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
Contact Mary
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
Contact Mary
April 16, 2014
I’ve been working on the two larger, single leaves that hang above the hummingbirds on the Secret Garden embroidery project. It seems as if I’ve been working on those two leaves, in fact, forever!
In fact, I only worked on them in one late afternoon, up to a point where a little mishap stalled me in my tracks.
These are the leaves:
April 15, 2014
With Easter coming up, and with some vague sensation of Spring flitting in and out, teasingly, I have lilies on my mind. And so I thought I’d pass on a free hand hand embroidery pattern featuring the lily.
This is my variation of a design from a very old folio of ecclesiastical embroidery drawings that I was able to purchase last year from a European rare books source. I’ll tell you more about the folio later – it’s an amazing collection of designs, all full-sized, from the first decade of the 1900’s.
My variation of the lily design can definitely be used for secular embroidery. I picture it as a goldwork piece with a touch of silk here and there, but that’s just me.
April 14, 2014
Usually, when I take a piece of embroidery in to be framed, I eagerly anticipate the outcome, generally confident that I’m going to like the end results. For the past ten years, I’ve worked with an excellent framer, whose advice and ideas I’ve come to trust thoroughly.
I didn’t feel too confident when I took the Mission Rose in to be framed. I came home thinking I had made the wrong decision on the frame. And, sad to say, my regular framer moved on to greener pastures…and his replacement seemed a little green.
After dropping the Mission Rose off, I spent a few days second-guessing, and then I put the whole thing out of my mind. I didn’t even think about it again until the phone call came, saying it was ready. And even then, I waited a few days before going to pick it up – which pretty much says everything!
April 12, 2014
The other day, I mentioned I was playing around with Chicken Scratch embroidery, or “gingham lace” embroidery.
The fun thing about embroidery on gingham is that it works up pretty quickly, and with just a few subtle changes, you can have a completely different looking design.
Today, I’ll share a pattern with you and chat about supplies I’m using.
April 11, 2014
Scissors. Yes. Scissors. I know! We talk a lot about scissors here on Needle ‘n Thread. But today, I want to show you these particular scissors because they are pretty incredible.
And I love them! And I love the way they came to reside with me.
You see, they were a gift – a completely out-of-the-blue, surprise gift – and ever since they arrived, I have been enamored with them. I’ve been using them daily.
April 10, 2014
Japanese Embroidery: The Techniques Based on Nuido is the “beginner’s guide” to Japanese embroidery, published by the Japanese Embroidery Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Even if Japanese embroidery isn’t your thing, this is a book that you’ll find very useful. I’ve had the print version for a while, and I’ve learned a lot from it!
The JEC has recently released Japanese Embroidery in a digital version, available at an affordable price. Compared to the $42 price tag for the print version, the digital version is $19. And if you happen to live outside the US, where postage can be prohibitive when ordering books, you can readily see the advantages of a digital edition.
Yesterday, I purchased and downloaded the digital version so that I could give you a balanced review.
April 9, 2014
I’ve written a little bit about gingham embroidery or chicken scratch here on Needle ‘n Thread in the past. It’s not a type of embroidery I dabble in often, but I do think it’s fun!
Gingham embroidery goes by lots of names: gingham lace, chicken scratch, Depression lace, Hoover lace, Amish lace, snowflake lace, broderie suisse (strangely enough, if you look up “broderie suisse,” you’ll find lots of tutorials and photos for gingham embroidery, but if you look up “Swiss Embroidery,” you’ll end up with whitework and other techniques popping up in search engine results) – and probably many other names that I’ve missed.
They all boil down to relatively simple embroidery worked on gingham fabric, and sometimes on plain, two-toned checked fabric.
Happening on a pretty picture of a very springy piece of gingham embroidery worked on a multi-colored gingham linen, I found myself itching to work up something similarly simple and springy, just to dabble for the fun of it.
