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
June 27, 2016
Lately, I’ve been doodling about, playing with some designs that I call kaleidoscopes. These are repeating designs drawn on a radiating grid of spokes, which vary in number depending on the type of design.
Some of the designs are made up of many straight lines, while others are scrolly, floral, and a bit loose. Whether linear or scrolly (or a combination), they’re all fun to embroider!
June 24, 2016
If you subscribe to Inspirations Magazine, you might be a lot like me!
When each issue arrives, I give it a preliminary glance because I just can’t wait to see what’s inside it. But then I set it aside until I have time to really savor it. I usually do this over a long and lingering lunch or a couple cups of afternoon tea. I go through the whole issue and I read everything. I even read the ads!
And often, I find myself drooling over the projects. There’s always a few projects in each issue that really grab me. I want to embroider them. Now! And while that’s not always possible or even practical, sometimes, I come across projects in the magazine that I definitely want to stitch with my own hands.
For me, the best approach to having everything ready when the time is right is to order a kit.
I love the fact that Inspirations offers kits for the projects in their gorgeous embroidery magazine! We’ve chatted about the advantages (and some disadvantages) of embroidery kits recently, and in an effort to help you find good embroidery kits available today, I’ve been reviewing some of my favorites lately.
Today’s review is an Inspirations kit – specifically, for Modern Crewel, a project designed by Susan Porter and featured in Inspirations Issue 90.
June 22, 2016
A couple weeks ago, I wrote a review about DMC’s new floss, Coloris.
One question that came up in the discussion of this new variegated thread from DMC was whether or not a list of corresponding solid DMC colors was available for color matching.
Welllll….it so happens, there is!
June 20, 2016
A long, long time ago – back when the idea of blogging for Ten Whole Years had never even crossed my mind – I started a project that would become an Old Friend.
It has withstood the test of time rather well, and I thought it would be fun to revisit it.
Maybe it will inspire you to take up some random embroidery project and just stitch your little heart out!
Because I’ll tell you this much: it may not be the most beautiful embroidery project in the world, it may not be the nicest finishing job, and it may be a bit on the bizarre side overall, but this project was downright fun.
And now and then, doing something Just Plain Fun with needle and thread is darned good therapy!
June 17, 2016
Over the next several weeks, I’ll be reviewing embroidery kits for you, from designers around the globe who sell their own kits through their own small embroidery businesses.
If you’ve been hanging around here on Needle ‘n Thread for a bit, you might remember that back in April, I published a very short starter list of places where you can order quality embroidery kits directly from designers. I’ll be adding to that list in the near future.
Ordering kits directly from designers ensures that you get a good quality kit directly from the person who made it, who designed the project, worked it from the ground up, and knows all about it.
These types of kits are a great way to learn a technique well, and they often come with a good support system. If you are having trouble with your kit, you can often email the designer directly and get good tips that will see you through the project successfully.
Today, I’m going to show you, up close and personal, what you get in a kit from The Crewel Work Company, Phillipa Turnbull’s business in the UK that specializes in historically accurate crewel embroidery designs and materials.
The kit I’m reviewing here is the Mellerstain Firescreen kit. It’s lovely, and I can’t wait to get started on it!
June 15, 2016
I mentioned at some point last week that I’ll be doing some organizing and cleaning up in my workroom over the next couple weeks.
Just mentioning “organizing the workroom” sparked a lot of interest. You asked if I’d share before and after pictures, if I’d share tips on organizing and so forth.
Organizing can be a real bear! And I’m probably the last one in the world to offer tips on how to do it efficiently, on what storage solutions to use and all that kind of stuff. Because right now, I’m completely disorganized.
My Biggest Problem right now is a Book Problem.
Here’s a question for you: Can you have Too Many Embroidery Books?
My answer: a resounding YES.
To give you a better understanding of my Embroidery Book Problem, let’s take a little peek in my book cabinet:
June 13, 2016
Continuing with this new series of monograms for hand embroidery here on Needle ‘n Thread, here’s the next four letters of the floral script alphabet I started sharing last week.
One thing I especially love about this particular alphabet is that it offers so many possibilities for interpretation in stitches, and as I add the letters to Needle ‘n Thread, I’ll share some stitching ideas with you.
