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Mary Corbet

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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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Hand Embroidery Patterns

February 11, 2011

Counted Thread Bird Border

 

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Here’s a remake of a bird border from an old German needlework book, published in the late 1800’s. One of my students came across it in a stack of books I brought into class, and was interested in working it. Unfortunately, the diagram in the book is not really “readable” – it’s small, it’s hand-drawn and it doesn’t photocopy well. So I said I’d play with it to see if I could come up with a cleaner version.

When the pattern was finally finished, I thought the results were worth sharing with you, in case you can find a use for it, too!

Counted Cross Stitch Bird Border
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February 10, 2011

Wool Embroidery: Padded Satin Stitch on the Pomegranate

 

Progress! It’s slow, but it’s something! Yesterday, I had a bit of time to work on the Pomegranate Corners wool embroidery project, and instead of tackling more leaves, I thought I’d brighten up the chilly day by stitching with some red. I moved on to the pomegranate with eagerness. It’s the only element in the whole project that I knew exactly how I wanted to stitch, before the project was even underway.

The design itself sets the pomegranate up as a rather stripped affair, and I want to keep that striped look. So, starting in the middle and working outwards, every other section will be worked with padded satin stitch.

Wool Embroidery Project: Pomegranate Corners with satin stitch
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Hand Embroidery Books

February 8, 2011

Book Review: More William Morris Applique

 

Michele Hill and Country Bumpkin have teamed up again to produce a sequel to Michele’s first William Morris appliqué book: More William Morris Appliqué. Though I’m not a quilter (more from lack of time rather than lack of desire!), I’m a huge Appreciator of Quilts. I love them! And this book has a few things to it that really recommends it to my liking: 1. It’s William Morris-related, with whom I tend to border on obsessed; 2. The subject leans towards a very heavy embroidery influence, and there’s definitely scope for embroidery here; and 3. Wow. There are some Really Beautiful quilting projects in here.

I know that many needleworkers are quilters, too, so I’m going to review More William Morris in Appliqué for those of you who are quilters and might be interested in adding the book to your library, and also for those of you who, like me, like Morris.

More William Morris Applique Book Review
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Uncategorized

February 5, 2011

15 Minute (& more!) Project Update: Micro Stitching on Cluny

 

Just a brief progress report on my current “15 Minute” project, this micro rendition of the Cluny tapestry “Sense of Hearing,” designed by Bobbie Schoonmaker of MicroStitchery.

Update, 2018: While MicroStitchery is still online, they are no longer honoring orders. I have heard from many folks who have placed orders with them, but have never received the orders and had to apply to PayPal for a refund. I’ve tried to contact Joy, the lady who took over the business, but with no luck. Just a word of caution, for those looking for miniature tapestries.

Admittedly, I’ve gotten in a LOT more then just 15 minutes here and there this week – with snow days, sick days and so forth. I didn’t realize how much I actually stitched on this over the past week until I took photos!

Stitching on Silk Gauze: Sense of Hearing Cluny Tapestry
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Uncategorized

February 4, 2011

Threads of Light – A Book Worth Seeing

 

Last week, I had the pleasure of showing you a few samples up close of some gorgeous needlepainting from Su Embroidery. In the comment section of that post, Suzanna beat me to the punch on today’s blog post, which focuses on a book called Threads of Light. If you’re interested in textiles, and especially if you are interested in needlepainting, or the history of textiles in China, or silk embroidery, or the embroidery Suzhou, or photography – or a combination of all of the above – then you may very well find this book right up your alley.

Threads of Light: Book about Suzhou Embroidery
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