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

Contact Mary

Connect with Mary

     

Archives

2023 (32) 2022 (136) 2021 (130) 2020 (132) 2019 (147) 2018 (146) 2017 (169) 2016 (147) 2015 (246) 2014 (294) 2013 (294) 2012 (305) 2011 (306) 2010 (316) 2009 (367) 2008 (352) 2007 (225) 2006 (139)
 

Embroidered Birds & Their Habitats

 

Amazon Books

With spring coming here in Kansas, bird life is picking up exponentially as each day passes.

I like birds! I find them extraordinarily beautiful (even the plain ones) and highly amusing. Even though I’m not a devoted twitcher, I love to watch birds, and occasionally, I’ll even go to pretty good lengths to see particular birds in their natural environments.

With all this in mind, I thought that this new book, Embroidered Birds and Their Habitats by Judy Wilford, would be a good candidate to kick off a series of book reviews. It’s one in a stack of books that I’ve been planning to share with you for a while, so … here we go!

Embroidered Birds and Their Habitats
Continue reading “Embroidered Birds & Their Habitats”

Just Another Pic on the Wall

 

Last November, Needle ‘n Thread moved into our new working studio in a commercial building in downtown St. Marys, Kansas. I wrote about that here and here.

Evaluating our first four months, I’d say we’ve settled in pretty well! We’ve become much more work-efficient in this space, because we have a better layout and we have more room.

Mostly, though, I think that we work better because we’re in a working environment rather than a residential environment. It makes a Huge Difference in the mindset when coming to work, getting into the work day, and carrying through the work day with focus.

Needle 'n Thread Studio - Picture Wall
Continue reading “Just Another Pic on the Wall”

An Embroidery Fail: Digging Up the Past

 

In a conversation with a fellow (not embroidery) blogger the other day, we were discussing trendy blogging and social media topics. We got on the subject of how words are used these days, and I listed off a few pet peeves.

For example, I don’t like the prevailing use of verbs as nouns and nouns as verbs. I gave a few examples: fail as a noun, adult as a verb, art as a verb.

I have to pay bills. I guess it’s time to adult.

I’m going to art all day long today!

I had a big adulting fail yesterday, when I slept till noon and missed work.

Cake fail. Cooking fail. Building fail.

It rubs me the wrong way.

As the topic progressed, I was challenged to write an article about an “embroidery fail,” and to use the term “fail” the way I don’t like using it.

(I’m only explaining this whole backstory so that you know why the title of today’s article is what it is!)

And just to clarify – I know that there is a history of “fail” being used as a noun in the academic sense. The way it’s used today, though, is just as a shortened version of failure.

Silk embroidery on silk fabric
Continue reading “An Embroidery Fail: Digging Up the Past”

A Stitch Snippet Sneak Peek

 

As we rapidly approach the end of February, I thought I’d offer a sneak peek of the first Stitch Snippet stitch-along project for 2023 here on Needle ‘n Thread.

Earlier, I hinted at the colors and threads I’m using on the project. And just so you know that I’m not too much of a lazy bum – I really have been working on it – today, I’ll highlight some of the stitching that we’ll be doing together on this little thing that we’re going to make.

We’ll also talk about a feasible time line for the project, so that you can know what to expect when it’s ready to launch.

Stitch Snippet 1 for 2023
Continue reading “A Stitch Snippet Sneak Peek”

Cherry Blossom Roundel from Jane Nicholas

 

A long time ago, back in August of 2022, I reviewed Jane Nicholas’s latest embroidery book, Japanese Motifs in Stumpwork & Goldwork, which you can read about here.

Jane Nicholas is a professional embroiderer and embroidery designer from Australia. She’s instructed at the EGA (Embroiderers’ Guild of America) National Seminars and regional workshops, and she’s traveled around the world as a teacher. I’ve written about her pretty abundantly here on Needle ‘n Thread, too, reviewing many of her books, so many of you are likely familiar with her work.

Jane’s beautiful designs have a pristine, clear quality about them. They’re unmistakable – you can always recognize them as hers, even thought she draws from myriad styles of art.

Cherry Blossom roundel from Jane Nicholas
Continue reading “Cherry Blossom Roundel from Jane Nicholas”