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
April 20, 2025
Happy Easter, my friends!
Here in Kansas, it’s a glorious day! Chilly, rainy, stormy. But a glorious day, nonetheless!
Here’s a little Easter eye-spy and puzzle for you, in a different format this time. We went vertical!
April 15, 2025
Perhaps color is an age thing.
Or maybe appreciation of color is an age thing? or could it be desire of color?
I don’t know.
I find that, more and more, I like color. LOTS of color. I like more color. I like color combinations, and more color combinations. I like color contrasts.
And I don’t rightly care all that much if the colors I like are “in” or not. Fashion color trends don’t seem to dictate my choices of – or desire for – color.
Is it an age thing? Or have I just become more open-minded?
I will chalk it up to the latter, and I will chalk it up to the latter for all those people out there who are accused of garish color choices “because they’re old.” I do not think it is age. I think it is the understanding and acceptance of the fact that Life Should Be Colorful. Color begets joy, darn it.
I got to thinking about this in depth for two reasons: 1. color plays a Huge Part in embroidery life;
And 2. Well…
There’s the Matter of The Blue Shelf.
April 11, 2025
Thanks so much for all the happy birthday wishes! And for participating in my Happy Birthday give-away!
Today, I’ll announce the randomly drawn winners of the give-away items and tell you what’s coming up – especially with next week’s schedule.
April 8, 2025
Today, I’m celebrating another milestone by becoming one day older – because let’s face it: I’m really only a day older than I was yesterday.
In fact, following this line of logic, I’ve decided to start calculating my age differently. By my new calculations, I must be somewhere around 20,000.
“It’s your birthday?! Why, how old are you?”
“I’m 20,000, give or take…”
It just feels so right.
For my birthday, I thought we’d have our own little party here on Needle ‘n Thread, by having a give-away.
Additionally, we’re going to have a sale! Yay! More on that below the give-away!
April 4, 2025
When things get complicated here in the studio and in life in general, I find it helpful to turn to a project that is just for fun, that I’ve been yearning to do but haven’t taken the time, and that gives me time to think.
I do a lot of thinking when I’m stitching – especially if I’m stitching on something that has no real obligation attached to it (yet). As long as it’s relatively uncomplicated (although sometimes, a challenge can kick me into gear on other things), I tend to get in some good contemplation that can lead to workable solutions for the Inevitable Problems of Life and of Work.
(It’s hard to call my job work, but it is work – it’s work I love, but it’s still work!)
This is a project whose parts have been hanging about in the studio for a long time. I’ve been wanting to play with it, I’ve been waiting to play with it, I’ve been willing to play with it… but Everything Else kept intervening.
April 2, 2025
Last week, I introduced you to my misadventures in appliqué, wherein I asked for your input because I just wasn’t finding a solution that I liked for this appliqué project that’s in the works.
Thank you all so much for your input! I was flooded with great ideas and suggestions, as well as some things to heed in the process. I appreciate that you took the time to help a poor gal in a quandary out.
I’ve been testing some of your suggestions and exploring a few ideas of my own. While I’m not in a Huge Hurry on this project, I’m trying to narrow down my approach as quickly as possible. Admittedly, I’d like to get this particular job done and off my plate for good!
March 31, 2025
Last year, we looked at the first three books in a new series called The Handpicked Collection from Inspirations Studios – I reviewed those here – and today, I’m going to show you volume 4, which just recently came out.
Of course, it’s beautiful. It’s packed with a bunch of gorgeous embroidery projects covering a wide range of techniques and levels of skill, so it’s a book that’s suitable for beginners and beyond.
I’ll show you the projects in the book while we chat about it…
