August 26, 2016

Kashan Crewel Kit – Give-Away!

Good morning and a happy Friday all around!

Since we’re moving towards the beginning of September and autumn here in the northern hemisphere, it seems to me like a great time to think ahead to cooler weather and crewel embroidery.

For some reason, I always classify crewel work as a cool-weather pursuit!

Courtesy of Wooly Thread, which is a terrific US source for Appleton wool, wool felt, and Other Things Wooly, it’s time for a crewel embroidery kit give-away!

The kit is called Kashan. Designed by Anne at Talliaferro Classic Needleart, Kashan is exclusively available through Wooly Thread, where you can find the whole kit (instructional packet, linen and threads) in two thread offerings – Appleton wools or Cascade House wools – or you can purchase just the instructions, or just the instructions and the wool… whatever configuration of the kit you’d like.

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August 24, 2016

Hairy Edges, Knobby Bits, & the Back of the Hoop

The floral voided monogram that we looked at last week in its Almost-Finished stage is now finished. The embroidery is done. I refuse to put in One More Stitch!

It’s not that I don’t want to put in more stitches, but that’s the problem with this type of embroidery adventure. It might never end. There’s always One More Place you could add One More Stitch!

At some point, you have to draw the line and declare the thing complete.

And so, I declare The Thing Complete.

(I think.)

Voided Floral Themed Monogram - Finished

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August 22, 2016

Needlework Sales & Stuff!

Today, just a quick note to let you know about some rare needlework sales and some new kits out there on the market, before the opportunities pass!

These are bits from the small needlework businesses that advertise here on Needle ‘n Thread – supporting them helps support the website, so I like to give a little yelp now and then to bring you attention to the good stuff going on at their businesses.

All of the advertisers here on Needle ‘n Thread are small, quality, needlework-related businesses with good reputations, great products, excellent customer service – so if you haven’t had a chance to become familiar with them, please do! They’re terrific resources for the embroidery enthusiast.

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August 19, 2016

The Jade Dragon – An Embroidery Kit from Roseworks

Continuing on with our recent exploits into embroidery kits from designers who sell their own kits, today I want to show you a kit for an Absolutely Fantastic Dragon!

Jade Dragon hails from Roseworks Embroidery Designs in South Africa, the work of designer and embroiderer Colleen Goy, who has produced a prolific amount of embroidery kits suitable for all tastes and levels. Roseworks has been producing embroidery kits for a long while, and they have over 100 designs available in kit form now!

Let me introduce you to Jade Dragon, up close and personal. I’ll share with you all the pertinent details of the kit, chat a bit about the level of embroidery, and share information on where you can find it.

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August 18, 2016

Remember that Embroidered Kaleidoscope?

A few weeks ago, I shared with you some progress on the embroidered kaleidoscope design I was working on, and we discussed the big job naming embroidery projects.

You came up with some great ideas for a name for this one! Thank you! I’ve settled on a name – it wasn’t directly mentioned by anyone, but there were some related suggestions.

Today, we’ll take a look at the finished kaleidoscope (yippee!) and chat about it a bit. I’ll answer some questions that have come up about the project, too.

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August 16, 2016

A is for…Almost Finished!

After a long weekend of stitching off and on, my voided floral-themed A monogram is just about finished!

Let me warn you right now – this type of embroidery is addicting. Once you get into a piece like this, it’s a bit like getting hooked into a Really Good Book. It’s hard to put down!

For those of you just joining in, you can see the beginnings of this project here. That’s where you’ll find information on fabric, on transfer method, and on most of the stitches used up to that point.

Today, we’ll chat a little bit more about the stitches I’ve used, and a bit about the approach I use to filling the whole background up.

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August 11, 2016

Carol’s Rose Crewel Embroidery Kit Review

Earlier this year, I brought up the subject of “designer” embroidery kits – that is, embroidery kits made and sold directly from designers (as opposed to kits bought in a big box craft store) – and their value.

Since then, I’ve been reviewing several embroidery kits from different designers around the globe, so that you can see these kits up close and get an idea of what different embroidery designers have to offer in kit form.

Today, we’re going to take a close look at a crewel embroidery kit designed by Jessica Grimm, an RSN graduate who lives in and works her embroidery business from Bavaria, in Germany.

Jessica explores many different types of embroidery on her blog, and in her shop, she sells her own embroidery kits that cover different techniques, too.

Her crewel embroidery kit called Carol’s Rose caught my eye, and so that’s what we’re going to look at up close today.

Carol's Rose Crewel Embroidery Kit from Jessica Grimm

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

Kashan Crewel Kit – Give-Away!

Hairy Edges, Knobby Bits, & the Back of the Hoop

Needlework Sales & Stuff!

The Jade Dragon – An Embroidery Kit from Roseworks

Remember that Embroidered Kaleidoscope?

A is for…Almost Finished!

Carol’s Rose Crewel Embroidery Kit Review

Connect with Mary

How-To Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos