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August 25, 2015

Reader’s Embroidery: Sajou Initials for the Whole Family

 

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Over the next several weeks, off and on, I’ll be featuring embroidery projects from fellow stitchers in the Needle ‘n Thread community.

I like to share what other people have been doing with their own needle and thread, and that’s why I started, many years ago (way back in 2007!), this ongoing series highlighting your embroidery projects. When we see a wider range of stitching from folks all over the world, it enriches our own needlework experiences – it helps inspire us, it gives us new ideas and a broader outlook.

If you want to participate in the series, it’s really easy! Just drop me a line at mary(at)needlenthread(dot)com, attach your photos, and tell me a bit about the project.

Today, I want to share with you a beautiful piece by Laura Bray, a reader from North Wales. It involves some gorgeous decorative initials – and here’s the story behind it.

Embroidered decorative initials - Sajou 621
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Hand Embroidery Patterns

August 24, 2015

Rose Swirl – Free Hand Embroidery Pattern

 

Today, I want to share with you the pattern for my next personal embroidery project that will be developing here on Needle ‘n Thread over the coming months.

See, I’ve had the goldwork and silk itch for quite a while now, and it can’t be ignored any longer!

To help relieve the itch, I’ve set up a project and I’ll be sharing it with you as it progresses, along with tips, techniques, successes, and the inevitable failures, too, so that we can all learn from the project. Even if you’re not into goldwork and silk embroidery, you’re guaranteed to find information that will help you along your own particular journey.

So, here’s the pattern, which I’ve named very unimaginatively “Rose Swirl.”

Rose Swirl hand embroidery design for goldwork and silk embroidery
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August 21, 2015

The Three-Stitch Bloomin’ Tree

 

Let’s end the week with another little finish – and a request at the end of the article.

Today, it’s the blooming tree, worked in three very simple stitches.

And that’s really what I like best about this particular project. It illustrates how simple stitches can work together to create a pretty nice finish. Embroidery doesn’t have to be complicated.

So, here’s the finish and some particulars. You can click on the images to view them larger, if you like.

Hand embroidered tree with blossoms in simple stitches
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August 20, 2015

Shisha, Metallics, and Beads: You Won’t Know it’s a Tree

 

Well, I finished that little shisha embroidery tree that I showed you day before yesterday.

I might have gone wee bit overboard, but you know what? That’s ok! It was fun, it will work for what I need it for, and, more to the point, it’s finished!

And that means I can move on to the other tree I need to finish.

I’m not sure why I’m sprouting trees all over the place lately.

Maybe I’m going through a growth spurt.

Shisha embroidery with DMC Diamant
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August 19, 2015

Thread Talk – Soie Tressage: Satouche & Flat Braid

 

On Monday when I mentioned the free shipping sale at Hedgehog Handworks, I dropped the name of a new silk on the market. It’s not really a silk thread, but it can be used for embroidery applications of many sorts.

Soie Tressage is the name of a new line of silk braids – specifically, a soutache braid and a flat braid – made from Au Ver a Soie silk.

Today, I’ll them to you up close and chat a bit about what you can do with them.

Soie Tressage - Soutache silk braids in reds & pinks
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August 18, 2015

Tambour Embroidery with Metallics & Mirrors

 

Here’s a little practice and play piece I worked on last weekend.

I wanted to try out the tiny mirrors for shisha embroidery that I told you about last week (the punched ones). I’ve also been itching to play around with some DMC Diamant (a metallic thread that I wrote about here) and tambour embroidery.

I went about setting up my play piece the wrong way, though. I don’t know why I do things like this, but I do!

And I usually regret it later. So, learn from me. I like to make mistakes so that you don’t have to.

Embroidered tree with shisha embroidery and tambour work, in metallic thread
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