September 16, 2014
Stitch Fun! Bullion Stem Stitch
What do you get when you cross bullion knots with stem stitches?
Right. There’s no punch line!
It’s kind of obvious – you get a stem stitch line made with bullion knots.
It looks like this:
September 15, 2014
Monogrammed Needle Keeper in Wood
This weekend, I was rummaging through the workroom, taking photos of needlework tools and accessories that I have, but have never shown you. This was while I was supposed to be cleaning up.
I never quite got around to cleaning up.
Once upon a time, I was a bare-bones stitcher. I didn’t have tools and accessories, beyond the very basics. But one thing I noticed while writing about embroidery here on Needle ‘n Thread is that needleworkers of every ilk and every persuasion of needlework just love their accessories and tools.
So I started noticing accessories and tools. Can you guess what happened?
Now, I love discovering unique needlework-related tools and accessories – the kind that you don’t see everywhere. The kind that are hand-made. Personalized. Interesting. Little lovely things that make stitching easier or simply more pleasurable.
So today, I thought I’d show you this particularly neat little gadget that’s new to me. I’ve seen plenty of magnetic needle keepers out there – especially the kind that rest on your fabric – but I’ve never seen one quite like this! I love it!
September 12, 2014
Tool Talk: If You Had but One Pair of Scissors…
Do you have but one pair of embroidery scissors? I know many embroiderers who do – one pair of scissors, exclusively for embroidery, that they cherish, protect, and defend with their lives.
I used to have one pair of embroidery scissors that I used exclusively for surface embroidery. For goldwork and wire, I had a pair of snippers that eventually died the death.
But that was before I started Needle ‘n Thread. I’m not sure what happened, but over the past many years, I’ve accumulated a few pair. I blame it on the blog.
Off the top of my head, I couldn’t even guess how many pairs of embroidery scissors I have right now.
But I can tell you this: embroidery scissors are not all created equal.
September 11, 2014
Secret Garden: The Wing is Finished (ish)!
Just a wee update on the Secret Garden embroidery project, for those who are following along.
And for those who are just joining up here on Needle ‘n Thread (a big welcome to new subscribers!), a little background information. This particular embroidery project came about when I discovered Johanna Basford’s book, Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt & Coloring Book, which I reviewed last year as a source for embroidery inspiration.
I contacted the author and squared away permission to stitch the project and show the development of it here on my website – the only caveat is that I can’t share the design with you. If you want it, you’ll find it in Johanna’s book, along with other delightful drawings that could translate well into embroidery.
For those who aren’t that keen on the project itself (you might be thinking, I would never embroider that!), I try to incorporate little tips, ideas, all the mistakes and their fixes, into the articles as the project develops, so that everyone can learn at least something from the project, whether you’re ever going to embroider it or not.
I love to get reader feedback through suggestions, comments, and questions, which can be found at the end of any article on Needle ‘n Thread. The collective needlework community here on Needle ‘n Thread is a great resource for inspiration, ideas, guidance. Since embroidery is never a matter of “only one way” to do things, it’s great to have so much input from such a knowledgeable, enthusiastic community.
All the articles relating to the project are listed in chronological order in the Secret Garden Hummingbirds Project Index, which is found under Tips & Techniques in the main menu on Needle ‘n Thread, where you can find many other hand embroidery lessons & step by step projects.
And now, I’ll quit my burbling here and get on with the update!
September 10, 2014
Monograms for Hand Embroidery: M, N – Daisy & Rings
If you haven’t guessed it yet, I’m a sucker for monograms.
I assert, here and now, for the world to know, that I love monograms!
But the other day, I had an interesting conversation about them with a pal. The conversation made me re-evaluate my relationship with monograms – it hasn’t decreased my love of them, mind you, but it set me thinking…
September 9, 2014
Secret Garden: Embroidering Feathers!
Do you ever get really stuck into your embroidery, completely engrossed in it, with the absolute certitude that you will not only reach your daily goal but surpass it, everything just ticking along exactly as you wanted it….when suddenly….
…suddenly…
…out of nowhere… the phone rings, the unexpected happens, some sort of interruption comes? They’re not necessarily bad interruptions – but they are interruptions.
This happens to me a lot. And it’s always when I’m the most settled, the most determined, the most engrossed, and the most certain that I’m actually getting somewhere.
In particular, it happened the other day when I was working on the hummingbird feathers on the Secret Garden project. And I was so sad to leave them! I was having such fun!
September 8, 2014
Needlework News Snips
I’ve been saving some little needlework news snippets for a while, so today, I think I’ll share part of the list with you. Kick back and join me for a cup of coffee!
First, some delectable eye candy!
