November 16, 2013
Tambour Embroidery: Index
Looking for past articles on Tambour Embroidery here on Needle ‘n Thread, all conveniently located in one place?
Here’s the list so far!
November 15, 2013
Needlework Tool Caddy – Winner Announced!
Good morning, peeps! It’s a lovely Friday here in Kansas – cold, but warming up later today. The sun will shortly be rising, the kids will shortly be walking past on their way to school, I will shortly be doing some needful chores, and shortly, the weekend will be upon us.
I’m not sure why, but Friday always seems to be the shortest day of the week. It’s the day I want to savor. But there’s never a chance. It flies by – and the next thing I know, bam-o! It’s Monday again.
Today – the 15th – is the day I sit down and work out wonderful things for Needle ‘n Thread. I brainstorm article ideas. I sketch in a publishing calendar for the next month. I write up lists of things to do and prioritize them. I see if I have all the supplies I need to accomplish what I need to accomplish in the next month, and if not, I order them. It’s the mid-month prep for the next month (and sometimes, beyond.) And I love doing it.
Which brings me to the point that Christmas is coming – I’ll be preparing my To Do Calendar around that fact today – and if you didn’t win today’s give-away, you should definitely put one of these beautiful and exceedingly handy tool caddies on your Christmas list! I’ve grown really fond of mine. It’s a terrific tool for any workspace, but especially if you have a tight workspace. It keeps a lot of tools together in one neat space, and it does it while lookin’ good.
Rarely do I look good when I’m being serviceable, but it’s nice to see that my tool caddy can manage it!
November 14, 2013
Tambour Embroidered Flower: Finished & Materials List
All the waste knots cut, all the threads secured – ’tis the finish of this second practice piece on my quest to learn how to wield a tambour hook with accuracy, (relative) speed, and ease.
When working with the tambour needle – and really, when working in any embroidery technique – practice is essential if you want to be perfectly comfortable with the tools, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.
I prefer practicing on a particular design, rather than in random blobs, rows, and patches. When practicing on a design, there’s that whole Sense-of-Accomplishment Thing going on, you know?
Keep in mind that this project was a practice piece. There wasn’t much planning that went into it. With a little tweaking in shades and placement of colors in the design, I think the finished piece could be much improved. But here it is, anyway, for what it’s worth!
November 13, 2013
Couching Thread for Goldwork
Whenever I’m in the middle of a goldwork project (the current one being the Mission Rose), there’s a fair certitude that one question will slip into the inbox at least ten times. It is this:
What thread are you using for couching the goldwork?
Although I usually mention it within articles on the different goldwork techniques, I’ve never written an article devoted entirely to The Couching Threads.
But you know, they deserve their moment in the limelight. They have an arduous task and they work hard to get it done. So they are, in fact, Important. Essential. Critical, even!
Today, I’ll show you exactly which ones I use and tell you why.
And, with an article devoted just to these indispensable little spools, from now on, I can just send a link when anyone asks.
(I’m lazy that way.)
November 12, 2013
Tambour Embroidery: Learning Odds & Ends
After I finished Gertie, my first filling experiment with tambour embroidery, I immediately set up another project to keep me going through my practice regime.
With the next project, I wanted to work with shades of color and filling odd shapes. I picked another one of the free hand embroidery patterns here on Needle ‘n Thread – this sprouting floral drawing – and selected colors of coton a broder 25 to use for the embroidery.
While working through this practice piece a little bit each day, I’ve learned a few more bits about tambour embroidery, which I thought I’d share with you.
November 11, 2013
The Embroiderer’s Dream Vacation… Come Dream With Me!
It’s a dream vacation for any embroiderer: surrounded by embroideries rich in history and beauty, tutored by specialists and professionals, pampered in comfortable accommodations, shopping quaint English and Scottish high streets, exploring castles and manor houses, rubbing elbows with lords and ladies.
Silk. Goldwork. Crewel Embroidery.
Castles. Country gardens. Cathedrals.
Tea. Scones. Shops. Sumptuous meals.
Perhaps even a pub or two on the sly….
Ahhhh… come dream with me!
November 9, 2013
Magnificent Embroidery on Display in Cleveland (& back to normal!)
A heads-up for those of you who live in the Cleveland area, or who will be passing through Cleveland anytime soon.
There’s a magnificent piece of 15th century embroidery on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
It’s a stunning example of split stitch shading, Or Nué, sculptured goldwork, and silk embroidery.
Thanks to Susan, a reader here on Needle ‘n Thread, who recently visited the CMA, and shared some images!
