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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A Brief Guide to Cotton Hand Embroidery Threads

 

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Even if you’re new to embroidery, you probably already realize that there’s more to the Wonderful World of Embroidery Thread than regular stranded cotton.

But perhaps the whole gamut of all the thread available out there – the “embarrassment of riches” that we enjoy in the needlework world today – is a bit overwhelming to you.

Perhaps you know there’s other thread you could try, but, being unsure of what’s what, you feel it’s better to stick with what you know rather than to venture into the unknown.

Often, our inhibitions to try something new are due to a lack of confidence, which stems from a lack of understanding or knowledge.

So occasionally, I like to delve into a bit of thread talk, exploring different types of threads for hand embroidery. For beginners and non-beginners alike, understanding what threads are what may encourage you to try new-to-you threads with a little more confidence!

Today, we’re going to talk about cotton threads that are specifically made for hand embroidery.

Brief Guide to Cotton Hand Embroidery Threads
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Trestles and Slate Frames – at a Steal!

 

Last year I reviewed this slate frame from Mythic Crafts.

The original article in this spot was the announcement for a crowdfunding campaign for Mythic Crafts to set up business. I have since deleted the original article, since the whole thing went “bust” in 2019.

Update, 2019: At this point in time, I’m cautioning folks about purchasing from Mythic Crafts. After a very successful crowd-funding campaign in January of 2018, many of the backers have still not received their goods from backing that campaign. I hope that Mythic Crafts is able to fulfill the orders made during the crowdfunding campaign, but until they do, I don’t recommend ordering from the company’s website.

Update, July 2019: Mythic Crafts is out of business, with no explanation to the backers. I have since adjusted my policies on backing and promoting any kind of similar crowdfunding campaign. Like many of you, I am also out the funds I backed the campaign with, and I’m sorry I went to the effort to support the business and told other people about it.

I believe in giving the benefit of the doubt, and I believe Mythic Crafts began with the right intentions, but that they over-extended themselves and through a variety of circumstances, couldn’t keep the business running. Communication to the backers would have been nice (and really, the only correct thing to do), but I imagine there’s a whole lot of emotional pain going on there, too.

Slate Frames & Trestles for Embroidery
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Party in Provence 4: Lots of Little Swirls

 

The last time we visited Party in Provence, an embroidered kaleidoscope project that we’re working through step-by-step here on Needle ‘n Thread, we worked the big petals in the center of the design and the little flowers between them.

Originally, I was going to start the week with some beadwork on Party in Provence, but as I prepared that article, it struck me that it might be better not to put the beads on until closer to the end of the project.

For those following along, don’t be too disappointed! I know you don’t get the finished look of the inside rounds until the dark blue beads are added to the larger petals, but there’s a good reason for not adding beads just yet.

You see, I’m all for avoiding as much frustration as possible when stitching. It’s easy for your working thread to catch on beads when you’re stitching other parts of the design, and since there’s still plenty of surface embroidery to tackle on this piece, we’ll try to avoid those little annoyances.

So, today, swirls. Lots of little swirls!

Party in Provence: Embroidered Kaleidoscope - small stems and vines
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Two Felted Mittens, Embroidered! The Finish & Recap

 

Well, I finished my wool felted mittens. They are duly embroidered!

It was a fun test project, and I’m looking forward to trying again on another pair, using different threads and techniques. All in the interest of experimenting, you know.

For those who want to try something similar, I’ve recapped a few points below, including how I transferred the design for the secon mitten. I’ve also listed all the articles in this short project series, so that you can easily find the whole project under Tips & Techniques in the main menu on Needle ‘n Thread.

Embroidery on Felted Wool Mittens
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The Bird in Between – Another Needlepainted Mini

 

Between working on embroidering those two felted mittens in wool, I’ve picked up, now and then, another one of the tiny birds that I showed you earlier in the month.

It’s really weird to go back and forth from embroidering with wool on something relatively large, to embroidering with a single strand of DMC on something that’s relatively small! But I kind of like the change!

Needlepainted miniature bird
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Embroidered Wool Mittens – One, Anyway!

 

So much for a weekend finish! Today, I was supposed to share a whole pair of mittens with you, but the embroidery on the second wool mitten is lagging behind a bit!

Still, I can show you the first mitten with the embroidery finished, for what it’s worth. Last time we visited the project, I was almost there, but not quite.

So this is a finished wool felted mitten, embroidered, with a few things I’ve learned along the way – just in case it’s a project you’d be interested in undertaking, too!

Embroidered Felted Wool Mitten
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Needlework News Snips: January, 2018

 

Good morning, my friends! Welcome to the weekend, to the glorious luxury of Saturday mornings, and to a little bit of needlework news!

These are random bits of embroidery or needlework-related news, information, instruction, and inspiration pulled from hither and yon for your weekend browsing.

The way it works is this. I’ve fixed myself a nice cup of tea (it’s actually a fairly substantial mug) and I’ll end the list when one of three things happens: either my cup is empty, or my tea is cold, or I’ve run through my list of bits and bobs!

So pour a cup, pull up a chair, and let’s go for a little browse together, shall we?

Needlework News Snips for January, 2018
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