February 18, 2022

Stitchy Bits and Kits and Books, Oh My!

Lots of little loose ends to tie up today here in the studio and on the website. Bear with me! It’s been a crazy, wild ride this week and last on this end of the stick. Golly!

But first, today, I want to show you, calmly, some bits of stitching that will most likely finish up my coverage for quite a while of the whitework linens we’ve been talking about. (Well, I don’t say that with certitude, but maybe more with hope. Remember, they’re not my project!)

Whitework, cutwork on linen for altar cloths

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February 16, 2022

Third Time’s a Charm – on Project Set-Up

Last week, we chatted about setting up this Massive cutwork embroidery project – an altar linen (three of them, actually) – that’s about 7.5 inches high x 18 feet long.

I thought we had found the solution for the transfer of the repeat designs across the approximately-18 feet of linen.

Boy oh boy, was I wrong…

transferring embroidery design for altar cloth

Hand Embroidery Tutorials

February 14, 2022

Bee-Jeweled Pincushion Project Index

This is the official Project Index for the Bee-Jeweled Pincushion Project that developed step-by-step here on Needle ‘n Thread in the first part of 2022.

In this project, you’ll learn how to set up the embroidery project, how to stitch it (including some bead embroidery), the preliminary work of finishing an embroidery project into a useful item, how to construct a pincushion, and how to add a decorative edge on a finished pincushion.

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February 11, 2022

Bee-Jeweled Pincushion: Stitch Your Greens!

Moving right along with the Bee-Jeweled Pincushion embroidery project, today we’re going to stitch the greens.

If you are awaiting a kit, gathering your own supplies, or you just haven’t had a chance to start your pincushion yet, don’t worry! You can work this at your own pace. Next week, I’ll be adding a Project Index for the pincushion so that you can easily find all the installments on the website when you’re ready to start stitching.

Last week, we embroidered the top of the pincushion – the hexagon filling in white using stem stitch. We’re going to continue with stem stitch today as we work the greenery on the strip that makes up the sides of the pincushion.

In the order of work, you definitely want to stitch all your greens first, because the floral bits made up of embroidery and beads will sit on top of the stems and leaves.

Bee-Jeweled Pincushion - stitching the greens

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February 9, 2022

Big Projects: Embroidery Design Transfer Methods

I introduced you a few weeks ago to the set-up work I’m doing on some Really Big embroidery projects (that I’m not embroidering).

Yep. It’s true. I get to do the fun part! You know, figuring out how to set up these relatively huge projects so that the transferring of the designs can be done in a reasonable amount of time, in a way that will produce a precise, clean transfer.

And then doing the transferring. And then framing up the projects so that they’re ready to stitch. And then perhaps a little coaching on how to stitch them. Maybe some troubleshooting on the difficult areas.

That’s my part of these projects. And it really is the relatively short part of the process. Those who are doing the actual embroidery will be living with these projects for at least a year.

Testing embroidery design transfer methods for big embroidery projects

Hand Embroidery Books

February 7, 2022

Just in Time! Where Meadows & Gardens Grow

You may have noticed that in the last couple years, I’ve been stocking embroidery books from publishers outside the US, that aren’t available through the typical book markets, and that have something decidedly special and wonderful about them.

In this first half of 2022, I’m adding one more book to the collection. I’m completed Stoked, as they say, to offer you Where Meadows and Gardens Grow, published by Inspirations Studios and featuring the embroidery of UK embroidery artist Jo Butcher.

For those of us in the doldrums of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere, the timing could not be better!

Today, I thought I’d highlight some of the projects in the book and tell you why I love Jo’s work, what I think is unique about it, and give you a little taste of what you can expect from the book, which is available here right now for pre-order. (You can read more about the pre-order at the end of the article.)

Where Meadows and Gardens Grow: The Embroidery of Jo Butcher

Hand Embroidery Tutorials

February 4, 2022

Bee-Jeweled Pincushion: Materials Information & Stitching the Top

Howdy, and welcome to the next installment of the Bee-Jeweled Pincushion project, which is part of the Stitch Snippets series here on Needle ‘n Thread!

The idea behind this series is to take you step-by-step through small embroidery projects, and we’ve kicked of 2022 with a beautiful little pincushion. We’re going to embroider it and we’re going to assemble the parts into a pincushion that’s not only useful, but also mildly attractive.

It’s a fun project, and I hope you get a chance to try it out!

Last week, we chatted about fabric for the pincushion, and I showed you how I set mine up for stitching.

Before we launch into today’s short lesson, in which we embroider the top of the pincushion, I need to update you on materials and other news relating to the project. Please read carefully, so that you know what to expect in the coming weeks with this project. There have been some hiccups (which I will explain), so things are not unfolding as I would want them to. I expect them to straighten out within the week.

So let’s get started!

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

Stitchy Bits and Kits and Books, Oh My!

Third Time’s a Charm – on Project Set-Up

Bee-Jeweled Pincushion Project Index

Bee-Jeweled Pincushion: Stitch Your Greens!

Big Projects: Embroidery Design Transfer Methods

Just in Time! Where Meadows & Gardens Grow

Bee-Jeweled Pincushion: Materials Information & Stitching the Top

Connect with Mary

How-To Videos

Embroidery Tips & Techniques

Connect with Mary

How-To
Videos