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
December 1, 2025
Well, well, well – I’m skipping town!
And Anna is, too.
As I mentioned before Thanksgiving, we will not be shipping from Needle ‘n Thread after this Wednesday, December 3rd, at noon. Any orders received after that time will not ship until January.
November 27, 2025
It’s Thanksgiving today here in the US, so Happy Thanksgiving to all of you – no matter where you happen to be!
Even if you don’t celebrate this particular holiday, you are definitely the object of my gratitude. Each of you helps make Needle ‘n Thread the inspiring needlework community that (I hope) it is! Thanks so much for hanging out here with me as we explore All Things Embroidery. Thank you for your inspiration, your creativity, your support, and your friendship! Truly, without you, Needle ‘n Thread wouldn’t be here.
Continuing with our own little tradition and striving to make the holiday fun and festive, Anna and I put together a little I-Spy image and puzzle for you, to while away that post-Thanksgiving-dinner digestive time. As Cordelia would say (can you name the book?)… “must digest!”
November 25, 2025
Welcome to Thanksgiving Week! Here in the we celebrate Thanksgiving Day this Thursday, which means that many folks enjoy a nice four day weekend that kicks off pre-holiday preparations.
Here at Needle ‘n Thread, we’re no exception! Anna and I (she’s my niece, for those who don’t know) will be enjoying the day with family. But – never fear! – we have prepared some Thanksgiving entertainment for you, in the form of an I-Spy puzzle. So please look for that on Thursday, with our Happy Thanksgiving Greetings!
Today, we’re going to cover the rest of the embroidery on the star, in our Twinkle, Twinkle stitch-along. Since this is a relatively small project, each phase of of the embroidery doesn’t take too long – and this lesson is no exception.
For your convenience, I have linked a downloadable PDF color & stitch layout guide below. Keep reading, to download this convenient guide!
If you’re a member of the Needle ‘n Thread Community on Patreon, you’ve already received these instructions as a downloadable PDF. And those who are members at the Avid Stitcher level have access to all the videos for the embroidery part of this project. Non-members are welcome to purchase access to any of the videos that they are interested in viewing.
November 21, 2025
Please take a moment, if you are following Twinkle, Twinkle and received Part 3 in your email inbox, to visit … Continue reading Twinkle, Twinkle 3 Errata
November 21, 2025
Good morning, and welcome to Part 3 of our current stitch-along here on Needle ‘n Thread, Twinkle, Twinkle: A Christmas Star Ornament!
We’re working our way through embroidering a lovely Christmas star ornament, step-by-step. If you’re just joining in, you’ll find all the previous installments of this stitch-along available here, in the Twinkle, Twinkle Project Index.
For members of the Needle ‘n Thread Community on Patreon, you’ve already received the PDF that covers all this information. I also dropped some video over on the membership site, for folks signed up as “Avid Stitchers.”
If you are interested in video instruction for this entire project but not interested in the monthly membership (it’s $5 for “Avid Stitcher” level), you can purchase access to the individual videos that you’d like to view. You’ll find the videos listed under the Twinkle, Twinkle Collection on my membership page. As the videos are published over there, they will be listed in that collection, and there will be an option to purchase access to the video. (Please note: the video instruction is not in the same order as the stitch-along published here.)
Today, we’re working two of the stitched bands on the star.
November 19, 2025
Oh my word! It’s hard to believe that next week is Thanksgiving!
This year, we’re not really engaging in holiday hoopla and whatnot here at the studio (or even on the website).
Now, don’t worry! We’ll be finishing up Twinkle, Twinkle as we move into December (the stitch-along ends on December 12), and I’ll be publishing some articles on the website, but …
…come December 3rd, we will be finished shipping for the rest of the year!
November 17, 2025
Just a quick announcement! In Part 2 of Twinkle, Twinkle that posted today, the DMC thread colors are incorrect. The … Continue reading Errata on Twinkle, Twinkle #2: Thread Color Numbers!