About

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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How to Use a Laying Tool Video Tutorial

 

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A laying tool is an instrument used in hand embroidery to help keep multiple strands of thread that are being used at one time, flat and parallel. It can be used for a number of stitches, but I use it especially for satin stitch when stitching with multiple threads. It’s also used extensively in Japanese embroidery (the tool is called a tekobari) to stroke flat silk, and in cross stitch and needlepoint as well. Pretty much any needlework technique that involves a smooth-lying stitch made from multiple strands of floss would benefit from the use of a laying tool.

Using a Laying Tool in Hand Embroidery
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Video Tutorial: Scroll Stitch

 

Here’s a video tutorial for the scroll stitch. While working on refurbishing the How-to Videos here on Needle ‘n Thread, and going through the list a gazillion times to try to remember what’s there and what’s not, I was surprised that somehow, I missed this stitch! So, finally, I’m adding it to the collection.

Scroll stitch is a line stitch – it makes very pretty decorative lines, curves, and so forth, that look scalloped.

Scroll Stitch Video Tutorial
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Cretan Stitch – Close it Up!

 

Cretan stitch gets a bad rap, in my opinion. It’s normally demonstrated open, with the stitches spread out so that they look kind of like a pointed and twisted herringbone stitch. And that’s all well and fine – but cretan stitch can do more than form decorative lines. When worked closed, it can fill up a space pretty effectively. It’s a perfect stitch for leaf shapes, for filled bars, petals, and so forth. Don’t underestimate the cretan stitch in its versatility!

Cretan Stitch as a Filling
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Next Embroidery Projects Lining Up!

 

This past Sunday, I posted a bit about an embroidery design that I’m looking forward to playing around with and adapting for a project. Thanks for all your input on that! I appreciate your comments and some very good ideas that I received both on the website and via e-mail! But I’m afraid I jumped ahead a bit…

My next, next project, which I have only slightly mentioned once, is this:

Hand Embroidery Design: Tulips & Carnations
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Developing a Spot Sampler: Filling Patterns

 

Last time we visited the spot sampler, we added some herringbone stitch to the sampler. Today, we’ll look at some filling techniques that work well on even-weave ground fabric. Specifically, we’ll look at darned fillings (uh… darned as in the darning stitch, which is really just running stitch), some lattice work, cloud filling, and others.

Most of the filling techniques I worked on my sampler are in 1″ squares, but some of my students worked some 2″ x 1″ rectangles – and other various sizes. You can work any size filled area you’d like, and you can get creative with your fillings, too, and incorporate them with other stitches on your sampler.

Geometric filling patterns for hand embroidery
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Ecclesiastical Embroidery: Salvator Mundi Vestment

 

Last year, I visited San Carlos Borromeo Mission in Carmel, California, and while there, I had permission to take photos of the vestments in their museum. I wrote a brief comparison of two sets of vestments, one from the museum in Carmel (this Salvator Mundi set) and the Splendor Patris set at the vestment museum in Clyde, Missouri, because the faces in the two sets struck me as similar.

I thought I’d show you two motifs from the Salvator Mundi set – one of which I plan to use as a springboard for another embroidery project.

Ecclesiastical Embroidery: Salvator Mundi Vestment
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Embroidery on Crochet: Children’s Hats

 

My mom and my sister are pretty proficient with the crochet hook. I am not. I can crochet, but normally, the product looks like some abnormal growth from the Depths of Beyond. But my mom can wield a crochet hook with skill, and lately she’s been playing around with little winter hats for her granddaughters.

When you see little winter hats for little girls and wee babies, do you automatically think “Embellish!”? Admittedly, I do. So I duly confiscated one of the hats and started playing around with some embellishment.

Embroidery on Crochet: Hats
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