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
March 11, 2017
Before we all head out to pour ourselves into weekend projects, how about a chat?
Today, I want to share with you some needlework-related snippets I’ve come across lately online – bits that I’ve found inspiring, instructive, or entertaining. I’ll also announce the winner of the slate frame give-away from last week.
So pour yourself a cup, pull up a chair, and let’s browse together!
March 10, 2017
Why, good morning! And a happy Friday to you!
Oh, golly! It’s That Dreadful Weekend. That One Dreadful Weekend of the Year that rankles me to the core of my being!
You know what weekend it is, don’t you?
Daylight Savings Time goes into effect.
Woe is me! Why do we do it?!
To get you through this abhorrent, nefarious, detestable, and downright dastardly custom of changing to Daylight Savings Time, I want to tell you about a book that makes me happy through and through. I think it might make you happy, too!
The book is called Colour Confident Stitching by Karen Barbé. It’s…. it’s good. In fact, it’s Really Good.
If you have ever struggled with choosing colors for an embroidery project, this book is for you! I’ll tell you about the book and along the way, I’ll make some brief comparisons with Colour Confidence in Embroidery by Trish Burr, which I reviewed here, for those of you who already have that book, or are deciding between the two books.
March 8, 2017
It’s been a while since we’ve worked through a Stitch Fun! tutorial here on Needle ‘n Thread, but I’ve been experimenting and playing with embroidery stitches lately, so I thought I better start sharing some of those results with you!
For those who are relatively new to Needle ‘n Thread, Stitch Fun! is a series of embroidery stitch tutorials that explore unusual or just plain fun embroidery stitches and combinations of stitches. You can find a whole list of Stitch Fun! tutorials right here.
The point of the series is to have a little fun with your stitches. After all, it’s not unusual to get stuck in a rut with embroidery. Not a bad rut, mind you – but sometimes, we gravitate towards our favorite stitches, using them over and over again, and we tend to forget to let loose once in a while and try something different!
Those of you who are following along with a Year of Stitches – the year-long stitch exploration project I mentioned in this article – you’ll find lots of ideas for your embroidery in the Stitch Fun! series.
March 6, 2017
Happy Monday, from a windy, springish Kansas!
We’re going to hop back to gridded work today! After finishing Modern Crewel, I took a good chunk of time to set up a couple of my own projects last week and to make a wee bit of headway on them. (I love it when that happens!)
But when it comes to a quick-stitch-fix, a project that I can work on in 15 to 30 minute bursts when I have a little down time, it’s this 56-count silk gauze Tree of Life project that I turn to.
The last time we looked at the project, we chatted about the lower panel and thread re-organization. Today, I’ll show you a turn on the corner, we’ll talk about lining up the whole frame layout and my cheater method of double-checking my counting, and finally discuss working a project like this with the frame turned, to make the stitching area easier to see and reach.
March 3, 2017
Ahhhhh. Two momentous things for you today!
Wait… make that three! It’s a banner day!
First, I want to introduce you to a new (and beautiful, and functional, and strong, and light – and a little bit different) slate frame that’s on the market.
And then, to spread the joy a bit, we’ll have a give-away! Because I know you want one, too!
And mixed in with it all, you’ll get a sneak peek at a new project that’s been simmering on the back burner.
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.
March 1, 2017
I love meeting a deadline – even if it’s just a self-imposed one.
In fact, I’m not very good at meeting self-imposed deadlines, so it’s always really exciting when it happens. My goal was to finish Modern Crewel by the end of February, and at 9:36 last night, I put the last stitch in.
I loved working this project! I think it’s a gorgeous, fun, and instructive project, accessible to all levels of embroiderers from determined beginner onwards.
Below, I’ll show you the changes I made in the embroidery on the hillocks, list all the articles pertaining to this project, and announce the winner of the three A-Z embroidery books from last week’s give-away!
February 27, 2017
Happy Monday!
Let’s start the week with progress on Modern Crewel – this kit that I reviewed here.
For those who have written asking for a pattern and materials list, you’ll find it in Inspirations Magazine issue 90, which you can order here in print form or here in digital form, if you don’t already subscribe to the magazine. Inspirations also offers a materials kit here.
I’m two steps away from finished on this project, and I’ve run into two snags in the form of materials shortage in the kit. So here’s my weekend progress and a little chat about how to overcome a materials shortage in a kit when the materials are not easily had.
