About

Mary Corbet

writer and founder

 

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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From Hand Embroidery Stitches to Small Businesses

 

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Today begins a series of articles here on Needle ‘n Thread about your embroidery.

Last week, I asked for photo contributions from the Needle ‘n Thread community, highlighting your own embroidery projects that were influenced in some way by the content provided on Needle ‘n Thread.

Well, I received a glorious influx of email – much too much to include in one article – with fabulous photos of all kinds of embroidery projects.

Oh, happy day! I knew I could count on you!

Since I’m taking some time off to do a little necessary traveling (as in, unavoidable), it’s a perfect time to share some embroidery from other people with you. Over the next couple weeks, intertwined with regular articles, we’ll be looking at embroidery projects from all over the world, which I hope will further inspire you in your own needlework pursuits.

To start, I want to share embroidery from two gals who, learning various stitches through tutorials here on Needle ‘n Thread, have been able to start or advance their own small businesses with embroidery-related offerings.

Embroidered Tea Cup Sampler
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A Call for Embroidery Project Photo Contributions!

 

Here on Needle ‘n Thread, I post a lot of hand embroidery patterns, hand embroidery tutorials – stitch instructions and so forth – and hand embroidery projects developed step-by-step.

Sometimes, I feel like I’m posting these things into The Void – they go out there, but do they ever really get used?

In the upcoming weeks, I’ll be featuring some readers’ embroidery projects, and I thought it might be fun to expand the selection a little bit by calling for some photo contributions of your embroidery projects that have developed from things you’ve learned or used from Needle ‘n Thread.

Read on, to see how you can contribute!

Stitch Fun Series on Needle 'n Thread
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Six Embroidered Flowers, One Embroidery Stitch Alteration

 

Here’s a quick update on the Secret Garden embroidery project, wherein you will see that six embroidered flowers are complete, and I’ve made one stitch alteration.

I’d also like to share a some embroidery advice for those who have expressed some concern about their embroidery. It’s just a tiny bit of advice for any embroiderer – beginner and beyond – whether working on this project or not.

So, first up:

Six Embroidered Flowers, One Stitch Alteration
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Delicate Whitework Embroidery of an Appenzell-ish Type

 

I love whitework embroidery. I love vintage and antique linens.

And, in my mind, the perfect marriage of both of these can be found in delicate whitework handkerchiefs of old.

And so, now and then, I’ll pick one up from antique dealers, estate auctions, and the like.

I’m not an avid collector. But, occasionally, I will treat myself to a vintage or antique embroidered handkerchief if there is something about it that appeals to me, if there’s something I can learn from it, and if the price is reasonable.

This particular handkerchief that I’m going to show you today fell into all of the above categories – I like the design, I can learn something from it, and since I was the only person bidding on it, it was reasonably priced.

Whitework Embroidery on Antique Embroidered Handkerchief
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Tambour Embroidery Book: Le Point de Beauvais – Review

 

Remember when we delved into tambour embroidery for a brief spell at the end of last year?

Well, I haven’t dropped the subject entirely. I’m going to revisit it one of these days – and in the meantime, I’ve been doing some reading, practicing, studying, exploring…

Along the way, I met up with another tambour embroidery book that I think is very worthwhile to have in your collection, if you’re keen on tambour work.

While I still prefer Yusai Fukuyama’s book Tambour Work overall, this particular book, called Le Point de Beauvais by Mick Fouriscot and Pascale Duchénoy, offers some particular reasons for particularly liking it!

Le Point de Beauvais Book Review
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Washing Old Cotton Embroidery Threads

 

Last week, we discussed using old embroidery threads on hand embroidery projects. I proposed that using very old threads that have not enjoyed decent storage conditions and that are showing serious signs of age (brittle, thin, victims of Thread Rot) are not worth using on embroidery project.

Today, I’ll explain what I do to wash old cotton embroidery threads to see if they can be returned to The State of Usability. It’s really just common sense – but for those who are shy about handling threads, maybe this will encourage you!

Washing Old Hand Embroidery Threads
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