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
Contact Mary
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
Contact Mary
February 13, 2012
This book review has been a Long Time Coming! I’ve had the book for a while – sent to me by a friend – and while my plan was ever to review it for you all, I felt I couldn’t do a review justice by a cursory reading of the book. Finally, I have read it from cover to cover, and I feel (somewhat) confident in writing a review.
February 11, 2012
Yesterday, nary a stitch was stitched on the Medallion Project! So much for the Weekly Deadline! What does this mean? Simply that next week, I’m going to have to double-time it. I suppose we shall see what happens!
In the meantime, here’s the update, and some answers to some questions that have arisen:
February 10, 2012
Tanja Berlin’s got something fun going on on her website, and if you love blackwork (or even if you love the idea of it, but haven’t tried it yet), you might want to take a look!
February 9, 2012
If you haven’t visited the website of the Royal School of Needlework lately, you should! The RSN is located in London, at Hampton Court. The institution has an interesting and unique history (book review coming up on the subject…), and has been a huge source of influence on the development and continuation of the needle arts in the past hundred years.
February 8, 2012
Welp, I managed to make a smidgeon of progress on the Medallion Project – and when I say smidgeon, I mean smidgeon!
One fleur de lis on the side of the monogram in the Medallion Project is finished. The fleurs de lis are embroidered in all four shades of blue that I’m using on this project. Unlike the rest of the monogram, they aren’t padded with felt, but they are worked in long and short stitch.
February 7, 2012
This morning, I thought it would be nice to slow down a bit and just look at some beautiful pieces of embroidery. To that end, I’m going to share with you some needle painting embroidery projects worked by Margaret Cobleigh.
Margaret’s the gal who will be teaching needle painting class here on Needle ‘n Thread in March. She’s one of those stitchers who has perfected her needle painting skills by adopting and adapting the techniques of good teachers, and then agglomerating them all into her own style, in her own projects.
These are some of the projects Margaret has stitched over the years. You’ll recognize a good many of them, as many are (or have been) available in kit form from teachers such as Trish Burr and Tanja Berlin.
February 6, 2012
Last time we looked at the Medallion project, I was venturing into the monogram area, working long & short stitch filling over felt. At the time, I saw long & short stitch as a good answer to the whole “filling the monogram” question – it provides a solid fill relatively quickly and it’s a fairly forgiving stitch.
I don’t regret the decision to go with long & short stitch at all. But one thing I didn’t bargain for was the fact that stitching that many stitches through felt and linen and backing fabric can be pretty painful – and I’ve got the holes in my thumb and finger to prove it!
So far, I’m pretty happy with the outcome and eager to get the central monogram in the design finished.
