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Mary Corbet

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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

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  • How-To
    Videos

    Over 75 Embroidery Stitch Videos to Help You Learn

  • Embroidery Tips & Techniques

    A Collection of Instructional Articles

 
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December 15, 2014

How to Embroider a Ruched Silk Ribbon Wreath

 

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I love the word “ruched.” And I especially love it when it’s used in context with ribbon. Ruched ribbon – the two words just sound right together!

What does ruched mean? It means gathered, frilled, or pleated.

Ruched silk ribbon looks pretty neat, and it’s a great way to add some dimension and texture to the surface of an embroidery project.

On this Christmas ornament I’m currently working on, I added a little ring of ruched silk ribbon in pink. If it were done in green – perhaps speckled with tiny red seed beads – it would make an absolutely adorable Christmas wreath!

So, here are the instructions on how to create a ruched silk ribbon wreath or ring. You can adapt the approach to lines, squiggles, waves, whatever!

Silk Ribbon Embroidery: Ruched Silk Ribbon Wreath or Ring
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Hand Embroidery Tutorials

December 12, 2014

DMC Memory Thread: the Whats and Hows

 

Have you ever used DMC Memory Thread? Have you wondered what it is and how to use it? Or, especially, how to hide the ends of a thread like that on a surface embroidery project?

The other day when we looked at this Fiesta Fob embroidery project, questions poured in, wondering what the thread was, how to use Memory Thread, and especially wondering how I took care of the ends of the thread.

Today, we’ll talk about Memory Thread, what it is (and what it’s not), how to use it, and especially how to take care of those ends.

DMC Memory Thread - How to Use It
Continue reading “DMC Memory Thread: the Whats and Hows”

Hand Embroidery Tutorials

December 11, 2014

Embroider a Christmas Ornament from your Stash – part 1

 

With Christmas a mere two weeks away, you might be thinking it’s a little late to start embroidering an ornament.

And normally, I’d be the first one to agree with you, especially if Said Ornament was a fancy-schmancy one, embroidered with hard-to-find threads and supplies.

But would I do that to you, right before Christmas? No, no, no! This is a fun and quick project, something to relax and enjoy, while making something special.

In this 2014 Christmas Sampler Ornament series, we’ll discover how to embroider a Christmas ornament with whatever we have in our stash, and how to put the ornament together and have it hanging on the tree (or wrapped in a box for gift-giving) well before Christmas arrives!

Today, in Part 1, we’ll talk about materials, setting up the project, and working the first stitches. Then, in subsequent articles, we’ll concentrate on more embroidery ideas and finishing.

How to Embroider a Christmas Ornament
Continue reading “Embroider a Christmas Ornament from your Stash – part 1”

Hand Embroidery Tutorials

December 10, 2014

Try this Embroidery Design Transfer Tip!

 

Before we launch into a “made from stash” Christmas ornament project (which we’ll start tomorrow), let’s look at a quick, easy, and precise way of transferring a simple embroidery design to fabric.

The key words here are precise and simple. This method – which is really a cheater version of prick and pounce – only works quickly if your design is quite simple.

So, simple shapes, simple lines, designs where you just need basic guidelines – that’s where this method of embroidery design transfer will come in handy because it’s quick and precise.

How to Transfer a Simple Embroidery Design
Continue reading “Try this Embroidery Design Transfer Tip!”

Uncategorized

December 9, 2014

What You Can Learn from a Crazy Quilt Square

 

It’s been a while since I’ve featured some embroidery from you, so today, let’s look at someone else’s embroidery project!

Sarah Aldrich recently finished this fantastic crazy quilt square, made from a combination of red fabrics, with embroidery done entirely in white. The result is striking!

Let’s have a look – and let’s see what good lessons Sarah’s red crazy quilt square can teach us.

(You can click on the photos below for larger versions…)

Red Crazy Quilt Square
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Hand Embroidery Patterns

December 8, 2014

Embroider a Christmas Tree!

 

If you’re looking for something Christmassy to embroider, something relatively simple that will work up quickly and look great, you might like this Christmas tree embroidery pattern.

Inspired by a soutache embroidery design from a late 1800’s publication, this particular pattern is especially suitable for tambour embroidery or for couching. If you start from the tip of the tree and follow one line as it twists and turns, you’ll eventually end up back at the tip of tree!

Once you have the tree part embroidered, you can add ornaments to it, too, which doubles the fun!

Below, you’ll find the free Christmas tree embroidery pattern in PDF format, as well as some suggestions for stitching.

Christmas Tree Embroidery Pattern
Continue reading “Embroider a Christmas Tree!”