June 27, 2013
Mission Rose: The Bud
The last bit of silk embroidery on the Mission Rose project is finished! At least, I think that’s the last … Continue reading Mission Rose: The Bud
June 26, 2013
Stitch Fun? Or Maybe Knot! Turk’s Head Knot Stitch
The Turk’s Head Knot is often seen in knot-making and other cord and rope techniques, but it’s also an embroidery stitch.
As an embroidery stitch, the Turk’s Head Knot creates an intertwined knot that sits up, plump and round, on the fabric. It can be used in place of French knots and colonial knots for a little more texture. Like the French knot and colonial knot, it can be used singly, as an isolated stitch, or it can be grouped together in clusters or used as highly textured filling.
The thing is, it’s a tricky stitch. It’s definitely knot the easiest knot in the book!
June 25, 2013
DMC Diamant – Winner Announced! (and more thread talk)
Thanks to one and all who left comments on the give-away for the complete set of DMC Diamant metallic embroidery threads!
Reading through your comments was fabulously enlightening. To hear how people stitch with metallic threads, what their thoughts are about metallic threads, how they overcome the frustrations of working with metallic embroidery threads… this was all good stuff to read!
If you happen to be a stitcher who wants advice on using metallics, read through the comments on the DMC Diamant give-away article. There’s a bunch of good info in there!
June 24, 2013
DMC Coton a Broder 25 (Art. 107): On Choosing Colors
There are lots of stitchers out there right now stitching (or preparing to stitch) the Lattice Jumble Sampler from the Sampler Guide that was published a couple weeks ago here on Needle ‘n Thread.
On the Lattice Jumble Sampler, I used coton a broder #25 exclusively. But I used it in a very haphazard manner, this thread here, that thread there, pulling colors from my stash without any definite plan to the colors and their placement. (It was a very random sampler!)
If you want to plan colors for a stitch sampler like the Lattice Jumble, then you might be a little distraught over how to select colors without access to coton a broder at a local shop.
Of course, if you can purchase specialty threads in person, you’re a lucky duck! But if you can’t, and you have to resort to online purchasing (which is the case for most of us!), then what to do? What to do? Most websites only list color numbers and maybe the descriptive color name.
Enter, the color card.
And a little comparative research.
June 21, 2013
Mission Rose: Finished Stem & Beginning Bud
Just a brief update on the Mission Rose project. The stem is finished, and the bud is underway and will be finished this weekend.
Then, I’ll be experimenting with some fabric for some appliqué work on the piece. Can’t wait to get to that point!
June 20, 2013
DMC Diamant – A Give-Away!
Today’s a good day for a give-away, don’t you think? As Winnie-the-Pooh would say, “I think so.”
Well, today, courtesy of Cathe at Needle in a Haystack, I’m giving away a whole set of DMC Diamant.
June 19, 2013
Misson Rose: The Stem
Last time we looked at the Mission Rose project, I was musing over threads and colors for the stem, which really should be called more of a branch. Perhaps even a trunk…
Keep in mind that this is a stylized rose. That is, it’s not a natural representation of a rose. It does not look like a rose that we would find in nature, and yet, there are characteristics of it that correspond to the rose, and so, it is a rose, but it is a stylized rose.
My job job here is not really to make it look like a real rose. If that were the case, the rose itself would be vastly different, and – oh! – those Dr. Seuss “mitts” that are supposed to be leaves would have been eliminated from the start.
All that, by way of making excuses for the brown branch.
