As autumn settles over the Northern Hemisphere foreshadowing chillier days to come, my embroiderer’s outlook generally turns to heavier fabrics, wool threads, felt, dense stitching, deeper colors…and crewel embroidery.

To celebrate the arrival of autumn, then, what could be more appropriate than a give-away of a crewel-esque sort of book?

There are embroidery tools that we treasure because they are beautiful and functional, like the scissors we were talking about yesterday.

There are embroidery tools that we treasure because they’re fun and functional! I particularly like my frog button needle minder because it’s fun, or my clip-on scissor pulls because they’re fun and functional.

There are embroidery tools that we treasure because they are rare and unusual. Think: antique etuis, or hard-to-find, unique tambour hooks.

There are embroidery tools that we treasure because they have sentimental value. I can’t count the number of stories I’ve heard over the years about lucky folks who have inherited needlework supplies from a beloved mother, aunt, grandmother…

And then there are those embroidery tools that we treasure purely because they serve a specific purpose. They aren’t necessarily attractive. They might even be a dime a dozen. But hey, they work, and who’s to scoff at that?

Today, I’d like to introduce you to my eraser. I’ve been using it for years and years.

Before I started writing Needle ‘n Thread a little over eight years ago, scissors were just utilitarian tools (primarily, for me, they still are). But over recent years, I’ve morphed into a scissor-noticer – and a buy-them-to-try-them scissor collector. (I know – it’s a tough job. But we do what we must…)

In Nogent, France, there are still scissor artists who make very fine scissors by hand, and each pair is a work of art. These scissors are exquisitely fine, wrought with intricate, decorative handles. They are, from what I’ve heard from those who own them, sharp, delicate, beautiful, and perfectly functional.

Here in the States, The French Needle carries a wide selection of these hand-made masterpieces.

Although I long to touch them and try them, I never have. They are a bit beyond my buy-them-to-try-them budget.

But that’s why I’m bringing the subject up today – I’m really excited about the fact that The French Needle is running a give-away for this pair of embroidery scissors:

It’s been a while since I’ve foraged around online for available old needlework books.

For those who are new to this concept, there are several places online where you can find excellent, old, public domain needlework and embroidery books in PDF format that you can download and save on your computer for personal use.

Many of these old books have really good instructional tips in them. Some have patterns and design ideas. Some are just good reading for their entertainment value! It just depends on what you’re looking for.

A few sources that I like best for old online needlework books: Antique Pattern Library (although I’m having a problem with their downloads recently – they ask for a password, which has never happened before); Online Digital Archive on Weaving, etc., from University of Arizona; Internet Archive; and Project Gutenberg. Those four sources could keep you occupied for a very long time, looking at old needlework and embroidery books!

In the meantime, here are some gems I’ve found lately – I hope they’re not repeats!

Just a quick little offering today – the next four letters in the Daisy & Rings Monogram Alphabet.

I always feel So Accomplished when I can crank out more than two letters at a time! I know, I know, I’m slow!

In any case, for those looking for the next four letters – O, P, Q, and R – here they are!

The other day, I showed you the finished embroidery on the wing and central feathers on the Secret Garden Hummingbirds.

There was one spot in particular that still bugged me – right where the last feather rested above the already embroidered tail section.

Today, I want to show you how just a few stitches can make a subtle difference, transforming a bothersome area to something better.

Despite the proliferation of articles here on Needle ‘n Thread about embroidery design transfer methods, the question of what to use to transfer an embroidery design is still by far my most frequently asked question.

I always know there’s something new going on out there in the embroidery world – a beginner’s class, maybe, or a popular blog post that’s been circulated – when all of a sudden, my inbox is flooded with questions that are about the same subject.

So, today, I’m going to tackle two questions. One represents the repeated questions I’ve been getting lately about Frixion pens, and the other is an isolated question – a very fairly put question about design transfer from a beginner.

Finally, I’m going to ask you to chime in at the end. If you do something different from what’s covered here, and you’ve discovered it’s a no-fail method with certain types of embroidery, tell us about it!