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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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Secret Garden Embroidery Photo Spot – & Some Fun Stats

 

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As promised yesterday, we now have a spot where you can share your own photos of your progress on your Secret Garden Embroidery Projects!

Needle 'n Thread on Flickr

For this project, I decided to use a dedicated group on Flickr for photo sharing. The reason for the choice is that we’re more interested, I think, in photo sharing and some discussion, rather than discussion and some photo sharing.

Flickr is a free photo sharing site, and it’s a little easier to use than some of the other options (like the Ask & Share here on Needle ‘n Thread). It’s easy to find all the photos in one group on Flickr, for example. And it’s easy to upload photos.

So I set up a group on Flickr called Secret Garden Embroidery, and there, you can share your photos of your project progress, make comments on them, and join in discussions in the group discussion area.

Needle 'n Thread on Flickr

The group is open to anyone, but I’m asking that the photos shared are only of Secret Garden embroidery related projects. Otherwise, if people start sharing all types of embroidery projects, the rest of us have to weed through them all to find the relevant photos.

If you post pictures or ask a question in the group discussion area and you want me to notice it right away, you might have to drop me a line. I will try to check the group every day or so, but I can’t guarantee that I will. I’ll catch up on it when I have time to browse through any additions and activity.

That being said, if you do have questions about the project, I prefer that they’re asked here on Needle ‘n Thread in the comments sections or via email directly to me. The Flickr group is more of a peripheral offering.

Secret Garden Embroidery Project Stats

How about some random stats about the Secret Garden Hummingbirds project?

Secret Garden Embroidery

There are 43 articles relating to this project on Needle ‘n Thread. You’ll find them all chronologically listed in the Secret Garden Project Index. (I updated it this morning!)

There are 215 photos relating to the project published on Needle ‘n Thread.

I’ve taken 982 photos. Thank goodness for digital cameras!

I’ve used 19 colors of DMC stranded cotton floss on the project so far. Of those colors, 3 colors of green have required more than one skein. 2 colors of green have required more than 2 skeins. Definitely a lot of green on the project!

So far, I’ve used 10 different stitches on the project: long & short stitch, split stitch, satin stitch, pistil stitch, fly stitch, cretan stitch, fishbone stitch, seed stitch, straight stitch, and French knots.

Hours spent on the project? Well, I haven’t kept strict track of the stitching time, but I’d estimate around 100, maybe a little more, on everything relating to the stitching of the project. Add another 80 hours, to include blogging the project (editing photos, writing articles, etc.)

Well, if you’re working your way through a Secret Garden project with your needle and thread, feel free to join the Secret Garden Embroidery Group of Flickr and share your progress! I’m looking forward to seeing how everyone’s coming along – and I’m doubly eager to see different interpretations of the project!

If you’d like to follow along with the Secret Garden Hummingbirds project, you can find all the articles relating to this project arranged in chronological order in the Secret Garden Project Index.

 
 

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(16) Comments

  1. Wonderful! flickr is the best place to store and talk about photos so glad you chose it. I am not doing this project but flickr is so great for this type of sharing!

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  2. Dear Mary

    What a good idea and what a lot of photos you have taken on this project it’s good to have a central place for a project, although I’m not participating in the project I certainly will look at the Garden Embroidery Group on Flickr to browse the photos of the project it will be interesting to see all the different techniques used by other embroiders on this project. Thanks for letting us know of the group and sharing your photos of the project.

    Regards Anita Simmance

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  3. Mary. I have been following the secret garden mailings. However, with a neck problem and easily fatigued arms I kept putting off taping the pattern and fabric to the window to trace. Then last weekend I went to stay with a friend who had recently acquired a large A2 size lightbox. I spent a great couple of hours ( no neck or arm pain) at last tracing the pattern. I am looking forward to at last beginning the embroidery very soon now. Thanks so much for sharing this whole procedure and the lessons on stitches etc.
    Kind regards
    Sue (UK)

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  4. Sorry to be stupid but I need to know how to add my photos to this group. I have put some in a flickr account – what do I do next (this is where I normally have to ask the grandchildren!!!!)
    Liz

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  5. I am so jealous of those of you who are doing this……but I’ve been on other projects…………….but I love the eye candy!

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  6. Hi Mary,

    I should be able to trace and start the project very soon.
    I have order 2 skeins of each green, so reading your post I will be in trouble for some colors, could you let me know wich one I will need 3 skeins and also do you think that one of each color for the flowers will be enough. It is my first time on a big project like that and I am a little bit lost in ordering the thread has it is no easy to fing where I live.

    Thanking you in advance,
    Ginette of Mexico

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    1. Hi, Ginette – you can probably get away with two skeins. I had a couple areas at the beginning that I took out and re-worked. I was not very conservative in my use of the threads, either. I think two skeins will work fine! -MC

  7. Well I managed to work it out and add some photos, loving seeing other stitchers’ work and being able to ‘chat’ and comment. Mary have you any idea how many are stitching along?? We are all ‘linked by a thread around the world’ truly fantastic
    Liz

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  8. I joined (?) I think. LOL. I’m not so smart with this stuff. Hoping I can enjoy all the work you all are doing. Thanks Mary, looking forward to seeing the group projects.

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  9. Hi Mary,
    I’m new to embroidery and you touched on a concern, how many skeins of each color does the Secret Garden take. Is it possible when the project is completed you could give a complete list of how many skeins per color is needed to complete the project?

    I’ve been enjoying your website, your videos are terrific,

    Thanks

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    1. Yes, I’ll try to do that …so far, only a couple of the greens have required more than one skein. The rest, I’ve used far less than a whole skein. -MC

  10. Hi
    I love this project and have decided to follow the leader as it were (I am just waiting for the book to arrive). I would however like to do this in crewel wool. Has anyone else done this?
    Also I was thinking of covering the hummingbirds in long and short stitch and then putting on top of them some clear beads so that it will reflect the colour beneath. (I think it will also add depth. Any thoughts on whether this is likely to work?

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    1. Hi, Lucy! Welcome aboard! I think wool is a good idea, and I have heard from others who are using wool, but I haven’t seen any photos yet of any progress. In any case, it would certainly go faster, as the wool will fill more quickly, and I think it would look stunning! I’m not sure about the beads – the wool might be a bit heavy underneath them. But you could always work up a little doodle to check to see if you like the effect. I often work out things I’m not sure of by embroidering just a tiny bit of it on a separate cloth. (Just a thought!)

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