About

Mary Corbet

writer and founder

 

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

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More Tulip Monograms & Some News!

 

Amazon Books

Hi, there! Did you miss me yesterday? Well, I missed you! For those who wrote to wonder where I was, thank you! I was still right here in Kansas, but I was out of commission.

I’m back in commission this morning, which is a good thing – and hopefully, I’ll get some real work done today!

This morning, I’m sharing with you the next four letters in the Tulip Monogram alphabet. I know some of you have been waiting eagerly for the later letters of the alphabet, and we’re finally getting there! I also have a little bit of news, just to keep you abreast of Needle ‘n Thread-related activities.

Tulip Monograms - decorative letters for hand embroidery
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Late Harvest Embroidery Project – Progress & a Tip!

 

When I first saw Hazel Blomkamp’s Late Harvest, an embroidery project in her book Crewel Intentions (which I’ve reviewed here, if you want to see what’s inside it), I thought Wow! That would be the Perfect Fall Embroidery Project!

And then I ended up starting it at the end of winter this year.

Originally, I set up the project as a “carrot” – something I can work on solely for the fun of it, as a reward when I finish other things I need to do, or just when I want something to stitch for relaxation.

The last time I had a chance to work on it was in the hot throes of summer, during mid-July in Kansas. Not exactly the Vision of Stitching Bliss that I first pictured for this project, which I imagined indulging in on crisp autumn days.

This weekend, even though the temperature peaked around 90 (thanks a lot, Kansas), I took it out and worked on it a bit. Today, I’ll share some progress, make some comparisons, and share a happy discovery with you.

Late Harvest Embroidery Kit - progress and tips
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Lace Making, Drawn Thread Work, Embroidery – for the weekend!

 

There are very few needlework / thread-related arts and crafts that I haven’t tried.

At least once.

They don’t all click.

There’s one thread-related art that I’ve tried to teach myself many times over, and that I’m still determined, some day, to get the hang of, and that’s bobbin lace-making. I don’t want to be an expert at it. I just want to be able to flip some bobbins about with semi-confidence and end up with some kind of ordered pattern showing up on the board in front of me. Is that too much to ask?

In any case, I feed my desire to learn that particular lace-making art by reading about it, watching videos now and then, and even, occasionally, sallying forth with the same beginner’s kit I’ve had for umpteen years.

And then, a day later, embroidery takes over my life again, all the bobbins go back in their bag, and I concede that “it isn’t going to happen this year.”

Lace Making, Drawn Thread Work, and embroidery videos in Italian
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Custom Iron-ons for Embroidery & Fair Trade Kits

 

When it comes to embroidery design transfers, you’ve got to admit that the easiest possible way of getting a design – a perfectly crisp, clear design – onto fabric is a good iron-on transfer.

But iron-on transfers aren’t always made to our particular tastes and needs. Sure, we can find iron-ons of pin-up girls, of day-of-the-dead skulls, of cute vintage kittens and cupcakes and space ships; we can even find iron-ons of complex, lovely cutwork designs; and we can find iron-ons of state birds and bottles of wine and cups of cappuccino.

And while all of the above have their place and their audience, what if those aren’t what we’re looking for?

What if we’ve got our own design and it’s exactly what we want to iron on, and it doesn’t fit into any of those categories?

Often, I have my own design that I want to embroider three or four times. Gosh, I’d just love to be able to iron that thing on and just get on with the stitching, rather than getting stuck into four design transfers by hand.

Custom Iron-On Transfers for Embroidery
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Basketweave Stitch & Shading

 

Remember last week when we chatted about needle weaving as a filling?

Well, I’m still playing around with the possibilities. See, that’s the problem whenever I engage in any type of sampler. I get Well and Truly Stuck in it.

I’m playing particularly with woven fillings because I’m working on an article for Commonthread by DMC on the same topic. I’ve got a little practice piece that will accompany that article, so I’ll let you know when it’s out. It’s particularly fall-ish, so it’s perfect for this time of year!

Needle weaving stitch - basket weave filling, shaded
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