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
Contact Mary
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
Contact Mary
December 16, 2024
Good morning, and welcome to my second Here Comes Christmas give-away of 2024!
Today, I’ll announce the winner of last week’s embroidery kit, and introduce to today’s give-away for two winners.
December 13, 2024
Good morning, my friends! Over the next week, I’ll be giving away a few lovely gifts here on Needle ‘n Thread to put us all in the holiday mood!
Today, we’re going to start with a kit! Read on, and I’ll tell you about the give-away and how to enter.
December 11, 2024
It’s not too often that I run sales in my online shop here on Needle ‘n Thread, but this year, to celebrate our First Ever Open House – which was loads of fun! – and to give everyone a little break on their holiday budget, I figured it’s a fabulous time to run a pre-Christmas sale.
During the sale, I have a couple new products I want to introduce to you. This will be a kind of “launch special” for those.
And one other good reason – we desperately need some space! With the new year right around the corner and plans percolating for upcoming project kits, we need shelf room. In January, we also have some new books coming in – including Jenny Adin-Christie’s magnificent Enchanted Embroidery – which will require Many Shelves.
So why not? Let’s have a sale! Now’s the time to stock up on anything currently in the shop that’s been on your wish list, because our entire current stock is all on sale.
December 9, 2024
My goodness, I apologize for showing up here in the evening. I got side-walloped this morning and had to take care of a little furnace problem. Brrrrr.
In any case, with Christmas a mere two weeks from Wednesday, and with other Wonderful Things to address here on Needle ‘n Thread in that short time, we need to push ahead on the Christmas Mitten so that we finish on time. I didn’t want to delay this post another day, or we’d collide with Wednesday!
Brace yourselves! This is a long one. Tons of photos, lots to read – we’re finishing the Christmas Mitten today, so there’s a lot to cover!
Ok, let’s get on with it!
December 6, 2024
Today, we approach the finishing process for the Christmas Mitten stitch-along! Yay!! We’re oh-so-close to having a hanging ornament!
As is always the case, I have to break the process of finishing down into parts here on the website, because it’s too much to fit in one blog post. I think there are some 40+ pictures for the finish work!
So today, we’re just going to concentrate on preparing the pieces for finishing. I’ll share a few tips on pesky bits, like marking and cutting felt.
For members of the Needle ‘n Thread Community on Patreon, you’ll receive all of this information, plus all of the finishing process, in one PDF, which will post either Sunday or Monday of on Patreon.
If you’re just joining in on this project, you will find all the lessons relating to creating your own Christmas Mitten ornament here, in the Christmas Mitten Project Index.
We still have a few materials kits for the Christmas Mitten available, if you’d like to have everything for creating the mitten in one neat little package.
December 4, 2024
Well, this week, one of my Christmas Wishes of Old came true.
For years and years and years, I’ve longed for my own copy of Grace Christie’s monumental work of research, English Medieval Embroidery: A Brief Survey of English Embroidery Dating from the Beginning of the Tenth Century to the End of the Fourteenth, published in 1938.
This Massive Tome is pretty rare. I’ve been fortunate to spend some time with it in the Topeka Public Library’s rare book rooms, but it’s hard to have enough time with a book, comfortably, when you’re in a supervised library room, wearing white gloves and under the watchful eye of the librarian who apparently expects that you are going to do I-Don’t-Know-What with the book. Steal it? Ample as I am, I don’t think I could discretely stuff this book down my shirt. It’s Huge! (Uh, not that I would, even if I could…)
December 2, 2024
Happy Monday and welcome to the fourth installment of The Christmas Mitten! I hope you had a great weekend and have enjoyed stitching the project so far!
Today, we’re going to finish up the embroidery on the decorative front of the mitten. We’ll be doing bands 12 through 19.
If you’re just joining us for this project, you’ll find all the lessons so far – including materials lists, patterns, set-up, and the previous stitching – listed here in the Christmas Mitten Project Index.
If you would like to procure a complete materials list to create this cute little ornament, you’ll find the materials kits available here.
For those who are members of the Needle ‘n Thread community on Patreon, you’ve already received the instructions below in the first PDF that’s available over there for download and easy printing.
