Winter 2026: 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 in 2026.

15 December 2017

Embroidering with Light

The best thread painting results are not achieved with flat filament silks. I prefer a less blingy thread--cotton or spun silk--for most shaded work. The antique silk threads I'm using on the Society Silk violet project, which are essentially flat filament silks, are extremely reflective.

Society Silk Violets: embroidered violets with some refelctive antique silk thread

08 December 2017

Nasturtiums on the Go

A bouquet of floss, a new needle, a hoop, and a freshly drawn design means only one thing: a new project!

Catherine Laurencon Capucines (Inspirations): getting ready to embroider some nasturtiums

01 December 2017

Fine Lines

One thing I've noticed on Society Silk embroideries is that there is an unending array of edge treatments. Except for some of the simpler edges, I don't think I've seen the same edge design twice!

Society Silk Violets: variety of edges on extant Society Silk examples
Examples of Society Silk edges





24 November 2017

Vegetables or Dessert?

The work on the antique violets is progressing along nicely. I've completed a second motif which is a copy of the first. I like the reverse S curve on the one stem with its little hint of Art Nouveau.

Society Silk Violets: one of the violets from an antique stamped embroidery

There are only three unique motifs on the doily. Each one is repeated once to create a total of six violet bunches. The duplicate motifs have very slight variations and I'm adding other differences such as not using the exact same colours on the stems. The flowers, of course, can't be duplicated as you can't exactly replicate thread painting--and I never want to!

17 November 2017

Blue Burrd of Happiness

Trish Burr creates amazing thread painted birds and then shares them with us so we can stitch them. How lucky are we?

This is Trish's exquisite little bluebird. By the way, I think all of Trish's avians should be called 'Burrds'! I stitched this several years ago and it was a lot of fun.

Trish Burr design: Embroidered head of blue bird in needlepainting