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 25, 2022
Good morning, my friends!
Welcome to what I hope is a quiet and calm Friday for you!
Today, we’re having a fun give-away on Needle ‘n Thread, and I’ll also tell you about my quiet weekend sale.
November 23, 2022
Tomorrow, here in the States, it’s Thanksgiving Day!
When I was a kid, Thanksgiving break was The Best. We had a four day weekend – the first of the school year – and it was full of family, fun, food, friends, and frolicking about.
As a kid with few responsibilities and lots of older sisters to do dishes, there was never any pressure. Aside from a few chores here and there, we “little guys” in the family could pretty much do what we wanted. We usually watched the Thanksgiving Day Parade in the morning, and then we played. Eventually, we showed up for dinner. And we played some more.
It was very uncomplicated.
November 21, 2022
I’m still surrounded by a bit of mayhem, but we are slowly getting organized and established in our new studio space.
Fortunately for me, Anna is the Queen of Organization – she keeps everything in check when I start unraveling project materials all over the place. And she has done a great job making sense of the new space and getting things set up for reasonable and efficient work flow.
But we aren’t there yet!
Last week, I developed a new skill set. I think I could officially be an IKEA furniture assembler for hire… if I liked assembling furniture. Which I don’t! But we did manage a good day’s work, setting our main organizational area for our workroom.
Today, I’ll tell you what we did and why we did it.
November 18, 2022
Oh, jolly day! Two big events: we’re starting the final Stitch Snippet stitch along for 2022 today, and…
I’m writing my first blog article from my new studio space. Very exciting, on both accounts!
Next week, I’ll show you where we are with the studio space. For now, suffice it to say that we are completely in the new space, but we still have a lot of work to do to get entirely settled.
Today, we’re going to launch straight into this year’s final Stitch Snippet – a Christmas Tree Ornament. We’ll talk about embroidering the kit, including things I did differently that you might (or might not) want to do if you’re stitching the same project. Any 4″ embroidery design will work for this particular project, and you can apply all the finishing concepts to any size (or shape) flat ornament.
I’ll also tell you where to find the kit if you’re not in the US. Or, if you already have the kit and you don’t have my extra finishing kit, I’ll share information on extra materials that I used.
Shall we begin? Oh yes, let’s!
November 9, 2022
Well, after a four-and-a-half-day weekend dedicated solely to shipping (I hope all your goodies arrive safe and sound, and you’re as excited about them as I am!), we are back to packing and moving.
In fact, the Move has Begun. And while it’s going on, I have a slightly different, short-term plan for the blog.
I’ll tell you about it below!
November 4, 2022
I’ve been anticipating and planning for today for a long time!
Today, you see, is a Banner Day! And it’s a Banner Day for many reasons.
Today, we start our final Stitch Snippet journey for 2022, with a beautiful Christmas Tree kit that we’re going to embellish further and finish as an ornament.
The kit set (which includes the embroidery kit for Christmas Tree by Tamar Nahir-Yanai and the finishing kit from Needle ‘n Thread) is now available! You can read how the stitch-along will go in the sneak peek I posted on Wednesday.
November 2, 2022
At the beginning of 2022, I launched a series here on Needle ‘n Thread called Stitch Snippets, where we work together through a manageable embroidery project from start to finish, highlighting some particular aspect of embroidery or finishing (or both).
Along with the stitch-along, we had kits available for you, so that you would have all the same supplies on hand that I was using while we worked through the project together.
This year, we’ve finished three projects together here on Needle ‘n Thread: Bee-Jeweled Pincushion, Cotton Quartet, and the most recent finish Autumn Fire.
And this week, we are ready to launch the fourth and final project of the year! Yay!
Today, I’m going to give you a sneak peek of the last Stitch Snippet for 2022 and explain how this final stitch-along will work (it is slightly different from the previous three), what we will be focusing on, and how you can join in.
I’ll also tell you when the kit will launch and what other products will be available at the same time so that you can save a bit on shipping while taking care of your Christmas wish list!
Please read to the end of the article so you know what to expect and how to participate.
