June 4, 2015

Adding Beads to Embroidery Stitches

Deep down, though I don’t indulge in it too often, I have a penchant for bling. I like sparklies and I like beads and I like shiny stuff.

This doesn’t come across too often in my embroidery. It doesn’t even come across in my household decor or my clothing. And I rarely wear jewelry. But for some reason, when I see beads, sparkles, texture, shine – within reason – I am attracted to it. I like to look at it, examine it, entertain ideas about what to do with it.

And while I’m not really into formal bead embroidery, I like playing with beads and embroidery stitches. Lately, I’ve been doing just that.

Adding beads to basic embroidery stitches

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June 3, 2015

Weddings & Whitework

‘Tis the month of June.

Here in the States, it’s not unusual to run into a wedding or two in June. Winter is a distant memory, summer officially begins, the chance for decent weather is fairly good, and, with school out and families able to travel, it’s a pretty good month to get hitched.

I think I live in the Wedding Capital of the World! Among family and friends, it seems there’s always a wedding or two (or three or four or five) every summer. Not that I’m complaining – any opportunity for a good party and some socializing is a good thing!

When I have time, I like to make wedding gifts – a nice of piece of embroidery for display, a pretty tea cloth, a set of monogrammed linen guest towels. The latter is usually my preference. And to tell you the truth, “set” might be a bit of a stretch. Usually, I’m happy when I finish one.

That’s why I was super excited to see some of the new design offerings in Haft Richelieu, a magazine out of Poland, dedicated to Richelieu, or cutwork embroidery.

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June 2, 2015

A Case for Magnification, Light, and Newspapers

It was a bleak and grimy day. Clouds hung low in the sky with the menace of rain – the kind of day when mood mirrors weather.

But contrary to Nature’s cheerless condition, my heart was light, my step was springy.

This was The Day. This day was my carrot dangling before my salivating brain during three long months of focused labor. If I finish this project by this date, I will allow myself a weekend off, doing whatever I want to do.

Part of what I wanted to do was to spend a nice stretch of hours on a Sunday afternoon in the leisurely pursuit of stitching. In the company of a good audio book, I would hole myself up and revel in the delights of embroidery, with no interruptions and only the birds outside my window for company.

I could picture it perfectly, and I was all set to enjoy it.

With my work table clear, Late Harvest set up before me, audiobook selected, lights situated, tools accounted for, I settled down to a guilt-free afternoon of quiet stitching.

Ten minutes later…

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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

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

Adding Beads to Embroidery Stitches

Weddings & Whitework

A Case for Magnification, Light, and Newspapers

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

Connect with Mary

How-To Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos