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Mary Corbet

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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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Happy Thanksgiving – and Some Needlework

 

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Embroidery Project

This year, my family in Kansas will be spending the day at my sister’s house, along with lots of family from out of state and some good friends. My contribution to the meal: pie, beeswax candles shaped like pinecones (for decoration – not to eat!), and an embroidered cloth to line the bread basket.

I haven’t made the pie yet…

Thanksgiving Embroidery Project

For the cloth to line the bread basket, I turned this coloring book page of fall leaves into an embroidery pattern, by reducing it and tracing it onto a large square flour sack towel. The design is stitched in a combination of chain stitch and stem stitch, so it was Really Fast Stitching.

Wherever you are today, whatever you’re doing, even if you aren’t celebrating Thanksgiving, I hope this message finds you well and happy, with much to be thankful for in your life! Thank YOU for your constant enthusiasm, inspiration, encouragement, and interest in hand embroidery!

And to keep the yearly “tradition” – here’s my Textile Turkey, to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, too:

Textile Turkey - Happy Thanksgiving

Enjoy the day!

 
 

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(19) Comments

  1. Dearest Mary, here is wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving together with your family. Better hurry up with that pie… mmm what kind of pie? Enjoy. Lots of love Elza xxx

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  2. A very Happy Thanksgiving to you and I wish you a lovely day with your family.

    I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving myself, being a Brit, but I thoroughly agree with the sentiment.

    Love your embroidery of the leaves and the turkey! I most definately have a lot to be thankful for ….. and your wonderful website is one of them 🙂

    Have a great time today.

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  3. Happy Thanksgiving to you too! I love the leaf pattern (I might stitch that in colors to match one of my china patterns), but the turkey – he’s MAGNIFICENT! Wow! Janet.

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    1. Thanks, all, very much for the Thanksgiving day wishes! It was a very nice holiday!

      I’m glad you like the leaf pattern – it really is a nice a little design, perfect for the corners of towels, bread warmer cloths, cloth napkins, etc., and simple enough to stitch up pretty quickly! Sorry I didn’t post it a week or so before Thanksgiving! I didn’t start the piece until Monday night, and had it finished on Wednesday. Total, it took about 2 – 3 hours of stitching.

    1. Hi, All – glad you like the needle minder.

      Irene, thanks for the laugh! I use my clothes toooooo often for sticking stray needles in. I’ve been known to go to work with a needle stuck in my sweater lapel, only to find it – awkwardly – in the middle of class. Needle minders work great if you’re working on a frame. But another thing I’ve found handy is my light post, the shaft of which is metal. I stick a strong magnet on it, and can stick needles on it while I’m in the middle of working on something. It always makes me nervous to have too many strong magnets lying on tables or in my tool boxes, though, because I usually have one or the other digital camera on hand, and I don’t want to set either one of them down on a magnet. Bad idea!

      Trish – the donut shaped magnet came from the craft section at Hobby Lobby, I think. Either that, or Michael’s. But I’m pretty sure it was Hobby Lobby. They come in packs of four, if I recall correctly. I picked them up about three years ago, so I don’t know if they still have them. But… they might!

  4. I really love your site. At age 60 I am beginning to get interested in all the stuff I never had patience for before. But it is not easy learning something new at this age! Your site and the video tutorials especially are the best I have found. Always very clear. You also have a wonderful calm and gentle voice!Tell me though – on the satin stitch do you finish and cut your thread before you comr back to start the second half? Thanks again
    Lynne

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  5. Dear Mary , and there I thought amongst all your many talents, maybe you could share your pie recipe too :)) Glad you enjoyed your holiday though and forgot to mention, I love you Turkey piece. Love Elza , Cape town. xxx

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