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
November 5, 2016
Good morning and Happy Weekend!
For your weekend entertainment, a little historical embroidery for you – from two different places. So let’s talk Opus Anglicanum and then a little crewel work!
I even have a discount code for you, for some gorgeous crewel embroidery kits…
November 4, 2016
Back in 2011, a lovely needlework book called Home Sweet Home hit the market.
The book featured step-by-step instructions for stitching a charming, fun, and rather vast embroidery project – an embroidered workbox with all the accessories.
Understandably, it wasn’t long before the book was sold up and out of print.
And people have been pining for it ever since.
Well, there’s good news! Home Sweet Home is back in print, better than ever, and ready to assist you to create your own workbox masterpiece!
Today, I’m going to chat a little bit about resources, supplies, and availability, share some ideas with you about the book (especially if you’re dying to create your own Home Sweet Home workbox), and then – thanks to the kind folk at Wooly Thread – have a give-away!
November 2, 2016
Picture the scene:
It’s the dawn of the 20th century. You’re a kid at a fair.
But not just any fair, mind you! It’s the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis!
There, all your sugar-coated, sweet-tooth dreams just came true. You plunked down 25 cents – which was a lot of money! – and bought yourself a box of “fairy floss.”
And someone captured you in a photograph delighting in what we now know as cotton candy.
About ten or so years later, your doting mother took that photo to a photography artist and had it hand-painted, because by about 1915, hand painted photographs were all the rage.
And your family has treasured the keepsake ever since, each generation contending that the newest edition – little Fred or sweet Sally – looks just like Great (Great) (Great) Uncle Charlie or Aunt Dahlia in that old photo of the Kid at the Fair with the Cotton Candy.
All I can think of when I pick up my latest monogram-embroidering endeavor is Vintage Cotton Candy. I’m pretty sure it looks just like the cotton candy you were reveling in, back in 1904.
And I’ll be honest: though it seems like a sweet thought, I’m not all that sweet on the current outcome!
October 31, 2016
Boo!
And there you have my Big Tribute to Halloween.
Instead of focusing on ghouls and ghosts this morning (I have none! But I do have candy if you’re out trick-or-treating!), I thought we could look ahead a bit.
With November less than 24 hours away, and December showing up shortly thereafter, it’s time to think about embroidering something special for Christmas.
And to get you started, here’s a beautiful embroidery pattern for an angel in cutwork (or Richelieu) embroidery.
The pattern (you’ll find the PDF at the end of this article) is from Joanna at Haft Richelieu, and it is part of her Christmas collection design booklet that will be out by December (no. 61 in the Haft series). No. 61 includes 10 angels adorned with beads, along with 12 other little whitework ornaments for the tree.
October 29, 2016
If you’re looking to explore new adventures in hand embroidery, you’ll be happy to know that all of Craftsy’s online classes are on sale for less than $20 this weekend, and that includes a nice line-up of hand-embroidery related classes!
I’ve gotten my claws into two new-to-me Craftsy classes, too. As the end of the year approaches, I’m a little antsy to follow through on one of my new year’s resolutions for 2016, which was to learn a new handwork technique. I’ll tell you about it below!
In the meantime, here’s a list of super-good hand embroidery classes available on Craftsy (along with links to my reviews) that are on sale this weekend for less than $20. If you’re keen to learn a new technique or brush up on your stitching skills before the end of the year, this is a great way to do it!
October 28, 2016
Are you a budding embroidery artist who has recently discovered that you like this whole Embroidery Thing, but you don’t know exactly what’s out there to help you learn?
Are you an intermediate embroiderer who yearns to branch out into new techniques?
Are you a seasoned embroiderer looking for new inspiration, ideas, and approaches to bring to your masterpieces?
No matter where you are in your embroidery journey, eventually you will face the need – or entertain the desire – to purchase a needlework book.
There are three collections of needlework books out there that are excellent additions to the well-rounded needlework library and that will help you in your embroidery pursuits, no matter what your skill level.
Today, I want to talk about one of those series, called Beginner’s Guides, and three reasons I think you need them on your bookshelf.
October 26, 2016
Earlier this year, I had the pleasant opportunity to examine, up close, a really unique embroidery sampler worked by Sheila Iskin, who lives in Sunny California.
Now, this isn’t just any sampler. It’s not a band sampler. It’s not an alphabet sampler. It’s not a spot sampler.
It might not even be recognizable at first as a sampler, but that is indeed what it is – and I think it’s a very clever idea!
This sampler goes way beyond the standard approach to sampling stitches and techniques. It will open up a whole world of ideas for you!
