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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A Tale of Two Lotions Specifically Made for Needlework

 

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The other day, we were discussing my blue alien hands that were enrobed in some strange material while I embroidered. Due to the usual wear and tear on the hands from typical household work – not to mention some non-typical work – my hands were having a rough time of it with silk thread.

I received a regular heap o’feedback on the site and via e-mail, with all kinds of suggestions for remedies. Thank you so much for your input and ideas, everyone! Wow – lots of solutions for rough handed stitching! Thank you, thank you. I’ll definitely test some of them.

On the market today, there are several lotions that are made for stitchers. I thought I’d give you my take on two of them, and tell you why I prefer one above the other.

Lotion for Needlework
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Desperate Times, Alien Hands, and Silk Threads

 

Desperate times call for desperate measures – even in the calm and sedate world of hand embroidery.

I have a hand problem. It’s called “Dishes,” which closely akin to that other problem called “Meal Preparation.” Normally, I expect chapped or rough skin on my hands in the winter months, and I prepare for it. But I was taken unawares when this situation creeped up on me last week.

Embroidery Hand Care
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Medallion Progress & Stem Stitch Notes

 

Yesterday, I showed you the frame up on the church embroidery project I’m working on, and as the project unfolds, I’ll show you my progress on it, including tips and techniques that would be useful for all kinds of embroidery, whether church related or not.

So today, let’s look at the start. It isn’t too impressive right now, but there are a few tips here worth sharing.

Marian Church Embroidery Progress: Stem Stitch Filling
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Awl’s Well with the Right Tools

 

Hand embroidery is much easier when you work with the right tools. Today, I’ll illustrate this point by taking you through the rather shoddy set-up of my latest embroidery project.

This is a commissioned piece of church embroidery. I should have started it a month ago, but I offer no excuses beyond the fact that my Subconscious Self had a certain premonition that the set-up would go the way it did.

Church Embroidery Marian Medallion
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Free Hand Embroidery Pattern for Fall: Scarecrow ‘n Pumpkins

 

When my niece asked me to draw her a scarecrow, I really wasn’t thinking in terms of hand embroidery (incredibly enough). But this is what we concocted, and I thought I’d pass it on to you, in case you’re looking for something cutesy and fallish to embroider. Maybe if not for you, for the kids – and if nothing else, it can always be a coloring page, right?

Hand Embroidery Pattern: Scarecrow 'n Pumpkins
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