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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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January 28, 2011

A Visual Feast: Needlepainting Up Close: By Hand, With Silk

 

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Needlepainting – the art of “painting” with a needle and thread – is one of the most complex forms of hand embroidery. Realistic needlepainting is an art mastered by Chinese embroiderers in Suzhou, China. In this region of China, embroiderers create the most amazing masterpieces by hand using tiny silk threads.

I recently had cause to be in contact with Chunhua Mao, the founder of Su Embroidery Studio, and he graciously sent the photos of some of the needlepainted works at his studio that caught my eye. I asked if I could share them with you. You see, if you’re like me, you will be filled with wonder and delight when you see the detail and beauty of these embroidered pieces. To think that they are worked completely by hand with such accurate and perfect detail! It boggles the mind!

Silk Needlepainting - Hand Embroidery in Silk
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January 26, 2011

Brazilian Embroidery Inspiration and Addition!

 

Now and then, I get e-mail inquiries about Brazilian Embroidery – either from newcomers who are looking for learning resources for Brazilian Embroidery or from stitchers looking for supplies.

I was glad to receive an e-mail not long ago from Pat Kamperschroer, who is the newsletter editor for the Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery International Guild (BDEIG). Pat noted that I don’t have Brazilian Embroidery listed under the “Types of Hand Embroidery” section on the website. I suppose it was kind of cheeky of me, but I hinted (or maybe I asked outright!) that if I had some good photos of some Brazilian Embroidery, I could build a permanent page with resources. The last time I did Brazilian Embroidery was about 18 years ago, so I don’t have anything of my own to build a page around. Pat very kindly sent my reply on to some of the others involved in the BDEIG, and thanks to Loretta Holzberger, the treasurer, I now have some samples of Brazilian Embroidery to use to build a permanent page under “Types of Hand Embroidery,” and link it up to some good resources.

Thank you, Pat and Loretta!

Today, I’d like to show off some photos of Loretta’s Brazilian Embroidery and talk a little bit about this type of embroidery. And then later in the week, I’ll build that permanent page and do some linking up!

Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery by Loretta Holzberger
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January 25, 2011

Pomegranate Corners: The Stitching Begins

 

After finally getting Pomegranate Corners framed up and ready, it was time to start stitching. The thread selection for this wool embroidery project has already been discussed, but I’ll make a few clarifications here, for those who wish to follow along.

Now, one thing I should probably mention is that this project will develop a lot like the Crewel Rooster project developed last year. I’m showing it to you “raw” as I go. For new visitors to Needle ‘n Thread, this means that I will make mistakes and change my mind and pick things out and change them and try again – and maybe even again – until I get what I want out of the thread and the stitches. When I show this kind of embroidery project development on the website, you get stuck with the whole darned process! So it won’t be like receiving a kit with perfect instructions in it – instructions that have already gone through the process, have been tested and found successful!

So that’s my disclaimer. It’s sort of like “covering my six,” as my dad-the-pilot would say…. or basically just offering a really lame excuse for showing you my mistakes!

Wool Embroidery Project: Stitching on Pomegranate Corners
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January 24, 2011

Pomegranate Corners Wool Embroidery: Framing Up

 

This past weekend proved to be good and bad. Good, because I was able to devote quite a bit of time to the Pomegranate Corners wool embroidery project. Bad, because everything seemed to go wrong with the project from the outset!

I’m going to show you all the ways I went wrong, starting today with the framing up of the project. Now, despite the “negativity” that you might think accompanies this post, in fact, overall, it was a positive experience. When everything goes wrong, it’s hard to see how the experience can be positive, eh? But really – it was a positive and productive weekend, because once I got going and making all kinds of mistakes, the fire was lit! I was into the project, and determined to make headway.

Pomegranate Corners Wool Embroidery Project: Framing the Embroidery Project
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