January 5, 2011
S-Twisted vs. Z-Twisted Embroidery Threads
Have you ever looked closely at the twist on your embroidery floss?
January 4, 2011
Free Hand Embroidery Pattern: Pomegranate Corners
How about a free hand embroidery pattern for today? This is a variation on a design – meant for cutwork or Battenburg lace – from an old Herrschner’s catalog. I have a collection of four of these old catalogs – one from the early 1920’s, one from the early 1940’s, a “supplement” from the 1940’s, and the better-known edition from 1907, which is also available online at Antique Pattern Library.
These catalogs are gems. Much like the Thomas Brown & Son catalog from the turn of last century which features embroidery patterns for ecclesiastical needlework, the catalogs have small line drawings that provide a wealth of inspiration from the past for embroidery in the present.
Take, for example, this design:
January 3, 2011
Give-Away Winner!
Wow! Lots of good response on last week’s give-away question: what’s your favorite needlework accessory or tool, or what type of needlework accessory or tool would you like to have… and why? (Don’t you just love the “Why” question? It’s a teacher-thing!)
The most popular answer was probably scissors, and after that, a good craft light, then embroidery hoops or frames or stands, then needlebooks and similar “etui” type items, and thread organization items. I loved reading everyone’s answers as they come in. I loved hearing especially about those items that were given as gifts or handed down from a mom or a grandmother – things that we really couldn’t buy replacements for. Or, those items that we’ve used for so long, that they’ve become comfortable and familiar, like having a good friend around.
Thanks, everyone, for participating in the New Year’s Give-Away! It was fun! There were over 525 responses (a few were accidental duplicates and so forth, so they’ve been weeded out), and I’d love to be able to send out 525 little New Year’s packages, but instead, I had to pick just one winner, who gets this collection of needlework accessories…
January 2, 2011
Stem Stitch Updates!
What better way to start the New Year, than by cleaning up something I’ve been wanting to clean up for a while! I’ve updated the stem stitch video tutorial in my collection of How-To Videos here on Needle ‘n Thread.
Now, why the eagerness to update this video? To put it frankly, because I just love the stem stitch! And the previous video, though a lot shorter and probably a lot easier to watch, didn’t do the stem stitch justice. It also didn’t instruct on some of the finer points of getting stem stitch right.
January 1, 2011
Happy New Year! Looking Back, Looking Forward
My sincere wishes go out to each of you for a very happy and peaceful 2011, full of many blessings – among them, of course, plenty of time to stitch!
December 31, 2010
Myth Busting: My Needlework Space
Happy Last Day of 2010! May it pass in peace.
Today, I’d like to dispel a myth. When we were talking about keeping a Thread Log the other day, and I was mentioning keeping a notebook with thread lists and project details in it, I noticed in the comments that there was some underlying notion that I am … well. An Organized Person.
And as much as I’d like to say, “Certainly, I’m organized,” as if it were the most natural thing in the world for me to be organized, the fact of the matter is, I’m not. I’m not as organized as I would like to be, nor as organized as I should be. When it comes down to it, I’m disorganized. And right now, I’m Utterly and Completely Disorganized!
I’ll show you what I mean….
December 30, 2010
End of the Year Give-Away: Embroidery Kit and Needlework Accessories
With 2010 slipping away in a couple days, I thought it a good time to have one final give-away for the year – and to liven it up a bit, I’ve added a few little dandy things. Of course, there’s an embroidery kit (I promised I’d give away another Trish Burr kit last time I gave one away!), and to top it off, I’ve added a few little needlework accessories to the package: