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
December 3, 2011
Much like the Elizabethan Twist goldwork thread that meanders over the flat silk on the background on my Medallion project, this morning’s article is a bit of a long and winding journey.
To start with, I’ll show you an intermediate step in the journey, and then go back and talk a little bit about how I got there.
December 2, 2011
If you read my review of Carolyn Pearce’s new book, Home Sweet Home: An Embroidered Workbox, and you decided you just must have a copy, well – you’re in luck! Today, courtesy of Country Bumpkin, I’m giving away a copy of the book to TWO lucky winners!
And, on the even brighter side of things, I’ve got the books in my possession, so as soon as the give-away is over, if you win, your copy will be on its way to you, and you’ll have it possibly before it’s even available in stores. In the long-run, this doesn’t mean a lot, but if you’re super-eager to see it, this might be a good way to get your copy post-haste!
December 1, 2011
Sarah Homfray is the author of the Royal School of Needlework’s stitch guide on Silk Shading. (That’s a link to my review.) It’s a nice little reference book to add to your library.
Sarah Homfray’s website has some good stuff on it for embroiderers, especially if you’re located in the UK. I mentioned her pounce kits earlier, but there are plenty of other little treasures there, too. (I especially like the look of her little chunks of beeswax with the bees & honeycomb!) She also has a blog, where she occasionally posts instructional information and other insights into her work.
November 30, 2011
Despite the orneriness of pseudo-suede when used as a ground fabric for hand embroidery, I did manage to put some stitches in on the Blue Suede Snowflake project, using white (“blanc”) Soie de Paris.
I’m still unsure about this whole thing. But this is what I’ve got for you so far:
November 29, 2011
Embroidered boxes fascinate me. And I suppose this isn’t a unique fascination – plenty of other people have been fascinated by the embroidered box over the centuries!
Carolyn Pearce, in her new book titled Home Sweet Home: An Embroidered Workbox, creates a charming embroidered workbox that is not only lovely to behold, but functional (and fun!) as well. Today, I’d like to show you the book and share my impressions of it with you. If you love embellishment, embroidered boxes, and enticing needlework accessories, I think you’re going to like this book!
November 28, 2011
At long last, here’s my first “e-book” collection of church embroidery patterns!
For those of you interested in ecclesiastical embroidery, I hope you find it of interest.
November 26, 2011
The snowflake project I’m working on right now is really a test project in a number of ways:
First, I want to try this silver real-metal thread.
Second, I want to feel out the difficulties of stitching on a “suede” fabric (synthetic suede).
Third, I want to test my sanity: what will happen to my mental state if I add another project to the queue?
