a wide variety of techniques, for all levels of stitchers from beginners to experienced.
They began with volumes 1 through 3, which I reviewed here.
Volume 4 (reviewed here) came out in March of 2025; Volume 5 (reviewed here) came out in September, 2025; Volume 6 (reviewed here) came out this past spring; and now here we are, at Volume 7!
Each volume is a treasure of techniques and projects, and Volume 7 is no exception. Let’s take a look at the book itself and its instructional assets, and then I’ll highlight some of the projects. That way, you’ll know what to expect from this latest volume.
June 17, 2026
Welcome to Wednesday, and the article meant for Friday. I don’t love it when a plan doesn’t come together.
Alas, I was expecting our full shipment of The Hand Picked Collection Volume 7 to arrive between Monday and yesterday, and today, I was going to show it to you up close and personal.
But only one box arrived – late yesterday afternoon, as if by a Postal Afterthought. No worries – the rest will apparently be here today. And on Friday, we’ll explore the new volume together. Yay!
In the meantime, here’s a little pre-weekend diversion. You can save it for the weekend if you want! I came across this volume on Internet Archives and I wanted to share it with you because it has so much in it that’s good, plus it’s got some great illustrations that could translate into embroidery.
June 15, 2026
Today, we arrive at Z!
And with Z comes the official end to the ABC Archives series here on Needle ‘n Thread!
Pulling Z way out of the deep archives, we’re going to talk about Z-Twisted threads.
This can be a rather confusing topic, and it might not matter a lot to you. But it can make a difference to your stitches under certain circumstances.
June 12, 2026
It’s summertime, and the bugs are out.
The most insistent summer bug in my life is the travel bug, and I get bit by it every year. I don’t have a lot of opportunities to travel, but I do like traveling. And heck, if I can’t go in person, I don’t mind armchair traveling!
Last winter, you might remember, Anna and I went to Prague. We didn’t get much farther afield in Czechia because of time limits. It was a good “taster” visit, as it was the first time either of us had been there.
Of course I want to go back! But next time, I want to go to Vamberk.
Why do I want to go to Vamberk?
Let’s explore the reason together, shall we? And then I have some website & studio news for you…
