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 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.
November 20, 2010
If you enjoy needlework and you spend a lot of time at it, you know the value of taking care of your eyes, right? I’m going to talk to you today, very candidly, about a sore spot of mine. I’m going to be open and honest. I’m going to talk about…. *gulp* ….
….. my magnifier light.
November 19, 2010
It’s true. All the things I Should Be Doing as far as embroidery is concerned, I’m Not Doing. Not a rebellious streak here, not negligence, not lack of motivation. Just the simple, everyday problem of priorities! Work is keeping me busy. And it’s a busy time of year! So if I get to any “real” needlework at all the in the next week, I’ll be doggone surprised.
But in the meantime, the Felt & Floche Embroidered Chaos I started a couple weeks ago has served a really good purpose. Because it’s uncomplicated, because it involves only a needle, a little bag of random thread (in this case, a hodge-podge of loose floche in a ziplock), and a piece of felt – no hoops, no tools, no frame, no stand, no pattern, no instructions, no books, nothing beyond the basics – I can leave it out and grab it in an instant. It is “simplified” needlework. And this type of year, methinks it is good to simplify.
November 17, 2010
Lately, I’ve been sharing with you some treasures from old ecclesiastical embroidery, cleaned up into patterns and print-ready. Today’s hand embroidery pattern is another such piece, with lots of possibilities for embroidery, whether secular or ecclesiastical.
I suppose one reason I’m sharing the patterns – besides wanting you to enjoy them, too – is because I’ve had such little time to embroider lately, and I’m hoping Someone Out There is having more luck putting needle and thread to fabric and producing something! Since I can’t seem to do all the things I’d like to be able to do right now, maybe someone else can!
November 16, 2010
The crested chain stitch! It’s pretty, it’s fairly simple, and it’s a neat little stitch to add to your repertoire!
What I like best about this stitch is that it can be made large or small, with just about any thread, on any fabric, and the look can be varied quite a bit, depending on how you work the stitch. You can use a heavier thread and increase the height of the stitch between the chain stitch and the top knot, and come up with something completely different looking when compared to the stitch worked small and compact with a finer thread. My favorite look of the stitch, though, is a bit more compact, used as an edge or border stitch.
