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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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Stitcher’s Christmas #3: A Doubly Delightful Give-Away x 5

 

Amazon Books

Happy Monday! And welcome back to A Stitcher’s Christmas, a fun series of embroidery-related give-aways here on Needle ‘n Thread, just in time for Christmas!

Today, I’ll tell you the winner of A Stitcher’s Christmas #2 (these three A-Z embroidery books), and then tell you all about today’s give-away, for five winners!

Stitcher's Christmas Give-Away: Inspirations Magazine & Kits

Last week, A Stitcher’s Christmas #2 featured this collection of three embroidery books from Search Press. They’re lovely books, perfect for any needlework library, and I think the winner will indeed love them!

Without further ado, the winner is Wanda Correll. Congratulations, Wanda!

#3: Double Delight!

Today’s give-away, courtesy of Inspirations Magazine, will go to five lucky winners! Each winner will receive this kit for Double Delight, a pair of beautiful embroidered Christmas stockings embroidered with white threads and ribbon on a hessian ground fabric. Each winner will also receive a copy of Inspirations Magazine issue #92, where the project is featured.

This is your opportunity to stitch up two very pretty stockings that will surely become family heirlooms!

The nice thing about these stockings, besides the fact that they’re classy, sharp, and adorable all in one, is that they’re relatively easy stitching. There’s not a whole lot of complicated stitchery in the projects, so it’s feasible that you will actually finish them!

If you’d like to win one of the kits and the magazine, follow the guidelines below.

Give-Away Guidelines

This give-away is now ended. Thanks for participating!

1. Leave a comment below. You can follow this link to get to the comment box, or simply scroll to the end of the article. Comments left on other articles on Needle ‘n Thread or sent in via email are not eligible.

2. Please leave a recognizable name either in the name line or in the comment box, so that there’s no confusion when the winner is announced. You are not required to fill in the “Website” line on the form. This is for folks who have their own website or blog. If you don’t have your own website, please leave this line blank.

3. In your comment, please answer the following question:

How did you learn to stitch? (Are you self-taught? Did a relative get you started? Maybe a friend? An instructor at a class?)

4. Submit your comment by Friday, December 9, 5:00 am central standard time (that’s in Kansas, USA). The winners will be randomly drawn that morning and announced in the A Stitcher’s Christmas Give-Away #4, which will be published here on Needle ‘n Thread on the 9th. I’ll also notify the winners by email, so please make sure you enter your email address correctly on the comment form.

5. The winners will need to respond with mailing information within 48 hours, or another winner will be randomly drawn.

The give-away is open to everyone. You can enter each give-away in A Stitcher’s Christmas when they are published here on Needle ‘n Thread, but you can only enter each give-away once. Please don’t leave multiple comments on any one give-away.

Don’t fret if your comment does not appear on the site immediately. Comments are queued for moderation, to avoid spammers. Sometimes, it takes a while for me to work through the list, but eventually, it will show up!

 
 

(855) Comments

  1. My mother taught me the basic stitches when I was a little girl, but after that, it was a trial of errors of learning on my own.

    1
  2. I am self-taught for the most part. I have been able to pick up great tips through the years (25+) of stitching. Blessings.

    2
  3. Our babysitter was never without some needlework in her hands. I most remember her tatting. She taught my sister and me several needlework techniques (not including tatting), but especially simple embroidery. I still have two red-work blocks that I made. Mrs. Parker was really a folk artist. I have a small hooked rug she made in a Piet Mondrian style–all with wool cut from old coats.

    3
  4. I was first taught to embroider on a workshop by Phillipa Turnbull, and then I joined stitching group, and then I went on Royal School of Needlework courses. They have all been wonderful.

    4
  5. I learned to stitch by reading books, following Needle n’ Thread, and a whole lot of “I can try that!” courage. While my mother is an accomplished seamstress, she never really did embroidery so most of my learning is because I decided to take a risk and try something!

    6
  6. My grandmother taught me to embroider when I was about 9. I embroidered many dishtowels and other items too!

    7
  7. I learned to stitch from my grandmother when I was 5. I learned surface stitching on iron on patterns.

    8
  8. I learned to cross stitch when I was ten in a summer craft class. The rest of my stitching skills are completely self-taught. Thank you Mary and Inspirations for this giveaway.

    9
  9. I am a self taught stitcher. Although I must say my grandmother’s stitchery gave me a lot of insight and interest to do handwork. I have to give props to you, Mary. I am glad I discovered your website. Your video tutorials are very helpful.

    10
  10. My mother taught me a couple of basic stitches many years ago and from there I was self taught. Thank you for the opportunity of winning this kit and beautiful magazine!

    12
  11. I had several small experiments, but my real formal instruction in embroidery was given by my maternal grandmother, the summer I was eleven. After that, I mostly taught myself, but I owe her all the basics and some great advice.

    I’m pretty sure the day I have a daughter, she’ll want to learn from my mom, her own grandmother, rather than from me 😉

    13
  12. My earliest stitching was learned from my Grandma who had a quilting bee at her house once a week. I would sit and piece small squares into a minitire quilt. This is where my love of handwork started. Then I took up counted cross stitch in my later years to create gifts for family. I took up crewel work within the last two years taking classes from a beautiful lady who was the director of a New England conservatory.

    15
  13. I learned stitching n the 7th grade. We were n middle school n at that time we didn’t have sewing machines nor kitchens to learn basic sewing n cooking, we only did hand work. Loved it from the beginning. missy

    17
  14. I recently took a Hardanger class in October of this year. I really enjoyed learning this technique, which has inspired me to do more.

    Tmorneau

    19
  15. HI
    I learned to embroider from my mom who taught me some simple stitches like outline stitch, chain stitch and satin stitch when I was very young. The first project I completed was a small cloth with flowers that I embroidered using the few stitches I knew. Later on I picked up cross stitch from a friend who always seemed to be working on a different project. Finally, I joined a guild and from there, I learned that I could complete a program offered in conjunction with the local community college, which I did. Since then I have gone on to take many workshops from some talented embroiderers. With embroidery there is always something new to learn. It never gets boring because there are so many stitches and so many techniques.

    20
  16. My Mom was an accomplished needle woman. She started both my sister and myself when we were about seven.
    Nina Burnsides

    21
  17. I am British but was taught to cross-stitch while at a family wedding in St Petersburg, Fla. My husband’s American aunt was a great cross-stitcher and, although I was a keen knitter, cross-stitch was completely new to me. She started me off with a simple red heart that went into a Christmas ornament frame and I never looked back. Before I came home from the trip I was stitching a Marbek angel on 22ct aida (I think she was a bit mischievous setting me up with 22ct for my first proper project)!

    22
  18. I so enjoy the e-mails you send out. always look forward to them. Thanks for all the encouragement.

    23
  19. My Mother taught me how to embroider with floss on stamped pillowcases – probably 60 years ago. We helped each other learn counted cross stitch and needlepoint 20 years later.

    25
  20. My name is Darlene Dubicki. When I was little my mom let me play in her sewing cabinet. Baby food jar tops were screwed into the bottom of the shelves and the jar would screw into the top with lots of interesting goodies inside! I remember finding directions for embroidery stitches and taught myself the lazy daisy stitch. I still remember struggling with a French knot. I can’t believe she let me do that by myself but it started a lifelong interest in needle and thread!

    26
  21. What a delightful gift. I was taught by a friends grandmother and aunt. I was a sickly chld and they taught me to stitch and knit to help keep me quiet. I am so greatly as I stitch every day and have many wonderful things and friendships from my stitching. Still always learning something new.

    27
  22. My mother sent me to a class one summer when I was 9 or 10. A couple of years later she sent me to a sewing class. I still do both, but I was really done for when a quilt shopped moved in 7 doors away.

    28
  23. First, thank you so very much for “give away”! How did I learn to stitch? My mom was a dressmaker who did make her own wedding dress and embroidered it. When I was a child, I learned with my Mom how to do simple stitches, including being “neat” not only in the front but also in the back of the fabric. Then, I learned other types of stitches with books that I bought, I am still learning! Stitching is my hobby and my joy, my therapy.
    Have a great day!!!

    29
  24. I am self taught by watching my mother. Only in retirement did my mother actually start to embroider in earnest and she does beautiful work.

    30
  25. Needle Arts has been a life time interest for me. Initially, I became interested in Needlework as a child working on badges in Girl Scouts. Later, I enrolled in a two year sewing course in high school. When I had my daughters, I taught myself to smock and learned Heirloom Sewing. I attended Martha Pullen’s School of Art Fashion twice. Now, I have two little granddaughters that say, “Nana, make me……” and Nana gets busy!

    31
  26. I learned to do simple stitching, pillow cases and such as a child. I learned to embroider after I retired through the Embroider’s Guild of America after I retired.

    32
  27. My mother taught me to cross-stitch when I was a child – my first project was a “mother” sampler done in traditional cross stitch.

    34
  28. My maternal grandmother, who died before I was born, was a stitcher, but my mother did not carry on the tradition. I am self-taught, learning the stitches by following book and pamphlet illustrations.

    35
  29. I taught myself to stitch. I have numerous how-to books. And of course there are plenty of videos now that help. I would love to take a class someday.

    36
  30. My grandmother, a talented stitcher, was my inspiration and teacher. This wonderful lady grew up
    in Ireland, was a country girl and then a farm wife. Stitching was first a useful necessity and later a
    way to add beauty to common articles such as pillowcases and napkins.

    37
  31. My mother liked to smock so it was only nature to teach me. She also helped all of us to learn to sew.

    38
  32. My mother taught me basic knowledge and I learned to do some drawn work from an elderly lady in our community. I read a lot when I forget or need something new.

    Sara Bush

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  33. I am self taught by watching youtube A friend told me about Mary Corbet being the best so I am watching you. I only fid redwork to start but am now branching out because i have fell in love with the art. Thank you so much for teaching me.

    40
  34. I, Judith Lawrance, think I am basically self-taught. Although my mom was a sewer, she didn’t do embroidery work. I have taken a few classes, but mostly have learned on my own.

    41
  35. My Mom taught me the first basic stitches, then one small project in Home Ec at school, but the rest of it I learned myself from books.

    42
  36. My grandmother taught me how to quilt and I went from there to home ec. class at school where we learned crewel embroidery.

    43
  37. I am self-taught. I started as a pre-teen learning from the very few books I could find (or afford) or mimicking photos the best I could.

    44
  38. I used to buy the inspiration magazine from a newsagent
    s but can not do that now and sorry to say I can not afford to subscribe to the magazine as the postage makes it too expensive. I still think it is the best embroidery magazine ever so fingers crossed I will be one of the winners of this great give away.
    Regards
    Beryl (South Yorkshire)

    45
  39. My grandma and mom started to teach me, then I lost all interest in those “teen” years. Later in college, I became interested in knitting which an aunt started the learning process. I then progressed to “many” teaching magazines to include all different types of embroidery. Finally, I was fortunate to move to Los Angeles and was able to take “real” classes from Jean Hilton and Susan Portra. Very lucky. Now, I live in Montana making it a very long distance to any hands-on experiences! This project looks wonderful and would feel fortunate to have my project for the new year!
    Mary Kay from Montana

    48
  40. The question brought sweet memories. My Aunt Josephine taught me to cross stitch at eight. I would sit on her couch and watch her knit, and make beautiful dollies in amazement. My cross-stitching went to crewel and needlepoint. I think of her often as I stitch. My passion is canvas work now, using multi type threads and stitches. Fifty years later the art still amazes me and brings me relaxing joy.

    49
  41. I learned to embroider with my mom, when I was still a little girl, then at school, the nuns gave us two hours of embroidery a week, and there I kept embroidering, ¡until today!

    Kisses, Karyne from Colombia

    51
  42. I learned basic embroidery and cross-stitch from my mom. I did multiple sets of flour sack towels and 3 stamped cross stitch samplers with her help when I was about 12-15. I stopped doing it for a long time and just picked it back up with counted cross stitch about three years ago. I’ve finished three sets of towels for family members with plans for about 4 more. The stocking kit is beautiful and would be a lovely addition to my Christmas items that I’ve stitched.

    52
  43. All my relatives did needlework. They had lived through hard times when sewing wasn’t optional, but had to be done. I doubt there was much decorative work going on back in the day, except for the matter of using patterns and different fabric pieces in quilt-making. By the time I came along, they had time for needlework entirely for pleasure. My mother, aunts, and grandmother would sit together and gossip as they worked on their projects. I can’t say that any one of them in particular taught me or started me on the path to doing many kinds of needlework. I was a child who pestered them until somebody would put the materials in my hands and show me stitches and let me figure it out from there. It’s always seemed completely natural that I would learn and eventually surpass those ladies, but now that I’m writing it down, I realize my sister can’t do a single thing involving needles. This is an interesting train of thought. Was she missing the stitching gene?

    53
  44. My mom taught me cross-stitch when I was young, and I’ve since taught myself (through online courses, video tutorials and books) some other techniques =)

    54
  45. The stocking kits look so lovely. Inspirations magazine is a fabulous publication, always full of fantastic needlework ideas and exceptional photography and instructions!

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  46. I am self-taught. BUT, now I’m learning so much more from you Mary! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

    59
  47. I’m a self-taught, I had some classes for special techniques and a friend gave me some direcion in specific work I did. So, it’s a mixture of different ways.

    60
  48. I started stitching after observing my Mother and Grandmother stitching in Junior High. I have my first doilies I stitched which my Mother crocheted around. Since then I’ve taken classes, stitched with friends, etc.

    61
  49. I first started stitching on stamped cross stitch pictures that my mother showed me how to work. If I experimented with other styles through high school it was by purchasing a lot and following the directions in the kit.

    62
  50. I learned to stitch from my grandmother when I was about 6. I learned to needlepoint for the New York Times book of Needlepoint. I taught my grandchildren and their mother to stitch as well.

    63
  51. This is a truly wonderful project.
    I learned to knit at age 5 watching my sisters. In those days boys didn’t do knitting or needlework, so I found some carpet thread and 2 round toothpicks and I went into my bedroom and duplicated what my sisters were doing. Well, as my mom was tucking me in one night she saw my miniature knitting. She was surprised and amazed and pleased and from then on I learned to sew, work crewel, crochet and other surface embroidery. The ladies at church even taught me to quilt. At age 67 I still continue to design my own needlework.

    64
  52. I learned to stitch as a child. The first project I worked on were flour sack kitchen towels. I am primarily self taught and have as an adult taken Hardanger classes and I love love love doing the cut work. Thank you for your blog. I am enjoying it very much!

    65
  53. My mother taught me to stitch. She knew how to do everything under the sun. Embroidery, knitting, crochet, sewing, china painting and more.

    66
  54. I taught myself how to embroider many years ago when I needed to put names on Christmas stockings, but the internet has helped me learn many new stitches.

    67
  55. I am self taught, mostly because I was too busy being a tomboy growing up to listen to those around me willing to teach! Thanks for the giveaway Mary!

    68
  56. I am mostly a self taught stitcher but had a few great classes at our local needlework store before it closed – so sad.

    69
  57. I was at an SCA event (in my early 20’s) and saw an older woman sitting on a cabin porch, sewing by hand. I went over to ask her what she was doing, and she taught me the stitch she was working on. It was to decorate the wrist area of a tunic. She and I became good friends and over a decade she went on to teach me every stitch, and gift me with a stitcher’s encyclopedia so I’d never forget them.

    She’s passed away, but I still keep her in my memories. Thanks for asking!

    72
  58. Thank you for this opportunity. Your work is beautiful and Inam thankful my mom told me about your sitw

    73
  59. Self-taught cross stitcher.
    Came across your website, from searching stitching frames. Now have a Millenium Frame on order! Will be giving up my old Susan Bates round hoops as soon as it arrives. Can’t believe you live so close to me in Topeka.

    74
  60. As the only girl in my generation of cousins during the 50’s when television was not yet in every home and Title Nine legislation was years away, by default my place was with Momma and the aunts whenever there were family gatherings. The older women always carried a handwork WIP with them. Their projects were lovingly worked on with care, proudly shared. As I became old enough, (probably during first grade after playing with lacing cards,) ready to hold a needle and thread and work a pattern, they patiently allowed me to explore embroidery while helping me to learn. They’re gone now. I look forward to grandchildren showing interest in stitchery, teaching them as I was taught.

    75
  61. The first stitching I did was printed cross stitch in my early teens. Then I progressed to counted cross stitch. In my early 30s I had the opportunity to go with my mother and sister to a workshop with Laura Jenkins Thompson in Charleston, SC. That’s when I really started learning embroidery and developed a love for it.

    76
  62. These lovely Christmas stockings would be just perfect for my husband and I to stuff with ‘things’ for Christmas morning…..and I have just completed a piece of stitching, so perfect timing.

    77
  63. My grandmother taught me to embroider, around the age of five, by laminating coloring book pages and punching holes along the lines. Then she had me back stitch it. Once I mastered that we moved to little Aunt Martha projects like towels and aprons. Grandma has since lost her sight and can’t stitch any more but, she loves to talk stitching, feel fibers, and of course listening as I read articles from Inspirations, Needlepoint Now, and especially Mary Corbet. P.S. She wishes you well!

    78
  64. When I was young, one of my mother’s aunts lived with us. She was a master embroiderer and seamstress. She taught me to embroider to keep me out of trouble, I was never without a needle in my hand. She truly passed on a life-time passion to me, my girls and my six granddaughters. I owe so much to her, so many hours of pure joy with needle and thread.

    80
  65. My Mother taught me to embroider when I was about 7 years old. I have sewn on and off since then. I would always take embroidery with me when we went on holiday its always something that relaxes me and brings back memories of my childhood.

    81
  66. I first started stitching when I was about 6 with guidance from my mother. Then a did a little self-framed piece and my first sampler at age 10. Most of what I have done over the years is either things I tried from reading, watching others, or from little classes in my EGA group and then on to big seminars. It has been a very rewarding journey.

    Tanis

    82
  67. I learned to do Brazilian embroidery stitching from Anna Grist, she was a personal friend of my mothers and mine of many years in California and she taught us this beautiful art of stitchery….

    83
  68. I think i learned some stitches in school when i was little but i hated how much time it took and how messy it looked. So it wasn’t until i was about 30 when an idea for a project led me down the road to being a full-blown embroidery nerd. I learned all the basics online and from books.

    84
  69. I learned to stitch from my grandmother but I don’t remember how old I was. My first project was probably a flour sack dish towel with an iron on transfer design. I also remember doing pillow cases and still have a framed picture of a farm that had been printed on linen and was mostly stem stitch. She also taught me to crochet edges on the pillow cases.

    85
  70. Good morning Mary
    My mother taught me some of the basics when I badly sprained my ankle; I was about nine or ten. I was required to stay off that leg for six weeks and she did not quite know what to do with me. She set up seven tea towels with iron-on transfers. As I recall they were kittens displaying washing on Monday, ironing on Tuesday, and I don’t remember the rest. But I do remember I was hooked! I found my passion! Apparently I tried to negotiate a deal with mother that there really was no need for me to go back to school; I would be willing to help with cooking and cleaning.
    That negotiation did not evolve into a working agreement.
    Sharon Gray
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

    87
  71. I always thought embroidery so beautiful-painting with thread-all the colors and the stitches……the way I learned was from seeing the videos on this site….wonderful detailed and easy to follow lessons for each stitch. My goal is always to learn a new stitch or to become more learned about a stitch I already had been able to teach myself through your videos. Seeing “how” to do it is much easier for me then following directions in a book. I get inspired when I see the designs put together in the books I have and this makes me desire to learn more about how to do the stitches. I have a couple copies of this magazine I bought in a thrift store….love the magazine but too expensive to buy for me and to win this issue and these beautiful stockings to make would be such a Christmas treat to say the least. Thank you for all that you do for all us needlework lovers!

    88
  72. I am pretty much self-taught. When I was a kid my mom showed me some basic stitches: back stitch, running, chain. But that was over 40 years ago. I got interesting in embroidery in my forties and learned from books.

    89
  73. I learned to stitch from my mother. It was basic surface embroidery. My interest grew much later into many different teechniques.

    90
  74. My mom taught a small bit of surface embroidery as a child. But other than that, I’m self-taught. Thank goodness for wonderful instruction books and stitch diagrams!

    91
  75. G’day Mary, I don’t remember being taught by anyone before high school where I took needlework, but I did embroider a little before that. When I was about 7 or 8 I made a simply embroidered pin cushion from instructions in an Arthur Mee encyclopedia and seemed to go onto more detailed stitching after that so I guess I’m basically self taught.
    Cheers, Kath.

    92
  76. My grandmother made beautiful quilts & taught me to hand applique when I was very little fast forward 40 + years & I started to do rework with some gals online. now I have slowly ventured forth into more surface embroidery to keep my fingers nimble & from seizing up with arthritis. I really enjoy your posts & your website both have helped me to learn how to do more stitches thank you.

    93
  77. My mother taught me to stitch but I never really took to it until I was pregnant and was told to rest….that gave me stitching time. I have my mother’s 1920 course notes, samples and reports from her tailoring course!

    94
  78. I leaned to crochet from a neighbor that watched me when I had not school. That was all that I did for many years then started to sew some clothes. In my late 20s I picked up a counted cross stitch kit only to find out that my mother was doing the same thing! At that time she was retired and not living near me. Have been avid since then and branching out into other forms of stitching.

    96
  79. Hi Mary! I started stitching as a completely self-taught kid — and never learned much! But I loved stitching so I kept going and making all kinds of my own design patterns, and ever started a shop called The Needlework Network! In the past 5 years however (now that I’m in my 60’s), I’ve discovered the EGA, and my local National Trail Stitchers chapter! This has been a god-send, and I’ve learned SO MUCH! It’s a good thing too, because I have so much time to make up for. The NTS members are so talented, so experienced and so kind and helpful that I now consider them my sisters-in-stitchery. I feel lucky to have found them after so many years of going it alone! So I actually think my REAL stitching just started within the last 5 years when my EGA-NTS sisters adopted me into their group. I love them and I love stitching!

    98
  80. My grandmother taught me to embroider and knit when I was about 8 or 9. Today I still knit and embroider with my mother who is 95. Now I am teaching my grand daughters to embroider and knit. A tradition to share together.

    100
  81. I’ve learned to stitch from friends, guilds, internet searches and videos, internet groups, magazines, kits and books.

    101
  82. I learned a few stitches from my mother decades ago but didn’t pursue embroidery. A year or two ago, I started reading books and blogs (guess which one!) to learn on my own.
    Beth in Charlottesville

    102
  83. My mother taught me embroidery as a child. As an adult, I learned that she was taught by my grandmother, her mother-in-law ! My father was also taught embroidery skills as a child along with his 3 sisters.

    103
  84. I am self taught. I have been hand sewing for some years now, I got into it when I was 18. I did it off and on making Barbie dresses and then in recent years made some purses, a diaper bag, placemats, and various other random things that interested me. I enjoy hand sewing a great deal and realized that I could do even more with it if I learned to embroider and so this past August I ordered supplies and took to the internet and began stitching away and I love it!

    104
  85. Well, I learnt needlework like all the other subjects in school – primary 1 sample. Then when I was 10, I did a table cloth and it won the school an award. Unfortunately I grew up and life got in the way and needlework fell off the cracks. When I retired a few years ago I decided to buy a book on all the different embroidery stitches and I started a piece of my own and experimented with all the different stitches and am still working on it.
    Then I got introduced to Japanese Embroidery, loved it and am working my way through the phases. Last summer while visiting my sisters in London I managed to attend a Silk Shading and Goldworks class at the Royal School of Needlework and loved it. Ever since my return, I have been following your blog and subscribed to your email an loved reading your review comments etc.
    Thank you for your reviews, suggestions and inspirations
    SooKhim

    106
  86. Hi Mary,
    My mother initiated me into the world of stitching. We did Cross stitch first, then learnt knitting from one of our neighbours, tried our hand at crochet, followed by embroidery.

    Regards,
    Deepa

    107
  87. I lived the first 11 years of my life in Austria. At that time stitchery was taught in school, starting in kindergarten. It fostered my love of crafting. I learned how to embroider, knit, crochet and sew.

    108
  88. The idea that you believe they can get done is great!!! I learned a bit in Junior High and then on youtube and craftsy.

    109
  89. I remember my mother embroidering the dresser scarves that had the ladies with parasols. I am sure she showed me how, but I don’t remember her actually sitting down with me. I must have been about 5 or 6. She also sewed some skirts and things for us. A little red corduroy skirt and vest is very vivid in my memory. I also remember taking scrap materials and making dresses for the dolls that I had. They were the ones that fit in the toilet paper rolls that were crocheted.
    Later in 7th grade home ec class we made needle booklets out of felt and flannel. These were decorated with lazy daisies and were blanket stitched around the edges. So I guess I could say I was taught by a family member and went on to self teach…I know it is a very soothing hobby for me…

    111
  90. My grandmother had been a home ec teacher (in a one room schoolhouse!) and I inherited my love of all things involving a needle from her. I have been sewing “something(s)” for all my life. I ❤ to sew!

    112
  91. My ability and love of fiber techniques came from my mother. I am very grateful that she had the patience to teach me so many things, esp. embroidery.

    113
  92. How did I learn to stitch or I should say learning as it is a continuous process with so many new and wonderful things to learn. In the beginning, I tried to teach myself and soon became discouraged and decided I just couldn’t do it. Late into my adulthood I me the most talented sweet spirited person who said yes I could learn. Martha Neeley became my teacher and friend and I will be forever indebted to her. I so much enjoy these questions and walks down Memory Lane. They are a prize themselves. Peace and joy!

    114
  93. One of my great aunts taught me the basic surface embroidery stitches. Aunt Ruth worked with children in her job so she was very patient and very good at communicating with an eight year old. As an adult, I taught myself needlepoint from books. Later I was fortunate enough to take some wonderful class through various smocking and embroidery guilds. There are so many beautiful types of embroidery, it seems there is always a new one to learn.

    115
  94. If the truth be known, I do think I am a self-taught stitcher. I found several pieces of work that my mother had done over the years. But I don’t ever remember sitting at her side being taught by her.

    I am trying my best to teach my two very active granddaughters how to stitch. Wish me well!

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  95. I learned to stitch in the 2nd grade……made my 1st puppet using a backstitch. Sewing and art were my best subjects… Never loved reading until late middle school! Now I love stitching art and reading.

    117
  96. My mother taught me the basic stitches when I was a little girl. I did few pieces and then I did not embroider for several years until I got interested in crewel and historic embroidery. Happy Holidays !

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  97. My fifth grade teacher taught me stem stitch on a handkerchief during our colonial module in history class, and from then on I bought books and kits and taught myself!

    119
  98. My dear little uneducated grandmother was a wonderfully patient teacher. She taught me stitches, that the size of the needle must be compatible with the gauge of the thread and to always have clean hands. I remember her each time I sit down to stitch❤️Janet shew

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  99. I learned to stitch from a crewel pillow kit my mother gave me for Christmas when I was about 9 or 10. I still have the pillow. That kit started me on a life long love affair!

    121
  100. Initially my mom and grandmother taught me to sew and embroider, but then I got away from it as school, marriage, children and life in general got in the way. Now I am back to it and enjoying it more now than ever. If I can’t remember a particular stitch, I go to your website!!!! How fun to pick up a project and relax on a cold winters night in Pennsylvania! Thanks for the opportunity to win!

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  101. I learned I had a passion for stitching at the age of 6 when my grandmother guided me through my first Lazy Daisy!

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  102. I am self-taught. I am grateful for those who have given me advice or have instructions and tips on their websites.

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  103. In the beginning I was a self taught stitcher, but have loved getting classes in here and there where I could…I love learning new techniques and I have one new grandbaby and another on the way, so the pair of little stockings would be wonderful! Thanks to you and Inspirations – love the magazine!

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  104. Good Morning Mary!

    My Mom taught me how to embroidery when I was between 8-10 years old. Just basic stitches–chain, daisy and satin. I taught myself some of the more advanced stitches 20 or more years ago when I was living in Colorado. I took a class in Brazillian Embroidery and my love of embroidery came back. 6 or so years ago, I really became interested in the historical aspect of sewing and embroidery when my husband and I joined a Living History Group. The girl who hated to hem became obsessed with following the ways of our Great Grandmothers!

    Thank you so much to you and Inspirations for the give away! It is a embroiderer’s delight!

    Terri P Albany NY

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  105. I am self taught, for the most part. When I became a mom, I needed something to do that I could pick up and put down easily, and I saw a pattern in McCall’s and wanted to make it. So I did. I still have it. It’s not a project I would recommend to a beginner now.

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  106. I’m self taught and don’t do embroidery and other hand work very often, so that means I’m still an amateur. Though when I get a chance, I love it!

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  107. I’m self taught. My latest has been Brazilian Embroidery. Learning new techniques is my therapy. The feeling of accomplishment when you learn something new is wonderful.

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  108. Hi Mary,

    I was taught to embroider by mother. I was about 7 years old, and I was hooked from the very first stitch!! I absolutely adored the colors of the threads and all the pretty stitches. At that time, I was working on pillow cases, table runners, and anything that had a pre-printed design on it. So, I began my stitching odyssey with surface embroidery, and to this day, it remains my absolute favorite technique, although there are many others that I enjoy almost as much.

    Thanks so much for this opportunity, Mary. You’re the best!

    Sandie

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  109. My next door neighbor taught my mother and me to stitch. We learned on simple crewel kits. I just kept picking it (embroidery) up again and again throughout the years. I even taught my brother simple stitches, and he stitched flags on a denim shirt-jacket of the countries he hitch-hiked through in the 70’s.

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  110. The early romance with embroidery began at my mother’s side, then languished untended for years, to be revived by Embroiderers’ Guild of America, Needle ‘n’ Thread, Inspirations Magazine, and my many joyful stitching friends.
    Thanks to all! And a blessed Christmas!

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  111. My Grandmother taught me to embroider when I was a teenager. She had started a stamped cross stitch tablecloth and gave it to me to finish. It was a huge project and over the years dear friends did some stitching on it. I still have it and it’s a cherished addition to our family dinners.

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  112. It’s a Double Delight! My mother taught me to stitch when I was about 8 or 9. (I was quite a Tomboy and my pieces were always grubby until I learned to wash my hands and put on clean clothes before I picked up a needle!) At the end of her life, I got to return the favor and help my mother with her stitching, as Alzheimer’s robbed her of her stitching skills.

    136
  113. Thank you Mary, for all you do for us humble stitchers. I hope this Christmas finds you healthy and happy. I learned to stitch from my grandmother, on stamped pillowcases and aprons with variegated floss … this was all the rage! I loved watching the colours appear! I was about 5 or 6 years old. And, at Christmas time I love to unpack all the ornaments that people have stitched for me over the years. I think stitching really does build community.

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  114. I don’t remember the very beginning. I know it wasn’t Mother as she never did any “fancy” work, only utilitarian. I think the thing that sparked my actually growing in stitching skills was the gift of pieces, many unfinished, of a crazy quilt. If I ever hoped to finish it, I had to learn to stitch. My usual plan of attack with any new enthusiasm is to collect all the data I can so I looked for classes, books and web sites that might help. Thankfully one of the places I came across was NeedleNThread. It opened a whole new world. Turns out there’s more to know than just the mechanics of stitch creation. There’s sew vs stab, hoop or frame or none, background prep, fiber/thread selection a gazillion design decisions. It is a grand adventure, nearly all riding on “the web.”

    Beth N in AZ

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  115. I didn’t take up stitching until I moved to the US in 1982. Then I taught myself. It wasn’t until a found an old copy of ‘Inspirations’ in a second hand store in New Zealand that embroidery became my passion. Again self-taught – although I must admit that I have learnt the most watching Mary’s videos.

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  116. I had cross stitched, a little, BC ( before children.) But gave it up for 31 years and then in 2011, I retired from teaching and we moved to TN part-time to be closer to grandchildren. I met a wonderful, generous older neighbor who happens to be a Master stitcher. I showed interest in learning and she said, “We get together on Tuesday Mornings at my house, come and join us!” So I did and she among others in the group have taught me so much. I recently completed the Elizabeth Bradley’s Four Seasons and it is hanging above our fireplace in TN.
    Alice Hodde

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  117. My mother taught me when I was a little girl. I still have some of that ‘work’ that she had saved. I have always enjoyed embroidery and hand work. I just finished a cut work table topper. Took me quite a while to do it.

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  118. My mother and both my grandmothers always embroidered, tatted, knitted, crocheted, and sewed. All 3 of them taught me to stitch. My first bought project was a girl scout sampler that won as oldest ufo at an embroidery guild meeting several years ago.

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  119. I was taught to sew in a variety of ways. My grandmother first taught me Swedish Embroidery and I self taught (with the aid of instructions) my way through tripuntal, crewal, etc. I am fascinated by the the emergence of a picture from a blank fabric.

    Thanks for doing these giveaways. I enjoy your site and hope you are feeling better.

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  120. At the ripe old age of five I was introduced to embroidery by a grandmother who taught me how to do stem and outline stitches. Then she gave me some pillowcases, a few skeins of thread and a beginner’s selection of patterns to iron onto the pillowcases as the end of the visit approached. A few months later she sent me a small booklet with a selection of different stitches for Christmas.

    Of course I had to have my mother iron the patterns onto the pillowcases. She feared that I would burn something.

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  121. I am self taught. I truly love embroidery and have been teaching it for a few years. There was one class I took on Brizillian Embroidery that really made me think there is much more to this and much more to learn. I have spent many hours learning new stitches.
    And sharing them with others.

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  122. I am definitely a self-taught stitcher. I started with a pillow kit when I was a teenager, and have learned a lot from kits over the last few years (including one with a scene from the Bayeaux tapestry, which propelled me to learn the Bayeaux stitch). I plan on taking classes … one of these days … both for the instruction and the camaraderie.

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  123. I am a new stitcher. My friends in my local chapter of EGA, Fleur-de-lis, are helping me learn as we work on projects.

    Marilyn

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  124. Always looking for more Inspiration and information…started with my me mere 60 years ago and ever hoping to improve

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  125. My grandmothers and my mother all did embroidery! I was so excited when they gave me my first kit! It was a little Holly Hobbie style design in crewel work. Split stitch and satin stitch were the first stitches I learned on that piece.

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  126. My mother encouraged my embroidery and sewing interest at a very early age. Most of my education is self taught and right now my interests include improving and learning new stitches for crazy quilting and embellishing wall hangings and quilts. Inspirations magazine by itself is a wonderful source of information, inspiration and just plain fun to enjoy. Adding a kit would only enhance the pleasure.
    Thanks for the give away chance.
    Lucy

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  127. Hi Mary 🙂

    Thank you and Inspirations magazine for hosting such a lovely giveaway.

    I’m a self-taught stitcher. I learned by doing a cross-stitch kit. I did only cross stitch for the first few years, but after I discovered all that was available on the internet, my world expanded, lol. Pretty much everything I learned, I taught myself, either thru books or tutorials over the Internet.

    Thanks again for the chance to win 🙂

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  128. God bless Mothers, mine taught embroidery to me when I was about 6 years old and I’m still stitching at 73.

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  129. Thank you for the opportunity to win this kit. Inspirations is my favorite magazine. Merry Christmas!

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  130. This really dates me but, I learned to stitch at school and then my Mother and Aunt encouraged me with new projects.
    Sue

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  131. I am mostly self taught. My mom got me started but I quickly started off in cross stitch which she had no interest in. That lead me back into surface embroidery and gold work.

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  132. My mom had me embroidery those days of the weeks towels. I don’t think it really stayed with me until I started cross stitching and then my threads became like paint to me!

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  133. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t doing something crafty. My aunt taught me to crochet clothes for my Barbie Doll when I was about 7. I have learned from family, friends, instructors and books! Still learning! Thanks,

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  134. I learned to stitch from my mother at about the age of 7 or 8. I stitched a printed kitchen towel with salt and pepper shakers and a lot of lazy daisy stitches.
    Alice Sheridan

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  135. My mother got me started when I was about 11 or 12. She was very good at embroidery, needlepoint, and crochet.
    I recently taught my 17 year old granddaughter to embroider, what a joy!

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  136. I learned my first embroidery stitches from my grandmother, stitching printed dishtowels and pillowcases from Woolworths with variegated Coats and Clark floss. I was about 6 or 7. In third grade our art teacher taught us lots of embroidery stitches on burlap using yarn. I made a fish with each row of scales a different color and a different stitch. I was on fire with the textures I could create with different stitches. She even taught us bullion knots!! This was in 1965. I’ve had a needle in my hand ever since.

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  137. I learned to embroidery during the third grade, where a remarkable teacher included several unusual thing in her curriclum. This was a k thru 8 grade school in one room with one teacher. In third grade the girls started sewing., boys started wood working.We learned several simple stitches, then we each drew our house or the schoolhouse in pencil on a piece of cotton. Then we began stitching the drawing we had done. As we came to places on the picture that required a stitch we didn’t know, we stopped and everybody learned that stitch. I remember when we learned the french knot. We all thought that was so neat half our drawing was fre nch knots. She was a remarkable teacher.

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  138. I’d love to be the winner today. I’ve y family stockings and make ornaments foemy 11grandchildreneach year!
    I am left handed and am self-taught. I belong to two very active Guilds that are great teaching forums with the trachers wegetfor classes.
    I look forward to your daily email! Thanks!
    Sue

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  139. How fun is this giveaway! I am a self taught stitcher that has relearned how to stitch better since my retirement. Love all the different kinds of hand sewing available.
    Geralyn

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  140. My teacher in School taught me how to embroider and I at once fell in love with it. I embroider both real size and Things for miniature size 1:12.

    Regards Jette Sauerberg, Denmark

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  141. I’m basically self taught. I started doing cross stitch in the 80’s when everyone else did. But recently I started doing other types of embroidery, including hardanger. I have learned a lot from books, but youTube is my best teacher! It’s funny though – as soon as I started doing embroidery, my mother (in her 70’s) got all nostalgic and wanted to do some also. It turns out she learned as a child in 4H but somehow never taught my sister and I.

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  142. My grandmother taught me to embroider. She gave e a plain hankie on which she had sketched a simple flower. It had a stem, leaves and many petals. That day I learned the stitches I needed to learn in order to “color” the flower. I was so proud of it. I promptly lost it but I remembered the joy that little project gave me.
    Dell Martinez

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  143. I started at age 5 with those cardboard stitching cards using yarn and I thought that surface embroidery would be just that easy! But I taught myself with beginner’s books from the library. Embroidery has provide me years of quiet enjoyment. Thank you for the opportunity to win the magazine, etc.

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  144. I learned to stitch on my own years ago with the help of books and magazines. Today I have access to wonderful sites like yours.

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  145. My grandmother taught me some basics when I was very young. However, I didn’t really remember, so I’m pretty much self taught from kits and the Internet.

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  146. I just know this time you will draw my name for the lovely Inspirations give away. I learned to embroidery tea towels. My mother taught me the daisy chain stitch and the outline stitch. It was many years before I learned any other stitches and began to do crewel embroidery. Now I would like to stitch all day. I wish there were more hours in the day! Thanks for your blog! Your enthusiasm encourages me to get more stitching done. Jane Hancock

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  147. At the age of 80, I’ve had a needle in my hand for so long I can’t even remember who put it there to begin with. It could have been my grandmother who ttok the time from helping run their dairy farm to work with me. It could have been my mother who came of age during the depression. She found time to teach me a skill that didn’t require too much in the way of resources except time to produce something beautiful, useful or both. So whoever it was, I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

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  148. I learn to stitch on my own, using your great web site. Now i’m teaching my daughter and she prefers to
    embroider than to sew!! Thank you for your web its VERY EDUCATIONAL!!

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  149. My mother taught me how to stitch. It was a real challenge since I am left handed.

    Shelli
    Omaha, NE

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  150. My first embroidery was in my late teens and it was a pair of pillowcases with the Southern belle in her hoop skirt and bonnet! A classic. I still love to do embroidery on pillowcases. Thanks for another great giveaway.

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  151. When I was a little girl in 4th grade, my friend,Victoria would invite me over to play quite frequently. She was a only child and I came from a big family. She had many fun things to do. They had a large basket filled with unfinished embroidery. Anyone, (including visitors)could partake of working on these samplers. We spent many hours together doing just that!

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  152. I learned to stitch when I was six or seven years old. My mother provided the materials and instructions. I still have two early projects: —
    the (Girl Scout) Brownie Promise in cross stitch and outline stitch with the design stamped on the fabric and
    a tent stitched cat with the design stamped on the canvas
    I also have a dictionary of stitches from that same time.
    Val Reece

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  153. I learned to stitch as a child, attending elementary school in Vancouver, Canada. The entire class learned as part of our Art curriculum, a very rich, applied program; the learning has stayed with me through my life.

    I’d love to do this project!

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  154. My mom originally taught me to embroider when I was around 11. I’ve been embroidering ever since!

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  155. I can remember as a little girl at my grandmother’s knee learning to stitch. My mom knew how but there was just something magic about the Christmas season when grandmother made things for others. And she had so much patience with me. I loved her so much. I thank her for the beautiful memories. Thank you so much for my entry.
    Betty Jarrell

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  156. What a sweet question, it brings up such happy memories. My mom taught me when I was a little girl. I would em broiler on the doll clothes I made, and then as a teenager do complicated, elaborate designs on my jeans. It’s such a versatile, creative, talent to have.

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  157. I am 74 y/o Mexican/American and as my grandmother taught my mother, my mother taught me to embroider. I was about 9 when mom started teaching me all the different stitches. We would sit on an old cot in the backyard so we could be alone. I was expected to embroider pillow cases, scarves for furniture, etc. and eventually all these would fill a hope chest. From that day on, I have embroidered. Sad to say, I never kept any of my earlier pieces. About four years ago, my friend invited me to join the EGA chapter and I can’t get enough of embroidery and needlepoint. How things have changed…..the beautiful threads and fabrics….Oh my!

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  158. I begin to stitch at the age of 6 or 7. Nun teach me at school how to stitch. I keep stitching all my life. When I am young, when I have a project my parent, buy what I need. It there way to encourage me to create and develop my skill. Excuse the way I write in English my first language is French.
    Thank you,
    Nicole

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  159. Hi,
    Thank you for the chance to win your very generous giveaways! I am a self taught beginner. I live in a small town in Montana, finding classes, or someone to teach these things just are not available, as well as finding the materials locally, very difficult. Your website and blog have been a great source of information and inspiration to me, I have learned so very much from you.
    Thank you for the opportunity to enter and possibly win your giveaways!

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  160. These are beautiful stockings and would be perfect for two empty nesters! My grandmother taught me to embroider when I was quite young. I clearly remember pillow cases with lambs stitched completely in French knots. I had perfected that stitch by the time I had finished!

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  161. Well, I must be self taught as I have no recollection of being taught, though I do know my mum liked to embroider. I was a teenager in the 70’s when embroidered jean jackets was all the rage. I never did manage to make one for myself, but I did teach myself some basic stitches out of a little paper back book, which I still have.

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  162. My mother and my aunt taught me how to stitch. My first project was a small cross stitch pincushion that my aunt gave me when I was staying with her during my mom’s hospital stay. I was about 8.

    195
  163. I first learned needlework from my grandmother. She did beautiful crewel work and needlepoint embroidery. I am most fortunate to have a few of the pieces she worked. It was a great gift she gave to me, helping to fill many hours in good times and bad.

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  164. I am self taught. I saw a picture, in a magazine, of a beautiful angel with a long blue dress. It was done in counted cross stitch. I was a seamstress, but had done lots of crewel work and stamped cross stitch. But, I wanted to do that angel! So I bought a small book on cross stitching, along with the supplies and stitched the angel. I was hooked! That was 35 years ago and I still love cross stitching!

    Thank you for entering me in the contest.

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  165. My Mother taught me to do needlepoint, then I graduated into embroidery and crewel which I enjoy immensely.

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  166. Hi, I retired two years ago and decided to re-learn embroidery again. My Mom taught me when I was a small child. I am working on an embroidered tablecloth for my daughter. I embroidered flower scenes from Diana Lampe’s “Embroidery for all Seasons” I did the Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and I framed them myself.

    I love needlework and Mary’s site. I look forward to it every day.

    I hope I win!!!!!

    Thank you,
    Pat

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  167. Self taught. I took a class from a local needlepoint lady. Later I learned some from NQA convention and local EGA guild. Thank you.

    200
  168. I started out as a self taught stitcher, but soon realized that I needed help. Lucky for me there is a local chapter of EGA in my area, the Laurel Chapter. They are a great group of ladies and very experienced. We do projects every month. I have learned so much and have improved quite a bit. It is a great pleasure for me to stitch.

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  169. The Inspirations magazine always has such beautiful projects and ideas. There is something about working with nice materials that make the project much for exciting.

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  170. I began stitching lessons on my Mam Maw’s lap. She was an avid stitcher, quilter, crochet…anything but knitting. I inherited he lack of knitting skills lol

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  171. Hello Mary,
    Thank you for yet another opportunity to win something grand! For surface embroidery I learned from one of those green covered “Learn How” books from long ago! It had a little of everything in it, teaching the basics of each. For dimensional embroidery, it was much more challenging but I learned the basics by taking a great into class at the NW Quilt Expo, taught by two wonderful ladies! since then I have gained more skills by attending the Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery Guild annual seminars, in early June, full of wonderful classes and teachers! A wonderful time to stitch and visit with other stitchers from all over! It is the highlight of my year!

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  172. I learned to stitch at age 3 at my grandmother and mother’s knee. That was the starting point. I was then, at the age of 6, handed a book on Crewel embroidery, some fabric, wool and made my first project . Everything else was self taught.
    After my mother passed away, going through her things, I found this project wrapped in tissue (plus several other items I had stitched for her over the years).
    What a wonderful surprise! Now, I am teaching my grandchildren and saving their projects to add to the “Hope Chest”

    Thank you for all the opportunities to win something wonderful!
    Barabal
    (that’s scots gaelic for Barbara) 🙂

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  173. My mother started my love for embroidery. I started with printed pillowcases and dresser scarves from the 5 & 10. I have now joined an EGA group and expanded my interest to more than just cross stitch. Don’t know what I would do without my stitching!!

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  174. Hi Mary – Thanks for these give-aways. I think the stockings are beautiful!
    I learned to stitch from my grandma and also took it for a merit badge for Girl Scouts. I was just awful at it. I was a good knitter in my teens and twenties and picked up cross stitch in my twenties. In my thirties I taught myself Hardanger. In my 50s I took up Brazilian dimensional embroidery. I am so “hooked” these days…

    Thanks again for the give aways.
    Judy C

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  175. My mother is a seamstress, my father a tailor. I learned to hold a needle and thread at an early age. Now in my retirement, I have picked up embroidery and cross stitch by reading and watching video’s. It is safe to say, my parents are my mentors in all things sewing, but I am self taught when it comes to needle arts.

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  176. Hello! How did I starting stitching? Hmmm…my friend at work taught/got me started on needlepoint. I taught myself to cross stitch and to embroidery. My grandmother crocheted, my mother did some embroidery but not much. I think I was influenced by the beauty of it all and that fact that I could do this.

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  177. Lucky to have learnt in school all the rudiments of sewing, embroidery, smocking; also privileged to have had a mother who was a talented seamstress.

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  178. My mom was an avid seamstress when I was growing up and I was the only one of my four sisters who wanted to learn how to sew. It was a natural progression for me to learn how to do embroidery. I received small kits as gifts for Christmas and birthdays. Although my mom sewed she didn’t do any kind of hand needlework so I am pretty much self taught. As the years have passed I take classes when I can and am always interested in learning new techniques.

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  179. Dear Mary,
    I learned to embroider from you! I read several blogs but I rarely leave comments which I guess is part of the joy of reading but I’ve never gotten in the habit. I’ve been reading yours for several years and using the tutorial videos to teach myself the stitches. I love your videos! They are so clear and easy to follow…so thank you!

    I read about your illness and quietly sent you healing thoughts and wishes for good health. I appreciate your joie de vivre, your humor and your insights.

    Wishing you all the very best and a joyful, love filled Christmas.
    Christy

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  180. I learned from my mother how to embroider at a very young age (I’m now 63). I was a very hyperactive child, and my mother soon discovered that if she sat me down with a needle and thread it would calm me down. I still have my first piece of embroidery. I also remember coloring macaroni with crayons and threading it on shoelaces to tie around my neck for a necklace. Those were good days.

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  181. I learned to stitch in school when I was 7. I learned back stitch and stem stitch. After that I did needlepoint (the old way) on printed canvas.

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  182. I was taught by 2 women in my life – my mother and her mother. My mother taught me to embroider, quilt and sew and my grandmother taught me how to crochet. My dad’s mother was an embroiderer, but passed before she could teach me. Needle art in all forms have been part of my life for as long as I remember.

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  183. I am “self taught” and maybe I better find a better teacher! It is all about practice. And I need to stop being self critical! I will keep on practicing!

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  184. I am a self-taught cross stitcher, and then I discovered the Embroidery Guild of America (EGA). I joined the Indian River Chapter in Melbourne, FL where I have learned so many new techniques.

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  185. What a Lovely prize! I’ve been stitching for so long I forget how I got started!. I suspect that I was self taught then when I was able I took classes.
    BTW-I’ve asked for a digital subscription to Inspirations magazine–hope Santa is listening!

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  186. I learned how to stitch on my own. Stitching relaxes me and watching the design grow is so addictive!

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  187. I am self taught. However, when I lived in Maine I was introduced to a master teacher/embroiderer, Jerri Ames, and was introduced to the many facets of needlework. Although I was not able to continue working with her I now have more time since I am retired and have returned to a former love. My residence is in North Carolina and I am on my own relearning what I learned many years ago. It has become a passion.

    Sheila Shaffer

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  188. My mother got me started stitching with simple embroidery when I was about 9-10. I’ve been at it ever since! And I love the counted stockings!

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  189. Mary, you ask the best questions! Where did I learn to stitch? Under the fluorescent lights in the sewing machine department at JoAnn ETC! For six weeks, I had the embroidery teacher all to myself for one night a week because I was the only student who showed up. We worked in hand on all kinds of surface stitches & I learned the word “etui”. I had signed up for three classes that session: embroidery, ribbon flowers & beading. After that, it was off to the races on my own & thru EGA. Those were the days! ;-).

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  190. Hi, Firstly, i learnt embroidery from my mother, the basic stitches. Later embroidery books helped me to polish my skills . And later took a class also and now books, blogs, online classes keeps me quite updated.

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  191. My grandmother taught me to embroider. I sat in my little rocking chair next to her big rocking chair and stitched a giraffe – I still have it, I had it framed several years ago. I remember having to rip out stitches that were not perfect and restitch them.

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  192. As a small child I had an aunt living with us who was mentally challenged and did sewing and embroidery to entertain herself and, in turn, me. She was probably the first person to put a needle into my hand but that was followed by encouragement from my mother and grandmother.

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  193. I remember having knowledge of stitching,either by watching someone or actually doing it myself, before I did my first class in 1970 at the age of 15!

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  194. A couple of years ago I realized I wanted a crafty hobby, and fabric crafts have always been my niche since my grandmother and mother are sewers. A girlfriend and I bought some supplies and a tiny little stitch book and I was on my way. I’ve made about 10 pieces in the past 2 years, and I’m hooked! 🙂 Just finished a piece from your templates for my mom for her birthday, and I’m excited to give it to her.

    Thanks for the opportunity!

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  195. I was only 4 when my mother taught me to stitch…I loved learning and I might even have that first piece.

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  196. I taught myself to stitch when I was pregnant with my first daughter. I bought a kit and just followed the directions.

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  197. My grandmother taught me how to do a basic stitch and a French knot. The rest I learned as a young woman because I was tired of only knowing a few stitches. My grandmother was a excellent quilter and made many by hand. Guess that’s why I have come to enjoy it so much. Happy Holidays!!
    Barbara Middleton

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  198. I learned how to stitch first in a somewhat self-taught manner, but then really learned how from a nun (classic, right? And I’m only 20!). I then started to learn the real stitches from your website!!! Yay! Thanks so much for having it up!

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  199. How did I learn to stitch? First my Mom, who did embroidery on pillowcases and dresser scarves. She taught me the basic stitches. She also taught me to iron by letting me iron handkerchiefs, pillowcases and the dresser scarves. I have learned from friends and taken classes. There is not just one place or person who taught me. I call my stitching and sewing my psychiatrist.
    I love Inspirations and your newsletter. Diane P. from Duncanville, Texas

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  200. I learned to stitch from a wonderful teacher Carolyn Mitchell. She had a Needle work Store here in Winnipeg
    called Mrs Twitchetts. She is also a designer and Im sure lots of you have either taken a class from her or have heard of her. Actually Im working on one of her designs now. Love her designs. I would have never learned how to stitch if it wasn’t for Carolyn. Love these stockings my Grand Daughter would love one of these.
    Thanks for the opportunity to win one Mary. And Merry Christmas Everyone

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  201. Ohhh this is an easy one. Right HERE on Needle n’ Thread!

    I was surfing the web, not particularly looking to learn a new hobby, when I came across your amazing website. I watched and read your tutorials and you did such an incredible job teaching that I decided to give it a try. The results were stitching history when I finished a gorgeous monogrammed letter B, from your generous collection of free letters, for my new granddaughter, Brie!

    By the way, yours is the ONLY newsletter I look forward to reading every day!

    Merry Christmas to you and your family, Mary!

    With utmost thanks,
    Catrina Byrge

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  202. I am so amazed at how much information you put out! Congratulations on a wonderful blog. Merry Christmas to you and continued health to you and yours.

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  203. My mother taught me how to stitch on dish towels from Woolworths that had a day of the week and a job to do.

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  204. There are so many beautiful stitches out there. Our needlework guild here in Duluth, MN, is doing a sampler of embroidery stitches, and this would certainly be a wonderful way to apply what I’m learning. Thank you. Pam

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  205. My mother taught me the basics as a child. I loved it when as adults we both stitched away during a summer vacation. It is a wonderful memory!

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  206. My greatest gift was my mom teaching me to embroidery at age 5, then as now is my passion. While she has passed on, every time I pick up a needle & thread she is who with in spirit & my grandmother who taught her.

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  207. I am self taught. There were no (?) classes and certainly no internet back 55 years ago. Wonderful having it now. ~Gale Clement

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  208. I learned to stitch in grade 6 Home Economics class and my mother did embroidery and smocking, both of which she inspired me to learn. I did simple embroidery on table clothes, tea towels (the first one I did in school I still have) As a child and teenager and I still have those things and I guess they are 50 years old. Treasures I keep and hopefully my granddaughter will cherish when it is time for her to set up a home (she is only 9) and I teach her everything I can. She seems to be artistic as well. The skills live on! I teach stitching of all sorts and have a lady coming to work on hardanger this afternoon. Just sheer joy to stitch.

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  209. I learnt to embroider through my mother, who was taught by hers. I still have the very first piece….I was 11. I did a great many centres and duchess sets, crocheting the edges as taught by my mother. Later, I went onto cross stitch. Since then, I have joined the NZ Embroiderers Guild and branched out to learn many other techniques.

    The stockings would make wonderful gifts for some children I know.

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  210. I started on my own with small ornaments on canvas that came with instructions. Then moved on the bargello and counted cross stitch. Now I enjoy taking classes and learning from other stitchers and tips from your blog.

    247
  211. Wow! You have such great giveaways! I got started stitching with my grandmother. I must have been 8 years old and she crocheted up a storm. She taught me the basic crochet stitches and I was off from there. I self taught myself how to knit and although the first attempts at that were rather unspectacular, I have since improved. As far as stitching pieces my first attempt at needlepoint was a typical 70’s sampler in olive green and gold. I taught myself hardanger and those pieces I have done now grace family members tables. My favorite is mixed media needlepoint where you can apply various threads and goldwork combined with fabrics.
    Thanks! Sue

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  212. Long ago I learned some stitching in girl scouts, but promptly forgot most of it. So, for the most part I am self-taught. You have helped me on my road to discovering the wonderful world of hand stitching. My motto has always been “I can do that”. Sometimes I need a little help, so THANK YOU!

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  213. Your web site is truly an inspiration for me. I learned to embroider when I was very young but have returned to it the last few years and I love to check out your site for the beautiful work you do and the inspiration and ideas it imparts. Thank you!

    251
  214. Oh Mary, you have the best give-aways!
    I have been stitching in one form or another since grade school! My mother did embroidery and sewed many of our clothes. I started cross-stitching following college. Initially I was mostly self-taught but then in the 1990’s discovered the “Spirit of Cross-stitch” festivals in Des Moines and took as many classes as I could. While simple xstitch is the most relaxing, I find specialty stitching very rewarding!

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  215. I learned from girl scouts (or was it Brownies?) when little. Now semi-retired, I started taking classes locally, and also learn from books and websites.

    253
  216. My first “embroidery” was red wool on a dish cloth as taught by my Nanny. As you can imagine my 4 year old attempts at cross stitch were very wonky, but it got me started. I haven’t stopped in the intervening 53 years, although my stitches are far more delicate now.

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  217. I learned from books at first. I come from a non-sewing family, but I always enjoyed crafts, knit, crochet, sewing,etc.

    255
  218. As a young girl of 7 or 8, my mother taught me simple surface embroidery. I had always liked puzzles of any sort, and to me stitching was like solving a puzzle as the “picture” slowly emerged in colors varied. Mother was a proficient crewel embroiderer, but wool doesn’t agree with me so I branched out in other directions. I love the arts, and this “art” is my main joy. Thank you for the wonderful and inspirational lessons on Needlen thread – always a joy.

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  219. I’m self-taught…over the years i have collected over 100 embroidery books and magazines.

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  220. I was taught by my Oma, and my mom. They both spent a lot of time, while I was growing up, making things. I still talk to them about projects I’m working on, and get advice.

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  221. My mother got me started with some basics: stem stitch, satin stitch, French knots, and lazy daisy. Everything else has been self-taught. That’s how I stumbled across your blog in the first place. I was looking for good resources for a class of home schooled stitchers I was teaching. I don’t know if any of the girls in my class are still embroidering, but I’ve been a loyal fan of yours ever since. Thank you sooooo much for all the time and enthusiasm you pour into your art on our behalf!

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  222. My mother taught me the basic stitches when I was in middle school. Sine then I have taught myself more stitches, utilizing a variety of books and websites.

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  223. I am mostly self taught, my Mother helped me to learn to stitch hems. Random stitches dressed my cardboard dolls house. I made embroidered curtains, plain bedding and my biggest delight was making the dolls clothes. Formal training came at school.

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  224. First off thanks for the chance to win.
    I was newly pregnant at 25 and wanted to make a needlepoint stocking for my daughter. I went to a needlepoint shop in Phoenix and asked her if she could teach me how to needlepoint. Long story short, that was 30+ years ago and I am still doing needlework of all types and love it!!
    Desi
    Mayfield, Ky

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  225. My mother was a great embroiderer. She was taught by nuns while growing up in Italy. She was my inspiration but not my teacher. My teacher is Palma Egidi in Italy…..a true artist, very creative and very competent.

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  226. I started learning by buying small embroidery kits and following the instructions. In the past 5 years, I have taken correspondence courses, private lessons and group lessons. I also learn with youtube videos. Thanks for this opportunity to win!

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  227. I learned basic outline stitches from my grandmother when I was about 7, and was self-taught after that. In the late 70’s I spent a week at the Elsa Williams School, where we worked on canvas work and crewel. I had the pleasure of learning crewel from Grace O’Neill.

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  228. How did I learn to stitch? Many years ago I began work as a psychiatric nurse in a mental hospital. On a break, one of my superiors, instead of smoking, was working on a piece of petit point. I was so entranced! I thought ,”I can do this” and I did! I am largely self taught, but have been challenged by many stitches since then, and still, at 83 yrs. old, love to stitch.

    267
  229. I am a self taught stitcher. I started with tapestry silk too many years ago to remember, following on with silk shading. It is only in recent years that I have attended classes to learn goldwork, which is currently my passion.

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  230. I would love to win this give away. I have a 7 year old granddaughter & a 4 year old grandson who I am plan ing to stit h Christmas stockings for. This give away is beautiful & would be just perfect.

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  231. My grandmother taught me cross stitch. I have several pairs of pillow cases that she made for me when I was little. About a year ago I started a quilt that had a lot of stitching involved into, so I got a book and relearned. Now I enjoy it very much.

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  232. I learned to back stitch as a girl from a lady at church. After that it was all self taught from books, samplers and kits. Now-days there is the internet and wonderful blogs and tutorials. I’m having a lot of fun getting back into stitching. Thanks Mary, your tips and tutorials have really helped this lady, as there are not a lot of people, let alone embroidery classes in rural Wyoming!! Even I don’t win, I’d like to buy this pattern or kit, it’s totally my style!

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  233. I learned to stitch from my Hungarian grandmother starting at the age of 3 with Hungarian embroidery where the back looks just like the front, no knots or crossovers. I progressed into other embroideries and needleworks. I learned to sew by making my own patterns from newspaper, crochet, crewel, cross stitch and combining media in needlework. Sweet memories! Gloria Kovacs-Nickolis

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  234. My grandmother, my mother and a neighbor were all interested in working with needles, threads, yarns and hooks. They taught me some basic stitches when I was around 10 years old. After I had children, my interest in embroidery and other crafts was revived. From there I am self-taught in Needlearts.

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  235. Oh, how I would love one of these beautiful items. We had to move from our home to a much smaller rental in may and I am still buried in boxes. Everything is store in the garage. I found the Xmas tree but cannot find the ornaments or any decorations so one of these giveaways would be wonderful!

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  236. I taught myself mostly because I am left handed ad so had to change stiches, but I have also been to many classes over the years.

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  237. My Mom taught me to stitch around 5 years old. She was going back to school and needed some quiet time. I’ve always been glad I learned.

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  238. Nearly failed needlework in grade school and Mom had to intervene about my grubby unfinished blouse. At least I learned to thread a machine, so made clothes for my two small daughters later on. Then I saw some embroideries by Jan Messent and something went bing! in my brain. I took evening classes in embroidery and quilting, but after that had to depend on books and practice. My elder daughter told me about your website, and now I am learning from you and loving it. Bet my needlework teacher all those years ago would be totally amazed!

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  239. I was 6 years old and staying with an aunt and uncle for the summer. She was working on a baby layette for another niece (that she had raised) and when I showed interest, she gave me a crib sheet that she had stamped with a pattern across the edge and taught me to do simple stitches – stem stitch and daisy I think. I got to keep that sheet for my dolls. Before the summer was over, I also finished a stamped dish towel as a gift for my mother. When Mama died, I discovered that the many towels I had embroidered for her were carefully packed away and so I have them now. Do I use them? No… they’re too close to being antiques now!!

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  240. My Grandmother got me started, but since then it has been solely self taught. I mostly stitched kits and would follow their directions. That was the beginning of a life long love with embroidery.

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  241. My grandmother taught me to embroider when I was four years old. By the time I was five I was embroidering dish towels. I had my own hoop, thread, needles and scissors. We would spend some time most days stitching together. Not only did I learn to stitch but that quiet alone time with my grandmother was very special.

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  242. My first grade teacher Miss Hough taught me to stitch. Her maxim was .. You must start with a double stitch and end with a double stitch! No knots! She was very strict. We made a sampler, a needle case and then a workbag. I still have the bag – yellow gingham to help keep the lines straight,and the stitches even.

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  243. i learned to stitch and do embroidery when i was in primary school.I didn’t realize at the time that i was learning a craft that i would grow to love, and take me through many difficult times and also through the good times. My embroidery always comes with me wherever i go.

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  244. This one requires little thought: My Hungarian grandma! From about age 5, very time I visited her we would do a “project”. I do remember big knotty wads of Coats floss in my “sewing basket” (I always pulled the wrong end!!) She always had a pillowcase or table cloth that she was working on in HER basket. It was “our” thing. (My own mom certainly supported it once I returned home, as she is a very accomplished needleworker in her own right.) I’ve taught my 2 girls, and have started in on the grandkids. My only grandson (age 9) has presented me with an embroidery every year for Christmas since he was 4 years old. I treasure these greatly! The last two years he has designed and charted his own designs!! I DO love embroidery!!

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  245. Although my mother sewed almost all of our clothes (and beautifully), she didn’t embroider. However, in the late 60″s, I began to embroider all the clothing that came my way. I remember having a little Coat’s and Clark booklet that showed the stitches and a bag of DMC floss and pearl cotton. I moved on to cross stitch which, after a while, I found extremely boring. However I loved the counted aspect and how it became part of the fabric. From there I moved into Hardanger and drawn thread work. Now I am moving back into the freedom of surface embroidery. Currently I am doing the Nordic Needle butterfly white work sampler. I also weave and bead. I am getting the beads together for the ornament on the current Inspirations Embroidery magazine. Mary Corbet’s site is helping free me up from counted thread work. Have a wonderful Holiday.

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  246. I learned to do surface embroidery on pillowcases from my mother. Later as an adult I self taught myself counted cross stitch. I joined our local chapter of Embroiderers’ Guild of America (EGA) about 15 years ago and haven’t stopped trying new embroidery techniques since joining. The lessons and projects provided by the Guild are an inspiration.

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  247. I’ve always had a love of stitching since I was a little girl and I used to sit beside my Aunt while she stitched. She didn’t really teach me much then, I was 5. But in later years, I have learned through books and now the internet usually your website when I need to find a stitch your website is my goto.

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  248. My mother taught me the basics of Embroidery at a young age, and I’ve picked it up again after many years about 10 years ago.

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  249. I learned basic sewing in grade school home ec but have learned most of my needlework through books and online!

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  250. My mother taught me basic embroidery stitches and stamped cross stitch when I was a little girl. Over the years I learned more from magazines and also attended a few cross stitch conventions where I took a few classes.

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  251. My grandmother got me started as a young girl. Then it was a long period of being self taught. Now I enjoy taking workshops—Sue Spargo being a favorite.

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  252. My Mother started to teach me stitch when I was about 6 with a very simple stamped cross stitch sampler. I still have it. It’s framed and hanging in my craft room. I really don’t remember stitching it but I’m glad mother saved it. I spent many years sewing my own clothes instead of stitching. Mother taught me to sew too. I picked embroidery back up in my late 20s. Now I embroidery, cross stitch, counted cross stitch and sew. I’m really enjoying your Christmas giveaways and hoping I win one. Merry Christmas to everyone.

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  253. I learned some embroidery stitches from Aunt when I was young. My Home Ec. teacher taught us cross stitch in high school, a very small strawberry.

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  254. I took a class 4 years ago where they taught me crazy quilting. Always looking for new classes. I just can’t get enough stitching!

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  255. My grandmother taught me to sew and started me on embroidery. It has been years since I worked on embroidery seriously and would like to get restarted in this lovely art form.

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  256. I first learned at about age 12 in a summer arts and crafts class. In college, I learned counted cross-stitch from a friend who went to the counting house in Pawley’s Island SC.

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  257. I am self taught. I bought lots of kits in the beginning, but now I usually create my own projects. Love your emails and blog posts. Thanks for the opportunity to win these beautiful stockings!

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  258. I started my needle and thread journey at about age 4 (that’s 70 years ago!) I learned from my mother at that time, and have progressed through all types of needlework. I’m still obsessed and currently love crazy quilting. I also piece quilts, crochet and knot. My hands are almost always busy.

    Inspirations is a fabulous resource. I currently pick up the copies as soon as they come in to my local quilt shop. Thanks for the opportunity to win the stocking kits. I’ll pass on the magazine to a friend as I’ve already purchased my own copy.

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  259. My mother taught me and my sisters how to embroider. Some stitches one is taught are never forgotten.

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  260. I would love to be tagged the “winner” of this fun giveaway. I enjoy your posts and admire your dedication.

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  261. I learned to sew buttons on at the age of 5. I kept bugging my mom as she sewed, so she would give me the button box. She taught me to embroider later and I would embroider napkins that she drew the designs on. I still have the cigar box with the last napkins and one napkin in progress! Another unfinished project! I have loved handwork and have taught myself many stitches.

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  262. My maternal grandmother lived with us from the time I was three. CeCe was a mathematician and a teacher who was gifted enough to see that each of her 7 grandchildren had different talents. I learned to sew on her Singer Featherweight and she taught me patience with beautiful hand stitched hems. She also guided me through cross-stitch, crochet, tatting, knitting, quilting, and the original hooked rug techniques. I am fortunate to still have her Singer, her tatting shuttles and her cutting machine for the wool strips for the rugs. Now I just need to find time to honor her with finished projects.

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  263. Hi Mary – my mother started me off, then school taught me cross-stitch, and since then I´ve learnt a lot from various workshops, books and lately the internet. A wonderful life-long hobby.
    Keep well.

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  264. My mother taught me the basics when I was in High School. I never knew there was so much more until I found your blog. Thank you for sharing so much knowledge.

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  265. Mainly self taught through books, although along the way I have done some classes where unusual stitches have been shown.

    305
  266. My mother taught me basic embroidery stitches as a child. As a young adult I enrolled in a cross stitch class.
    Robin Voiers

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  267. It’s hard for me to remember when I started embroidery but I wasn’t taught by anyone until later in my life when I took a few courses. I taught myself by buying kits (crewel was my favorite) and following the instructions. Now, I’d rather play with what I know and use various techniques to do embellishments on crazy quilts. I’ve used books to teach me ribbon embroidery and enjoy using it along with simple embroidery combining various threads and beads.

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  268. My mother first taught me to cross-stitch. From there my next real teacher was you, Mary! Thank you for giving me the gift of embroidery. It is something I treasure dearly!

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  269. I do believe it was my mother who taught me, but I honestly don’t remember her sitting with me. I guess in reality, I have no idea who helped me!

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  270. I was self taught at 8 years old by finishing a kit my mom had started when she was a kid. She never finished it and I found it looking through her cedar chest. I fell in love with embroidery instantly.

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  271. I learned to embroidery when I was about 8 years old by my Mother. I was raised in a family of needle arts, crochet, knitting, embroidery, tatting and quilting.
    Thank you for the opportunity to enter this contest.
    Judy Cox

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  272. My grandmother, mother and aunt were all fabulous stitchers – granny winning many prizes at state fairs, my mom sewing everything and embroidering what she could, and my aunt worked for Bernina. Plus we learnt to sew/embroider and knit at school – so wish those classes were still included.

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  273. I learned to embroider from my mother, who insisted that all seven of her daughters learn to stitch and sew on the machine. She also introduced crochet, knitting, and hand quilting to us, but I didn’t take to those as much as I enjoyed embroidery. As a young girl, I wasn’t always appreciative of mom for the hours we spent stitching, but now I am very thankful to her for teaching us the stick-to-it attitude and to encourage us to try new things.

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  274. My Mom taught me how to stitch when I was young. Over the years I have continued to improve my skills.

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  275. I am a self-taught stitcher. My first projects as a kid were baby bibs I bought at the craft store with pre-printed cross stitch patterns on them that I would stitch. I stopped stitching though until I became an adult and taught myself hand embroidery with the help of the good old Internet!! 🙂

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  276. As a child I remember watching my mother stitch various projects but she never asked if I would like to learn. I have been stitching since the late 1960’s as husband was in college and then 22 years of navy life with numerous patrols. Bottom line, I have been self taught with many desires to learn more. So enjoy your daily “letters”.

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  277. Ooo, lovely!

    Besides the clumsy grade-school stitching, I really learned to stitch in high school. It was the 80s and cross-stitch was everywhere, and I learned to do it. Then I spent a year in Denmark, where everybody could cross-stitch (fast!) and knit, and I learned to do it in-hand instead of in a hoop. After that I never looked back.

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  278. I need my first needlepoint project in Sunday school (church) when I was eight. We would stitch, at the same time are youth leader was reading from the bible. In my early 20’s I taught my self how to do counted cross-stitch, and embroidery. Then in my 30’s I started to learn more and different stitches for needlepoint. Now in my 50’s, it’s how I find peace, I love anything that has beautiful threads and fabrics. Needlepoint, counted cross-stitch, counted canvas needlepoint, and embroidery.
    I have gotten a lot of my knowledge from your blog. Thank you, you are wonderful and a great teacher.

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  279. I learned to stitch with books from the library a few years ago, but my embroidery really took off when I discovered your website, Mary! I am ever so grateful.

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  280. My mother taught me to stitch when I was quite young. She continued teaching me until a serious fall in 2012 ended her ability to stitch. As I got older (married, children of my own) we took advanced classes together. She passed away in February, I will always miss my stitching buddy & bff.

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  281. My mother, who has never really been into stitching herself, showed me the basics and really tried very hard to get me into the whole thing, as she strongly believes that everyone needs means of entertaining oneself.

    324
  282. My grandmother first taught me to embroidery when I was about 7 years old. It was done in a pillowcase. Have never lost my love of stitching.

    325
  283. Another lovely giveaway! To answer the question I learned to embroider from my mother as a child but it was not until I joined the Calgary Guild of Needle & Fibre Arts (a chapter of The Embroiderers’ Association of Canada) that I really started to explore any of the techniques besides surface embroidery.

    326
  284. My mother started me stitching many years ago she past away when i was a teenager, then I moved on to books and classes and am still learning 30 plus years later

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  285. I learned to embroider when I was 8 in school to embellish a school bag we made in sewing class.
    I became self taught after that… no one else in my immediate family embroidered. I always told
    people who asked me this question that I must have been in one of the courts of a Queen or was
    a Queen (haha).

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  286. I was taught the basic stitches as a small child by my grandmother. As I got older and interested in different techniques I joined an embroiders guild and began taking classes.

    329
  287. I taught myself using my mother’s old crewel instruction booklets. Learning how to do a french knot was interesting!

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  288. My mother was my first teacher with sewing and embroidery and my grandmother taught me how to crochet. She tried to teach me tatting, but I was not successful with that. Your generosity with instructional videos and written work is helping me now! Thank you.

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  289. Learning to stitch was a matter of watching my mother and grandmother do stitching and then working on some projects of my own. The projects of my own would be printed on fabric in blue ink and purchased at a dime store. From time to time I would ask Mom or Grandma for help as I got into different stitches. It has fascinated me from early childhood until now.

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  290. We were in this country only two years when I started school-first grade. No kindergarten for me. I always was a curious child which would get me into trouble. At the term end, my mother sat me down and said, “You’re not sitting around all summer doing nothing.” She brought out needles and thread and proceeded to teach me the lazy daisy stitch on a piece of sheet. She went on to teach me others and I learned to knit too. Since then, I have been taught many needlework pieces; last year Tamari balls, this year hardanger and it will go on all because of my mother.

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  291. I cannot remember who gave it to me must have been one of my sisters or my mom, but I must have been 9-10 years old and it was a Holly Hobbie embroidery kit. I am self taught and it all started with this kit.

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  292. I was self taught and probably just read some instructions in a book or magazine. After doing some simplistic things on dish towels, etc. I got into cross stitch and did quite a bit of that before going back to hand embroidery. Mary, you are quite an inspiration and I for one really appreciate, and enjoy, all your postings! Thank you

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  293. My aunt was a sewer and stitcher. I was always impressed with her work. As time passed I learned hand embroidery on my own, and continue to do so.

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  294. Congrats, Wanda! (Yes, I’m jealous!)

    Everything that I’ve learned, I’ve taught myself… with much credit to books and youtube!

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  295. My grandmother used to tat. I would watch her fingers fly. Since I was left handed she couldn’t teach me. But we did find a couple needlepoint pictures that she did teach me to do. They were hunters on horses which we had framed and gave them to my dad. My daughter has these pictures now. In high school I really enjoyed home screen sewing. Spending here making clothes for myself and my daughter. In the 1985 I joined the Embroiderers Guild of America where I have learned so many different techniques. These stockings are very beautiful in their simplicity.

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  296. I learned how to stitch when I was 7 years old. My aunt was visiting us in Colorado (she lived in California) for Christmas and it was my gift of a crewel kit of an orange hippo. I was hooked! After that I was strictly self taught until about 7 years ago when I discovered my local chapter of EGA.

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  297. My Mother taught me to crochet and knit, and I did this for several years until I developed Carpal Tunnel and could no longer crochet. I happened to find a Needlework shop that had a beginner class in Counted Cross Stitch. I took the class, and that began my exploration into the world of Embroidery! Since then, I have dabbled in many different kinds of Whitework Embroidery, especially Hardanger. I have taken online classes, but a lot of what I have learned has been self-taught from books and magazines.
    Thank you for NeedlenThread. I enjoy it so much!

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  298. I learned to embroider while I was a Brownie scout. My mother did not embroider, and her mother (who used to make beautifully embroidered crazy quilts) was bed-ridden and didn’t know who I was. Fortunately, our Brownie leader enjoyed embroidery and shared her love with us.

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  299. I learned to sew with my godmother when I was about 7. We (her daughter and I) started with huck towels and then moved to surface embroidery dish towels. Years later a friend and I took needlepoint, cross-stitch and hardanger classes as an escape from Wisconsin Winters! I stopped sewing for a few years but am back at it now that I have retired. Just finished 4 needlepoint stockings and assembling a cross-stitch stocking for my sister! Looks like Christmas around here!!

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  300. The credit is all Mom’s on this one. And a lifelong love of sewing from that day forward, both hand and machine.

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  301. Another great giveaway! I learned to stitch from my mother, I think. I was very young, so don’t remember. My mother didn’t do much stitching while I was growing up, though she does now.

    I love Inspirations Magazine.

    Heather M.

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  302. I enjoy your website. My first memory of stitching was with my Mom. I meticulously did the outline stitch on a dish towel. It was perfect. After that I learned the back stitch. I liked the outline stitch better. As I became more interested in embroidery I just read books, until the Internet.

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  303. Basically self taught – a friend of mine dared me to make a little stitched project and I was hooked. Little did she know that she has created a stitching monster. I love all types of stitchery and have a variety of creative outlets.
    Your website is so inspirational and I love the tips that you give. Thank you for sharing your knowledge to help the rest of us learn.
    Life is all about learning new things.

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  304. My mum was a great knitter which I learnt, but I didn’t find it enthralling. I wanted something to challenge me, this is where my dad was great, he made sure I had all I needed to create some lovely pieces of clothing, but I wanted to learn how to embelish things. I learnt some easy stitches at primary school, and when I got to secondary school the nuns were very encouraging, our Head Teacher wanted a Tapestry finishing, it was beautiful, and I was hooked. I prefer embroidery silks to wool any day, but I was very lucky to have the encouragement and support from family and teachers. Good luck to everyone.

    352
  305. I’m pretty much self taught. Of course blogs like this one, magazines, books, tv shows, classes, and of course friends have helped me along the way. I mostly do small, simple patterns that I can put onto postcards to send to friends and family. Pretty much instant gratification!

    353
  306. I taught myself, with a complete crewel kit from Woolworths when I was about 9. I made a cockatoo on red linen, framed in a plastic French Provincial frame — the kit was really complete….including the needle, the hoop, frame and backing cardboard.

    Gave it to my mom for Mother’s Day. Was on her bedroom wall for years….

    Not only did that start my love of stitching and sewing, but also the love of stitching for others…this past year I’ve made two baby quilts, one crocheted baby blanket (another self taught skill) , crocheted shawl, two purses, 32 Christmas mug mats, and I hope to start and finish a cell phone wallet wristlet…I need to buy a zipper on Etsy…and I had major hand surgery that took me out of the game for a couple of months (although I did do a little non doctor recommended crocheting….)

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  307. I am just a beginner at needlework. I’ve been feeling inspired by everyone’s beautiful projects and would love to learn more. Thank you for this opportunity to win.

    355
  308. My mom taught me how to embroider when I was 7 or 8. I loved sitting with her using the ‘new’ variegated threads for stitching table linens. About 10 years ago I found one of the tablecloths that we had done in the early 1970’s while cleaning out her house. She left us in 2010 but when I’m stitching, I feel her arms around me.

    356
  309. I learnt stitching and other crafts initially from mum and various ‘crafty’ aunties.

    357
  310. I am learning to stitch with Kathy Shaw; I’m taking her intermediate crazy quilt course. If Kathy hasn’t shown me a stitch then I go to your videos. Between the two of you, I think I could do any stitch. I haven’t tried drawn thread work, but I’d love to learn to.

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  311. I remembered thatI was taught to cross-stitch when I was six years old for a sewing badge during my blue bird years. ( girls scout). The next time I did surface embroidery was when I was in the convent. But basically I am self -taught as an adult when I needed something to keep my hands busy. I now can do all sorts of needlework as well as sew!

    Susan Low

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  312. My mother initially taught me the stem stitch which I used exclusively. Then I found an embroidery book in the library that opened my mind to many more stitches.

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  313. I would love to stitch these stockings as heirlooms for the newest generation of our family, our two Great Grandaughters Seinna and Alice.
    Thankyou Brenda Beer

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  314. Pretty much self taught. My mom was a great seamstress and if I had a problem, she would help. In those days, teenager years, I did mostly the back stitch. How times have changed!

    365
  315. My first experience with embroidery was some tee towels with the days of the week that my mother got me and helped me with when I was a child. I didn’t do anymore until I admired some embroidery my sister-in-law had displayed that were family heirlooms done by her aunts. That inspired me to do a counted cross stitch project for my son but I decided I should have made certain changes for him to really like it. Rather than proceed on or take out stitches it still resides in a box somewhere halfway done. I didn’t do any more until I came across Mary Corbet’s Needle n Thread in my old age. She made me realize that I could learn a lot of basic stitches and make a doodle cloth which was fun and continued to make some small fun projects for my family which I enjoyed doing. The big projects seemed to be too much but I learned a love of stitching by doing small projects.

    366
  316. I am self-taught. I taught elementary school for 35 years and did small sewing projects with my 2nd and 3rd graders. I purchased a book titled Stitchery For Children, A Manual For Teachers, Parents, and Children by Jacqueline Enthoven. Published in 1968, it’s filled with great black and white diagrams and photos. It’s a great book for it’s time and purpose. Since then I have moved on to beautiful full color books and videos. I especially like your videos and wish you would compile them onto a DVD and sell them.

    367
  317. I learnt to stitch from my mother. She showed me how to make little felt itms for dolls with needle and thread then when I was 8 or 9 trusted me and had enough patience to let me use her sewing machine! she also taught me to knit and supported me in all kinds of crafts. We tried basketry, macrame, soap carving… but I come back to what I saw her and others doing as I grew up, hand sewing, embroidery, quilting, knitting.

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  318. I love Mary’s Column and Inspirations, both put spice in my life.

    I was taught to stitch by my Mom and my Gran when I was very young. Both being from Scotland, they knew almost all the “lady” endeavers I would have to know. Living to a nice old age, these things, especially stitching, have kept me going in life.

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  319. I was taught by my mother as a child (starting on printed pillowcases). We both joined Embroiderers’ Guild of America when a chapter was started in our area around 40 years ago now. I’ve learned a lot from various teachers, classes & fellow members.

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  320. I believe I am self-taught. I saw Erica Wilson and Jean Farish on TV and thought, “I can do that,” purchased some small cross stitch kits, and it took off from there. I am now an enthusiastic EGA member.

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  321. How did i learn to stitch…mostly in dribs and drabs…first with my mom showing me some simple things as a child playing around and under her sewing machine…then years late when i wanted to embroider on my hippie jeans….lol…i just copied what others were doing in the way of design. Then later, still learning in dribs and drabs with books and the internet. Which for a few years now has included this site where the stitching discussions, tutorials and all have played a big role in helping me refine what i do.
    thanks for this lovely opportunity.
    in gassho
    kaethejean

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  322. These stockings are so beautiful!

    I learnt to embroider from my mother, who is a very talented embroidered. She started stitching when I was a teenager, and I always said I’d never have the patience to do it myself. But eventually, seeing all the beautiful items she made wore me down, and one day I asked her to show me some stitches. I’ve never looked back!

    373
  323. I am largely self taught, starting when I was a teenager. I had seen my mother doing stamped embroidery and gave it a go. Since then I have augmented my learning via membership in both EGA and ANG. I also took a class in crazy quilting which included a few basic stitches of ribbon embroidery. It is a passion that is both educational and a meditation for me. While I enjoy other handcrafts like knitting and quilting, I always come back to embroidery as my “base.”

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  324. I learned to stitch with my mother. She taught me the basics and later I learned counted cross stitch from my daughter. Now when I want to learn a new technique, I check out You Tube and all the embroidery blogs. My favorite embroidery now is crazy quilting.

    376
  325. I am self-taught. Over the years, I had toyed with the idea of learning embroidery but didn’t know where to start. Then a few years ago, I found this series of kits on Victoria Sampler that were geared toward teaching people who already knew cross stitch how to do other stitches and styles of embroidery. My mother had taught me a little cross stitch when I was a kid so I figured I could do that. I worked some 30+ out of the 40 or so mini kits before deciding that I knew enough to branch out to other projects. I am interested in most styles of embroidery and I love to experiment with my projects in order to learn new things. Right now I am at the stage where I can adapt patterns to make projects more my own – select my own colors, change stitches, sometimes rework the size or layout of the pattern – but eventually I would like to make completely original works.

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  326. I have been asked this question many times. When I was young I spent many hours in doctor’s office waiting rooms watching my mother do crewel embroidery.
    I began with my first embroidery kit when I was 7. My passion at the time were Christmas ornaments, small enough to work on while endlessly waiting.
    I then joined EGA and took some classes to learn other techniques.
    I still bring my easier projects to my doctor’s appointments. I get a lot of really positive feedback from people who are also endlessly waiting.
    It keeps me sane

    378
  327. I don’t remember learning how to embroider….. it seems like I’ve always known 🙂 I do remember my mother doing stamped embroidery work when I was little, but the first piece I remember doing was stamped canvas in half cross stitch…. not much to learn there 🙂 as an adult I expanded my skills first with creative circle kits and then by joining an EAC affiliated guild, and I’m still learning…. would love to try these stockings!

    379
  328. My grandmother taught me. We made ,any of the stamped pillowcases with a crochet edge. I still cherish the quilt with the embroidered top she made for me and am making one for one of my granddaughters now.

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  329. Did my mother or my grandmother teach me? I can’t remember.But I thing I have been stitching on and off since my 4th year. I remember stitching on paper with holes in it. You followed the lines to get a figure. Later crosstitch. My sister made the most beautiful things! She was so neat and would follow the patterns. I was more a free embroiderer, but didnot know that was a real thing! The last years I learned a lot from needle’n thread! And I still love free embroidery and I still find it hard to follow patterns.

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  330. Mary, like so many others, I learned the basics of embroidery from my mother, then a bit more from a school teacher but most from joining an embroiderers’ guild (when I was in my mid-fifties). I have also learned a huge amount from books and your website. I find embroiderers, by and large, very generous sharing their knowledge and hope I shall always remember to pass on that kindness. Thank you!

    383
  331. Like many people, I learned to stitch at my grandmother’s knee. I still have a scrap of fabric with a note attached in Grandma’s hand, “Stitched by Nancy, age 5.” For my Christmas gift that year she gave me a hoop and a collection of threads. I wish I could tell her how much that gift has meant over the years.

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  332. I learned a little from my mom. She sewed most of our school clothes. Then when I started working as an RN on nights and evenings a co-worker who was a craft fanatic taught me cross stitch, knitting, and crochet. I loved the cross stitch from the start. I have dabbled in hardanger and speciality stitches but always go back to that X.

    386
  333. My Mother and Grandmother taught me some basic stitches. The rest I’ve learned through the magic of the internet, especially YouTube.

    387
  334. I’m Mary Corbet taught. I didn’t know a thing about embroidery. My instructor in Couture Trims assigned for homework, several stitches as a sampler and then used in a simple design. I first mucked up the project by using the wrong type of fabric and improper hooping. My instructor hinted that help was out there on Utube and on the internet. So, AFTER buying a proper hoop, thread, needles and wrapping the hoop. I would watch you stitch and then do it myself. Yes, I had to do a whole practice fabric before even doing the simple sampler that the instructor wanted. We had only one week to do this project. Mary and I had a couple of late nights here. Thank goodness, she teaches the lark and owl shifts! My teacher wrote “excellent” in her comments. Mary was also here for me for the Tambour module and Shisha. I stumbled through the whitework module, but Mary did have some photo tutorials which helped a lot. Her links to the Antique Pattern library saved my bacon with Soutache, and Hedebo.

    Mary, the only problem I couldn’t work on the final was a knotted Buttonhole stitch. In your spare time, could you do a video on that? So many stitches, so little time!

    Thank you Mary.

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  335. My Mother and Grandmother taught me the basics of Embroidery, Crochet and Knitting, from there I have taught my self through trial and error.
    The same with my art, after seeing how another person drew and painted, I was left to my own devices.

    389
  336. My mom taught me to stitch when I was in Brownies. Then I learned to sew in 4-H. However, it truly seems that I began stitching after I was married. I was caught in a horrible snowstorm on a mountain pass on my way home from a shopping trip. I finally got back down to the plains and called a former employer to see if she would put me up for the night. She showed me basic cross stitch. For years afterwards she took me to EGA meetings and encouraged me to learn new techniques. She became a part of me and stitching became a part of my life.

    390
  337. Mom taught me the basics so I could embroider as part of a 4-H project for the county fair. From then on, it was through books and reading on my own and asking for help when I couldn’t figure it out.

    391
  338. I was initially taught by my mother and then my school teacher in high school. I can remember I knitted jumpers for the principal of our school. (I needed to win ‘brownie points’ as I was not the best student and needed some way to gain favours!) I then taught myself anything extra I needed to know, until when I started teaching embroidery and wanted to specialise in certain techniques. After this I then took classes and learnt from the professionals in workshops. I enjoyed the road….
    Chris B

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  339. My first formal instruction was as an 8 year old at school. Other than that ot was watching my mother who was a prolific stitcher. She produced beautiful work as she was an absolute perfectionist and encouraged my sister and I to be the same. “If a job is worth doing, ot is worth doing well.” I stitched, my sister threw things together, mum said. I have since done many classes but know my limits.

    393
  340. I learnt to stitch initially from books, but by the time I was in my 20s, I still couldn’t master the grub rose. So I found a fabulous little shop in the Sydney that ran a saturday morning class. I mastered bullion and learnt a few tricks for handling thread. It also made me realise how much more fun it was to get together with other stitchers when trying to learn something new or “tricky”

    394
  341. Unofficially with a book then in a great place in Boston Ma when I moved there and was looking to do something different..so glad I did

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  342. I always saw my mother knitting sweaters or sewing garments for her parties and clothing for us when we were small. My sisters Barbie even had homemade outfits. She would also get together with her friends and would bring along embroidery to work on as they caught up on the latest news. I was able to take sewing in high school and from then on always had a sewing project, or embroidery waiting for me at all times. The love of fabric and fibers is just part of me, I guess like my mother. Always open to new ideas and great inspirations from the best. Thank you

    397
  343. Mostly self taught, although I’m sure my mother and paternal grandmother had a hand in it. My sisters also dabble. I love all the cideos and other sources now available online.

    398
  344. I first learned to embroider daisies as a wee lassie in Lanarkshire in Scotland. I must have been six or seven. My grandmother taught me. I embroidered those daisies for a lot of years until I grew up and taught myself other stitches here in America.

    399
  345. My mother and grandmothers fostered a love of all things involving needles and threads. They got me started but mostly I learned by doing kits with directions. At 11 I did a cross stitch of the Serenity Prayer with embroidered embellishments around it. It was a Christmas gift for my grandmother and now it hangs in my craft room.

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  346. My mother taught me some things when I was young. She was an incredible seamstress so I guess I figured I didn’t need to try and compete. I finally started stitching when I was an adult and haven’t stopped since.

    402
  347. My Mom taught me to crochet and do basic embroidery stitches. I often think how delighted she would be today with all the marvellous threads and fabrics available. Merry Christmas and thank you so much for the great inspiration and tutoring you give so freely!

    403
  348. Thank you so much for hosting these Christmas Giveaways. It is a real treat to see what is next! These stockings are beautiful and I believe I would add a name to the top.

    Lois S. from Central Texas

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  349. Love the Inspirations magasine, I learnt to sew mainly from my mum, I now have my mum’s collection of inspirations magasines from 10 years ago plus 🙂

    405
  350. I started with basics in primary school but didn’t get hooked until much later – then books and classes became the main teachers.

    406
  351. I’m a self taught embroiderer. My favourite memories are not actually of embroidering but of knitting and crocheting as my mum and grandma taught me these

    407
  352. Oh, my! Trying to remember how I learned to embroider requires a lot of digging back and cleaning up the cobwebs in my memories. I learned most of the basics from my mom, who is still alive and enjoys it when I send her a new embroidered tea towel or a holiday pillow for her couch. I also made a cross stitch sampler as a Bee Hive at church that read, “I Will Bring the Light of the Gospel into My Home.” Lots of uneven stitches and crazy colors, but my mother still has the framed project on her wall in the basement (this was a project that only a mother could love).

    408
  353. Hi Mary, My Mom was a Home Ec teacher and I learned my first embroidery stitches from her, as well as garment sewing and so much more. After that I’m self taught and still learning! Thanks for the giveaways, Lynn

    409
  354. It was my mom who taught me to stitch, she was an AVID needlepointer, and could do anything with a sewing machine. Miss her every day.

    410
  355. I can not remember exactly who taught me but it must have been my mother as all my sisters and I stitched as children. We continued in our adult lives and often exchange stitched gifts. I treasure those handmade gifts from family members who are no longer with me. Especially those Christmas ornaments they made. I would love to do those stockings in their memory.

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  356. A class to make an etui got me started, books, other stitchers and the internet all helping since then. Love this site, and being able to find left handed instructions on line has been a big help.

    413
  357. I began by embroidering simple designs on dish towels as a child under my mothers watchful eye. Continued, teaching myself, through various phases like crewel, Brazilian and most recently stumpwork. Love them all.

    414
  358. When I was 4 years old, my mother taught me and my 6 year old brother to embroider…outline stitches and lazy daisy mostly. She would draw a design on a piece of plain cotton and turn us loose with her floss. A good way to entertain us while she did her things. I distinctly remember purposely stitching my blue jeans to the back of the fabric in the hoop. We thought it was pretty funny…Mom thought it less so. Otherwise I am self taught until finding EGA about 16 years ago.

    415
  359. My Mum gave me a tablecloth to embroider when I was about eight years old, it was worked with stem and lazy daisy stitches with French knot centres.
    I think she thought it would keep me out of mischief and it has worked my whole life! The cloth was never finished and dissapeared as childhood things do but the joy of creating something is still exciting after sixty + years and the friends are many and diverse, have a happy and safe Christmas,

    Jan.

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  360. I really taught myself to stitch year ago. But just recently decided to take it up again. And thanks to Mary Corbett, her videos and website have taught my what I need to know. I cannot thank you enough for this website and all the wonderful lessons.

    417
  361. I learned to stitch from library books, especially ones which had good stitch diagrams. That was in the seventies. I think a skein of floss was 9 cents. I practiced on jeans patches as gifts for my like-minded hippie friends.

    418
  362. Forever thanks to my mother-in-law who showed me how to do counted cross stitch, thereby opening a Pandora’s box of stitching opportunities.

    419
  363. I am the oldest of the grandchildren on my Mother’s side, so spent a lot of time with my Grandmother. She was always doing needlework of some kind in her quiet time. She taught me simple embroidery when I was very young. She also did quilting which I now pursue with a passion. I now have a mentor who does fabulous crewel and embroidery and is getting me back to the stitching I love.

    420
  364. Years ago a friend invited me to an embroidery class and I was hooked from the get go. This was in Johannesburg, South Africa in the late 1980 e. I started with silk ribbon embroidery and used Inspiration magazine that was freely available in SA as inspiration. Since moving to the USA it is a lot harder to get hold of these beautiful Australian magazines.

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  365. My mother started me off with stitching and I am self taught from that beginning and still learning!

    422
  366. I learned to stitch at home as a child with my three older sisters. I can’t remember if our mother taught us or the older ones passed the lesson down..

    423
  367. I started learning on my own when I was 15. I am entirely self taught with the help of a few stitching guides. Planning to try goldwork this year with one of Tanja Berlin’s beginner level kits.

    Cheers

    424
  368. My sister- in- law when on holiday showed me a couple of stitches, but it was Mary Corbet,s stitch video,s that has given me everything I know and learned, and still perfecting with each stitch, thank you very much. Lou

    425
  369. I learned to stitch from books like many other craft I enjoy. My first project was my daughter’s 1st birthday dress.

    426
  370. I am self taught. My mom got me a kit for Christmas when I was around 6 years old in the 1950’s. It was one of the lacing cards. I was hooked!! I love embroidery and I want to get reinspired!! I haven’t done any for a while.
    Thank you!

    427
  371. Those are pretty!

    How did I learn to stitch? There could be some debate on whether I’ve learned at all, but everything I’ve done has been pretty much on my own. My grandmother on Mom’s side did everything: sew, knit, crochet, darn, quilt, can, embroider. (People who lived in sod houses in dust bowl-era Oklahoma didn’t have much in the way of fancy new stuff.)

    Mom didn’t do much of any of that, though she could if she put her mind to it. I don’t know if it was youthful rebellion or growing up in the age of fancy labor-saving devices or personality–she just didn’t.

    428
  372. All the women on my mother’s side of the family were stitchers. And, they got all of the girl cousins stitching too. Sometimes not too happily, but stitching none the less. My mother was still stitching and quilting into her 80’s. Hopefully I’ll make it that long too. Still haven’t tried quilting but I love embroidery and needlepoint.

    429
  373. My mother taught me how to make basic stitches but beyond that I read a lot of her old books and she got me grandma’s old old books and I taught myself, once YouTube became a thing I went there and I’ve learned and perfected most of my work with your help at Needle and thread

    430
  374. My Granny taught me initially, along with self teaching, and then a few courses over many years. It is a gift I am most appreciative of.

    431
  375. Although my mother was a professional dressmaker, I actually learned basic embroidery at school (I am in my 60s). I have just taken up needlework again in the last few years in the run up to retirement. I don’t think I will ever be very skilled but I do enjoy making things to give away.

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  376. Really started stitching when I was pregnant with my first daughter when I was 35yrs old. Started with cross stitch and twenty years later I still think of myself as a beginner as there is so much still to discover!

    433
  377. I am self taught! I love books and have tons on every subject fibre related and then there are the cookbooks…….. I am just getting back in to wool applique and embroidery in the last couple of years and Google and utube are my best friends!

    434
  378. My grandmother “Nanna ” taught me “Fancy Work” it was called in those days. Followed up by lessons at school, when my cousin, Merrilyn Heazelwood, opened a needlework shop it was like a magnet for me and I was hooked. I still use Nannas’ thimble everyday, she died in 1969 when I was 20. Thanks Nanna.

    435
  379. I’m sure my mom first introduced me to sewing, but I can hardly remember when! I vaguely recall cardboard “sewing cards” and playing with fabric scissors, needles, and threads from before I was in Kindergarten. My grandma also taught me some stitches later on. But I first learned to seriously EMBROIDER in a summer arts program in Columbus, Ohio when I was 8. The teacher was a man, and my first embroidery was a an original design of a ladybug on a flower, done in yarn on burlap. My ladybug ended up scrunched up and more of a narrow oval than the round bug I envisioned, which was disappointing. That was a VERY long time ago, and even though I wasn’t entirely happy with my start, I have been hooked on needlework ever since. (After that initial intro to embroidery stitches, the JP Coats “100 Stitches for Embroidery” booklet was my “Bible” for YEARS!!!)

    436
  380. I learned to stitch from my mom. I was about 6 or 7 years old, home from school sick, and BORED silly. Mom traced a coloring book picture onto some nylon netting with a magic marker. She threaded up a big needle with some yarn, and told me to go in and out of the holes following the lines. It took me a long time to get around that whale, but I learned the joy that comes from a completed project.

    437
  381. My mom taught me how to do all things embroidery and needlework related. It was one of our shared passions!

    439
  382. Mum taught me at first but granny worked in a haberdashery store. She kept my interest by bringing me exciting little brown paper bags full of ends of reels of trimmings, scraps of fabric, threads and odd buttons. I miss her terribly.

    440
  383. My younger sister, Rebecca, started my interested in embroidery. She showed me your website and said it’s how she’d been learning. I was hooked and have learned by watching your how-to videos and reading your blog posts. I am very grateful for the information shared here, and the hard work put into teaching the art of embroidery.

    Melissa H in Spanish Fork, UT

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  384. For a few years of my life I was raised by my grandmother. My Grandmother, Great Aunt and Great Grandmother would quilt on a
    large frame in the dining room. My Mother was a sewer and made all of our clothing. Fond memories, begin raised back East and warm cozy fireplaces remind me of all the comforts of stitching and creating. I loved those times and am still stitching today.
    Merry Christmas

    443
  385. My grandmother taught me basic embroidery, but much of my other knowledge (darning, crochet, knitting)came from the Sisters in the children’s home where my brothers and I lived as kids. I am self taught in crosstitch and machine sewing. It has been a fun ride!

    444
  386. I am self taught, with a few basic lessons many many moons ago from my grandmother. I have picked up most of my skills from this very blog, which is something I can not thank you enough for.

    445
  387. My mother is 86 years old. She taught me and my sister to embroider the old fashioned way…when all you did was follow the outline and stitch. The rest I’ve learned with stitching and pulling out the stitches and trying again. Its a very cathartic activity! I still have the wedding sampler that my mom made when she and my dad got married! Its about 60 years old!!!!

    446
  388. Thank you for the giveaway. I LOVE Inspiration magazine, but it is so expensive here that I don’t indulge often. I learned to stitch in Lyon (France) in 2000. One of my colleagues was doing cross-stitch and she talked to me about it, but I had never seen her work (or any other cross-stitch pieces, to say the truth). When I went to Lyon for a scientific conference, I passed by a cross-stitch shop (“mercerie”) and entered to see. I ended up bying two kits and with some instructions from the nice lady there, I started to stitch. Afterward, with bulletin boards and magazines (that was all before Facebook and Pinterest) I developped my abilities, moving to speciality stitches and other techniques like Hardanger and needle painting. So, I’m all self-taugh. Recently, I start to work on figure skating dresses to sew sequins. That’s another kind of embroidery.

    447
  389. I learned to stitch in the Netherlands where I immigrated to from the US after high school. My soon-to-be grandma-in-law decided that since her grand daughter could embroider, I should too.

    My husband-to-be bought me a typical Dutch kit of a coffee cosy with the front and back views of a windmill with skaters. Much to my horror, it was counted cross stitch. By the time I figured it out (translated the instructions) I was hooked.

    448
  390. I taught embroidery to myself as a teenager and then took about 40 years off. I’ve taken a class to help me re-start but find your blog the BEST source and inspiration. Thank you and I wish you well.

    449
  391. I learned to stitch at about 8 or 9 years of age. (Toooo long ago to remember correctly) My mom would keep us busy during summer vacation with simple stitches which I still have as she saved them. I really can’t remember not holding a needle in my hand. Even now I still enjoy handwork over machine work though I make quilt tops but crazy quilting is my first love. I have convinced 18 or my friends to a 2 year project of crazy quilting blocks, in a different color each month, which I kit up for them and give them the foundation piece as well. My goal the end of the 2 years is to each of us have a enough blocks to make a monochromatic quilt which will have a block from each of us in the group. I am hoping that we can all accomplish this as I think that they will all be amazed at how wonderful it will be. Thank you for the inspiration that you provide. I tell all my newbies to go to your website and learn.

    450
  392. My nana introduced me to stitching. She was very patient. It has paid off – I wish I could show her what I can do now.

    451
  393. Your question took me back. As a little girl and then not so little, I helped my great-aunt needlepoint chair seats for a huge dining room table. There must have been 10 or 12 chairs and I helped her stitch them for years. They’re still in perfect shape 50+ years later. I taught myself to embroider from library books as a teen. The chairs taught me there was peace with a needle and and soothing repetitive motion.

    452
  394. I am self taught. Learned by reading many books.
    Buying kits. Watching PBS programs…now you and you tube.

    453
  395. I learned to stitch at girl scouts. We had to make kitchen towels. Everybody complained about it and I loved it and have been stitching ever since.

    454
  396. Hi Mary,
    I started sewing in high school. A friend’s mother, Mrs. Parker, took me under her wing and helped me with my first project. From then on I was hooked. I don’t do as much sewing as I used to. Now I enjoy hand work; embroidery, smocking, hardanger, ribbon embroidery. Thank you for all of your instruction. It has been a big help.

    455
  397. My mother started me off embroidering when I was young. As an adult I am self taught. That makes your website so very valuable to me, Mary. Thank you!

    456
  398. In 1959 our lady (Frances) next door didn’t have any children so my little sister and I were doted on quite a bit! She did beautiful embroidery and decided to teach us. We were both so excited and each got to pick a pattern out with threads! I picked a kitchen with a lady & my sister picked a horse scene. We still have them & still stitch. I will be forever grateful for Francis and the memories we made together!

    457
  399. I am definitely self taught. I love all types of needle crafts and I seem to always have a number of projects going at the same time. I feel fortunate to be able to keep myself busy as I am retired. Dale

    458
  400. I was taught to stitch by my mom! She is a very accomplished stitcher and has completed some amazing projects. My big sister has also taught me a multitude of wonderful stitches and some I have taught myself, thanks to you and a bounty of amazing stitch books.

    460
  401. My grandmother and her six sisters were wonderful stitchers and taught me simple stitches at an early age. They used to get together from all around the country twice a year for a week and sit and stitch and talk. It was a magic time for a little girl , me, to learn and see all the wonderful stitcheries and yarns. How lucky was I to enjoy learning embroidery with them.

    461
  402. Your work is so very beautiful and perfect! I am so impressed. Your instructions are very appreciated, and practiced. Being self taught, your instructions are very needed, to date – no comparison to your work. Thank you. ss

    462
  403. Hi Mary
    My Mum taught me to sew grub roses when I was pregnant with my first child. Fortunately the baby was girl as I had embellished pillow cases, singlets, nighties, bootees etc. if you didn’t keep moving you would have a grub rose stitched on your face. Huge gap until I had breast cancer at 33 years. Embroidery was a huge salvation for me, I taught myself from books and now from your great video instruction. A huge thank you for all you do for us.
    Kind regards Sandy Southern Highlands NSW

    463
  404. I saw a co-worker doing cross-stitch one day and wanted to learn. She provided a basic lesson and I haven’t looked back! Over the years I’ve found classes at my LNS and books to be quite helpful in learning new techniques.

    464
  405. Hi Mary. Another lovely give-away chance, thank you so much. I learned basic surface embroidery on the pre-printed pillowcases with the heavy blue lines and a metal hoop. No tightening possible with those things. A friend of my Mother’s thought it would keep my occupied and from interrupting their conversations. Self taught by way of printed kit instructions.

    465
  406. My grandma Joanie taught me the basic embroidery stitches when I was about 7. I still have the Lady with big skirt pillow cases she was working on at that time. The basics are still my very favorit stitches!

    466
  407. As a child in south La. we had starched and ironed pillowcases which were embroidered. At age 6 I did a few stitches while mom was not around. Sometime later I asked if she could tell the difference in my stitches and hers. She looked and handed it to me and I have been at it for 73 years. Adding cross stitch, crewel, and quilting, which I teach at my church. I love every bit of it.

    467
  408. I am a self-taught stitcher. I looked at my first pattern and it all made sense to me. But it was at my first Spirit of Cross Stitch Festival in the mid-90s that I realized how much more I could be doing – specialty stitches, over-dyed floss, different kinds of ground fabrics. And technics that really had a positive impact on my projects. I love love love learning new stitches!

    Susan

    468
  409. I remember as a teenager looking at the sewing section in the dept store back in the 60’s and being in awe of all that stuff but not understanding any of it. No one in my family did any hand work! I slowly figured out cross stitch and then some one introduced me to the local EGA and my whole world opened up. I love the simplicity of these two stocking but also so elegant. I would love to make them for my new Grandson! Thank you, I love reading your blog..I always seem to learn something new.

    469
  410. I was hired for a needlework publishing job based on self-published How-To-Do-It acrylic watercolor designs of children and animals. I didn’t know a thing about stitching, but my livelihood depended on me learning ASAP. Needless to say, I fell head over heels in love with needlework!

    DAYAN

    470
  411. My mother, aunts and grandmothers always sewed so I don’t remember who taught me. But they have all shared their love for creating beautiful things with me and have left a wonderful legacy of different skills and treasures for the family to remember them.

    471
  412. I taught myself when I was 15 from a magazine. I used the pattern in the magazine to embroider a shirt 40 years ago!

    472
  413. I learned to stitch from my Mom, when I was quite little. She did some embroidery, and a lot of sewing, even though she worked full-time. We made pipe-cleaner doll families, both for ourselves and as gifts for others, and embroidery on doll clothes. She also helped me with the stitchery pictures (with what would now be called surface embroidery), as we never did any embroidery at school.

    474
  414. My mother taught me a few stitches when I was eight; running stitch, outline, and chain. I didn’t expand my skills until many years later when I began to learn from books. And now I have you, Mary Corbett, and your exceptional videos to teach me stitches upon stitches. Bless you!

    476
  415. My mother taught me the basic embroidery designs using the stamped pillow cases and doilies etc. I was on my own from there. I joined an EGA group and improved my skills. But it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to study with Shizuka Kusano in Japan that I really understood stitch technique, design and color. Kusano-san was just beginning her teaching career those 20 plus years ago and has since become an expert of Japanese textile embroidery and design. I am blessed to have had that time to study with her.

    477
  416. I can’t remember being taught to stitch. No one in my family embroiders. I suppose I saw someone and started from there and taught myself, like I do with most things, read books and tried things, but I remember being able to stitch very young!

    478
  417. Inspirations magazine is truly inspirational, the kit and magazine will be a great addition to any library. My first stitching teacher was my mother who taught me how to embroider. I was fortunate enough to also have an aunt who taught me how to crochet and knit. I am retired now and belong to a needlework group of many talented ladies who share their love of needlework with anyone who wants to learn. A world without stitches would be a very sad world indeed.

    Linda

    479
  418. I learned in Girl Scouts as part of the Embroidery badge!!! And have gone on ever since 🙂 Thanks for the lovely giveaway!

    480
  419. Thanks for another opportunity!!! I would say that I am a self taught stitcher with lots of encouragement from my mom and both grandmothers.

    481
  420. I have two Great Grand daughters! Sadly I have not gotten around to making them Christmas stockings. This would be a great opportunity for me to do just that.

    482
  421. I learned to stitch mostly from my Gram. She was skilled in many more kinds of needlework than my adoptive mom.

    483
  422. I learned to stitch as a child of 8 years old. Stitching was taught by my fraternal grandmother. She had more patience to teach as often she was teaching two or three of us at the same time. I assume I was the hardest to teach as I was headstrong and quite a tomboy
    Kat –

    485
  423. My mother taught me some very basic stitches when I was about 9 or 10 and my first project was a dresser runner. I wasn’t very good and lost interest until a couple of years ago when I joined an embroidery group. As a retiree I now have the patience to relax and enjoy this wonderful handwork.

    486
  424. Both my Mum and Grandma sew and embroider, I was taught the basics by them and the rest has been picked by blogs such as yours and the odd class and by doing.

    487
  425. My mother sewed and taught me beginning sewing and hand embroidery, and let me play at making doll clothes with her scraps. I also learned from 4H club, where our projects were entered into county Fair for judging. But I learned to quilt in the mid 70’s in a night school class. Stitching of all kinds has been a life long love, creative outlet and source of peace and satisfaction.

    488
  426. I can’t remember how old I was when I started stitching. My mother told me forever I was too young and she didn’t have the patience. My grandma taught me. I would run to her with every knot for a long time. I still remember the blue sewing box and the skiens of floss she gave me one Christmas.

    489
  427. Debra Chamberlin- I learned to stitch from my Nanna way back in 1965. She drew my name on some fabric and she showed me how to stitch lazy Daisy stitches over it. She took that small piece and we made a scarf for a stuffed clown she had given me.

    490
  428. My dear mother taught me needlepoint, cross stitch, some surface embroidery, and basic crochet – not to mention machine-sewing. I was always fascinated that her handiwork could produce such realistic-looking designs: a pair of good-sized needlepoint poodles, a basket containing “fresh strawberries,” street scenes from New Orleans, cup towels with adorable little nursery rhymes on them, and many others. I loved them all – and still do – and am inspired by the many talented needlework designers and teachers who serve to guide people like me who are still learning.

    491
  429. I think I’ve always had a needle of some sort in my hands. Mom taught me how to knit at 8 years old. Aunt Eva taught me to crochet around the same time. Sewing started in high school. Japanese bunka started in my late twenties. Counted cross stitch became my obsession when I was laid off in 1990. I am self-taught. But then I attended Rae Iversons Stitchers Gatherings for 5 years. Sparked a ton more interest. Linda Driscoll introduced me to pulled thread and tatting. I taught myself hardanger somewhere in there. I retired over a year ago and joined a class at our local senior center to lead Brazilian embroidery. So I’ve been taught some techniques and learned on my own. It’s an addiction. My mom always told me to retire and stitch all day so that’s what I’m doing. Im never bored and think that this must be heaven.

    492
  430. My mom started me stitching when I was around 9 or 10. I remember learning to smock and thinking how complicated it was (for a 10-yr old) but how cute it looked on the little apron I made! I thank her for instilling the love of stitching, and since then I have been self-taught!

    493
  431. My first memory of sewing anything is the lacing cards I received as a Christmas gift when I was about 5 years old. My mother must have taught me to embroider when I was a teenager. Although, I can’t recall her sitting down with me to show me how to make the basic stem stitch and french knots. What I remember most is going to the “five & dime” stores to get either preprinted or transfers and dish towels. I wanted dish towels for when I got married. Don’t know where those towels ended up. Mom probably gave them away while I was gone.

    494
  432. My grandmother started me on embroidering pillow cases when I was six years old. I’ve taken a lot of courses to learn different techniques over the years, but surface embroidery, especially Crewel, is still my first love.

    495
  433. The desire to learn came at an early age. My mother started teaching me simple surface embroidery. Through the years, I have taught myself, taken classes, and practiced what I learned… It came full circle when I was able to teach my mother new skills.

    497
  434. I learned the basic outline stitch in Home Ec class in grade 8. After that I got my Mom to buy me a Holly Hobby iron on pattern and taught the stitches to myself from books.

    498
  435. My Mom started teaching me hand embroidery at a mid teen age but only a couple of simple stitches, but sewing machine sewing I taught myself.

    500
  436. Mostly self taught. I learned simple embroidery from my grandmother. I have tried to improve my stitching skills over the years by stitching with others. I’m not happy without a needle and thread

    501
  437. I learned to Stitch from my grandmother and Erica Wilson’s shows on PBS. My grandmother learned embroidery from nuns in her native country – Italy, and did she ever create beautiful pieces. And Erica Wilson not only taught me, but taught my 4, yes 4 year old daughter how to embroider too. I do so hope I win this at my prize will be shared with my daughter.

    502
  438. Mama taught me the basics & after that I used instruction booklets (cost 10 cents way back when).Those booklets’ stitches were few compared to today’s internet.

    503
  439. Oh, I would loooove to have that magazine especially. I’ve wished and wanted, but they are just so expensive so I don’t get it. Gosh, what a treat that would be!
    I’m self-taught, and with much learning still to happen!

    504
  440. My Mother taught me simple embroidery stitches when I was about 6 and at age 7, I embroidered 5 sets with 7 dishtowels each – 1 for each day of the week – for Christmas gifts for 5 favorite aunts. I never had a stitching class until age 69; it is still my favorite form of relaxation.

    505
  441. I think I self taught myself crewel embroidery, maybe my sister helped. A friends mom taught me cross stitch.

    506
  442. I am self taught and often refer to your tutorials to learn a particular stitch. I think your tutorials are the best I have found!
    Recently joined a ornament club and refer to your site to get prepped for required stitches. Thanks for all you do!

    507
  443. My grandmother attempted to teach me a form of needlepoint in the early 80s, and I was never able to manage to get it right. Then last summer, I was bored while my son was on an extended trip to visit my brother and I found a discontinued punch needle kit on clearance, and that led to stamped cross stitch kits, which led to counted cross stitch, and now I’m branching out to hand embroidery. I haven’t created any of my own patterns yet, but I’ll get there eventually.

    510
  444. Another great give-away. Thank you Mary and Inspirations. I am new to embroidery and learning all the time. I have taken some classes, done many of your fantastic tutorials and sometimes just sit and try to work things out myself (but then usually have to go to a book or the web for further help). I have bought a few kits to take advantage of their specific tuition and of course, the Inspirations magazine and it’s wonderful clear pictures and step-by-step guides. My very favourite way of learning is to take myself off to the Embroiders Guild in Brisbane and sit with some like minded folk and ask lots and lots of questions.

    511
  445. Primarily self taught using instruction books and more recently the internet and sites like yours.

    512
  446. My grade one teacher taught me how to hold a needle and sew an apple in runny stitch on a piece of jute cloth with red and green wool thread. The color combination fascinated me and kept a long lasting, unerasable impression in my child’s mind and from that day on I was highly drawn to designs with bright colors in what ever I bought. My friends are delighted with the sarees I give them as they are very colorful and vivid.
    I haven’t tried my hand in sewing though I have sewn small designs to skirts and bloused once in a while, my attraction for sewing and wool thread and sack material remains the same as before.That’s why I have joined this site to learn about stitches and do simple sewing projects in the future. (during the vacations) Hopefully, I think I will be able to accomplish my plans as I am little bit lazy.

    514
  447. I am self taught. Started with cross stitch at age 12. At some point, I believe my mother taught me some embroidery stitches but have since expanded to learn new techniques. Love all things stitchy!

    515
  448. I learned to stitch by following the instructions from a kit and then borrowing books from the library and then finally purchasing them. Self Taught. The kit was a gift.

    516
  449. I would love to win the Christmas Giveway of the stockings kit, they are awesome and I would love to make them for my Grandsons.

    Merry Christmas, Mary!

    517
  450. I saw my cousin’s beautiful embroideries and started taking lessons from her. When I started to learn stitching I was over 50 years old. Reading embroidery books and magazines help me in stitching.

    518
  451. My grandmother (& now I am a very old grandmother) was always with needle ‘n’ thread. Quilting or embroidering. Often she would embroider whole sets of tea towels for my cousin & I to give to our mothers on Mother’s Day. So early on I appreciated embroidery and began as a child with help from Grandmother or my mother or on my own. Loved it then and still do today. Just praying my eyes and hands remain embroidery proof. Thanks for the opportunity of this giveaway. jc

    519
  452. I am self taught. I was one of those kids (in high school ) whose jeans were covered in embroidery. I made skirts out of old jeans and covered them with embroidery as well.

    520
  453. My mother taught me some basic stitches on printed items when I was young. Years later I became interested and taught myself using kits.

    521
  454. Hi,
    I was taught by my mom some basic stitches, and then i am self taught..i actually have learned all the different stitches from you..thanks for everything..

    522
  455. Marlene Stabin I am mainly a self taught embroiderer. I started back in the day with those stamped pillow cases and hand towels. I had seen embroidered hand towels completed by my Mom many years before, but never saw her embroider.I guess it was enough to get the craft bug started in me. From there I went to kits and then used Embroidery Stitch books to learn many different stitches. I always had to turn the instruction photos upside down as I am left-handed!

    523
  456. My mother taught me to embroider. She always had a project of some sort that she worked on in the evenings. Thank you for this give-away!

    526
  457. What a sweet giveaway! Thank you for the chance to enter! My maternal grandmother started me on the basics when I was very young. Wish she was here still so we could share the joy of stitching together.

    527
  458. I taught myself to embroider with a crewel embroidery kit, and I still have the piece some 40 years later. Everytime I come across it, I remember the enthusiasm and pleasure I felt as I learned stitches. The more I practised and used those stitches, the better looking the stitches became. What a difference!
    Thanks to your beautiful website, and others, I’ve been bitten by the sewing bug again. Your work inspires me, and that enthusiasm and pleasure I once experienced is returning. I send smiles and hugs of thanks for Needle ‘N Thread.

    528
  459. I learned to stitch by buying kits and following the directions. I started with cross stitch and moved on to crewel work. I checked out books in order to learn new stitches.

    529
  460. My mother got me started in embroidery when I was about 6 years old. She would transfer a pattern onto a pillowcase and then my sister and I would get to pick out a couple skeins of floss to use. I always seemed to pick out the most garish colors! From that point on I continued to embroider in some form or another; whether it was embellishing doll clothes I made or stitching reproduction samplers, I have had a needle in my hand ever since.

    531
  461. I began in primary school on fabric I don’t know what is called. It had 2 long strands arranged intermittently through which you could embroider designs. The teacher showed us the basic stitches and I recall I wanted to make my own…doing, removing, modifying until the fabric needed a good wash from my grime.
    Snce then I’ve learnt on my own and I find much joy in this craft.

    532
  462. I was taught cross stitch and some basic surface stitchery at school and continued cross stitching into my 20s. Later I tried to continue with surface stitchery but did not really have much sucess until I joined an Embroiderers Guild where I had access to lots of classes and experienced stitchers to guide me.

    PS I love making Christmas decorations etc. and have a dear friend that I make something for each year – this would be perfect as we could both have one 🙂
    Catherine from NZ

    533
  463. I am old enough that we were taught at primary school from grade three onwards,but my Mother also sewed,knitted ,cooked and in general made most things for the family.

    534
  464. Needlework has been a passion for me as far back as I remember. My mother and my grandmother both taught and encouraged me. I believe it is in my dna, as the skill goes back many generations, both maternal and paternal!

    535
  465. You taught me! Also youtube, and TAST, and eventually I got to the local guild, but mostly you. Your videos, tutorials and especially sharing your mistakes and how you managed them. Thank you.

    StelliesTessa in Jhb

    536
  466. I enjoy all the ideas about embroidery here! I first learned embroidery from my mother and grandmother, and I’ve learned more from others just recently since I’ve been volunteering at the Diocesan Altar Guild. I especially enjoy detail work.

    537
  467. We had a neighbour when I was growing up who enjoyed teaching the neighbourhood kids different art forms. I remember painting, rug hooking, sewing and embroidery. I still have a few of those pieces that I have carried with me through a number of moves.

    538
  468. A friend started me on stitching. I saw a picture she had embroidered hanging on her wall and wanted to learn to do that. So off we went to a store and I bought my first embroidery kit, a pillow which still sits on my couch.

    539
  469. We learned some basic stitches back in grade 4 or 5 & I made a pillow for my mom using basket stitch to make a basket & then filling it with flowers using different stitches. I think the fabric was a type of hemp & we used knitting wool as our thread. That same teacher had us do a type of pulled thread Hardanger project too. Then in grade 7 I took an elective where you could do a hobby/craft. Most of us girls choose to try needlepoint & got hooked on it then.

    540
  470. I first learned to do embroidery in my 7th grade home ec class. The first project we made was a apron with gingham fabric and the first stitch was to “x” every other box. Funny, I hadn’t thought of this in years. I was so proud!

    543
  471. I learnt to embroider from an instructor at school, was guided by my mother later on and learnt to hone my skills on my own, reading magazines and other pattern, instruction books. The Stitcher’s Christmas is a real delight and I’m hoping I will be the lucky one!

    544
  472. See online a lot of pictures on the cross stitch, really beautiful, I was completely fascinated, and even the world has such a fine art. For this I became more efforts. From the Internet to find the video cross-stitch teaching self-study, and finally in my tireless practice I learned! Can say skills Well, really nothing else, on the point – must be patient.

    545
  473. I am mainly a self taught stitcher but have relied upon many sources for inspiration and guidance.Cheers to all,Pat.

    546
  474. I was taught to stitch by my Nan White when I was about six. She was a lifelong stitcher.

    Alison
    Godalming UK

    547
  475. I learned in a high school textiles class, aged 14. The class project was to machine sew a shoulder bag. I finished really quickly, because I’d been making dolls clothes using my Mum’s 1920s Singer for years.

    The teacher told me to buy a cross stitch kit so I’d have something to work on while the rest of the class finished. From there, I’ve never looked back.

    548
  476. Living in a very small town I went to a room school, The Headmaster was my teacher, he taught 3 grades all in the same class. Once a week the girls would walk across the paddock to his house, there his wife taught us first how to hand sew everything and then once she was happy we were permitted to use the Singer Treadle machine.

    549
  477. Wonderful giveaway and the new site is very nice. I’m seeing ur site after a very long time and it makes me sooooooo happy to see it again. I was taught to embroider by my mother and grandmother. I also learnt about a lot of stitches and how to work them and about a lot of different embroidery techniques from your site. Thanks to the three of you I love my embroidery.

    550
  478. I really can’t remember when I first learnt to stitch. My mother was not a craft person at all, she was more concerned with bringing us girls up and going to work. It must have been one of my aunts, she taught me to crochet as well . I then picked it up again in my teens and was self taught from books.

    551
  479. I learned to use a needle and thread when I was very little under my grandmother ‘s sewing machine as she was piecing together quilt tops for the Womens Institute. I created things from her scrap material which my grandmother told me they were amazing. They were a childish works of art but in them I discovered the soothing effect needlework had for me. By the time I was in my early teens I had progressed to embroidering quilt blocks for my grandmother. So I owe a lot to my grandmother who encouraged and had the patience to start me on a life journey in stitching and a passion for needleart in all it it’s many forms.

    552
  480. My grandmother, I called her Grams, was the first person to teach me how to sew. She taught me how to roll the thread in my fingers to make a knot in the end. I can still remember going through her button tin every time that I visited her. She always had items by her sewing machine that she was in the process of making or fixing. She made doll clothes for my dolls , even the tiniest little ones! Now I am doing that for my grand daughters! Amazing how time flies and traditions and crafts are passed on.
    ~Gin K.~

    553
  481. I was taught “sewing” at primary school by a teacher who took great delight in belittling every thing I stitched. Undeterred I watched my mother and followed her example with printed linen table cloths. She hated satin stitch so many things were done in Buttonhole stitch. I returned to embroidery in my 40’s and joined the local Guild where I fine tuned my existing skills. Since then the learning has not stopped thanks to the Embroidery Guilds and the Internet.
    LizF

    555
  482. Although my mum stitched when i was young, i had no interest. I taught myself to embroider and have since taken classes to learn techniques such as goldwork and drawn thread

    556
  483. I began sewing at the age of 4 or 5 yrs old – my grandma and my mother were great needleworkers and I watched them a lot. My mum gave me some emrboidery thread and a chair back cover to embroider and I was hooked on embroidery. I have also made my own clothes and my daughters’ clothes too, now I make quilts and love it.
    Pauline

    557
  484. My mom taught me some basic stitches for a set of stamped pillowcases when I was about ten years old. I never finished them! I didn’t try anything else until I was in college. I completed a stamped sampler and then friend taught me counted cross stitch. I was hooked after that.

    558
  485. I just love your website and instructions! You’re the BEST!!!
    I also love your give aways, even when I don’t win. It’s nice to read the comments and see that we’re all the same, where ever we live. That is hopeful for a better world.

    I think I learned embroidery (cross stitch) at school, like knitting and crochet, but I did’nt like it very much then.
    It was much later when I started because I saw something I really liked. I just followed the instructions.
    Only with goldwork I went to a day course which was an hour travel from home. Here in The Netherlands this is quite far …
    So I think I have had the basis and then I tought myself the rest.

    559
  486. I’m self taught with a lot of help from this website, other sites, videos and books. Nita C.

    561
  487. I don’t remember who taught me to stitch because I was too little, but my grandmother did all needlearts including tatting, knitting, and crochet. She also sewed my clothes. She had those little “Workbasket” magazines with the bright pink iron-on transfers, so I’m sure that’s where the journey began.

    562
  488. My mom taught me to stitch. Stamped cross stitch and knitting were first and I don’t remember which was first. Pre-stamped crewel from Erica Wilson or Elsa Williams were also learned by the time I was ten.
    The white Christmas decorations would look beautiful in my blue and yellow home. I have a fireplace just waiting for the stockings.

    563
  489. I learnt early. I got sick of watching others and no one teaching me because I was odd! – read left handed! So sometimes the old book in a mirror worked – well it did for knitting and crochet, and other times it was a’ hit and miss method’ of doing it over and over. …. ha ha ha but I got there most times …….. lol Still love trying to work out how somethings are done and trying old things new ways.

    564
  490. My grandmother taught me to do simple embroidery (outline stitch) and stamped cross stitch. After that I was self taught until very recently when I discovered EGA, ANG, EAC and SNS with their on-line guilds. I’m in seventh heaven learning new things.

    Vickie (vjvl51)

    565
  491. My mother taught me some basic embroidery stitches when I was 10 years old. I would work them sampler style on pieces of old white sheets that my mother would tear up, held taut in a metal embroidery hoop. I still remember sitting there with my needle and thread, embroidering my name which was written on the sheet with a pencil.

    566
  492. My great-grandmother got me started. It’s hard to remember how much she actually taught me and how much I just watched her do it …. but at some point I had half-finished projects and an old box with supplies and I took it from there!

    567
  493. I learned to stitch one summer when I was about 10 or 11. I was spending the summer with my grandmother while my father was in school. To keep me occupied my mother sent me a pre-stamped crewel piece of a little mouse amid mushrooms and ferns. I spent the summer reading Lord of the Rings and working on figuring out how to stitch the piece that I still have! I was hooked. Since then I am mostly self taught and still enjoying my stitching.

    569
  494. I am a self taught stitcher. I love to learn new stitches. Your blog is a wealth of information. It promotes creativity. Thank you for this opportunity.

    570
  495. Hi I am Sabita Sahu . I was totally a person always busy with studies n its belonging activity. But when I got married in the year 2012 after completing my studies I used to spend lot of time for browsing what to do. Ones I came across this particular site and went thoroughly inside tips and tricks. I couldn’t resist myself in trying them out and got all the materials and started trying with this site help. In this way i self tought myself and I would proudly say my first attempt was successful one and all of my friends and relatives said its has got a professional touch. From that moment I have been following “neddlenthread” and i love the way the tutorial is given.

    571
  496. In my teens, a friend and I randomly decided to make an easy little cross stitch Christmas ornament. My pal finshed hers and remained (sadly) unaddicted…but I was swiftly bitten by the bug! I’ve been stitching since (about 25 years), mostly cross stitch, but occasionally I tiptoe out into other counted work or embroidery projects – so I love the simple, friendly look of these stockings!

    572
  497. I’m a self taught stitcher. The women on my maternal side were/are sewers and quilters, but not embroiderers or needle pointers. However, I did learn the habits of buying quality supplies and an appreciation of handwork from them.

    573
  498. At the age of 5, my mother and I visited her aunt. Aunt Mae was working on an embroidery piece (have no memory of what it was).
    After we got home I pestered my mom to teach me how to do that. She went to Woolworth’s and bought a printed dresser scarf and threads and taught me the basic stitches. I worked the piece at least three different times as I grew older and could see that I now could do better. The last time, I cut the dresser scarf in half and made a hostess apron out of it as a gift for another aunt. Now, almost 70 years later, I’m still stitching – embroidery of many kinds and many other types of fiber work.

    574
  499. Grade two, Ms Phipps taught the class, but prior to that mum bought me a cardboard kit with holes punched in where the needle had to go. I think my love of embroidery flourished because of mum.

    575
  500. I am pretty much a self taught stitcher, however it moved to a new level when I joined a crazy quilt bee, and one class led to another and so on.

    576
  501. I think I was self-taught but there is a “memory” around the edges that maybe someone in 4H may have had an influence.

    577
  502. When I was a child, my mother taught me canvas and cross stitch. Progress was slow as I would only work on my project periodically but I always enjoyed coming back to it. Decades passed and I remembered I liked to embroider, so I started again. Now, I teach myself with online resources such as your blog, Mary. Thank you so much for keeping us dreaming!

    578
  503. This is such a beautiful gift! I learned to stitch using books, magazines, friends. And in the last 10 years I have learned so much from my smocking and embroidery friends in our local chapter of SAGA.

    579
  504. I learned to stitch in as a Brownie Girl Scout and from my Mother. Love Inspirations magazine. They always have wonderful projects.

    580
  505. I was taught a few of the basics long ago by my mother. Since then I have been self taught with a few classes along the way. I do like embroidery and almost all other types of needlework. Thank you for this great giveaway.
    Have a super great stitching day!

    581
  506. Hi Mary, when I first started doing needlework at the age of seven or eight, some women taught me. They included an old lady living in my community, who taught little girls all kinds of needlework, my mother, and my cousin. Then when I returned to my childhood’s interest a few years ago, I teach myself based on online resources, in which your website is an important part, books and observations. Wish you a merry xmas! 🙂

    582
  507. Watched my sisters stitching and tried to produce similar work. At that time we did not have electricity so tried to stitch during the day.

    583
  508. My grandmother taught me the basics of embroidery. It is one of many lifelong gifts she gave me.

    584
  509. I am completely self-taught, starting with cross stitch some 20 years ago. That soon got boring, so I started exploring other types of embroidery, especially Whitework. I have also already tried my hand at Schwalm Embroidery and loved it.
    So I would be thrilled to be one of the winners of this splendid give-away. Thank you so much!

    585
  510. I pretty much taught myself from books and trial and error. Still learning. It never ends.

    586
  511. Those stockings are so pretty. I am self-taught. I bought two kits from the Canadian magazine Chatelaine back in the late 80s and completed both. Didn’t stitch for many years while my sons grew up and took up the hobby again ~10 years ago.

    587
  512. My Mom gave me all the sewing items, including a tiny book of embroidery stitches to be self-taught!

    588
  513. Hi Mary,
    My mother used to embroider (mostly tea towels and pillow cases) but she also did the McCall’s Needlework stamped cross stitchDeer and Fawn which hung in our living room for many years. I often wonder where it is now. I guess I learned from her as well as doing an embroidery project in our local 4H Sewing club. I have always had several types of needlework projects underway, usually too many.
    Thanks and Merry Christmas

    589
  514. I learned to embroider with my Mom, was doing needlepoints at first. Thanks for the giveaway and Good luck to everyone.

    592
  515. Started to learn at school and in Brownies in England. Mostly self taught, took an intermediate crewel Embroidery class by correspondence. By the Canadian Embroidery guild.

    593
  516. my mom introduced me at a young age to embroidery. I did mostly small projects like pillow cases and towels, also a rag doll with the face embroidered, some flowers on my jeans when I was in high school and some cross stitch project. Unfortunately I have not done much embroidery due to my eyesight. I have now acquired a magnifying light and will able to start again soon.
    Chantal F.

    594
  517. I guess it’s not a very emotional family-related memory: YouTube taught me to stitch, and I’m still finding solutions there!!

    595
  518. I remember learning basic embroidery from a neighbour lady. Then my girls group from church also taught us some basics. I learned Brazilian Embroidery at a craft store where I also learned how to cross stitch. My mother doesn’t embroider but loves what I give her.

    596
  519. I am self taught. My great grandmother was gifted with a needle (embroidered and made quilts) but unfortunately it wasn’t passed down. Books, blogs and youtube have been invaluable resources.

    597
  520. Taught myself when I wanted to move on from cross stitch. Love your posts of what you are working on

    599
  521. I was taught some basic embroidery stitches at school in the mid 80s – chain stitch, back stitch, lazy daisies – and didn’t touch it again until becoming disabled and bedridden with severe spinal problems. In the past year I’ve been teaching myself from books and online tutorials, learning more and more complex techniques. It’s honestly been saving my sanity!

    602
  522. My sweet Mom taught me how to sew when I was about 7 years old. She and my Dad bought my twin sister and I a little sewing machine for Christmas and we both began a long and happy hobby for making doll clothes to making our own clothes and then quilting. I will be forever grateful. My Mom doesn’t sew anymore at the ripe old age of 90 years young, but she is always so encouraging and positive when I show her things I’ve been working on.

    604
  523. I firstly learned to stitch at school. But since I am 30 I have learned mostly by myself all kind of embroideries.

    605
  524. When my mom bought me my first kit she showed me how to thread a needle, knot the thread (very bad I know) and do a cross stitch. Later I found out I did everything wrong on the kit lol I never thought to read the kit instructions. When I got back into cross stitch I did my research first before purchasing another kit and I haven’t stopped learning since 🙂

    606
  525. I taught myself to crochet, cross stitch and do counted cross stitch but have had help learning other embroidery stitches – first during Home Ec in jr high and high school, through 4H and finally through my local quilting shop.

    607
  526. I learned to stitch from my dear Momma and then my Aunti. I love to stitch and do so every evening to relax. I call it my ‘stitch therapy’. Cheaper than a session, right? Love to stitch!

    608
  527. My mother taught me how to embroider dish towels when I was a little girl. Later I taught myself to cross stitch from books and magazines. That was my passion for 30 years! Then I wanted to needleturn applique so I signed up for classes with Patricia Cox in Minneapolis and my love for applique and Pat grew over the years I spent in her company. I also took quilting classes and made many quilts. But the last few years I have returned to my first love of embroidery. Nothing is more relaxing and satisfying than hand embroidery. I have learned new stitches from the internet and books since I live in a remote area that doesn’t have classes. I have used this site extensively when I want to try something new and I appreciate all your wisdom and talent when it comes to stitching and teaching. Thank you for being there for me to help me expand my skills in stitching!

    610
  528. My Mum started me on petite point and needle point in my early teens. I picked up cross stitch and embroidery on my own. I love any kind of stitching!! I can sit and stitch for hours!!! I would love the 2 stockings to stitch for my 2 grandchildren.

    611
  529. My mom was a seamstress and my grandmother was always crocheting, embroidering, or handquilting. I’ve never been much for sewing – I’m left handed and my mother found that very frustrating (I put the pins in backwards) so she told me she would pay someone to teach me to sew, but I never took her up on the offer. She had a friend who did needlepoint, and we learned that by sitting across from her I could mimic the stitches. I frequently put directions upside down to get the best results. I have taken a paperpiecing class with Carol Doak. I’d been paperpiecing for a while, but I learned some new tricks by taking her class. And, of course, learning from friends is always the best!

    612
  530. I already have the magazine, but would love the kit for the stockings, since I’m not familiar with this fabric

    613
  531. I learned to stitch from my mom. I was in fourth grade and the class project was to stitch something.

    614
  532. I learnt to embroider (and sew) starting when I was about six when Mrs Dorri Evans attended my primary school in Nimmitabel, NSW, Australia. I still have my sample book, some of my projects and my first sewing basket at age 57.

    615
  533. My Gran mostly taught me when we lived close by, she gave me a good foundation to learn from. After that it was trial and error on my part

    616
  534. My name is Arianna, I live in Rome, Italy. Three years ago I attended a stitching class with my mom. I was pregnant at that time. I had some issues with the pregnancy, I had to spend some time in bed resting. During that time I browsed among old stuff, and I discovered that my great-grandmother was a stitcher, a good one! She had some old stitching books that her husband used to give her as presents. My grandmother gave me her trousseau hand-embroidered. That’s why I wanted to learn. I asked my mom if she wanted to come with me, and it was a great idea because now we have something we both love to share. Going to stitching class was an “eureka moment”, I felt in love with it. It’s my passion!

    617
    1. Arianna, have you posted any pictures of your work? I have a book, in Italian which I do not read, called Il manuale completo del Ricamo Estense. Mary mentioned this some time back and the work is so beautiful and the pictures are very clear. It’s so interesting to look at work from other countries and remarking the differences between them — the and common thread! It was nice to read your comment.

  535. Eesh! I almost missed this one entirely. Or maybe I did? What day is it?

    Oh, it doesn’t matter. I never win, anyhow, I just like to answer the questions. I usually don’t get asked questions because people already know the answers, or they assume they do. I like answering. Taking tests was always my thing, too. Not a tangent! Tests are all about answering! I shall now go about answering the question you put forth. (I just clicked on the link in my email, I might be responding to the wrong post, I haven’t checked. If so, I’m sorry.)

    I basically learned embroidery from the internet. Sure, I was introduced through kits, but the real learning happened on the internet. I only bought kits that interested me, whether they were in my wheelhouse or not. So I’ve done a lot of searching for stitches and the best ways to accomplish them. Sometimes, I simply think that a stitch is interesting and so I learn it. I recently learned the ropey-looking chain stitch (place proper name here) just for that very reason. Just wanted to know it. That’s all. I was thinking yesterday about edging stitches. Might try the Armenian one today. And, thus, I learn to embroider all by my lonesome using my iPhone and good, old-fashioned wi-fi.

    Fun fact!: (I know these are only fun to me, but whatever) My godmother, my Aunt Sue, did a lot of sewing and embroidery. At some point, she made me a little pillow with a couple of cross-stitched bears. Regretfully, I believe I left it behind in a move with other childhood things. I wish I could go back and get it. I wish I could go back and ask her if she could teach me what she knew. My mom doesn’t know a damn thing. (I had to teach her to use a threader. She’s not stupid, certainly, I was just there the first time she tried. Thank goodness no one was there the first time I tried. I guess some people get it right the first time, know the logic of it by looking at it. Me, I’ve always had to be horribly stupid in order to learn. And, thus, I help others! Which probably backfires, to be honest.) Oh, I just realized it may have sounded as though my Aunt Sue is dead. Not so. It is simply that her baby had a baby and she’s Grammy Sue now. And completely smitten. Not dead. Busy. Free time=baby time. 🙂

    619
  536. When I was 3 or 4, my friend and I would go to a clothing manufacturing business that was just around the corner from our house. We would raid its dumpsters for scrap fabric and thread (that was all that was in the dumpsters, no garbage) We would sit under the weeping willow tree and sew clothes for our dolls. We would have all kinds of people pass us by. My favorite were the Navaho Grandma’s in their velvet skirts and turquoise jewelry. It was a magical time in my childhood!

    620
  537. I was taught by my mother and my grandmother (who lived next door and used to look after me when my mum worked). This time of the year I always remember them a lot. It was the long winter evenings when we were sitting next to the fire, embroidering and singing the Christmas songs.

    621
  538. It was one of the teachers leading a mini course during the winter at my junior high. School teachers are the best.

    622
  539. I learned to cross stitch from a co-worker and then when I joined a guild I learned other techniques from members and teachers.

    624
  540. It is a sweet memory to reflect back on the small series of TIME-LIFE books my mom had on her bookshelf, titled ‘The Art of Sewing,’ copyright 1973-74. I would pour over each volume, and among the categories of pattern making, knitting/crocheting, etc., was EMBROIDERY. There began my colorful journey of being primarily self-taught. Thank you!

    625
  541. I was taught by my mother. She taught me how to do cross stitch, back stitch and satin stitch. I have been getting into embroidery more as the years have gone by which let me to this site where I have learned some other stitches.

    626
  542. Hi Mary! My Mum showed me the first stitches a few years ago and now I’m exploring different techniques by myself! Cheers

    627
  543. My first project was at the age of nine. It was a pillowcase with an iron on transfer of daisy flowers and “Judge not, lest ye be judged first.” Am thinking my mother was trying to send me a message.

    628
  544. I was taught to embroider by my maternal grandma Helen and I owe my finishing skills to my paternal grandma Alma, who taught me hand & machine sewing.

    630
  545. My grandmother taught me to stitch. It was a way for me to escape my younger siblings and have some quality time with my grandmother.

    631
  546. Lovely gifts! I was very fortunate to have a grandmother who could stitch and who had the patience to teach a four year old. Unfortunately she lived on the other side of the country, so we didn’t get together that often. But, I fondly remember my Christmas presents from her – she would send me all of her project ends (threads, fabric, notions, etc.) in a shoe box! It was absolute treasure.

    632
  547. Mom taught me to keep me busy in the summer. Mostly stamped pillowcases and dresser scarves. As an empty nester I took a class on counted cross stitch and the rest is history.

    634
  548. My Great Aunt taught me to embroider when I was a child — surface embroidery with a variety of stitches. I used to embroider sets of pillowcases for gifts. A friend introduced me to counted cross stitch in the ’70s and I was off to the races. Embroidery has always been a part of my life.

    635
  549. These are so classy!
    I love the colour palette and the stitching idea. ..easy for someone like myself getting back to embroidery after a hiatus of many years 🙂

    636
  550. A dear friend inspired me to start embroidery and with a little help from her I was hooked. Another friend then taught me smoking and introduced me to Country Bumpkin’s magazine Australian Smoking & Embroidery back in 1994. Since then I have taught myself various forms of embroidery.

    637
  551. A dear friend inspired me to start embroidery and with a little help from her I was hooked. Another friend then taught me smoking and introduced me to Country Bumpkin’s magazine Australian Smoking & Embroidery back in 1994. Since then I have taught myself various forms of embroidery.

    638
  552. I would love to stitch these stockings. They remind me of stockings on burlap from years and years ago. I learned a bit of embroidery from my mother. Then in grade school, I did the Embroidery Badge for Girl Scouts and learned more. As an adult I was self-taught until retirement when I joined Embroiderers’ Guild of America. In the last 14 years I have REALLY learned to stitch everything I possibly can. My idea of a great day in retirement is: Go to a stitching group, have lunch with these friends, come home and stitch on some of my “too many” projects. Then get up and do it the next day again!!!!! I do try to avoid Saturday and Sunday so I have time for household chores and my family.

    639
  553. My grandma first taught me what she called ‘decorative’ stitches and I didn’t know it as embroidery for quite a while. I decorated my dolls clothes and it covered a multitude of sins in the dressmaking. Then school put me off totally and I hadn’t done any at all for decades until I retired and took up patchwork, then I discovered this website and I haven’t looked back since, I’m not very skilled but I love it.

    640
  554. I’ve always been self taught, even when I was young, but I’ve always relied on books (and now the internet) to show me the way. Now I can see other people’s work and be inspired! One thing I’ve learned is that it isn’t the technical skills that are hard for me – it’s the inspiration and the ideas that are sometimes hard to come by.

    641
  555. I am learning with the help of books and your website. Embroidery and crochet are just about the only crafts I still need to learn well.
    Thank for your help and for the giveaways.

    642
  556. I learnt to stitch from my mother and grandmother initially as a little child , then went to teachers college where I learnt many traditional methods of stitching. As an adult I explored stitching that I like via books and adult classes at stores. Much of my later stitching has been sent taught. And I have had the opportunity to learn from such tutors as Hazel Blomkamp, Alison Cole, Annie Huntley, Catherine Howell etc .. every piece I stitch I learn something new.. at the moment I am renewing an acquaintance with counted thread work designed by Yvette Stanton and Christine Bishop and ,this is proving a challenge for my eyes!

    643
  557. I touched on embroidery in my mid 30s at what we call in Australia TAFE (Technical & Further Education). More recently I was asked to contribute to a quilt which was to be a farewell gift to a member of our rural community. It was then that I panicked and found Needle n thread and in doing so it got me through my small project and I rediscovered a love for this wonderful art. I am still a novice but learning all the time (when I get time), and just love it. Thank you xx

    644
  558. Although I am mostly self-taught beginning in high school, my true inspiration was Erica Wilson. I followed her television program faithfully and still treasure her book Crewel Embroidery. Many years later I met a lady who introduced me to Hardanger. Nothing’s been the same since.

    645
  559. I taught myself in the beginning by buying kits and magazines and had some advice later from a lady that owns a needle craft shop ..

    646
  560. my grandmother lived next door to us when I was growing up. She was a very accomplished needlewoman. I never took instruction from her but watched & absorbed. Later I sat down to teach myself & found out that I had absorbed a great deal from my grandmother.

    647
  561. I am self-taught, but have always been inspired by a beautiful crazy quilt created by my great-aunt Glada. She made the quilt. But to finish the embroidery on the top, she set up a quilt stand in her living room and invited family and friends to add stitches whenever they dropped by for a visit. The final creation is the product of many talented stitchers!

    648
  562. The women on my mother’s side are long-lived so I grew up with my mother, a great grandmother, a grandmother and aunts all busy with their hands–knitting, sewing, crocheting, tatting, painting, embroidering. When I was about 9, Mom showed me how to successfully separate floss, thread my needle and put together the hoop. Then a couple of stitches–outline, satin, lazy daisy–patted me on the head, gave me a preprinted sampler and said, “Have fun!” Mom probably remembers many more hands-on moments, but what she gave me was the belief in myself to try, to practice, to learn on my own. And now there are so many resources–woo woo!
    Thank you, Mary, for the best one for me.

    649
  563. It was a combination of taught and self-taught. My mother took me to a cross stitch class when I was about 10 and then after I got married, I taught myself most of the rest of what I know!
    Thanks for the giveaway! Your posts are a highlight of my day.
    Carrie PlaneNut

    650
  564. I am a self taught stitcher. Did cross stitching for years, but the last few years I have started to do other embroidery, which I enjoy very much.

    651
  565. I am self taught, through watching YouTube videos and stitching books I picked up at a local resale store.

    652
  566. I learned to stitch when I was given an embroidery kit as a child. I followed the directions and fell in love! Susan LaBranche

    653
  567. I was taught by my mother, as a very little girl. But this started me thinking, and I had a lightbulb moment – Mum was left-handed, and even now I have to think about which way to buttonhole! I’m sure my stem stitch was outline stitch, too, although it has improved! Your question has unearthed so many memories. Thank you!

    654
  568. What a wonderful giveaway – thank you Mary for the opportunity to win.
    I learned to stitch by watching my Mother, stitching on sacking (hessian/burlap) at school, where threads were draw to for grids to cross-stitch, and also later from reading the Weldon’s Encyclopedia of Needlework and applying it to whatever I had on hand – I remember, when I was about 10, cross stitching an acorn on a scrap of old linen tablecloth (not really even weave at all) with sewing thread!! My first attempt at counted cross stitch!!
    Blessings
    Maxine

    655
  569. I learnt to stitch by buying myself a kit and stitching a Mount Cook daisy which I framed and gave to my eldest sister for a present. It was a small tapestry which has now been returned to me after my sister passed away. Previously I had done little stitching projects in class at Primary School.
    It was lovely to see that she had kept this first attempt and had written on the reverse who had made it which is how her family knew where it had come from and were able to return to me. I am now teaching all my five granddaughters to stitch.

    656
  570. How did i learn to stitch?
    My precious moma had 8 children. 🙂 5 girls.. and she taught us all to sew!

    657
  571. When I was 11, my neighbor taught me how to embroider from the basic stitches to a simple rag doll.

    658
  572. A friend taught me to still originally. I utilize a lot of online resources too like your website and books too of course. 🙂

    659
  573. Hi, I was taught to stitch by my mother, but have only taken it back up since she passed away. She left a lot of UFO’s and I am quietly working my way through them, remembering her and her passion as I stitch.

    660
  574. I am self taught. A lot of trial and errors but I’ve never lost my love of embroidery.
    Merry Christmas.

    661
  575. I first learned to stitch 30 years ago when I picked up a cross stitch baby bib kit in a discount store. I quickly tired of that and moved on to more sophisticated stitches sharing my growing interest with my sister and a few friends. I checked out books from the library, took local classes and eventually a friend and I even hired one of the instructors to give us a few private lessons so we could master some really challenging pieces. What I love best about stitching is there is always a new technique, a new look and a new challenge to tackle. If I tire of satin stitch, I can make the next project pulled thread, or hardanger, or beaded work, or……;)

    662
  576. I learned to stitch from my grandmother. She was always working on some project and I remember helping my mother choose kits for her.

    663
  577. My teacher taught me when I was in the 6th grade. After school I am self taught with the help of internet.

    665
  578. First learnt to stitch at school then did various courses.
    Thank you for your beautiful publications.
    Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

    666
  579. Like most of those who responded, my mother taught me the basic stitches. I remember a white duck when I was five or six. While visiting my aunt, I finished the white thread I had with me. My aunt offered me some pink sewing thread. I pitched a tantrum, greatly embarrassing my mother. That was the 50’s. In the 60’s I learned what fun embroidery can be when I stitched a basket of flowers without a pattern using scrap yarn, floss, etc. Passing on to hardanger, needlepoint and cross-stitch, I am now working on a small crewel practice piece with the Mellerstain Firescreen waiting in the wings. After this, I want to learn tambour work. Thanks for the great demo, Mary.

    667
    1. This was such a wonderful subject that I read ALL the letters that had posted by this evening. So many stitchers learned on their own. Wow! What a great group, thanks for all the inspiring stories and comments. Blessings to Mary and my fellow stitchers.

  580. I’m a self taught stitcher and far from an expert but love every minute sitting quietly with my needle. My first project was an embroidered pair of pillow cases purchased at TG&Y in the 1960’s….no idea what happen to them. Although my mother had no interest in doing needlework herself she always encouraged me and I will forever be grateful. Thank you Mary for the knowledge and encouragement and love you share with all of us through your site. Merry Christmas

    668
  581. My mother first taught me to embroider when I was about nine. She was not a stitcher herself, but I think she was desperate to give me something to keep me occupied! I suppose I was a pretty high-energy child. 😉

    But, her plan worked, and I’ve had some kind of fibre-related craft on the go ever since!

    669
  582. My amazing friend Wanda Palinkas taught me to embroider when she was still living here in South Africa. She now lives in California and is starting up embroidery lessons there. She started me on a course called Magic Embroidery which took me through all the various stitches until I perfected them. I then progressed onto Ribbon Embroidery, Goldwork and Stumpwork. After my lessons were finished I continued going to Wanda’s classes for company and the inspiration we gave each other on our embroidery journey.

    670
  583. I am a self taught…AND have also joined a local EGA Chapter. With the help I’ve received from some very patient, special and talented ladies in our local Chapter, I have learned A LOT as well.

    671
  584. Mary Corbet is my teacher. I love needle paint. No one teach like Mary. At the end of the day read Needle N Thread is just a relaxing cup of tea.
    thank you and Merry Christmas!

    672
  585. You taught me Mary Corbet! I stumbled on your website in search of stitch video lessons and I was hooked. So now I have an arsenal of supplies and I’m just beginning this journey of embroidery. I absolutely love it and you’ve given me the confidence to know that I can do beautiful work. Not as beautiful as yours but I hope to someday. Thank you so much for everything you do.

    673
  586. My mother taught me how to embroidery and loved it when I was younger. I recently started doing it again and think of her every time I do a new project. I was very fortunate to have her as a teacher.

    675
  587. I learnt to embroider at junior school in the early 1960’s. I remember that gingham was always the fabric we were requested to purchase for embroidering on. I imagine price and supply were factors and imagine that the gingham lines and blocks made for neat work in straight lines! Supplies were bought for us by our parents – not supplied by the school. I remember embroidering on a table mat – first having hemmed the four sides by hand. Another project was a made to fit ourselves apron in lilac gingham. Made by hand and then embroidered on. A pity that children no longer learn basic sewing or embroidery at school. Education is very academic now without much in the way of daily useful practical skills being taught. I have been embroidering for the past 30 years for pleasure, relaxation and sense of achievement and couldn’t do without it. Hope to pass the skill and enjoyment on to my very young granddaughter in time to come.

    676
  588. I am self taught. From a young age I was fascinated with threads, fabric and wool. And it lives on today.

    677
  589. I love Christmas stockings! Our family makes a stocking for every new family member. I just finished one for my brand new grandaughter!

    678
  590. I taught myself when my sons where young, they are now adults and I have returned to cross stitch. With the classes offered by my guild I am learning new forms of needlework to love.

    679
  591. I am self taught in needle arts. I like to observe how others complete stitches (thanks for tutorials) but I do better with a good instruction book than taking a class. I have trouble with learning when all the chatter is going on in a classroom. Exceptions of course, are online classes. Thank you for this opportunity to win this lovely prize.

    680
  592. My Grandmother taught me originally – all useful sewing like hemstitching, some lace work and embroidery for table linens – She was from Poland and di not speak much english, but we bonded over the needle!

    681
  593. I learned to stitch from my Mom and Grandmother. Each had a different passion and methodology. They are both gone now, but they are kept close to my heart whenever I pick up a piece of embroidery.

    683
  594. I am totally self taught. My first project was a small brooch for my grandmother. Then my mother in law gave me a counted cross stitch kit from Ireland, and that really got me started loving all kind of stitching 🙂

    684
  595. I am mostly self-taught. My grandmother showed me a very few stitches when I was about 6-years old, and that’s all. I didn’t do much for decades other than cross-stitch and needlepoint. I was even a model stitcher for a couple of years for some big companies in the US. Now I’m mostly a quilter, but I have been teaching myself wool applique, as well as crazy quilt stitches and silk ribbon embroidery.

    685
  596. My Aunt Winifred (who had two boys) taught me to stitch and sew. She was a home economics teacher specializing in needle arts. As a treat she would prepare tongue sandwiches!

    686
  597. I grew up in the north so we had all winter to sew till the work started in the spring. My Mother taught me to embroidery at the age of 6. It was a hankie w a peacock.

    688
  598. My mother bought me a small sampler when I was about 8 yrs. old and helped me get started and its been an enjoyable “hobby” of mine ever since.

    Jan in Savannah

    689
  599. I am a totally self-taught stitcher, except that watching online videos is not really self-teaching. Such a great time of life to be learning. If I had another lifetime, I would pursue stitching full-time.

    690
  600. My mother taught me to stitch at a very young age. I think the first thing I did was a satin stitch rose on a cover for my doll’s pram. She also taught me to knit and my aunt taught me to crochet. Give me a needle and thread and I’m happy!

    691
  601. My mother taught me how to cross stitch when I was only 5 years old. After that, I learned all new embroidery techniques by myself – and now, at 43, I am still learning! Thank you, Mary, for your wonderful and inspirational blog!

    692
  602. I was taught surface embroidery by my mother and grandmother when I was a little girl.
    Even as a young mother and my husband of 55 years was in college, I would find relaxation
    embroidering and knitting when the children were in bed. I am so thankful for the many gifts
    my mother and grandmother passed on to me. What once was a little hobby that I kept in a
    box has grown into a wonderful sewing room.
    Sue Dian

    693
  603. I am a combo of self taught and shown a few things by my mom. My mom loves counted cross stitch but I hated it. I like the freedom of surface embroidery much better! As a kid I used books but now I have a couple basic books and the inspiration and help from this site and many others to figure things out.

    694
  604. I don’t remember how I learned to embroider when I was a teenager. It must have been self taught. However, in the past five years since I’ve retired, I’ve expanded my skills through all the wonderful technical opportunities we now have. Needlenthread has been a big part of my research. Thank you!

    695
  605. I learned to stitch at school, where embroidery, sewing, cookery and deportment were considered important attributes to the development of a young lady. After leaving school, being a flower child, I spent most of my time crocheting shawls, caps and dresses. And then, I grew up and had a “proper” job. Now, at the fabulous age of 63, I am again indulging in my rediscovered passion: embroidery; stitching as must as possible, in between cleaning and caring for my three chihuahuas and beloved husband. Thank you, Mary for your always inspiring articles – I remain in awe of your generosity. Take good care and have a Happy Christmas. xxx

    696
  606. Like most of my generation I learned embroidery from my mom, probably as cross stitch or outline stitch on dish towels. Stitching on gingham was popular during the years I was in 4-H. Later on a lot of self taught. But it is interesting that my mom also attempted to teach the grandchildren to stitch, including both the boys and girls. I am sad that next generations do not seem to have any interest.

    697
  607. So happy I found Needle ‘N Thread! Just received my first email from you…I am so excited & inspired!! I am a self taught embroiderer. Really I am just getting started & I had no idea there was so much to learn! And now I learn there are chances to win free stuff…super cool!!!

    698
  608. I learned to stitch when I was about 8. It was a little crewel kit that my mom bought. I loved it! My sister had one too but hated it and crumpled it into a ball and threw it under the bed! My mom helped me with the basics, I am sure. Over the years, I have taught myself techniques, but I learn the best when I have an instructor. My two tias(aunts) taught me drawn thread work. It was funny as they spoke very little English and I spoke very little Spanish! But I still have the beautiful pieces they made out of flour sacks.

    699
  609. My mother taught me some basic embroidery stitches. I didn’t realize til years later what a gift those lessons were.
    Thanks for these wonderful giveaways.

    700
  610. Upon reading other stitchers post, it appeared to me that the majority of us learned to stitch thru the “self-taught” method. Our Mother/Aunt/Grandmother showed us a bit & let us go to learn. That was my learning. My Mom taught me embroider; my Aunt taught me crocheting (knitting knots me up!), & I taught myself tatting. I have attended a few Celebrations or gatherings in the past years and learned new skills & knowledge while learning a lot more about fabric & threads & stitches.

    There was something inside that needed to come out, to be expressed with a needle & thread, making something useful or as a gift or just an expression of something inside.

    Sadly, the season of Counted Cross Stitch being king is passing. Knitting & Crocheting rocketed in, but they are waning too. It is up to us to teach others – boys & girls – these skills & joys. For many cultures, stitching is its past, present, & future.

    701
  611. I have always had some type of needlework in my hand. As a child plain embroidery, then sewing from home ec class. Probably inspired by my grandmother who made beautiful quilts. Love the ABC series. Having completed Home Sweet Home, I would love instructions from Inspirations for the new accessory. Hope I win!

    702
  612. I learned to stitch at my Grandmother’s knee. She encouraged and praised me as a child for each and every piece I did. First cross stitch, then embroidery. From there my love for handwork blossomed to crazy quilting, petit point, silk ribbon, and ended up teaching Brazilian Embroidery. So thanks to my Grandmother my love for needlework. Lovely gifts each week – I enjoy the updates!

    703
  613. i was taught by my great grandmother we would all get together and do quilts so now my children and grand children are also learning it has been in the family for years . i hope my children keep it going with there children and so on.

    704
  614. My mother taught me to stitch. I started with stamped cross-stitch, then counted cross-stitch and some basic needlepoint. I didn’t go much beyond that until I was grown. Since then, I’ve taken some classes and figured some out on my own.

    705
  615. I am a self-taught stitcher; however I must acknowledge having been inspired by my very first real boyfriend’s mother (40 years ago). She was an accomplished stitcher, who gifted me checkbook cover, worked in a beautiful needlepoint plaid, I’m mad for plaid, I still have this cover, keep it in my purse, and think of her every time I have it in my hand, Thank you, Peter’s Mom, Mrs Stein*******r, for gifting me with a lifetime of enjoyment.

    706
  616. Your give-away is so enticing, Mary, and Inspirations Magazine is only second to you in fresh ideas, on point tutorials, and yes…Inspiration! Thank you!

    707
  617. I learned embroidery from my maternal grandmother. My paternal grandmother was ailing and in a nursing home. She would start project kits (mostly pillowcases and runners) my father brought her, but never completed them. As her mind drifted, so did her color choices. I would finish her projects.

    708
  618. Hi Mary, I learnt to stitch by reading books; it was before the days of the Internet. I worked primarily on cross-stitch and hardanger, numerous books very available. Of course, now I am a YOUTUBE and BLOG junkie.
    Have a wonderful holiday Mary.

    709
  619. Both of my grandmother’s did hand work. I have a set of embroidered pillowcases from each of my grandmother’s that I have never used
    They and my mother taught my me to embroidery. I love to do dish towels and give as gifts

    710
  620. My mother had a button basket, a tin with thread and she made pillow cases and that is how I started to stitch. It waxed and waned until until after college. I then joined the Embroidery Guild after visiting a shop and an invitation was made. I had a mentor, she helped and guided me through projects and this is now my dearest long lived hobby and good friend for life.

    711
  621. Oops! I didn’t answer the question! Didn’t get that far in my excitement 🙁 But…My mom had a needle in my hand before I was four years old. She would draw out a little house or tree or person with Xs on a piece of cotton and hoop it so I could do the cross-stitching. I couldn’t get enough of it! A wonderful memory and a lifetime of stitching for me!

    712
  622. I learned to stitch from my 4-H leader, Joan Betzler. We had so much fun each year doing a small stitch project! As I continue to learn, I rely heavily on YouTube and tons of links on Pinterest, and Instagram.

    713
  623. My Grandmother taught me the basic stitches and as a child I loved all the threads she neatly kept in a large chocolate box decorated with a poinsettia! Her favorite colors were yellow and green and the box always had plenty of shades of each. We mainly stitched pillowcases and handkerchiefs and I still do among other projects!

    714
  624. Self taught with encouragement from mom and Girl Scouts! My first two scout badges were sewing and embroidery.

    716
  625. My aunt taught me to knit when I was 12 — that started it. From there I taught myself more knitting techniques and then moved on to needlepoint, cross stitch, crewel, quilting, wool applique, rug hooking. . . I usually start with a kit and, if I like the craft (haven’t found one that I do not yet), I learn more from books, magazines and now, the internet. I wish there were more of me so that I could do more needlework!

    717
  626. Hi Mary! When I was very young, 7-8, my mother taught me basic embroidery stitches and my task was to embroider white cotten dish towels. She also got me started on sewing. Throughout my life I’ve dabbled in these domestic tasks with great enjoyment and now in retirement I get to explore and learn from sites such as yours. Thank you.

    718
  627. I’ve been teaching myself to embroider via youtube videos (mostly yours!), and I love it. There’s always something new to learn.

    719
  628. Of course I would like to win.

    Having first learn basic stiches at school (stem, cable, buttonhole stiches), I learned by myself using books and did cross-stitch and later on Hardanger with quite a success. But 3 years ago I joined a Guild here in the Province of Québec and started taking courses. And I discovered a whole world…

    720
  629. I learned to stitch in primary school in second grade. Ik feel sorry that nowadays children don’t learn that anymore in school, at least not in the Netherlands.

    721
  630. I learned very early-about 8 yrs old! My mother was a great sewist & embroidery enthusiast! She taught me me everything she knew & the rest I learned by doing-I love embroidery. Thank you for the great tip on the sewing needle choice, I will surely remember this one, Susan

    722
  631. i started stitching when i was a young girl and taught myself usually through magazines and then kits that i purchased. having the access to teachers and products like we do now has been amazing.

    723
  632. I am self-taught. My mother did phenomenal sewing with a machine, but I’m a disaster in that direction, so I picked up hand sewing. I started with a Dimensions kit in the 70’s and in the 90’s discovered EGA and ANG. What a wonderful range of stitching is available to us!

    724
  633. I learned to stitch from the home Ec teacher in Middle school. Her and a kit got me going. It was a good little kit, looking back, with good pictures to follow.

    725
  634. My maternal grandmother taught me the basics when I was 6 or 7. She taught me stem stitch, back stitch, french knots, and lazy daisy. From there I was on my own! I’m close to 65 now…boy, that’s a lot of stitches!

    726
  635. I learned to stitch from the library. I checked out every book I could find on embroidery and taught myself. But my skills and learning really progressed when I found Needle N Thread!! Thank you for all of your tutorials and being such a great cheerleader as I try new things! You’ve opened my eyes to a beautiful world.

    727
  636. My wonderful grandmother gave me my interest in all things textile — she was a wonderful inspiration – she never threw anything away always using every scrap of fabric and yarn that came her way – she made lots of gifts for charity sales and fund raising efforts and many of our clothes too, all from recycled materials. only trouble is i now find it almost impossible to throw things away too and my stash just grows so some “inspiration” would be wonderful.x

    728
  637. When we were on holiday, I was about six or so, my mother bought me a small backpack containing everything for children’s embroidery and needlework. It featured this cross-stitch fabric with enormous squares, embroidery cotton, a pom-pom maker, crewel wool, felt, scissors and a couple of patterns. I have learnt it from that kit, still have it, and still enjoy it (the pom-pom maker works tremendously well).

    729
  638. For the most part, I’m self-taught, but I learned some of the basic stitches when I was young. I’ve always enjoyed any kind of needlework.

    730
  639. Self taught, I finished some printed kitchen towels my mom hadn’t finished from when she had married in 47. I was about 11 and just copied what she had done already. I recently found most of the set (days of the week chores with two little bluebirds) and it made me cry. They were well used and some of the stitching was missing from use, but she had saved them. I could see so clearly where I had “finished ” them. It’s been over fifty years but I remember being so proud. Always enjoy your mail. I’m sure I would enjoy the stockings and it’s a beautiful magazine.

    731
  640. My mum taught me the cross stitch when I was little and then in school, I learned the chain stitch. The rest is self taught- mostly from needle’n thread and YouTube.

    732
  641. My mother taught me stem and outline stitch on tea towels. Much later I became part of the quilt making trend and eventually joined Embroiderer’s Guild of America. It is there that I have learned most about needle work.

    733
  642. My maternal grandma taught me as best she could. She was a righty trying to teach a leftie. Luckily I am more ambidextrous and do a lot the right (?) way LOL

    734
  643. I was the youngest of 3 girls growing up in Toronto, Canada. We had Home Ec. in grades 7 and 8. This is where I learned to sew. A funny story goes along with this. My sisters were 5 & 7 years older then me and I used to sneak a piece of their clothing when I could and wear to school then run home and hang it back up. In Home Ec the newspaper came in one day to take a picture of our class. They took one of me stitching away. The next day there was a picture of me in the Toronto Star WEARING my sisters newest blouse for the whole world to see. I was in trouble that day.

    Sewing and stitching of all kinds has been my way of life. It has helped me through times of grief and you will never be lonely if you have handwork to do and a good book to read.

    736
  644. The stockings are beautiful. I can’t remember when I started stitching, my mother taught me many stitches. I always have some project on the go. When I retired from teaching I joined the Canadian Embroiderers’ Guild Guelph and have taken 2 courses every year. I also have taught courses over the past 10 years. I love to do white work, Hardanger, pulled and drawn threads, Schwalm, ponto antigo, etc. I also went to Schwalm and took one-on-one lessons. Stitching has been a form of relaxation and enjoyment over the years. Ana-Maria from Cambridge

    737
  645. I learnt to stitch at school. We had to make our aprons and caps for next years cooking classes. I hated that I had such a long name as I was told to unpick many times. We were using stem stitch for the embroidery and back stitch to sew the garments. The following year I learnt how to smock and I can still see that lavender smocked dress I made for my baby sister. Since leaving school, all my embroidery is self taught.

    738
  646. I don’t remember how I learned to embroider! I was very young. Like most things, I just jumped right in and figured it out. I have learned almost all I know about embroidery from Mary!
    Thanks for all the great videos, ebooks, and inspiration Mary.

    740
  647. Don’t laugh, I began with plastic canvas. I just found an old pattern book while organizing my closet.

    741
  648. I started at age 5, tried for years with no teacher. Frustrations were starting and ending and using the right needle. Started needlepoint at age 20, took a surface embroidery class for beginners but the materials were AWFUL. Stayed with needlepoint until I saw needlework at a judged craft show, found out about Embroiderer’s Guild of America. I joined AND took private lessons in crewel from a master craftswoman, and have been off and flying around the world’s needle techniques ever since. Embroidery is a joy I treasure. – a loving thank you to all teachers out there who helped us along the path of embroidery!

    742
  649. I am self taught. I started learning at age 13. I bought kits and read all of those directions which helped me with different stitches. I wish that we would have had the technology that we have today, then I could have learned from your website Mary. I am glad for your information today and I love learning new things.

    743
  650. Had to take a minute to think, mostly self taught, asking questions now and then or looking at references in books.

    744
  651. I am a self-taught stitcher from way back (1960s) and I love crewel work, embroidery and cross stitch. Love your website and magazine.

    745
  652. First learnt embroidery from my Mum and my third grade school teacher who held a class for an hour on Wednesday afternoons. Still have my sampler and first table Centre piece I did. Love Inspirations books , they are the best.

    747
  653. My mother taught me my first embroidery stitches when I wa about 6 or 7 years old, and I learnt a few more during school sewing classes. However the bulk of my techniques learning has come from wonderful books and attending classes through my embroidery Guild.

    749
  654. I began needlework when I was 8. A church teacher helped me do I simple sampler using a ‘crewell’ stitch. I later learned it was a couching stitch. When I was 15 I did a Holly Hobby pattern answer her apron was a variety of stitches. The instructions had step by step how to do each stitch. I stitched and ripped, aND stitched again until I was happy with the look. I taught myself cross stitch in my 20s by stitching simple patterns in magazines. This year I am 56, and I have returned to hand embroidery. Websites such as Mary’s Needle ‘n Thread, Pintrest, and YouTube are my tutors and pattern repositories. I consider stitching my therapy. I de-stress as I lose myself in the threads. I love watching my project come to life with each stitch. When I finish, I gently run my hand over the fabric and feel the stitches as I welcome it into my world.

    750
  655. I am self taught— with the help of videos online. I am a visual person and with those, I would not eb doing what I do today.

    751
  656. I am mostly a self-taught stitcher. My Mom got me started sewing when I was a pre-teen and then I continued in school in our Home Economics classes. In my early 20s (1971) I had a roommate, Lynda, who had just finished a crewelwork pillow of a Siamese cat so I decided to give it a try and made the same pillow. I was hooked. Funnily enough, I found the same kit on eBay and am stitching it for my son’s girlfriend. So Lynda was my needlepoint inspiration and Mom (just turned 98) was my creative inspiration and I’ve kept trying new methods ever since. Mary, you are my current inspiration!

    752
  657. I began needlework when I was 8. A church teacher helped me do I simple sampler using a ‘crewell’ stitch. I later learned it was a couching stitch. When I was 15 I did a Holly Hobby pattern and her apron was a variety of stitches. The instructions had step by step how to do each stitch. I stitched and ripped, and stitched again until I was happy with the look. I taught myself cross stitch in my 20s by stitching simple patterns in magazines. This year I am 56, and I have returned to hand embroidery. Websites such as Mary’s Needle ‘n Thread, Pintrest, and YouTube are my tutors and pattern repositories. I consider stitching my therapy. I de-stress as I lose myself in the threads. I love watching my project come to life with each stitch. When I finish, I gently run my hand over the fabric and feel the stitches as I welcome it into my world.

    753
  658. I have been self taught primarily with embroidery, but have the advantage of having a husband who used to embroider (the fibromyalgia prohibits much hand work anymore). When I have a question about a stitch that’s just not making sense to me I have a personal tutor right there!

    754
  659. My sister gave me an embroidered present and then taught me the basics. After that, I used this website to teach myself other stitches.

    755
  660. My grandmother did crochet and knitting and I wanted to learn how to do that and then I just went on to teach myself many other types of stitching.

    756
  661. My mom taught me a bit when I was… 7 or 8, I think. I remember entering a Holly Hobby that I stitched from a stamped kit into the county fair, and getting a Best in Show for my age range. I think I still have that ribbon somewhere 🙂

    757
  662. My grandmother taught me to knit, stitch and embroider. My first attempt was a knitted square made into a purse with a foldover top and a large button on the front

    758
  663. I’ve taught myself how to stitch. I know the basics but haven’t really progressed to complete anything. I’m hoping a kit could help.

    759
  664. My mother taught me cross-stitch and some of the basic traditional embroidery stitches – stem stitch, french knots, satin stitch, etc. I’ve taught myself the rest; I try to learn something new with each project.

    760
  665. Hello Mary
    My comment won’t win me any prizes, but thought I’d put in my “2 cents worth”.

    I had started embroidering when I was about 13 (self-taught- with a bit of my Mom’s help).

    Always a “plain jane” embroiderer, I am so fascinated by your embroideries and the stitches that you do. Makes me want to be as good as you are, but my timing isn’t so great to get that accomplished.

    764
  666. I taught myself initially from small kits bought at a local craft store when laid up with Wisdom teeth removal. I have since taken some classes and have now joined some guilds and am enjoying it immensely.

    765
  667. I taught myself to embroidery when I was deeply immersed in my hippie days. I saw a simple pamphlet with the basic stitches and took off from there. I was almost always embroidering onto denim , freestyle, without any specific pattern — blue jeans, jean skirts, shirts, vests — pretty much any available denim surface I could get my hands on. At one point in my early 20s I began embroidering images from album covers. Back then I always worked with good old DMC cotton floss. I spent many wonderful hours stitching, which was so calming during many of those tumultuous young adult years. Best of all, it was a wonderfully affordable craft.

    766
  668. I first learned to stitch when I was six years old and my grandmother taught me the stem stitch and french knots on an Aunt Martha transfer. I only picked it back up a few years ago and realized how much more I could have learned from you.

    767
  669. I am a self taught stitcher. I wish we had the internet back when I was learning. Instead I followed the instructions getting progressively harder patterns.

    768
  670. Hi Mary and thanks for the 3rd giveaway! My mum taught me to stitch when I was about 5 or 6, just the basics but enough to capture my interest. However it wasn’t until I was in my 50s that the stitching bug really caught hold – I think it was the advent of the internet and blogging that really showed me what could be achieved. Although I still remember the basics taught to me by mum! Jean.x

    769
  671. I taught myself to embroider and needlepoint. I love all kinds of stitching. My first crewel was Elsa Williams 1978. Of course I did kits for Christmas when I was in high school both embroidery and needlepoint. That was in the 1960’s. Las t year I treated myself and went on the crewel works tour of Scotland for 2 weeks, it was so much fun. Hope all is going well for you and have a great holiday🎄Pat Smith

    770
  672. My first attempt at stitching was at a workshop by the Royal School of Needlework. Fortunately, they were very patient with me!

    771
  673. I am totally self taught when it comes to stitching. Which is why I love your tutorials and the A-Z series of books. I used to belong to a stitching group that met twice a month but that group faded away over 15 years ago and I have never linked up to a guild in my area – one of the things on my “to do” list for 2017.

    772
  674. Hi, I remember my mum and my grannie always either embroidering something or in my mum’s case crocheting or kniting as well. They tought me to cross stitch first at the age of 8 and later basic embroidery as well. I never looked back and it filled me with pride when was able to surprise them with a completed piece. The most sentimental of which is the whitework tablecloth that my grannie started late in her life and I finished after she passed away.

    773
  675. I started out self-taught — I received a crewel embroidery kit when I was in hospital, recovering. Until I got the hang of it (all I had were the instructions), I considered it cruel embroidery.
    Much later, I finished the piece swiftly. By then I was really into needlepoint and actually went to a class or two — there were some stitches I could never accomplish, but I slugged on. I finally learned that I loved embroidery after I bought Helen Stevens’ “Embroiderer’s Countryside” on a whim. I was hooked!

    774
  676. Initially, I learnt to embroider from my daughter! Now, I am part of an embroidery guild and have wonderful women who teach me as I go.

    775
  677. Basic stitches when I was a pre-teen from my Mother and Grandmother, then a lot of books and fun classes.

    776
  678. My father’s mother and older sister taught me the absolute basics, introducing me to needles and embroidery floss and stamped cross-stitch tea towels. Then we moved out of state, and everything else I learned was from a very thick old book, I think it may have been called The Reader’s Digest Encyclopedia of Stitches. I learned knitting and crochet from that raggedy old book, too. It wasn’t until I was in my 40s and joined the EGA that I began to learn from real people again. I prefer classes with friends and teachers, they’re a lot more fun!

    777
  679. I’m mostly self taught, but have had the privilege to attend a couple of courses at the Royal School of Needlework, including their Introduction to Embroidery course at Hampton Court Palace.

    778
  680. Interestingly, my mother was a good stitcher, knitter and crochet enthusiast but I mostly learnt all of the above from books which we had in abundance at our house. I have quite a different style of knitting and crochet because of that. Either she was too busy to teach me or I was not a good student to teach. Probably the latter…

    779
  681. I am totally self-taught in needlework and every other craft I’ve attempted throughout life. I keep coming back to embroidery for a calming but challenging experience.

    780
  682. I learned Cross stitch with the help of various magazines and small kits. My world expanded when my Daughter-in-law gave me a membership in the Evergreen EGA group where she was a member and invited me to a class of canvas work. After a few different classes, I’m totally hooked on anything to do with fabric and thread, oh and beads for sure. But the frosting on my layer cake was when I signed up for the Mary Corbet newsletter and learned something new almost every day. I now have 6 loose leaf notebooks of patterns and ideas and projects of different types of embroidery that I really want to do. So I’m 72 yrs old and will never be bored.

    781
  683. Whilst in hospital as a child. One of the nurses taught me. I’ve not stopped stitching since.

    782
  684. My step mother taught me to stitch. When I was about four I went to live with my Dad and new step mother. I loved to watch her stitch so she bought me my own little pot holder with a deer on it and taught me how to do all the stitches. There are even little French knots on it. She must have had the patience of Job. She recently came across the pot holder and sent it to me. It’s something I will always treasure.

    Thank you for the give away. My issue 92 has gone astray in the post as I recently moved and I doubt it will ever show up.

    783
  685. How did I learn to stitch? This is a question with more than one answer! I learned simple embroidery stitches from my mother, making hemstitched and embroidered pillow cases while I was in high school. With that background, I could do crewel embroidery when that became popular in the ’70’s and 80’s, teaching myself a few new stitches from the diagrams in the crewel kits I got. Then the owner of a needlework shop taught me the tent stitch and sold me a painted canvas and tapestry wool, when I went in to buy a Bargello kit for my mother. Years later, I joined an embroidery guild and learned different techniques and stitches through our monthly projects, teachers who came to our guild, and EAC correspondence courses. I also got to attend some of the Embroiderers’ Association of Canada annual Seminars, to learn and stitch with other stitching addicts.

    784
  686. The basic embroidery stitches were taught at school in our Needlework and Craft class.
    Thereafter it was learning by trial and error and sometimes referring to books. I have gained a lot of knowledge from Needle & Thread, through Marys Needlework tutorials and through books recommended by her. It has been a long process but eventually knowledge gained was well worth the effort.

    785
  687. My grandmother taught me the basics of embroidery. She did a lot more utilitarian sewing (like darning socks), but also some decorative stitching. I continued to do small projects in Girl Scouts and 4-H, and in high school (the mid 70’s) embellished several pairs of jeans and the back yokes of shirts. I migrated to cross stitch in the 80’s like a lot of people, then got interested in needlepoint, goldwork, bobbin lace, knitting, crazy quilting…

    786
  688. Merry Christmas Mary,
    When I was 10 years old, my two older sisters taught me to embroider. We all were in 4-H and we did not have any formal lessons. We just loved stitching. I stitched an Elsa Williams embroidery kit for the fair and that started my addiction. I now love trying new techniques and adore your blog. You always inspire and intrigue me.

    Thank you!

    Julie Angerer

    787
  689. I am self-taught, for the most part. As a young teenager, I had a pair of cut-off jeans and decided I wanted a flower embroidered on the pocket. I’m not even sure what I used to figure out how to make the stitches, but that was my beginning. I’ve always loved all things needle!

    788
  690. I learnt my first embroidery stitches at school. Later on I did the Basic Embroidery Course with the NSW Guild of Embroiderers. I have also learned lots along the way from the embroiderers I have met.

    789
  691. My mother encouraged me to stitch and a close friend who is a beautiful stitcher has been a great help to me.

    790
  692. I was self taught for a long time and was sure I knew it all. Only after registering for a National Seminar with the American Needlepoint Guild did I find out that I knew very little. I still continue to grow and learn for ever!

    791
  693. I learned to stitch from my older sister We had a small store by our house that sold the pillow cases preprinted and things of that nature. Also bought crewel work through Avon and my son now has that piece for his kids. Love stitching.

    792
  694. I first learnt to stitch on Samplers in Primary School. From then on I worked out of books as I lived in PNG for a few years. I joined the Queensland Embroiderers Guild in 1977 and have done classes with them over the years. I love all forms of embroidery and lace-making

    793
  695. A basic class at a needle shop got me into cross stitch. I really blossomed when I joined EGA in 1998. Many classes and lots of teachers later I am enjoying every minute.
    JoAnn Edwards
    Thanks

    794
  696. My next door neighbor when I was quite young taught me some of the simpler stitches…then learned on my own through magazines, books etc.

    795
  697. My mother taught me to embroider. My first samplers – stitched at age 5 – were a pair of stamped kittens and proverbs. She framed them, and they hang in my home. I still keep a needle in my hand 60 years later.

    796
  698. I totally taught myself how to embroider from a booklet I got from Woolworth’s. In the late 60s I was a young military wife living in a strange new city and stranded at home with a new baby and no car. What better way to fill time than to learn something new? Turns out I “self taught” myself a lot of very creative mistakes. But that’s why I love Needle ‘n Thread. I now have the perfect place to get all the information I need for everything embroidery. Now I truly am a happy stitcher!
    Sincerely,
    Damian Godden

    798
  699. My best friend taught me to do counted cross stitch many years ago by asking me 1) Can you count? and 2) Can you find the center of a piece of fabric by folding it in half twice. I’ve been stitching ever since. Counted cross stitch is my passion, but also enjoy doing specialty stitches now and then for fun.

    799
  700. I learned to cross stitch when I was in Girl Scouts. Back then (in the 1960’s) all the instructions were in the Girl Scout handbook. I enjoy creating something from scratch. I went through and completed all the steps to earn several of the badges. I still have my sash with all the badges on them. I still enjoy all types of stitching. I am so glad I found your site.
    Mary Kezer

    800
  701. Apart from cross stitch that I was taught at school I am entirely self taught – mostly with the use of a really old DMC book I was given when I was 13 or 14 and only more recently with the use of online guides, which is how I found your site as I was looking for interesting stitches to try out.

    I have to admit that I’m seriously intrigued by the magazine and stockings look like good fun to make 🙂

    801
  702. I will be 70 my next birthday, and I suppose that I am more self-taught than anything else. Over the years I’ve taken classes in several of the fiber arts, and have many needlework books as well. And it surely didn’t hurt that my mother had handwork to do every time she sat down.

    802
  703. It’s been almost 50 years ago. I think I was about 9 or 10 years old and at a Kresge store. There I saw the DMC threads. Like a fish to a lure I was captured. I purchased an iron on design package and a little kit with my Christmas gift money. I am self taught. No one else embroidered in my family. I don’t know where the passion comes from.

    803
  704. Was going to order a copy of Inspirations #92–so would love to win the issue!! I started stitching in 1960 when I got married and bought crewel kits, at the suggestion of a friend.

    804
  705. I started stitching by teaching myself 35+ years ago. However, I joined my local chapter of EGA in 1981 and have taken many classes since then with local and national teachers.

    805
  706. I admired these stockings when I saw them in the magazine. It would be wonderful to win the kits and share the magazine. Thanks for the opportunity.

    As for how I learned to stitch, I was mostly self-taught in the early days, but am now very thankful for the many teachers who have shared their skill and designs over the years.

    806
  707. My mother got me started. New skills I am self taught. I read alot of blog articles and wander instagram.

    807
  708. I am so fortunate to have a mother that taught me and my sisters needlework, knitting and crochet. We have all carried the love of crafting and needle arts with us throughout our lives.

    808
  709. I am self taught and learnt most all of my stitching thru watching videos here on needlenthread with Mary Corbert. I also have most of the a-z series books. It’s become a real passion for me, therapy at its best! Hugs

    809
  710. Mary, another good question: how did I learn to stitch? You ask about self-taught, a friend or relative, or classes. I’d say it’s been a mix. I think my earliest exposure was from my mother. A very early piece, partially done, turned up while my parents packed to move a few years back: a few basic stitches on a stamped design. Lots of small kits of all kinds while growing up; knitting lessons to make a sweater when I was 12; learned to crochet from a magazine. Nothing much in college. Picked up a cross-stitch pattern a few years later. Got tired of just X’s, so took classes at Spirit of Cross-stitch conventions. Learned a few more stitches from charted patterns, etc. Have kept on learning – embroidery is a big field.

    Another wonderful giveaway. Thanks for continuing to inspire us!

    810
  711. I first learnt hand sewing at Primary School (Or school for ages 6-13 years). I loved it then and we did quite a few projects throughout those years. I did some work in Senior School, but once I started working, I more or less forgot about it and put it on the back burner for many years. It wasn’t until I was older, married and having children that I returned to that well known skill that I once had, and do some embellishments to Baby clothes. I returned to full time work, and again placed needlework into part time and seasonal projects, adding Knitting and Crochet for winter time, especially for children’s clothes. I renewed my love of Needlework, when I retired and was travelling around. It was so easy to do, take it anywhere for when I had some idleness time, doing lots of things. I also had an illness that slowed me down and had times of boredom that I needed to fill and still use my mind, hands and other things to keep me busy. I now do something every day and sometimes wander off into blissful land and forget the time. It is a marvel for people with illness, as it takes your mind off your troubles and gives you creativity, relaxation and physical and mental freshness. Love your site. Thanks for your exceptional work and inspiration to others.

    811
  712. My mom taught me some basic stitches but I learned the bulk of the rest of what I know by looking it up in books.

    813
  713. Two years ago, I had a stroke. My doctor recommended doing something like meditation. He even suggested needlework. I had done quite a few crewel kits when I was young but it was no longer my interest. In looking in Etsy, I came across Trish Burr’s awesome Red Iris. I was hooked at first sight!! I ended up ordering all of her books. For the last two years, I’ve self taught myself Needle Painting. I’ve completed over 15 projects.
    Two of the flowers have won blue ribbons. The Sunflower I submitted to the Tanana Valley Fair in Fairbanks Alaska this fall won the Blue Ribbon, Best in Class and Grand Champion.
    Now we’re traveling in our RV and I hope to meet others that do Needle Painting so my skills can grow.
    Thank you Mary too for your wonderful tutorials. I finally got the shading on the leaves!!!

    814
  714. Love Inspirations! What a great giveaway! I don’t remember specifically, but it would have been my mom who started me with stitching. Ironically, although she’s done some embroidery on and off, she’s not really a stitcher herself, or at least not the kind of stitching we talk about here. She’s more of a crochet person.

    815
  715. I don’t quite remember how I learnt to stitch. I seem to have always been sewing. I recall my Grandmother in England sent me a book on embroidery stitches when I was in primary school and I did embroidery projects in sewing classes in high school but have otherwise been largely self taught. The first class I did after school was to make a baby’s blanket for my first child, who turns 18 tomorrow. Since then I have made a dozen or more blankets for friends and family members. Like you I have many projects on the go at once! Most are gifts for friends but I have just had framed a cross stitch for myself which was completed in less than two years. A record!

    816
  716. I am self taught using youtube and your channel is one of a few that I continue to reference as I familiarize myself with the stitches. I feel like I’m doing really well for being new at this. I did try this years ago when I was raising my children, but it was pretty minimal and too challenging at that time.
    I also picked up a few of the books (per your recommendation) on Amazon that were second hand at a very reasonable price. “Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches” is an absolute gem. There are some that are a bit tricky but when I get stuck I head to youtube or here.
    Thanks for your great instructional videos at youtube, would never have found your site otherwise.

    817
  717. I’m not entirely sure when I formerly first learned to stitch, but I do recall when I was about nine years old, going with a Mormon friend to some sort of Mormon-lead activity group where I was praised for the neatness of my work. Not an exciting, detailed story…but this is the best my somewhat impressionistic memory can come up with 😀

    818
  718. My mother taught me when I was about 7. We did knitting, crochet, ‘tapestry’ (needlepoint) and embroidery. I continued mainly with needlepoint until Uni, when I did some historical re-enacting and did blackwork, beading and smocking. Later again my then-mother-in-law taught me cross-stitch.

    These days I do knitting/crochet, tatting (which I taught myself!) and needlepoint/cross-stitch. But I did a Hardanger project recently which took me to Vetty Creations’ blog, and from there to here. Love your blog!

    819
  719. Hi Mary. I am a completely self-taught embroiderer- teaching myself cross stitch with a kit I bought in Singapore in 1998 (I got the first stitching project completely wrong with the top thread going in every direction!). The reason I bought the kit in the first place was because, at the time, my family and I were living in Indonesia and during that year we were frequently evacuated from Jakarta due to political and civil unrest. Our family spent hours and hours in airport lounges and, with two young boys that needed a bit of watching, reading a book to while away the hours was out of the question. Cross stitch was perfect (especially the easy beginner’s projects) as I was able to pick it up and pop it down as needed. That was how I caught the bug and I now love to spend every spare minute doing various forms of embroidery. Ros in Aus

    820
  720. I am self taught beginning with a purchased crewel kit some 40 years ago. I have moved on to counted cross stitch, ribbon embroidery and free style hand stitching. Thank heavens for all the wonderful books and magazines that have inspired and shown me “how to” create the stitches!

    821
  721. Before I did an embroidery class at school, my mother showed me the basics, I was very keen to start but couldnt wait till class started! Since then I am entirely self-taught from books

    thanks Mary
    Julie N

    822
  722. Oh I do so love the latest stitch, I cannot wait to try it. it might be late dinner today!!!!
    I would so love to receive the Inspirations Magazine, would that be possible please.
    I have been stitching and knittinf most of my life (86yrs) My Mother taught me but, of course, then it was very basic, but I have come a a long way since, nowhere as good as you though,.but it gives me great pleasure especially being able to leaveit all to friends and family who will -hopefully- treasure them. Many thanks for your lovely work and easy to read lessons.
    God Bless love Marjorie.xxx

    823
  723. I’m self taught, I’ve learned by taking on small easy to do kits and following the instructions. Thanks for another wonderful giveaway!

    824
  724. I am self-taught. Wait – that’s not exactly true. I watch your videos Mary, then practice, then watch videos again, and practice. You get the drift. Slow and steady on this bucket-list item!! I am enjoying it very much (which was the point of learning it).

    825
  725. Thank you for the organization of this give- away.
    The sister of my grandmother was a very nice woman and she taught me a lot of things in particular stem stitch and satin stitch. I was then less than 8 years old.
    Al along my life, magazines gave me ideas and patterns.
    Today with internet, I discover different embroideries, for them I am self-taught with your help, Mary Corbet (and with others). Thanks a lot.

    826
  726. I learned to stitch when I was 5 years old. My first teacher was a very keen stitcher, and so was my mother, who used to make her own clothes, and mine. My first small needlepoint was completed when I was 10, and I still have it at the afe of 62.

    827
  727. I learned to stitch on my own. I saw someone at my dorm who did a lot of stitching when I was at the University of Oklahoma and wanted to try it. I got two sale needlepoint kits at Walmart and started in…..

    828
  728. I am a self taught embroiderer. I love to make projects, especially for the holidays. My projects are usually basic although I’d love to do fancy embroidery.

    829
  729. My Mom started me stitching at age 4. It was to keep me out of her lap when she was getting a few moments to stitch herself. I wanted to see what she was doing, and the best vantage point was right in the middle of everything. So she took me shopping and I picked a duck transfer and my name on a pillow case. I remember every stitch sitting next to my Mom working away. I haven’t stopped stitching yet and its sixty years now. Still get the same sense of accomplishment and pleasure with every project as I did with that first little duck.

    830
  730. I taught myself back in the 1960’s and 70’s, using kits (I think they were Bucilla?). My parents framed and hung several of them 😉

    831
  731. I’ve had a needle in my hand since I was about 12. I never profess to be a master at any type of needlework but thoroughly enjoy all types.

    Reading your articles is better than any Best Selling Novel. Thank you, Mary!

    832
  732. My mom enrolled me in an embroidery class being taught by a neighbor in her home when I was 8 years old. I did a few projects, including a simple smiling sun pillow which now resides in my 6 year old daughter’s room.

    30 years later, I was poking around Etsy, and saw the most adorable embroidery kit with my favorite animals as the design theme: otters! I bought the kit, and it sat for a good while until I had a quiet weekend. I eventually finished it, and started to look for more patterns and kits and books. I started packing a project or two in a bag to take with me when sitting at my kids activities, or in the car line at school, or on vacation.

    Fast forward three years, and I entered four projects into our local county fair, winning first prize for three of them! I’m still learning, and am nowhere near on your level, Mary, but I’m loving it just the same. I’m a super busy mom of three, running TWO businesses out of my home, but I love when I can squeeze in some time to stitch.

    Thank you so much for sharing on your blog. I enjoy it immensely!

    833
  733. I’m one of those self-taught embroiderers. I always admired my grandmother’s work she did on all the clothes she made us as children. Unfortunately, we lived clear across the country from her, so having her teach me her skills was never to be. As I became older, I find I have followed in her foot steps in so many ways, and I am so proud of that. When I’m doing my embroidery, I sometimes feel her presence close to me.

    834
  734. I am mostly self taught. My great Aunt and my Grandmother both did needlework and taught me some simple skills. Merry Christmas.

    836
  735. Another wonderful giveaway, thank you for the chance. My interest in sewing came from always seeing my mum and gran sew or embroider or knit at home when I was little, then I learnt basic embroidery stitches at school and have done needlework ever since.

    837
  736. I am 85 learned to embroidery the basic when I was little from my mother and since then if I wanted to learn I taught my self and now my nine year old great granddaughter is just beginning

    Marie L

    838
  737. My mother got me started and since then I have taken classes to learn more modern techniques.

    I especially love doing hand stitching.

    839
  738. As a young child I spent my summers “out in the country” at my grandparents’ home. About 10:00AM each weekday morning my grandmother would listen to her “stories” aka soap operas on the radio while she stitched up a storm. If I wanted to sit with her I had to be quiet and I must also stitch. She taught me a few fundamentals, hooped a design of her own making, and expected me to stitch away. Which indeed, I did and am still doing so! I was needle painting long before I knew it had a name. And I think she influenced me to prefer stitching my own designs to this day. Thanks, Gramma!

    840
  739. Mys first teacher was my mother. Later I learned a little bit at school (in the pre-internet era). Now my teachers are books, blogs, magazines… And I was lucky to take my first “real” course (ant it was in RSN).

    841
  740. My grandmother taught me to embroider when I was about 9 years old back in the mid-1960’s. Who would have known she sparked a lifelong love!

    842
  741. Dear Mary,
    I learned to do the stem stitch/outline stitch over 50 years ago from my cousin-she had started to embroider a set of pillowcases-I was enthralled as I had never seen anyone do this-I immediately got my own set of pillowcases to work on and started on a lifetime of handwork!-from that point on I taught myself different types of stitchery, but I also was fortunate enough to take classes to further my abilities-I have to tell you, once I discovered this website, that I’ve gone back to my first love 0f surface embroidery-thank you for the incredible tutorials, information, and just plain fun stuff you give us!
    Jenny B

    843
  742. I learned a little from my mother and quite a bit from a mid-40s needlework book I uncovered at my grandmothers house. So I’m largely self-taught I suppose. These days I love stitch videos like yours.

    844
  743. I learned to stitch from my grandmother. She gave me a piece of blue and white gingham and show me how I should make and X in each square. I had a metal hoop with a spring around it to hold the fabric. I think I was about 7 at the time. From there it was preprinted doilies and pillowcases from the dime store, mostly. Although we didn’t use six strand DMC. It was probably #12 cotton on a ball. A really fun time was when the Hershners catalog came. It was wonderful to browse through.

    845
  744. My grandmother always had a project going, stitching, knitting or crochet. I was pretty much self-taught after I was married. But her love for it encouraged me to do it as well.

    846
  745. Both of my grandmother’s were stitchers and got me started, but it was a girl scout badge led by a friend’s mother when I was in 4th or 5th grade that really got me started. My grandmothers were very helpful in getting me supplies as I learned.

    848
  746. I am self taught with eventual help from my home Ec teacher (I just dated myself) to polish my work and then practice practice!

    849
  747. When I was under 10 years old, my mother taught me needlepoint, cross stitch and started me on Erica Wilson crewel kits. I was hooked! (I crocheted, knitted and sewed, too.) I went on to make quite a few Erica Wilson kits. Thanks, Mary!

    850
  748. My grandmother started me on embroidery when I was about 5 years old (I think! It is just too long ago to remember LOL) After that it was experimentation and buying books for the ideas and “how to” s.

    Jenny

    851

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