Spring 2024: Google ended its email subscription service in 2021. I believe I've found a replacement, but haven't had time to test it. I have been stitching a little bit here and there and have some posts ready for when the email subscription is active again. Fingers crossed, I'll have time to rouse this blog out of its dormancy sometime this year.

28 April 2017

Finishing up Herbier

Herbier was completed fairly quickly although I created more work for myself by adding more of the gorgeous House of Embroidery (HoE) threads to the mix.

I had a bit of assistance while stitching, although she was at her most helpful when sleeping!

Koko the Siamese cat sleeps while Herbier is being embroidered

21 April 2017

Rosebuds and Whiteout

I was happily stitching along on the rosebud part of Trish Burr's Iceberg Rosebud, minding my own business, when things kind of took a wrong turn.

The glow from the bud bottom was all wrong. There was too much of the lighter colours.

Embroidered rosebud in progress (needlepainting design by Trish Burr)

I was not happy.

14 April 2017

Herbier: Such a Trouble Maker

Original design of Herbier from Canevas Folies
Herbier: original design
Every year, my local Embroidery Guild of America (EGA) chapter puts on a couple of public needlework displays. Along with many other chapter members I provide completed embroidery pieces for the display.

Last year I thought it would be nice to stitch something specifically for display and I wanted a surface embroidery project primarily composed of decorative stitching (as opposed to thread painting). My thread painted pieces usually depict naturalistic subjects (flowers, animals, etc.). I don't typically use decorative stitches (e.g., chain, most knots, fly, stem, whipped, buttonhole, etc.) because, to me, the whole idea of thread painting is that you shouldn't notice the stitching, you notice the thing that is being depicted. So, the stitches employed in thread painting tend to be utilitarian (e.g., long and short, split, French and bouillon knots) rather than decorative.

I chose a Canevas Folies kit called Herbier. It was colourful and had enough different stitches to be interesting. I bought it from The French Needle (who no longer carry Canevas Folies kits). The kit calls for DMC and House of Embroidery (HoE) variegated threads. French Needle helpfully included the (HoE) threads required by the kit.

That's when the trouble started.

07 April 2017

A Little Burr-y Trifle

Threads for Trish Burr's Iceberg Rosebud
One of my favourite embroidery books is Trish Burr's Needle Painting Embroidery: Fresh Ideas for Beginners. It has lots of small, elegant projects that are just right when I need something relaxing or quick. It's like a delectable box of chocolates. Every project has something to recommend it, but none of the pieces is overwhelming especially if you're a beginner to thread painting.

I recently needed a quick-to-set-up project and decided on the Iceberg Rosebud. It's a tiny little flower with a classic, gorgeous Burr colour palette of roses and soft, natural greens.

I'm using this piece to try out Trish's new Belgian linen fabric which will be a welcome relief after the challenge of stitching on the unfriendly-to-surface-embroidery summer flowers table runner fabric!