Elizabethan twist is a real metal thread used in goldwork embroidery. It’s very fine, and it’s made out of two even finer gold threads lightly twisted together. This is the stuff that is outlining most of the embroidered elements on the floral glove project. I love Elizabethan twist – it’s delicate, pretty, and adds just the right amount of gold sparkle around the edges of the silk embroidery. I finally managed to finish outlining the central flower on the project, so I thought I’d show you some progress!

Would you like to be featured on Needle ‘n Thread this summer? If you stitch, if you write about needlework or textiles on a blog, if you have a hand-made enterprise for needlework-related goods (like an Etsy or Artfire shop), if you own a needlework shop, if you are a needlework book author or publisher, if you dye your own threads or fabrics, if you’re a designer or a manufacturer – if you’re involved in the needlework industry in any way at all and would like to contribute content to Needle ‘n Thread, I’m ready and waiting!

If you want to make perfect French knots and perfect bullion knots, the only thing for it is to invest in the right needles. There aren’t too many embroidery stitches out there that require a specific needle and, in truth, you can get away with making French knots with regular embroidery needles, and you can get away with making bullion knots with other needles, too. But if you shy away from French knots and you bolt at the thought of bullions, then maybe, just maybe, a different needle will help you overcome your fears.

Over the past few days, I’ve been sharing with you some photos from a reader who enjoyed some time in Cyprus learning about Lefkaritika, or Lefkara Lace, a traditional form of embroidery from the island. Today, I’m continuing the topic, showing you some close up photos of some of the different motifs used in Lefkara lace.

To start, though, let’s look how the Cypriots traditionally work on their lace. They use pillows. This is not to be confused with a bobbin lace pillow, though – but it serves some of the same purposes. Continue reading “Lefkara Lace Up Close”

Lefkara lace, from Cyprus, has become a fascinating subject of study for me the last couple weeks, ever since Elissa sent me photos from her Cyprus adventures. The other day, I showed you a few brief bits of Lefkara lace, hoping to whet your appetite for the subject, too. I think what fascinates me most about the technique is that it strikes me, too, as a combination of Italian needle lace and Hardanger, with a little Schwalm thrown in along the edges. The Venetian influence on Lefkara lace is easy enough to understand, as Venice had administrative control of Cyprus some 500-ish years ago. Sources seem to be in conflict over whether Venice brought the lace technique to Cyprus, or Cyprus sent it back to Venice. I’ll have to do a little more research on that one!

Still plugging along here on the Floral Glove project, I’ve managed to finish the silk embroidery on the central floral element on the needlecase. The other day, I showed you how I adjusted the shape of the flower. I received a few e-mails and comments requesting a before and after shot, since some readers weren’t sure which shape they liked best. So, here they are:

This is the before shot – the flower prior to picking it out and changing the shape a little bit. Continue reading “Embroidered Rose Before and After”

Tucked in the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey, is the island of Cyprus, and in Cyprus is a town called Lefkara, which gives its name to a regional “lace” called Lefkara Lace. Lefkara Lace is a combination of drawn thread, whitework, and needlelace techniques. I was fortunate to receive some beautiful pictures of Lefkara lace from a reader in Lebanon who hopped over to Cyprus for a short while, so I thought I’d share some of the photos with you!