We seldom talk about it. We usually don’t show it off. But it’s always there. And sometimes, it’s interesting and educational to look at it.

It’s the Backside of Hand Embroidery.

It’s been a long, long time since I posted any free hand embroidery patterns on Needle ‘n Thread! But the other day I came across this sweet little single flower in an old embroidery journal that was crumbling in my hands as I opened it, and I salvaged the pattern by tracing it. Then I dumped it onto the computer to make a clean line drawing of it, and today, I’m giving it to you!

Let me show you the little design and then tell you why it caught my eye.

After examining the 19th century embroidered panel up close, my next step: preserving the design. Before I could make a good tracing of the design, I had to remove some of the loose metal threads.

Yesterday, we looked at the setting for this 19th century embroidered rose. Today, you get to see the rose!

There are some types of embroidery that I’m just drawn to, like the proverbial moth-to-flame scenario. This particular piece of 19th century ecclesiastical embroidery is one of those pieces that twitterpates me.

Who won the RSN Essential Stitch Guide for Whitework?! Well, well, well… that’s what we’re here to find out!

I’ve slipped another Stitch Printable into my practically-empty little shop here on Needle ‘n Thread, in case you’re looking for a couple new stitches to learn and something fun to create over the weekend!

Stitch Printables: Cast-On Stitch and Double Cast-On Stitch covers how to make the cast-on and double cast-on stitches and four flowers using them. The cast-on and the double cast-on stitch are both dimensional embroidery stitches, used often in Brazilian embroidery and in stumpwork.

I thought I’d show you what’s in the Printable, to try to entice you. Heh heh.