May 1, 2013
Underestimating Brown – and Antique Silk Floss
I tend to underestimate brown. When considering colors for an embroidery project, it’s never one of the first colors I think of.
April 30, 2013
Hungarian Redwork Runner – Halfway! and Beyond!
This Hungarian Redwork Runner project is really quite enjoyable.
I know! I know! It looks like it would be monotonous! I thought that by now, I’d be bored with it and barely pushing myself to pick it up occasionally. But in fact, I love sneaking 15 Minutes here and there to work on it. And because it’s easy to transport, I can grab it and take it with me hither and yon, when venturing out.
It’s proved to be a nice little companion.
April 29, 2013
Mission Rose: Leaf 1 and Leaf 2 and Dr. Seuss
For some reason, the Mission Rose has adopted a Dr. Seuss personality in my mind. I find myself equating the two leaves with Thing 1 and Thing 2.
There is something rather Dr. Suess-ish in their shape – if you took them alone, out of the project. Think of the hands or the hair of a Dr. Seuss character, and you’ll see what I mean!
April 26, 2013
Clamping Down on Needlework, or Substitutions for a Needlework Stand
“Hands-free embroidery” (or needlework) is a term often used to describe a situation wherein needlework frames or hoops are held by a stand of some sort – a device that holds the frame or hoop so that your hands don’t have to.
When talking about hand embroidery, I always chuckle when I hear that term (“hands-free embroidery”) to describe using a stand. I find it a bit oxymoronic. But maybe that’s just me…
In any case, there’s nothing as wonderful as a needlework stand, whether it’s a floor stand, a table stand of some sort, a lap stand, or any other device that can hold your hoop or frame for you, so you don’t have to. It frees up both hands so that you can use both hands to do your work.
For techniques like goldwork and many types of silk embroidery, a stand is really essential because you need two hands for much of the work. But even for other embroidery techniques, a stand is so helpful – it allows you to work faster, with more ease and and with more precision. French knots and bullion knots when you don’t have to hold the hoop? So much easier!
I have two stands that I really love, both for different reasons – the Necessaire stand from Needle Necessities and the Needlework System 4 stand, and both of which I’ve reviewed here on Needle ‘n Thread.
So you might wonder why I’m doing this:
April 25, 2013
Mission Rose: Embroidering a Large Leaf
Oh, goodie gumdrops!! I’ve been waiting all week to write this article for you!
All the preliminary work that goes into setting up an embroidery project for stitching is certainly necessary, but it’s not exactly Thrillsville, if you know what I mean.
I’ve learned to like the set-up process, but it is ever eclipsed by the anticipation of those first stitches.
Often, for me, the first bit of stitching tells me if the project is going to click. Will I like it? Will the colors work? Is the fabric right? Normally, these questions are answered with the first foray into stitching.
On the Mission Rose project, I decided to start with the large leaves on the rose. Perhaps it would have made more sense to begin with the stem, since, perspective-wise, it is the element in the design that is farthest back or underneath everything else. But I wanted to work the leaves first because I wasn’t quite sure about my choices of greens. Working a leaf would settle any doubts.
Were my doubts settled? Well, let’s work through the leaf and see!
April 24, 2013
Random Stitches + Random Color = Brain Juice
This lattice work sampler – where I’m using a bunch of different lattice stitch fillings and other techniques from the Stitch Fun series – is turning into seriously random embroidery chaos.
But it’s fun, and it’s also serving a tremendously useful purpose for me. Let me explain…
April 23, 2013
Carrickmacross Lace Sampler & Curved Scissors – Winner Announced!
Aha! We have a winner! Yes, one lucky one of you will receive in the mail this Carrickmacross Lace Sampler Kit by Tanja Berlin, along with a handy-dandy pair of nice, sharp, curved-blade scissors, perfect for doing this kind of work.
