June 1, 2015

Organizing Embroidery Threads for a Large Project

After initially setting up Late Harvest, the embroidery kit by Hazel Blomkamp that I’m working on for sheer fun right now, I tucked all the supplies that came in the kit, along with a copy of the book, neatly into a bag, ready to grab at a moment’s notice.

I mentioned previously that this project is going to be my carrot this year – my if this, then that project. If I accomplish this, then I can work for a while on that. It’s nice to have a carrot – it helps me get other things done!

Well, I promised myself that, once I finished the Stitch Sampler Alphabet e-book, I would allow myself one weekend where I could stitch just for fun. And that weekend finally happened.

As I dug into the project, I noticed one thing: there are enough colors in this project, and they are such similar colors, that a thread organization method becomes quickly necessary.

Embroidery Thread Organization Cards for large projects

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May 29, 2015

Padded Buttonhole Stitch on Late Harvest, and Stitching Should be Fun!

One thing I really like about Hazel Blompkamp’s embroidery designs is the combination of interesting techniques she includes in her pieces.

Earlier this year, I wrote about Hazel’s Late Harvest kit from her book, Crewel Intentions.

Yesterday, I put the piece, which I had already framed up for stitching, on the stand again, and did just a wee bit of stitching.

padded buttonhole stitch on Late Harvest by Hazel Blomkamp

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May 28, 2015

True Confessions about Embroidery Tools

Jane emailed me a couple weeks ago with a question. She’s been a reader here on Needle ‘n Thread since 2007, which is a pretty long time!

Her question:

Mary, you review a lot of interesting needlework tools, but when it comes down to it, what do you use every day? I imagine most of the tools you review (like the aficot or the stumpwork sticks you showed us) only come out occasionally.

What I want to know is what are the tools and accessories and other things that surround you all the time when you’re doing embroidery – not the expensive specialty tools that only do one job, but the things you find yourself working with every day, that you couldn’t work without?

I pondered this for a bit. It’s a fair question! And so, at the end of a work session one day, I set about to show her the answer, by gathering all the tools – and other things – that I use in my workroom on almost a daily basis.

Here’s my answer:

The tools I use every day for embroidery

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May 27, 2015

Sublime Stitching Iron-On Transfer Pens – Review

The other day, I got a little package in the mail from Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching.

Nestled inside was one of her new fine-tipped iron-on transfer pens.

You know me – I’m always game to try a new embroidery product, especially one intended to make the transfer process easier.

So I set about playing with the pen, thinking I’d eventually write a review of it.

The more I played with it, the more I thought I better write a review sooner, rather than later. After all, it’s always better to be aware of things ahead of time, than to wish you had known before it was Too Late.

Sublime Stitching Iron-On Transfer Pens for Embroidery

Hand Embroidery Patterns

May 26, 2015

Rose Window – Pattern for Hand Embroidery

I’ve been fiddling with embroidery patterns again, and this one is something that I’ve been toying with for quite a while. I like it!

Rose Window is somewhat reminiscent of the Mission Rose embroidery project we worked through a while ago, so I don’t plan to embroider it any time soon.

But I thought I’d throw it out here, in case you like it and want to tackle it!

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May 25, 2015

Reader’s Work: Hand Embroidered Poppy

Here in the US, we celebrate Memorial Day today.

On Memorial Day, we remember those in the services who died in the line of duty and we commemorate their sacrifice.

The poppy, thanks to a Canadian poet, is a fairly universal symbol for Memorial and Remembrance Day celebrations world wide.

While the poppy has specific connections to World War I – John McCrae wrote his poem “In Flander’s Fields” in honor of the sacrifice made by his comrades in World War I – the flower is used as a symbol of remembrance of those who fell in other wars, too.

In the US, the poppy was adopted in 1922 by the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) as the memorial flower.

In the past year, with the commemoration in 2014 of the 70th anniversary of D-Day when the Allied forces landed at Normandy, and with 2015 marking the 100th anniversary of the landing of the ANZAC forces at Gallipoli, the poppy has enjoyed quite a bit of extra attention, and it’s popped up in embroidered forms all over the place. A quick search of “embroidered poppy” on Google images will demonstrate!

Today, I’d like to share a fantastic hand embroidered poppy sent from a reader, Allan Bowers, along with some links to other sources for poppy-related embroidery ideas. Whether embroidered in remembrance or not, the poppy is a glorious flower, and it translates well into all kinds of embroidery.

Hand Embroidery Tutorials

May 22, 2015

16 Filling Stitches for Embroidery

Whether you’ve just begun your embroidery journey, or whether you’re a seasoned stitcher, you’ve probably asked yourself, “What stitch should I use to fill this area?” at some point.

To help you answer that question, I’ve rounded up 16 different filling techniques that can be effectively used in embroidery, with links to articles and tutorials.

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

Organizing Embroidery Threads for a Large Project

Padded Buttonhole Stitch on Late Harvest, and Stitching Should be Fun!

True Confessions about Embroidery Tools

Sublime Stitching Iron-On Transfer Pens – Review

Rose Window – Pattern for Hand Embroidery

Reader’s Work: Hand Embroidered Poppy

16 Filling Stitches for Embroidery

Connect with Mary

How-To Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos