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
March 4, 2011
Floche is a non-divisible thread, made up of 5 plies of softly twisted cotton. It’s a beautiful thread which stitches up wonderfully. Floche comes in a gorgeous array of colors, though not as many colors are available in the US as there are available in Europe (haven’t the foggiest reason why – ask DMC!).
Floche, as I mentioned, is non-divisible. You’re meant to stitch with the whole strand, not separating it as you would separate stranded cotton.
March 3, 2011
A buttonhole stitch face-off – it’s a great way to embroider a wide line that is similar to ladder stitch but works up a lot faster. Let me show you what I mean:
March 2, 2011
Time to finish up this interlude on combining fabric, paper, and embroidery to create little gift boxes using the Silhouette cutting machine and fabric interfacing. Day before yesterday, I reviewed the Silhouette, and yesterday, we looked at the first steps in making these small gift boxes out of paper and fabric. Today, we’ll finish those up, add a touch of embroidery, and construct them into boxes.
March 1, 2011
As promised, here’s my write up on how I made this group of small gift boxes out of fabric, paper, and a wee touch of embroidery. You’ll notice I’m using the Silhouette cutting machine that I reviewed yesterday, as well as Silhouette’s Clean Cut fabric interfacing. Lots of photos ahead!
February 28, 2011
Happy Monday! This morning, I’m going to review a paper cutting machine, so if this totally isn’t up your alley, feel free to opt out.
Tomorrow, I’ll be going into details on how I made these fabric and paper gift boxes and decorated them with embroidery stitches, and since the machine was a central player in the project, I figure I better show you what it is, first.
Silhouette actually gave me this machine. I’m not obliged to review it, but I think it is fair to review it, and the fact that they gave it to me doesn’t really change my impression of it. Silhouette is also providing another machine for me to give away to one of you – and that will happen later in March, when the give-away will include some other fabric-related items along with the machine. Well, heck. You don’t get that many perks, reading my blog, so you may as well have the opportunity, right?!
February 27, 2011
Here’s a free hand embroidery pattern for you that can really be used for any type of surface embroidery, but I can see it in silk and gold, working it in such a way to give dimension to the piece by bringing the stylized plant forward from the frame, and then sinking the background even farther back from the frame. It’s hard to explain how I see this, without actually showing the piece already worked.
Needless to say, I haven’t worked it – you’d know if I had!
I’ve been sitting on this pattern for a while, planning on doing something with it before putting it up on the site, but since I’m not moving too quickly on my present projects, you may as well have access to the pattern. If you come up with a brilliant idea for it, let me know!
February 26, 2011
I’ve noticed a Saturday trend here – this seems to be the day that I update my progress on the miniature Cluny tapestry project that I am crawling along on. The 15 Minutes approach works, albeit slowly. And lately, I haven’t had (or haven’t been taking, I’m not sure which!) as many short spurts to devote to this piece.
