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
Contact Mary
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
Contact Mary
November 27, 2010
Good morning, all! Today, because it’s Saturday, because it’s a gorgeous day out, because I’m behind the 8-ball as usual (hence, the post is late!), and because I think you all deserve a little needlepainting in your Needlework Lives – I’m giving away a Trish Burr Needlepainting Embroidery Kit!!!
The kit is compliments of Trish Burr (thank you, Trish!), and it’s suitable for beginner to intermediate levels.
November 26, 2010
When I purchased this Singing Frog button a while back, the idea of a needle minder seemed like a good use for the fellow. I don’t always follow through with my original ideas for any Spontaneously Bought Thing, but I had a tube of glue out the other day, and I had some blank magnets on hand, and it just seemed like a natural thing to do, to make the button into a needle minder.
It isn’t precisely perfect, as far as needle minders go, but I don’t suppose there’s any Absolutes when it comes to these types of things. And, anyway, it works. And I like it. Must it measure up to any other criteria?
So today, I thought I’d show you how to make a needle minder out of a button. It’s Really Simple, and this is really a casual tutorial. I’m sure there are hundreds of better ways to go about the process, but this is what I did….
November 25, 2010
November 24, 2010
It is true. I’m a sucker for goldwork. And while I love to do it myself, I also like to find other textiles embellished in goldwork. When very fine goldwork is involved, most textiles embellished with it are beyond my pocketbook, but when I come across a small piece hither and yon, I am just twitterpated enough with goldwork to pocket it. Or, in this case, to buy it.
This past weekend, I was hanging around Kansas City waiting for a flight to arrive, and, as usual, I couldn’t resist I stopping in at Florilegium (in Parkville), which happens to be the same shop where I picked up the Frog Concert button a while ago. And while there, I noticed, up high on a shelf, a couple spools of ribbon spilling over the edge. They were gauzy, and embellished with goldwork, beads, and sequins.
And, as usual when I go into this shop (which I am determined to avoid for the next year because this happens every time I go there!), I’m sure it was whispering to me from on high!
November 23, 2010
Here’s a video tutorial for the Braid Stitch, which is also known as the Cable Plait Stitch. I used the stitch recently in the felt and floche piece I was stitching, and received a heap of questions about it – more so, I think, than any stitch I’ve ever shown here on Needle ‘n Thread! The pink line in the photo below is the braid stitch:
November 22, 2010
Did you plan on stitching some gifts for Christmas this year, and do you find yourself running out of time? Well, Rouge du Rhin has a solution, in their embroider-what-you-want kits. Sounds a bit bizarre, I know, but let me show you what I mean! I think this is kind of a neat idea for making a personalized embroidered gift that’s already half-way there.
November 21, 2010
Yesterday, I mentioned that new phase of life, wherein eyesight just isn’t what it used to be! And this can really affect the pleasure we get out of doing our needlework. Having reluctantly entered this phase of life, I recently purchased a Craftlite “Dublin” magnifier-light combination, so I thought I’d give you an in-depth review of it.
