August 30, 2017

Stitch Fun! How to Embroider Scallops with Picots

I’m working on a little hand embroidery design that features embroidered scalloped edges.

I like scallops! While there are a number of ways to embroider scallops on a design, I have a favorite method that’s a bit of a “cheater” approach – it makes for very evenly spaced spokes on the scallops (if your scallops have spokes), resulting in a nice, neat little design edge.

In working this particular embroidery design, I wanted some of the scallops to feature a little picot, or extra little bump, right at the top of the scallop.

So let’s look at some approaches to embroidering scallops (one of which is an utter failure). I’ll show you how to add a picot to the top of a scallop, no matter which approach you take. Then I’ll show you my cheater approach to buttonhole-like scallops, without the buttonhole stitch.

Stitch Fun: Embroidery Scallops with Picots

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August 28, 2017

Embroidery Archeology: Index of Articles

Good morning!

Before we get any further in the series of Embroidery Archeology articles that cover salvaging ecclesiastical embroidery for re-use, I thought I’d set up an organizational structure for the series to make it easy to reference.

If you’re relatively new to Needle ‘n Thread, under the main menu on the website, you’ll find a section called Tips & Techniques. In that section, there’s a list right at the top of indexes for all kinds of series of articles here on Needle ‘n Thread. You’ll find projects that evolve step-by-step, as well as collections of lessons and tutorials.

This particular index for all the articles in this series on Embroidery Archeology can be found on that list, and each time I publish a new article on the topic, I’ll add it to the list below in chronological order from first to last in the series. This way, you can follow along at your leisure and refer back to the index whenever you need it.

Embroidery Archeology Index: A series of articles on salvaging embroidery

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August 25, 2017

Visual Guide to Crazy Quilting Design – Book Review

When I heard the Sharon Boggon was writing a book on crazy quilting, I knew I had to have it! I pre-ordered it, and when it arrived, it flew to the top of my book stack.

Sharon blogs – and has for a long, long time! – at Pintangle about crazy quilting and other artistic and stitch-related interests. Her encrusted approach to crazy quilting has fascinated me for years.

I love to look at her elaborate crazy quilt squares, with exquisitely arranged ground fabrics, perfectly placed and spaced stitches, ingenious stitch combinations, fantastic textures, and judiciously and tastefully added embellishments.

Her work is really a feast for the eyes!

And while I’m not a crazy quilter myself (I did dabble a bit with it – and goldwork – here), I love to look at beautifully executed crazy quilting.

There’s a lot to learn in crazy quilting that can be applied to other types of stitchery, too. I appreciate especially the freedom of crazy quilting. I think it’s a perfect outlet for creative stitchers who like to sew and who enjoy playing with fabric, threads, beads, ribbons, texture, and color.

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August 23, 2017

Bead to Floss & Bead to Bead Conversions for Stitchers

While I’m not an expert (by a long shot) in bead embroidery, it’s something that I enjoy exploring. I love to dabble with beads and add them to my stitching when they make sense.

“Beads for the sake of beads” doesn’t always do it for me – they really have to fit in with the project I’m working on. So I don’t add them to everything I stitch, and in fact, I stitch without beads more often than I do with them.

But on certain types of projects (Party in Provence, for example), beads make perfect sense. They’re fun, they sparkle, and they work with the design.

If you’re interested in adding beads to your own needlework projects, you might find these bead conversion charts that I’ve come across online helpful. You’ll find conversions for beads to beads (one brand of bead to another) and conversions for floss to beads (choosing beads to match embroidery floss colors).

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August 21, 2017

I’ve Been Eclipsed – to Your Advantage!

I’m almost embarrassed to say
What I’m doing today.
With all the hype around here
(‘Cuz the sun’ll disappear)
The topic is almost cliché!

It’s true. I’m eclipse watching today. I contemplated packing along some needlework, because I’ll be stuck away from home for about seven hours while the sun and moon are not really doing anything too different from what they normally do…

…except for that 2 minutes and 38 seconds of daylight darkness!

But the dirt, the humidity, the sunscreen and the sweat that coincide with the Midwest in August – coupled with crowds of Celestially Enthusiastic People, the chance of thunderstorms, and no real bathrooms – isn’t all that conducive to embroidery. I’m leaving the stitching behind.

Sheep on a Sunny Hill in an Eclipse - Embroidered Little Things

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August 18, 2017

How to Make Printable Hand Embroidery Patterns

Over the years, I’ve had many, many queries about how to make hand embroidery patterns.

The question of how to make embroidery patterns isn’t usually directed to the drawing or doodling part that’s done with a pencil, but rather how to take a sketch, painting, photo, or doodle and transform it into a clean line drawing that can be enlarged or reduced in size, printed, and used as a pattern for stitching.

So, today, let’s chat about a technical topic that’s somewhat related to embroidery, even though it doesn’t have to do with the actual Stitching of Things.

We’ll look at what you need to know to create a line drawing that’s smooth, scalable, and prints a clear, precise line drawing suitable for an embroidery pattern.

How to Make Printable Embroidery Patterns

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August 16, 2017

Embroidery Project Progress: Likes, Dislikes… & Lots of Texture!

Remember the finish on this embroidered kaleidoscope project, Party in Provence, that I shared with you last week?

Well, I’ve been working my way through a variation on the theme, which is supposed to end up as a pocket on a tote bag. If you’ve been hanging out with me a bit on Needle ‘n Thread, you’ll probably recall this discussion on twill and duck for embroidery, following this discussion on some preliminary explorations of poor choices in linen.

The last time I showed you progress on this project was here, where I was just beginningto sample the embroidery on the cotton twill.

As I’ve worked my way through this little design excerpt on the cotton twill, I’ve discovered a few things – some likes and dislikes, some things I’d probably do differently if I were to start over, and the recurring joy I find in stitching certain stitches!

hand embroidery for the pocket of a tote bag

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

Stitch Fun! How to Embroider Scallops with Picots

Embroidery Archeology: Index of Articles

Visual Guide to Crazy Quilting Design – Book Review

Bead to Floss & Bead to Bead Conversions for Stitchers

I’ve Been Eclipsed – to Your Advantage!

How to Make Printable Hand Embroidery Patterns

Embroidery Project Progress: Likes, Dislikes… & Lots of Texture!

Connect with Mary

How-To Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos