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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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March 14, 2011

Cross for Church Linens

 

Amazon Books

This is one of the questions I receive via e-mail quite often, and I figured I may as well put it on the website, just in case there are other stitchers out there wondering the same thing.

How do you embroider the little red cross that is traditionally found on most church altar linens? Normally, this cross is quite small and is actually cross stitched. While it doesn’t have to be cross-stitched, and while it doesn’t have to follow this pattern, this is a typical pattern that is very neat and tidy, tiny, and pretty, and it serves its purpose well.

Cross for Church Linens
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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
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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.

Miniature Embroidery Cluny Tapestry
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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.

Crazy Quilting by Allie Aller
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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.

Free Church Embroidery Pattern: IHS with Grapes & Wheat
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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.

Sulky Iron-On Transfer Pens
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