October 5, 2016

Coloris Kaleidoscope: A Colorful Hand Embroidery Project

Well, hello there!

Ready for a really colorful, super-fun hand embroidery project?

The concept for these hand embroidered kaleidoscopes that I’ve been playing with this year developed from a combination of inspirations and ideas: the whole adult coloring book craze, the desire to embroider with lots of lively color, and the addictive practice of doodling repeat geometric designs.

Earlier this year, the folks at Commonthread by DMC sent me a set of their new thread line, Coloris, and I agreed to work up a project and write an article about it for them. You can find my overview of the Coloris line here, and a handy chart of DMC floss colors that correspond with Coloris here.

Coloris Kaleidoscope: A Hand Embroidery Project

Hand Embroidery Tutorials

October 3, 2016

Two Stitches, Two Threads, & Done Today

Just a quick little post this morning to show you a really simple, but pretty, approach to an embroidered monogram, using just two stitches and two skeins of floss.

It’s so simple you can finish it in a day!

And I don’t mean you have to stitch all day, either – tops, it’s about a three hour project.

Here’s all the information, with links to tutorials that will help you whip up this pretty monogram in a short time, with few supplies!

Long & Short Stitch Monogram with DMC Variations

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September 30, 2016

Welcome Home!

Throughout my whole life, whenever anyone walked into our home – be it stranger or friend, seldom seen or always around – my Dad always greeted every visitor the same way:

Welcome home!

Mom and Dad wanted our home to feel like their home. They wanted every visitor to be at home.

And to this very day, my dad still greets every visitor the same way: a warm handshake, a big smile, and a hearty Welcome Home!

Today, I want to welcome you home the same way – to my new online home, right here at Needle ‘n Thread!

Hand Embroidery Tutorials

September 26, 2016

Purple & Green – A Thistly, Leafy, Dotty Monogram

Purple and green. It’s a color combination I’ve always loved!

Strangely enough, I don’t wear it. I don’t decorate with it. But golly, I do like it.

And it was with purple and green in mind that I first fell for the “Leafy Blooms & Dots” alphabet that you’ll find in Favorite Monograms.

Today, I’ll show you a stitched sample from that alphabet. As always, there are parts of the letter that I really like, and parts that I’d do differently if I were stitching it again. But it was a fun little sample to stitch, and it worked up pretty quickly. And it provided a good purple and green fix – it’s been a while since I’ve stitched with this combination!

If you want to stitch it with the same approach, you can always change the color palette if you’re not a purple and green fan and make any other adjustments you want along the way, too!

Hand Embroidery Tutorials

September 24, 2016

8 Embroidery Tips for Beginners

Tomorrow, I’m teaching someone to embroider.

Now, you might think I’m a little off my nut. You might think that I teach people to embroider all the time. But in fact, I don’t. I used to, when I had space. But I don’t have space, and my dream of a dedicated studio where I can teach locally is yet a distance away.

But I have a friend who wants to learn to embroider. She is desperate for a hobby – something to provide her with a creative outlet at the end of a long day’s work.

I said, “You need to learn to embroider.”

She said, “Can you teach me?”

And I said, “Sure!”

Hand Embroidery Tutorials

September 22, 2016

Embroidered Monograms Tips & Techniques – Index

Sometimes, it’s easy to lose track of articles on blogs, so I like to create indexes that gather all the articles on one embroidery project or one series of embroidery projects into one place.

I keep all these project indexes under Tips & Techniques here on Needle ‘n Thread (in the main menu at the top of the website).

Today, I’m going to gather together all the articles on Needle ‘n Thread that include tips & techniques for embroidered monograms. Feel free to bookmark the list, to share it with your friends, and to visit it when you’re looking for ideas for embroidered monograms!

Embroidered Monograms: Tips & Techniques Index

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September 20, 2016

3 Good Reasons to try DMC Floche

Some of my recent embroidery adventures have involved cotton floche – like this monogram and this monogram – and without a doubt, I’ll be dabbling with the thread again very soon.

I love floche. And it re-infatuates me every time I stitch with it.

Those of you who have been hanging around with me on Needle ‘n Thread for a while already know I love this embroidery thread! But for folks who are just joining us, if you don’t know what floche is, I’ll introduce you to it here.

Whether new or old in your explorations of embroidery, you’ll appreciate floche. It’s an amazing cotton thread – it definitely tops my list of favorite cottons.

Cotton Floche Embroidery Thread: Three Good Reasons to Try It

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

Coloris Kaleidoscope: A Colorful Hand Embroidery Project

Two Stitches, Two Threads, & Done Today

Welcome Home!

Purple & Green – A Thistly, Leafy, Dotty Monogram

8 Embroidery Tips for Beginners

Embroidered Monograms Tips & Techniques – Index

3 Good Reasons to try DMC Floche

Connect with Mary

How-To Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos