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
June 16, 2011
Yesterday, I showed you some stunning beadwork embroidery worked by Larissa Borodich, and today, I’ll show you another gorgeous piece she did, worked with gold threads and natural freshwater pearls. I’ll also tell you a little bit about Larissa’s technique.
And then…. and then…. later on, I’ll tell you something else. Something incredible about the pieces that I’m showing you… but I want to see if you can guess the last detail!
June 15, 2011
Today, I’m going to share with you some photos that were sent to me by Anna at Talliaferro, who just knew that I would love seeing these pieces.
Prepare to be inspired!
June 14, 2011
Thumbing through the latest issue of Needle Arts Magazine (the EGA’s official quarterly publication), I fell into a reverie on all sorts of subjects related to the needleworker’s dedication to the pursuit of All Things Needle.
The cover started me off:
June 13, 2011
Last week, after reviewing Autopsy of the Montenegrin Stitch: Exhumed by Amy Mitten, we had a little give-away for the book, and today, the winner is announced!
June 12, 2011
In ecclesiastical embroidery – both historical and contemporary – it’s fairly easy to find representations of the Holy Ghost in most collections. The Holy Ghost is symbolically represented as a dove, from Christ’s baptism in Luke 3:22: “And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, as a dove upon him.” As a symbol, the dove evokes certain images – it is gentle, pure, peaceful. Within larger images on historical vestments, you might look at the whole picture and completely miss the dove, but if you look hard enough in Christian figure embroidery on vestments, sure enough, you’ll often find a little dove figured into the needlepainting somewhere.
Lately, I’ve been in touch with several embroiderers out there who have been working on different pieces of ecclesiastical embroidery for Pentecost. A couple sent photos, so I’d like to share them, and I’ll also show you some photos of historical pieces with the Holy Ghost discreetly figured into the embroidery.
June 10, 2011
Tricia Nguyen over on Thistle Threads is doing it again – she’s selling a special little “needlework nibble” to help a cause. For each $18 Tulip Slip Needlework Nibble kit she sells, $10 will be donated to Winterthur Museum to support their textile and needlework exhibition budget. They’ll be running an exhibit called With Cunning Needle: Four Centuries of Embroidery, from September 3, 2011 through January 8, 2012. The more funds they raise to support the exhibit, the more items they will be able to exhibit. RIght now, they’re $5,000 short of their needed budget.
June 9, 2011
Remember the book I reviewed yesterday – Autopsy of the Montenegrin Stitch: Exhumed? Well, thanks to the author Amy Mitten, I’ve got a copy to give away!
If you’ve ever tried to unravel the intricacies of the Montenegrin stitch, especially when it comes to making seamless joins between lines traveling in different directions, then you’ll want this book! Stitchers who enjoy working historical reproduction samplers will find it an immense help, as will anyone who wants to add this beautiful stitch to their repertoire.
