There are times when I think I really should rouse myself from my photo-taking lethargy and aspire to be of those Really Awesome Bloggers who knows how to stage every photo perfectly, with the embroidery perfectly situated in a perfect setting, perfectly finished and perfectly perfect.

Instead, I usually grab my needlework finishes in pictures at about the moment of finishing. It’s the excitement, the relief of reaching the end of a project, I suppose.

With the Hungarian Redwork Runner, I had dreams of setting a beautiful table, replete with flower arrangements, candles, good dishes, and – down the middle in all its redwork glory – the Hungarian Redwork Runner, starched and pressed and pristine.

Instead, I draped the piece over my trestles with a bunch of other projects and snapped some shots. Then I flung it on a piece of furniture and snapped some shots.

And that’s what you get today!

Whether it’s a stitch tutorial that brings clarification or a free embroidery pattern that provides inspiration, nothing warms the cockles of my wee little heart more than seeing Needle ‘n Thread put to good use!

Today, I want to share with you a piece of pearl and goldwork embroidery worked by Larissa Borodich.

Larissa used this stylized pomegranate design as the foundation of her project and interpreted it using pearl embroidery and goldwork.

The outcome is lavish and splendid!

After yesterday’s True Confessions about the small monogram sample that went from an hour-long project to an almost-five-hour-long project – and all the doubts and discoveries along the way – I thought I’d share the finished monogram with you.

Upon finishing the embroidery on the little R and blocking it, I drew some more conclusions about it.

One may surprise you!

It started out as a quick sample meant to show off an embroidery thread.

One of those “this will only take an hour (or so)” sort of embroidered samples.

You know the kind: You want to test something new: an embroidery thread, a type of fabric, maybe a technique. Or you want to demonstrate a point: this thread works well in this scenario, or this fabric is perfect for that type of project.

And you think it’ll only take an hour or so to whip up your sample and establish your conclusions.

I’ll tell you something, between you and me: any time you think it will “only” take an hour or so to stitch up a sample, go ahead and second guess yourself.

Why? Because invariably, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be wrong. It’ll take significantly longer than you ever intended, you’ll wander down one diverging path after another until your hour turns into a day, and your day turns into two, and you’ll reach every other conclusion but the one you set out to establish.

Case in point: this monogram.

How do you embroider? Do you sew your stitches, or do you stab your stitches?

Today, I want to chat a bit about these two methods of embroidering a stitch. Chances are, you habitually gravitate towards one method or the other when you stitch.

Both methods have their merits! Let’s look at the differences between these two methods of stitching, and then I’ll tell you which one I habitually use and why. I hope you’ll chime in with your preferences!

Last night, as we sat outside at my sister’s house, gnawing watermelon and waiting for a neighbor’s fireworks display to commence, my five-year-old niece asked me, “Do they have the Fourth of July in other countries?”

Ummmm… I just love trick questions from five-year-olds. I knew from the outset the conversation would end badly.

Yes, they do, I explained. July 4th is tomorrow’s date.

In America, I explained further, Independence Day is on July 4th, and it’s our national holiday, which is why we celebrate with fireworks, picnics, and parties.

Other countries have national holidays, too, I went on pedantically, but they aren’t necessarily on July 4th. But they still have the fourth of July, because it’s the date – just like today is July 3rd, tomorrow is July 4th. It’s just not necessarily a day they have fireworks and picnics.

So…… she said, swatting a mosquito and totally missing the point of my lesson, they don’t have the Fourth of July?

I grabbed a sparkler, lit it, handed it to her, and sent her off to frolic.

Wherever you are, happy fourth of July! If you happen to be an American, Happy Independence Day!

If you’re sweltering in the summer heat this weekend (or shivering with the cold, depending on your locale), take some time to enjoy this month’s needlework news snips!