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
May 16, 2018
Remember this embroidery pattern from last week that I shared with you, from Hinda Hands?
Today, I want to share with you another Hinda Hands design that makes a nice “small” – a little decorative practice piece that you can work up in practically any technique, though Hinda originally meant all of these pieces for goldwork.
May 14, 2018
So, I’ve been traveling about in the Northeast lately, where I met up week before last with my six sisters and spent a splendid time (albeit too short!) hanging out together.
After we dispersed as a group, I continued my excursions.
One of my sisters recommended a visit to the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, Massachusetts.
I thought it was somewhat odd that there was a Russian icon museum in Clinton, MA, and so my curiosity was piqued. I looked it up, and sure enough – there is one. It’s a well-known museum with a fantastic collection of icons. But, better yet, they’re currently running an exhibit (until June 3rd) that made me doubly eager to go: Rushnyky: Sacred Ukrainian Textiles.
May 9, 2018
Today, we’re going to revisit a project I did a long time ago, for a book called BiblioCraft. You can find my review of the book here.
The moratorium on using the project has long passed, so I thought I’d pass the design on to you, and tell you how I worked this particular redwork version of my Penbroidery Bird.
May 7, 2018
Today, a quick little embroidery design!
This is a design I’ve re-worked from Hinda Hands’s book, Church Needlework: A Manual of Practical Instruction.
Even though the book is on church needlework, the design can be worked for secular embroidery, too. In her book, the author presents several designs that are perfect for practicing types of embroidery typical in church needlework, but also perfectly suitable for other decorative embroidery as well.
May 4, 2018
Today, let’s talk embroidered flowers! I want to show you an embroidery project book I’ve had for a while, that I think is utterly charming.
Hopefully, if you’re in the same hemisphere I’m in, you’re finally enjoying some spring weather. It’s been slow coming this year, hasn’t it? No matter where you are, though, Embroidered Garden Flowers will certainly put you in the mood for All Things Growing!
Let’s take a look at it!
May 2, 2018
Last year, I wrote this article about finding the illustrator behind the Loreto Embroideries in the Royal School of Needlework’s collections.
Today, for enthusiasts of historical embroidery and art in general, I’d like to share with you, with permission from the author, a short article by John Shaffer, retired Director of Arts Programming at the State University of New York, Oswego.
John is also a fan of Anichini’s illustrations. We’ve corresponded back and forth for a little while about Anichini, so I was thrilled to read his insightful article. I think you will enjoy it, too, especially if you’ve experienced the Loreto embroideries at the RSN.
April 30, 2018
When you think “knots” in embroidery, does your mind automatically fly to the French knot? Or perhaps the colonial knot is more Your Knot Thing?
It seems that, when it comes to knots, French knot is the best known knot stitch, followed by colonial knot, which some stitchers prefer to the French knot.
But there are other knot stitches and knot-like stitches out there, and if you’re keen to add a lot of texture to your embroidery, you might try a few of them. They’re all super fun, and, with the linked tutorials, you’ll find it easy to add them to your stitching projects!
So, here they are – twelve knot stitches to add to your embroidery repertoire! Try them!
