March 12, 2011

Wool Embroidery: Re-Thinking the Pomegranates

Ahhhhh. It’s Saturday, and much of today, if I have anything to say about it, will be spent with this wool embroidery project (the Pomegranate Corners) that I’ve been muddling through. It’s true that I’ve been putzing around on it! I’ll share with you my source of consternation on the project, which I think most needleworkers can relate to at some point or another.

So the question is, why the hold-up on this particular work, and how can we get over the walls we build when frustration sets in?

Wool Embroidery Project: Pomegranate Corners

Uncategorized

March 11, 2011

Six Down, Three to Go

Here’s a little update on the miniature embroidery project I’m working on – the “Sense of Hearing” Cluny tapestry, designed for working on silk gauze. I will admit that this past week with grades due and lots of school work to concentrate on, I didn’t work in too many 15 Minute sessions.

Instead, last night I had a therapeutic few hours of stitching with an audiobook and a cup of tea or ten. I told myself I needed the “break,” but in fact, I was really just procrastinating. It was relaxing – a good audio book, peace and quiet, no interruptions, lots of stitching, and finally finishing the 6th section of the piece. Only three more pages of charts to go! Three. More. Pages.

Hand Embroidery Books

March 10, 2011

Book Review: Allie Aller’s Crazy Quilting

If you’ve been reading Needle ‘n Thread for a while, you’ve probably gathered that I’m not a crazy quilter. It’s not that I don’t like crazy quilting – it’s just that I don’t do crazy quilting. My attempts have been … well … half-baked, at best! But I love looking at crazy quilting, and I love watching what other people do with crazy quilting.

One crazy quilter in particular that’s fun to watch is Allison Aller. Allie takes crazy quilting to a level of such richness – in color, in embellishment, in construction – that I often find myself boggled at what she creates!

Allie wrote a book, and it is finally on the shelves and available. So I bought the book, and I thought I’d show it to you.

Uncategorized

March 9, 2011

Free Church Embroidery Pattern: IHS with Grapes & Wheat

Today being Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent, I thought a new church embroidery pattern might be appropriate. The central part of this image is the IHS, but you can actually substitute any symbol in there. On the original design (which I’ve altered a bit), the center image was a chalice. A simple cross would look nice, as would any number of religious symbols.

Hand Embroidery Books

March 8, 2011

Fashioning Fashion: Book Review

Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915 is not a needlework book. But it’s a book that will fascinate serious embroiderers who have an interest in textiles, clothing, and history. Or just in pretty pictures…

Uncategorized

March 7, 2011

Sulky Iron-on Transfer Pens

This past weekend, I had a chance to try out Sulky’s Iron-On Transfer Pens. Readers have sent questions about them for a while, but they’re not something I’ve ever tried before, until this weekend. I could never give an answer beyond “I’ve heard they work ok, but I haven’t tried them.” This is something I wanted to remedy!

Now I’ve tried them. Here’s a little bit on how you’re supposed to use the pens, along with my impressions and some pros and cons while working through a couple transfers using the Little Tulips hand embroidery pattern.

Hand Embroidery Patterns

March 6, 2011

Free Hand Embroidery Pattern: Little Tulips

This is a pattern re-make! I was looking for an embroidery pattern that was small and simple – something suitable for a wee project that’s tumbling around in my head. Something…. simple. Simple lines. Simple shape. Not much to it.

So I started filtering through the embroidery patterns here on Needle ‘n Thread to remind myself exactly what I have on here, and when I came to this Tulips a la Morris pattern, I realized it was exactly what I was looking for – but it was too big, and the lines weren’t quite sharp enough. I drew the older one up when I was tracing patterns with a tablet (which I still do, now and again!) So I revamped the pattern, cleaned up the lines, and shrunk it down to 3″ tall.

Free Hand Embroidery Pattern: Little Tulips

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

Wool Embroidery: Re-Thinking the Pomegranates

Six Down, Three to Go

Book Review: Allie Aller’s Crazy Quilting

Free Church Embroidery Pattern: IHS with Grapes & Wheat

Fashioning Fashion: Book Review

Sulky Iron-on Transfer Pens

Free Hand Embroidery Pattern: Little Tulips

Connect with Mary

How-To Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos