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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Product & Process & Product

 

Amazon Books

When you use the right product in a given process you can be assured of a better final product.

Last week, when we spoke about packaging of supplies and looking for needlework tools outside the Needlework Industry Proper, we were looking at buying charcoal powder to use as pounce for transferring embroidery designs.

Today, I’m going to continue in the same line, talking about another type of product that is suitable for embroidery design transfers. At the same time, I’ll answer some questions that came up after last week’s article on charcoal.

I guess what I’m trying to do here is two-fold: 1. to encourage you to look for the needlework tools you need outside of the normal needlework channels, either because they might be overpriced when bought with a “needlework” label or because they might just be impossible to find in the needlework industry of today; 2. to encourage you to at least try a form of embroidery design transfer that may seem to be inconvenient, but in fact, is most gratifying because it is so accurate and because it is a “satisfying” part of the whole embroidery process.

That being said, prick & pounce is a process you have to get used to. But once you get used to it, you may actually end up preferring prick & pounce to any other form of design transfer. The more you do it, the easier it is and the faster you can accomplish your transfer.

On to the product.

Talc for Embroidery Design Transfer
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The Nesting Place – Some Fabulous Finishes!

 

The first round of The Nesting Place – an online class offered here on Needle ‘n Thread through October and involving a darling wool, silk, and linen embroidered needlebook designed by Bobbi Chase – came to an end a little over a week ago. It was a lot of fun! I find myself still checking the classroom forum to see if anyone is still participating. I miss it. It’s kind of like summer camp coming to an end!

If you’ll allow me, I’ll do the Teacher Brag Thing, and show off some of the finished projects worked by the participants in the class.

Nesting Place Crewel Embroidered Needlebook
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Packaging is Everything

 

The art of drawing and the art of hand embroidery cross paths quite often. Designers, for example, draw. They even make it a point to practice drawing and keep sketch journals and so forth. And then there’s the whole question of using drawing pencils and pens for design transfer, right?

But here’s a little tip for you on a drawing supply that can save you quite a bit in your needlework budget.

Pounce Powder
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Subtle Contrast with Stem Stitch: Thread Thickness & Color

 

Yesterday, I was toying with the idea of contrast achieved by using different stitches in an embroidery project. Today, I want to show you an update on my current church embroidery piece, where you’ll see a subtle contrast achieved through changing the thickness of the thread and switching to just a slightly darker shade of color.

Using Stem Stitch as a Filling in Church Embroidery Project
Continue reading “Subtle Contrast with Stem Stitch: Thread Thickness & Color”