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Mary Corbet

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I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more

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Some Good Needlework Tips on Video

 

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Today, I’m going to send you down a sewing rabbit hole!

If you haven’t discovered the goldmine that YouTube is when it comes to looking for how-to information – not just for embroidery, but for just about anything – you might be missing the boat!

With today’s smart TVs, smart phones, smart tablets, wifi connections and everything else, it’s easier than ever to watch how-to videos easily, while you’re actually trying to do whatever they’re trying to show you.

My own YouTube video channel is here. The easiest way to always find the channel is to subscribe to it (it’s free – “subscribe” in this case just means “follow”) while you’re logged in to YouTube. That way, you can come back to it quickly by going to your own subscription list.

If you have a smart TV, you can pull my channel up by accessing it through the YouTube app using your own subscription list or by searching “Mary Corbet” on the app, and you can watch my embroidery stitch videos from the comfort of your stitching chair.

I subscribe to several YouTube channels (or “YouTubers”), covering different topics from needlework to travel to calligraphy to IT to my own family’s channels and more!

Today, I’m going to share with you two YouTubers that I think are handy for needleworkers. They don’t focus specifically on embroidery, but they supply good information that can pertain to embroidery. They are both professional tailors who hand finish the bespoke clothing they make.

Rory Duffy bespoke tailor video

The first video here is by Rory Duffy. He is a Master Tailor based in New York who hand-finishes custom tailored goods.

He has a very interesting YouTube channel with loads of tailoring videos on it. Most of the videos are relatively short. I find all of them fascinating, even when they’re covering things I’d never actually do – like cutting out parts of a suit.

Specifically, since we were talking about thimble uses the other day, I thought I’d point you to his video on using a thimble and needle when hand sewing.

I also like this short video on managing a skein of silk thread.

If you browse through Rory Duffy’s video list, you’re bound to find plenty of others that are informative and worth watching.

The Yorkshire Tailor videos

The Yorkshire Tailor is also on YouTube, but the channel is a bit stagnant, with only a few videos on it.

Still, a couple of those are worth watching!

Along the thimble theme, check out this very short video with a thimble tip – how to adjust a metal thimble and why.

And his video on hand-sewn buttonholes is quite good. You might find the preparation of the silk thread interesting. While we use beeswax in certain types of hand embroidery (goldwork, for example), we don’t necessarily heat the thread (it would make goldwork take Forever). But for hand sewing as shown here, it’s a great tip!

When you have time and you’re ready to explore, I hope you’ll delve into some of these videos!

Enjoy your Wednesday!

 
 

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(8) Comments

  1. I do love to watch people work. And I loved all the basting Rory showed. I also quilt and my preferred method of quilt sandwich basting is needle and thread. I’ve tried safety pins, basting spray, and other things… but the easiest and least work for me is hand basting.

    My mother sewed, and sewed well…and I think I got the basting thing from her. She would pin, sometimes. But on fine fabrics, like silks, pins didn’t always work. She set in sleeves with fine hand stitches on the inside of the seam. Then she’d sew by machine.

    I subscribed to your channel!! Thanks so much.

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  2. I will try your youtube site.

    I have not really used youtube as I have had a problem doing so. Since I just about never need sound on my computer (other than bings and such which are different sound controls) when we have built my desktop computers we never added speakers and to buy them just to see, is a waste of money if not of interest. On the other hand the two laptops I have been using have speakers, but were too slow for the video. Husband made me buy a new laptop the end of last year (I hate the darn thing – so hard to use – zooms bigger and smaller seemingly at well and strange windows pop up even when not on the Internet) which came with speakers and should be fast enough to run the video – hopefully I will figure out how to use it for youtube and check your site.

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    1. Hi Meryl, you can pick up plug in speakers for less than $20. not very good for music but gets the job done. Also if you have plug in earbuds (like from the old Walkman days) those can work really well. it is either the orange or green socket.
      Diana

    2. Thank you Diana.

      I am not even sure if we put a card for speakers in the computer when we built it as I have never had same. When I figure out how to make the new laptop do what I need and want it to do instead of what it is doing I will try using same for things like this.

      Never had anything like a Walkman – no real need for it. Can’t use earbuds – my ears are too small and they pop right out.

  3. Dear Mary

    Youtube is a great resource for all sorts of weird and wonderful things. You can just about learn anything on youtube I have learned so many things in fact I viewed a women embroidering lazy daisy stitch and bullion stitch at the same time it was fascinating. The buttonhole stitch was really good to watch and so was the thimble video. Thanks for sharing with us these lovely Youtube videos and for the links to them.

    Regards Anita Simmance

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  4. I want to recommend a short BBC series on You Tube that I just discovered. A Stitch in Time. It’s six, 28 minute episodes are not about embroidery itself, but they are on historical costuming, and seeing if skilled costumers can recreate clothing from historical paintings. It was really very interesting.

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  5. Do you have teaching sessions in or near iselin -New Jersey
    Im keen to have my 14yrs old and 12yrs old daughters do needlework.
    Reply soon.
    Regards
    Jayashri Sareen

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    1. Hi, Jayashri – Thanks for your question! I live in Kansas, and I offer embroidery classes during the summer to local kids here. The commute to NJ would be pretty long! 🙂 But thanks for inquiring!

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