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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Free Hand Embroidery Pattern: Perfect Pillow Top

 

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This hand embroidery pattern available for free download would make a perfect decorative pillow top. I’ve only embroidered two pillows in my life – one was all satin stitch, in a very ornate entwined knotwork design, worked in silk on white linen with a royal blue velvet pillow back, finished with hand-made cording and tassels. And I still think it’s one of the prettiest projects I’ve ever stitched. I made it as a gift. Where it is now, I have no idea! The other pillow top was not quite as successful – in fact, I think it was a dismal failure. Unfortunately, I know where that one is!

So every time I clean up a design that looks like a perfect pillow top, it reminds me of those two pillows. Both of them were pleasurable to stitch, despite their varied outcomes. I’m convinced that a beautiful hand embroidered decorative pillow in the home is the perfect accent. Someday, I’ll make another one.

In the meantime, I’ll share this pattern with you. I think it’s a neat one – and you can probably find other uses for it, too!

Free Hand Embroidery Pattern: Perfect Pillow Top
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Goldwork & Silk Tudor-Style Rose: The Finish

 

This is the 7th and final part to this series of tutorials on the Goldwork & Silk Tudor-style Rose project. If you’re just joining in on this series, you’ll find the index of all the previous stages of this embroidery project listed under Tips & Techniques, in the first section titled Hand Embroidery Lessons & Step-by-Step Projects.

Let’s look at the last step of the project, which involves outlining the inner circle of the flower with pearl purl and filling inside of the circle with Gilt Wire Check #10, which is a check purl in a fairly small size. I’ve already covered today’s particular goldwork techniques elsewhere on Needle ‘n Thread, so we’ll look at them briefly here, with links to other articles if you wish to read further.

Goldwork & Silk Tudor-Style Rose
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Needlework Sneak Peek! Online Class Project

 

I’ve been working behind the scenes on this little project and having so much fun with it, that I just can’t wait any longer to show you at least some of it! Hopefully, I’m not ruining the “unveiling” of the whole. I’m willing to take the risk, though – I just love this project! And I hope you will, too!

The Nesting Place is a beautiful little crewel needlebook designed by renowned needlework artist and designer, Bobbi Chase. It’s darling. It’s exquisitely detailed. And it’s beautifully finished.

The Nesting Place Crewel Needlebook
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Early 20th Century Embroidery Techniques: Book Review

 

I wasn’t going to buy this book. As much as I like Gail Marsh’s previous books – 18th Century Embroidery Techniques and 19th Century Embroidery Techniques – her latest book, Early 20th Century Embroidery Techniques, sort of fell off the radar. I didn’t think it would interest me that much.

But on a whim one day, I ordered the book, and then I duly forgot about it. When it arrived in the post, I set it aside for a day. I barely even looked at it. And then …. then it happened! I picked it up, and I started reading it….

Early 20th Century Embroidery Techniques Book Review
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