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
April 13, 2016
Last week, we had a great discussion here on Needle ‘n Thread about designer embroidery kits.
“Designer Kits” – sounds a bit snobby, but for lack of a better term, this is what I call embroidery kits that are created by a specific designer and usually only sold through that designer. You won’t find them, for example, in big box craft stores, and usually not even in local needlework shops (although sometimes, you might).
April 11, 2016
Happy Monday!
For your browsing pleasure, here’s a round-up of interesting embroidery-related bits I’ve come across online lately. Some are information, some are inspirational – I hope you find them a fun way to start the week!
Pour yourself a cup of your favorite morning beverage – it’s tea for me this morning – and join me in a brief browse through some recent favorites.
April 8, 2016
It’s Friday! It’s Spring! It’s my birthday! And it’s a Perfect Day for a Give-Away!
And not just any give-away, but a thread give-away. Yes, that’s right! I’m going to help you feed your embroidery thread addiction!
When it comes to Tangible Things, there’s nothing better than embroidery thread, right? I have a serious infatuation with threads, and I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.
The most appealing aspect of embroidery thread, to me, is the color, and no one does unique, hand-dyed color quite like Colour Compliments, a small embroidery thread business in Canada.
Lorraine at Colour Complements has announced a clearance sale at Colour Complements starting today, and, to kick it off, she thought it would be fun to give Needle ‘n Thread readers a chance to win some of her threads. I wholeheartedly agreed. Any time I have a chance to get thread into an enthusiastic stitcher’s hands, I’m all over it!
April 6, 2016
Lately, I’ve received some interesting emails from readers, asking questions or relating experiences that have to do with embroidery kits.
And heck, who doesn’t like to talk about embroidery kits? It’s a topic I love, so I’m always game for a discussion!
One interesting conversational thread that has surfaced is the topic of purchasing embroidery kits as opposed to sourcing your own supplies for a project.
The topic is multi-faceted. I could never cover every detail or share every thought I have on the subject in one article. You’d be asleep by the end!
So, instead, I’m introducing the subject here, sharing a few of my thoughts and some basic principles behind them, and asking for your input and feedback.
April 4, 2016
I’ve been working on an embroidery project called Late Harvest for the last year, and the articles relating to my progress on the project – and any mistakes, corrections, tips and techniques that I’ve written about – are scattered all over Needle ‘n Thread.
So, to do a little housekeeping and keep things organized so that you can find them more easily, here’s the Project Index for Late Harvest! This is where I’ll list, in chronological order, all the articles relating to this project as I work through it.
You’ll find the project index listed under Tips and Techniques in the main menu here on Needle ‘n Thread, under the first section on Embroidery Lessons & Step by Step Projects.
April 1, 2016
As I contemplated writing today’s article, the whole notion of “April Fool’s Day” rattled around in my head.
I racked my brain for days, hoping to concoct an appropriate needlework-related prank to pull off on you.
But you know what I realized?
Any embroidery-related joke that I could come up with for Needle ‘n Thread was just… too… crewel.
So I decided to skip it!
Instead, I’m going to share with you Karen’s absolutely gorgeous embroidered peacock, taken from Johanna Basford’s Secret Garden coloring book.
Remember my embroidered Secret Garden Hummingbirds from the same book? Well, Karen followed along with that project, working her own version of the peacock page. She kindly sent photos and all the details of her stitching adventure.
So, let’s end the week with some inspirational embroidery and forget the whole April Fool’s thing! Besides reveling in the colors and stitching, you’ll find plenty of ideas to glean for your own embroidery projects.
March 29, 2016
Back to my adventures with Late Harvest, the embroidery kit by Hazel Blomkamp that I’ve been working on for quite a while now.
I don’t think I can emphasize too much how fun the embroidery on this design has been. Not only is there a ton of stitching variety in the piece, but there are elements and techniques that have proved relaxing, challenging, and exciting, all in one!
I’ve found myself anticipating the next step the whole time – always eager to stitch the next element, to try the next technique, to see the finished product. It’s like reading a really good book, where you can’t wait to get on to the next chapter!
