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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In the Market for an Embroidery Kit? or a Special Project?

 

Amazon Books

This is just a quick news item, perhaps worthwhile for those of you looking for a special project or kit, especially if you live in the US or Europe. You know I mention (sometimes even “rave on about”) Country Bumpkin quite often.

I love their magazine, Inspirations. It’s always filled with great information, sources of inspiration, and detailed instructions to complete the featured projects — not to mention, great photography, nice stories, and so forth. It’s the ideal magazine for someone who loves fine needlework.

Their kits are excellent, too. With their kits, you get all the materials you need to finish the project in the magazine – fabrics, threads, needles, embellishments, finishing goods, etc.

The biggest drawback to ordering from Country Bumpkin is the postage, which can often be steep even if you’re just ordering a “little” something. BUT – this is my point of this post – if you keep up with international exchange rates, you may have noticed that, at the moment, the Australian dollar is somewhat low – I think the exchange rate right now is about .068 on the US dollar, and .50 on the Euro, which can add up to significant savings if you’re ordering outside Australia.

That being said, it might be a good time to check out Country Bumpkin’s online shop, or, if you subscribe to their magazine, it may be a good time to renew a subscription. If you have a special someone in your life who loves needlework, a subscription would make a great Christmas gift, too.

So, if you’re in the market for any of the above, do check out Country Bumpkin’s online shop (make sure you switch to your country’s currency so you can see the price difference), or their Subscriptions page.

On another note…

I’ve been spending time on the Long and Short Stitch lessons I’ve mentioned, and am about ready to reveal the pencil sketch of a sampler that I think I’ll call “The Long and Short of It.” That’s probably a really trite name. I don’t know what else to call it. I thought about “Shaded Stuff,” but that just doesn’t ring, you know? I’m not ready to launch into the lessons, yet, though. I have to stitch ahead on those, film and edit the tutorials, and so forth, all of which takes a lot of time. I don’t see those coming about until mid-November-ish, unless I have a blessedly free weekend before then! I’ll keep you posted as that develops.

Don’t forget to sign up for this month’s Autumn Abundance Stash Give-Away, if you haven’t already! It’s a good one!

 
 

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(5) Comments

  1. Don’t talk to me about the Aust $. *waaaaiiiil*

    Lucky I ordered my embroidery supplies and many books a couple of months ago – or I’d be paying almost double now!

    “The Long and Short of It” sounds good.

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  2. Mary,

    I LOVE your site. I am so happy I found it. I just ordered from the CB site and I get Inspirations. Thank you for steering me in that direction. I am bummed that CB discontinued the Hakau’s Dream kit. I just saw it last week, and it is gone this week, I guess in this case, you snooze you lose.

    Thanks again for promoting traditional embroidery, I feel like a duck out of water when looking for supplies for hand embroidery. Everything seems geared for counted cross or needlepoint. I am so happy you’re diversified.

    Thanks again! Keep it coming.

    Your big fan in Missouri,
    BJ

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  3. Thanks for the great scoop about shopping at CB right now. I have checked out their site often but just couldn’t bear to pay the final price after postage.

    Thanks again!
    Off to shop now. . .

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  4. Hi Mary!
    I do not see the hour of this video to be launched because I am going crazy trying to make a composition of colors to create a simple shade.I use Anchor Stranded Cotton because here in Brazil we do not have many options of thread.I have many doubts about Long and Short stitch because in a web site (http://www.victorian-embroidery-and-crafts.com/embroidery-stitches.html)the shown technique is one in the book of Mary Webb the technique is another one.I am confused.And also has the shade.I would like a tip to create a shade,with regard to the colors.You know if exists some program that I place the draw and it makes the conversion of the colors for the number of the threads?Sorry about my english,but I am trying to make this technique of embroidering without much success and have seen so pretty things in your web site.Please,check my blog and you will understand what I want to say.
    Kisses
    Valquiria

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  5. That’s a good name for it since you are actually teaching that technique. Shady Stuff would be good if used to show off the appearance of the finished item.

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