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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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Stitch Fun! Beaded Fly Stitch in Two Variations

 

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As we move into the weekend, I thought it might be fun to explore some stitch variations. Maybe these will get some ideas flowing for some weekend stitching experiments!

Stitch Fun! is a series of embroidery stitch tutorials here on Needle ‘n Thread, where we explore combinations, composites, and variations of embroidery stitches. There’s a hefty list of photo tutorials in the series, if you want to check it out here.

Today’s tutorial is the result of working on the instructions for these Mini Sampler Stockings I showed you last week, that go with my Christmas ornament kits that will be out in about a week.

Some of the stitch explorations didn’t make the cut, simply because I didn’t end up using them on the models for the e-book. Even so, I’ve included lots of stitches and ideas for variations in the instructions, so that you can explore and experiment to your heart’s content. It’s a great way to end up with a finished ornament or two that are uniquely you!

In the meantime, this is a fun way to play around with fly stitch and beads…

Stitch Fun Tutorial: Beaded Fly Stitch Variations
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Arts & Crafts Christmas Festival – Virtually!

 

Don’t you find that the happiest people you know are the people who have a creative outlet of some sort?

They pursue an art, a craft, a hobby – something creative that brings a consistent, quiet joy to their own lives and to the lives of those around them. They generally tend to be optimists. They have things to look forward to! Plans and ideas occupy their minds, taking them outside, and above, the often-drudgery of the world around them. They see things differently. The Mundane becomes interesting through their eyes.

One positive thing that has happened in 2020 is that many people are rediscovering – or discovering for the first time – what it means to be creative. As a result, the virtual world is hopping with all kinds of ways to tap into creative pursuits.

With the holidays coming up, you might think it’s the wrong time of year to pursue creativity or to discover new creative paths. But even though it can be a busy time of year, it’s really the ideal time to slow down, calm down, and focus on some quiet pleasures that help bring the joie back to joie de vivre.

To help you do that, there’s a really fabulous-looking Virtual Art & Crafts Christmas Festival coming up, organized and hosted by Search Press. When I heard about it, I figured I better share it with you, because it sounds pretty darned good and I think it will be a lot of fun!

Search Press Virtual Art and Craft Christmas Festival
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A Passion for Needlework: Blakiston Creamery

 

So many wonderful needlework books made their debuts this year – one very positive aspect of 2020! – and perhaps the most beautiful among those books is the third edition of A Passion for Needlework at Blakiston Creamery.

A Passion for Needlework is a developing series of project books published by Inspirations Studios. You’ll find my review for the first book in the series here, and my review for the second book, Factoria VII, here.

Each book features unique and exquisite needlework projects to stitch. The photography and the settings in which the projects are displayed for the purpose of the book are a feast for the eyes. The books are a combination of art forms, really: needle arts, art, architecture, and skillful photography.

While they make wonderful projects books (the projects are fabulous!), they also make perfect coffee table books – the type of book that you’d set out as decor on its own, that friends and family can browse through and wonder at, even if they aren’t inclined to the needle arts.

Today, we’re going to look at the third book, photographed at Blakiston Creamery in South Australia. The book features a dozen projects, so I’ll show you each one and let you know what you can find in the book. It’s not all about the pretty pages, after all – there’s much to learn herein!

A Passion for Needlework: Blakiston Creamery
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Free Embroidery Design: Lace Reinterpreted

 

More often than I like to admit, I come across half-started embroidery projects floating around my studio, or half-conceived ideas for embroidery projects floating around on my computer.

I was scouring through my collections of embroidery designs, ideas, scans from old books, and whatnot, desperately looking for a design that I know I have, that I’ve even embroidered, but that I can’t seem to find! I can’t remember what I named it. Something clever, no doubt – so clever that it evades me.

But when I’m on a digging mission like that, I come across these half-conceived ideas that I had Once Upon a Time, but haven’t yet had the time to pursue. And that’s what this design is.

Lace Reinterpreted hand embroidery design
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Mini Sampler Christmas Stockings! I couldn’t wait…

 

Over the last many years, I’ve tried to put out some fun designs and projects to stitch for Christmas. This year, I had six ideas floating around in my head.

But only one really emerged. And once it did – well, it became an obsession! I kept coming back to the notion of little projects that combine fun stitches, a bit of sparkle and bling, and an easy finish into something usable … and these little mini stockings are what developed.

I’ve been dying to share them with you! You’ve seen a few sneak-peeks now and then, but I didn’t want to go all out until I was sure that I could do with them what I wanted to.

But they’ve been So Much Fun to stitch and to develop into finished ornaments, that I just can’t wait any longer. I haven’t even taken Christmassy photos of them yet – I just want you to see them now!!

Mini Sampler Christmas Stockings
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Beeswax for Goldwork Threads – Heavenly Stuff!

 

Quite a while ago, we chatted about thread conditioners used in the needlework world, and I gave my two-cents’ worth of profound thought on the subject.

I’m not a fan of thread conditioners – you can read the article to see my reasoning – but I am an unabashed fan of beeswax.

But, before there’s any confusion, I’m not a fan of beeswax for conditioning or taming cranky needlework threads. Not at all! (I mention why in that article, too.)

But I do use beeswax for goldwork, to strengthen threads and protect them from abrasion from the metal threads. (And, yes, we talk about that in the previously mentioned article, too.)

It just so happens that I have a beehive in my backyard. And that beehive produces honey and beeswax. It’s my brother-in-law’s hive, and this past year, he harvested some nice wax. I got a little bit of it.

This weekend, I was beset with a headache that kept me from stitching and from computer work, so instead, I set about preparing little wax pats for goldwork kits.

Preparing Beeswax for Goldwork Threads
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Pulling Silk Threads & Beads for a Project to Savor

 

The other day, I pulled threads and beads for an embroidery project I have a mind to do.

It’s a project I want to savor. And although I won’t be starting it right away (still finishing up some Christmas stuff!), once I do start, it’s going to be one of those no-pressure projects. I’m going to take it slow and easy and really enjoy the heck out of it!

It’s a monogram from Elisabetta’s book, Ricamare Il Mare (A Sea to Stitch), which I reviewed here and which you will find available here in my shop.

I’ve been itching to stitch one ever since I clapped eyes on Elisabetta’s samples! I couldn’t resist pulling threads and other delectables for it the other day. I felt a little sneaky because I had other things to do, but you know how it is when a project is stewing in your head and you just can’t resist its siren call!

For my version, I’ll be mixing up some silk threads, specialty threads, and beads. Once I start on it, I’ll keep you updated on my progress, I’ll share tips and discoveries along the way, and I’ll let you know what choices I make along the way as far as materials go. If you want to follow along when I get to that point, you’ll need your own copy of the book (of course). I won’t be sharing Elisabetta’s patterns, her interpretations of elements into stitches, or anything like that. Just my journey, which you’re welcome to join me on when I finally head out!

A Sea to Stitch Monogram in Silk, Beads, & Specialty Threads
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