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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Fire & Thread: What’s a Burn Test?

 

Amazon Books

Have you ever come across a stray piece of fabric or an labeled skein or spool of thread and wondered what type of fabric or thread it was?

Sometimes, you can know just by looking. But sometimes you can’t. Especially if blends are involved, discerning a type of thread or fabric can be tricky.

To help me figure out what an unlabeled or thread might be made of, I usually resort to a burn test. A burn test involves igniting fibers to see how they burn and behave. This is something you can do at home with a few simply tools.

The more you burn test different fibers, the more you’ll get a better notion of what to look for in the burn, the ash, and the smell, to help you discern particular fiber content.

Burn test for threads and fabric
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Embroidered Writing – My Favorite Stitches for It

 

It’s happening again!

I’m getting lots of emails lately about embroidered writing – which has me thinking that there’s either a big project going on out there somewhere involving embroidered text, or embroidering hand-written text is becoming trendy again on the social media waves.

I always know Something is Up out there somewhere, when I get an influx of email asking basically the same questions. Sometimes, it happens with particular stitches that are featured in sped-up reels that are hard to follow; sometimes, it’s a technique that’s being used in a kit that’s gone viral. Or sometimes, it’s just something that’s become trendy again.

In this case, I’ve had quite a few questions about embroidering hand writing.

I wrote this series of tutorials for embroidering lettering and handwriting eons ago, but that series doesn’t include my now-favorite stitch for this type of embroidery, so if you’re interested in embroidering handwriting or text, I’ll point you to some tutorials below.

Quaker Stitch for embroidering handwriting
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Wool Threads to Play With!

 

Lately, I’ve been chomping at the bit to finish the project I’m working on so that I can start playing with some new threads!!

New Threads!

Hurray for New Threads!

I tend to go a bit batty over needlework threads in general – they’re my One Weakness (among oh-so-many other weaknesses), and when I get some, they consume my thoughts.

So, while I’m finishing up one project, my mind is gurgling over with plans for playing with two different types of wool thread that have come my way.

I’ll be working with them both in depth, soon.

New Wool Threads to Play With
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Beads, Glorious Beads!

 

Anna and I went bead shopping. It was not as much of an adventure as I would have liked, simply because there are so few bead stores within driving distance here in Kansas.

In fact, for the type of beads we were looking for, there are only a couple. We picked the most promising of the two, and hit the road early in the morning.

Now, I know most people would think, “Yay! An opportunity for a day out shopping! Hurray!”

No, no! We were women on a mission, focused and determined. We were finished and on our way back home pretty quickly.

Bead testing
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More Bullions & Home Stitching

 

During the Great Freeze of Aught 24 (Music Man reference – do you get it?), and since I was sick anyway, I worked on a few things from home.

I discovered there’s a big disadvantage to working on arts, hobbies, and crafts at home when you normally work away from home in a separate studio. When you have a dedicated space, you’re used to having all your tools and paraphernalia – and all your extra tools and paraphernalia, including the ones you didn’t know you needed – on hand.

For example, I don’t have a decent camera at home, or a laying tool, or a good ruler, a functional drawing pencil, or even, to my great chagrin, the thing I wanted most – a stand to hold my embroidery hoop.

Despite the drawbacks, I did have fabric, embroidery floss, needles, a hoop, scissors, and a good light, so I was able to continue some test stitching on my little bullion piece that I mentioned here last week.

Bullion knot flowers
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Encyclopedia of Monograms – a Nice Resource for Embroiderers!

 

Greetings from a rather chilly Kansas. Good grief! It’s really winter!

To warm up your winter days – or cool down your summer ones, depending on where you are – I thought I’d share a nice little online resource for embroiderers who are interested in working with monograms.

Monograms are such a wonderful subject for embroidery. They are a decorative way of personalizing linens and the like, marking them distinctly and uniquely as your own.

A monogram that’s well-embroidered is a very personal thing of beauty!

Encyclopedia of Monograms
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