About

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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Indexing 100 Issues of Inspirations!

 

Amazon Books

Last year, when Inspirations Studios produced the new index for issues 1 – 100 of Inspirations Magazine, there was no doubt in my mind that I needed one.

I have all the issued of Inspirations, thanks to my sister, who passed me all the older issues from the earlier years of the magazine.

Each issue is a delight, full of beautiful embroidery projects for every level of stitcher. There is a certain classic timelessness to most of the projects in the magazines, so they never really seem to age. I never grow tired of flipping through them!

But … there are times when I want to find a certain project that I know I’ve seen in one issue or another, and it takes a long time to flip through those individual magazines.

And that’s why a magazine index comes in so very handy. But the new 1 – 100 index is handier than most, thanks to the meticulous details in its arrangement. This is perhaps the most thorough search tool ever produced for a magazine!

Inspirations Magazine Index 1-100
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Fabric Sticks for Embroidery Kits … & Other News

 

I was going to title today’s blog post (which is actually yesterday’s blog post, but I had a publishing hold-up yesterday morning) “I’ll Give You Three Guesses.”

But then I started looking at the things, and I figured many of you would guess right away, anyway.

One of my biggest behind-the-scenes projects during June has been preparing embroidery kits and instructions for The Leafy Tree, a project I finished a while ago and for which I received many, many requests for a kit.

And so I’m putting together a kit.

This is one of the features of the kit, and although it’s time-consuming, I think it’s worth it:

Fabric Sticks for Embroidery Kits
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Prepping for Kids’ Embroidery Classes

 

It’s summer. And in summer, I like to host children’s embroidery classes. For those who don’t know, Needle ‘n Thread actually sprang from children’s summer embroidery classes that I taught way back in the summers leading up to 2006.

This past week, Needle ‘n Thread turned 13 years old. And even though there was a break due to lack of a teaching space, I’m happy to say that, as of last summer, I’m back to offering summer classes for local children and youth.

I think it’s important to teach children the needle arts, to show them that they can create beautiful things with their hands, and to give them the opportunity to learn a creative hobby. Even if they don’t stick with it “full time” in their early years, there’s a good chance that they will eventually come back to it.

I’ve been prepping the project samples for this year’s classes. We’re doing two projects. I showed you the first one (this sampler needlebook and a less complex variation thereof) already. The second one is another flour sack towel, because these give the kids a “picture” to embroider and a finished object to display.

But I’m not quite sold on this particular class sample below, and I’m thinking I need to make some adjustments. Take a look…

Sunflower & Toadstool: Embroidery Project
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A Stitch Sampler Needlebook & the Next Thing

 

Last week, we looked at the beginning of this little stitch sampler that I’m putting together as a summer class project.

Earlier this week, I showed you the line-up of stitches so far on the sampler.

Today, I’ll show you the finish. I’ll fill you in on the rest of the stitches I used, talk a bit about finishing the little sampler into a needlebook, and then I’ll show you the next thing I’m working on and the jolly mess that goes with it.

Stitch Sampler finished as a needlebook
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Botanica: The Three Dimensional Embroidery of Julie Kniedl

 

Perhaps you’ve already seen the book, Botanica: The Three-Dimensional Embroidery of Julie Kniedl?

It’s actually in its second printing right now, after being released earlier this year. Yes, it’s so beautiful and so enchanting and so unique, that the first print run went fast!

Today, I’ll show you the book up close and tell you a little bit about what you can expect from it.

Botanica: The Three Dimensional Embroidery of Julie Kniedl
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Weekend Stitching: Name those Stitches!

 

No, I didn’t finish the little line sampler I showed you on Friday.

I came close – about 1/2″ more to embroider – but the weekend was busy with graduation and family and the like. I just couldn’t eek out that last 1/2-inch bit, which meant I couldn’t finish the project into a made thing, either.

*Sigh*

I’m not all that disappointed that I didn’t finish, because it gives me something to look forward to today. It’s a good incentive to get Needful Things finished so I can concentrate on the Fun Stuff. Sometimes, embroidery makes the best carrot!

Lots of emails this weekend, asking if I could name the stitches in my sampler so far, for folks who want to stitch something similar.

Line Sampler of Embroidery Stitches
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