Ready to go browsing with me through favorite needlework haunts, blogs, shops, and so forth?
When time allows it, I like to browse the online world to see what’s going on in the needlework field – and heck, even when time doesn’t allow it, I find it’s a great way to procrastinate!
So – grab your coffee and come procrastinate with me!
Needlework Inspiration
There’s been a heap of inspirational stuff online lately. Lots of it is holiday-related, and I admit I’ve shied away from glutting on Christmas embroidery ideas this year. No, I’m not a Scrooge. I just haven’t had time to stitch on this particular theme, so the things that have really caught my eye have been entirely non-holiday-related embroidery items.
First, there’s the big unveiling of “Faith” – the 17th century embroidered jacket – over at Thistle Threads for Plimoth Plantation.
If you haven’t seen the pictures yet or read up on the last days and weeks before the project was presented to the public, do jump over to The Embroiderers’ Story and rest your eyes on an amazing and laudable achievement! Beautiful does not say enough about it! I remember first blogging about the whole project two years ago, after it had been underway for a good year – I was so excited about it and loved following along with the whole project!
Now that it’s over, it seems to me that we have all benefited from the jacket project in a lot of ways – one tangible way is the fact that we have Gilt Sylke Twist available on the market. Lucky us!
Now how about something springy? Allison Aller’s been doing punchneedle ribbon embroidery on some CQ squares. Have you seen her results? Well, you should! It’s a great take on ribbon embroidery – and there’s nothing like looking at beautiful flowers when your feet and nose are frozen.
Speaking of flowers, colors, and so forth, I introduced you last week to Sandy Vass’s new blog, Gold n’ Stitches. Uh. WOW. She didn’t crawl into blogging, here – she leapt in, and has put up some absolutely wonderful projects that she’s working on. I’m totally hooked, and I’m afraid I’m going to be drooling over her blog daily. Take a look at her latest Jane Nicholas project, and her circular Or Nue design! What think you of this? Doesn’t it just make you melt into a sea of gold and silk contentedness? I want to do what she is doing! And I want to do it Now! My green eyes are getting the better of me, as Shakespeare would say (or something along those lines.)
Update, 2017: The website mentioned above is no longer in action, either! Sorry!
I keep up with what’s going on over at Needleprint, because, though I don’t do a lot of counted work, the kind of counted work I do like is this stuff with the historical twist to it.
I really like the Quaker motifs, and I’m still fiddling with turning some more of them into Quaker Surface Motifs. In the meantime, though, Needleprint isn’t devoted just to counted work – oh my, no! There’s this gorgeous piece of needle painted art posted last week that completely bowled me over. The pomegranate in this piece is downright scrumptious looking. If I were Persephone, I’d not stop at six seeds…
Over on Coeur de Freesia, you must see this beautiful blue embroidery project that Elena has been working on. Scroll through all the posts, so that you can see this piece as it is developing. I love it! I want it! I want to make that. I don’t. I don’t have time. Stop.
Have you seen what Carol-Anne is doing over at Threads Across the Web? I love watching her Japanese embroidery projects unfold. They always looks so sharp, crisp, and beautiful. Her current project is particularly enchanting – I love the different patterns and colors of the cords!
(Update, 2017: Alas, the other recommended sites / sales mentioned in the rest of this article are now no longer relevant or are also no longer in action!)
Carol-Anne's project seems a very creative and beautiful way to showcase Needlepoint stitches. Different than the old-fashioned method of using brick stitch for a brick house picture, etc.
The Plimoth Plantation jacket is beyond gorgeous. It is breathtaking. And of course, proves to us that we cannot wear that kind of clothing anymore! Or can we?
Procrastinatine is what I do best. Love browsing the blogs and other sites. Lets go!!
Ricky in Winnipeg
Your posts make us long for so many things… I will have to start my wish list soon. Thanks for the lovely reviews
What a lovely way to spend an hour on the net…thank you for all the links!
What a lovely way to spend an hour! Thanks for all the links.
Kathy
I saw the jacket yesterday, and it is just stunning. I've been following it loosely for a while, and I really would love to make something like that. I'd love to do the Beatrix potter jacket some day, but I don't think I could get my man to put it on 😉
Hello Mary,
I am flattered by your interest for my blue embroidery. This will certainly motivate me to finish it !!! Thanks for the quote.
For Bohin embroidery needles in size 10-12, I am not sure it exists. But if I find them, be sure it is for you ! Have a nice evening,
Elena
Yes, you have distracted me a little bit and I thank you for featuring me to the world 🙂
(and two blogs to join the list – the others you've already introduced to me…)
Carol-Anne cords are a BEAUTY, aren't they?
And listen! that so well called Multi-Lingual Picture Stitch Glossary (hard to translate…)IS YOURS too as well Elena's, Luzine's and Giana's!
We all work on it! Again Thank you!
Dear MentorMary…..the 17th century jacket is absolutely YUMMY and I'd really love to dig my head/hands into something like that. It's ANYTHING but boring crossstitch. (Not to naysay those who love crossstitch.)..but I revel in a variety of textures,thread, yarn,stitches, etc. I continue to use you as my "without a doubt GURU"…There's so much out there and having you "field" the "good stuff" for me is lazy but effective!! Have a Merry Christmas ….. Wesolego Bozego Narodzenia Swiat!! (Polish)…..With warmest regards..Judy in Pittsburgh
Thankyou for telling us about "Flowers for Elizabeth" !
This is procrastination of the best sort! Thank you for all the beauty (and adding to my drool list!).
Thanks, Mary. You greatly shortened my procrastination time! 🙂
I've eagerly watched the Plimoth jacket take shape (no pun intended), but it really came to life for me when I saw it on the model. It's so beautiful. I hope I can see it in person someday.
Bohin needles: yes! I'm a fan, too. They're so smooth.
I'm also waiting for 'Flowers for Elizabeth'.
I love all the links to everyone's wonderful projects. Well done to all of you!
Beautiful Jacket! I admit, I have to make sure all my work is done, the house is clean and I've returned all phone calls before I check the sites for "just a second". I can spend hours and hours (and have!) just browsing. I know myself well enough to know "a second" isn't going to happen! LOL
Thanks — I think! I just spent over $100 on goldwork patterns/kits (the gecko and Jacobean tulip) after reading the Gold 'n Stitches website. I heard that Australian postage is going up again in January, so I had to act now to save money :].
I especially appreciate seeing the websites of stitchers from non-English-speaking countries since I don't usually stumble across those on my own.
Gosh, Mary, you have put me with some highly rarefied company….!!
Thank you so much…and for the hour's worth of delightful net cruising too (love the Danger Zone) with my morning coffee.
So many lovely sites !!! Thanks for sharing them !!!
I have spent the last 2 hours happily wandering through the sites you mentioned in this article. Not that I didn’t have many other things to do! I particularly liked the Gold ‘n Stitches site. Do you know of anywhere in the US where I can purchase the Stitches magazine of the UK embroiderer’s Guild? I loved the work that she had done from the No 32 Dec Jan 2004/05 issue but I haven’t been able to find that issue anywhere, nor the No 49 Oct/Nov 2007 issue. Any suggestions? Thanks again for all of your wonderful information. It is now time to water (already hot and dry here in CA Sierra Nevada foothills) and do my paperwork! Joy