About

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

Contact Mary

Connect with Mary

     

Archives

2024 (106) 2023 (125) 2022 (136) 2021 (130) 2020 (132) 2019 (147) 2018 (146) 2017 (169) 2016 (147) 2015 (246) 2014 (294) 2013 (294) 2012 (305) 2011 (306) 2010 (316) 2009 (367) 2008 (352) 2007 (225) 2006 (139)
 

Harvest Hues 2b: Stitching Larger Round Elements

 

Amazon Books

This past Friday, we began stitching on Harvest Hues, stitching the stem, the spirals, and the little dashed line at the tip of the leaf.

Today, we’ll look at stitching the larger elements on the leaf.

Take your time! You don’t need to feel pressured to move ahead on the project if you’re not at this point yet. I just want to get some of these lessons out so that we can catch up with my publishing calendar.

As always, you’ll find the lessons listed here on the Harvest Hues project index, where you can easily access each lesson in chronological order.

If you are a member of the Needle ‘n Thread Community on Patreon, you have already received this lesson. It is part of the PDF titled Harvest Hues Part 2: Color & First Stitches, posted over there last week.

Harvest Hues: Stitching the Larger Elements
Continue reading “Harvest Hues 2b: Stitching Larger Round Elements”

Harvest Hues 2: Color & First Stitches

 

Today, we’re tackling Part 2 of Harvest Hues, our current stitch-along! We’re stitching decorative autumn leaves adorned with myriad embroidery stitches, resplendent in autumn colors.

If you’re new to the stitch-along concept or you’re just joining us on this project, you can read more about Harvest Hues and how the stitch-along works here in the Harvest Hues Project Index. You can also read more about the stitch-along and the project in general here in this introduction.

If you want to use the same materials that are shown in the stitched samples for Harvest Hues – including high quality embroidery linen that you won’t find in local fabric stores, coordinating colors of wool-blend felt, all the threads and beads, and other materials for finishing – you can find the materials kit for Harvest Hues available here in my shop. Once it sells out, it’s gone for at least a year if not longer. So grab one while you can! Each kit contains at least enough supplies for three complete leaves.

If you are a member of the Needle ‘n Thread Community on Patreon, I’ve already posted all the information that you’ll find in this article – plus a lot more (we usually work ahead a bit on Patreon) – in the downloadable PDF for Part 2.

Here we go!

Harvest Hues Part 2: Color & First Stitches
Continue reading “Harvest Hues 2: Color & First Stitches”

Coming, Coming!

 

My friends, just a quick note to say I’m still with you!

As I mentioned last week, I had a little eye episode. Things are coming around now and getting back to some kind of normal.

Thank you all so much for your prayers, good wishes, and encouragement! I would like to respond to each of you, but alas, a general note of thanks must do for now.

At this point, it takes about three times longer to accomplish anything small-task-oriented or technical. Oh, sure! I can do laundry like a fiend. But computer work and stitching? That’s a whole different kettle of fish.

Metallic Threads in Battlement Couching - Heart
Continue reading “Coming, Coming!”

Clearing Up Confusion and the Harvest Hues Project Index

 

Oh, I’ve been a real Cotton-Headed Ninny Muggin lately! It seems I’ve not been as clear as I could be about our Needle ‘n Thread stitch-alongs, so if you are floundering with confusion about Harvest Hues and Sitch-Alongs in general, please read this article from tip to toe!

I’ve received many questions lately about the stitch-along, especially where folks can find all the instructions. I’ve tried to explain how the stitch-along will work (please read this article), and I’ve subsequently linked to that article so that people can find it and re-read it in case in case of uncertainty.

But questions still linger. So I will explain again, below, what to expect from the stitch-along and how it works, and hopefully, it will all be a little clearer.

I will also explain what a project index is for, and how it works. And hopefully, that will clear up any remaining confusion!

Harvest Hues Project Index
Continue reading “Clearing Up Confusion and the Harvest Hues Project Index”

Harvest Hues 1: Design, Materials, & Set-Up

 

Aaaaaaand…. we’re off! It’s time to start our Harvest Hues stitch-along here on Needle ‘n Thread!

Harvest Hues focuses on creating embroidered autumn-themed leaves using a range of autumn colors, with a few beaded accents for a bit of sparkle.

We’ll be finishing the leaves with interfacing and coordinating felt backing, so that they can be used individually or in groups as part of fall decor.

Once you’ve stitched a basic leaf, you’ll be able to take all that you’ve learned and apply it to any leaf shape with any color scheme for any season!

Harvest Hues Stitch-Along on Needle 'n Thread
Continue reading “Harvest Hues 1: Design, Materials, & Set-Up”

From Photo of Filet to Counted Chart

 

A couple weeks back, in this article, I highlighted a few public domain resources for needlework, one of which included lots of illustrations of filet lace, which is a kind of woven needlelace that’s produced on a square net ground.

The topic generated some questions from various readers about using filet lace patterns – which are gridded – as cross stitch (and other counted work) projects.

In the course of the discussion, the question of how to “read” the filet lace as a gridded chart came up. Sometimes, when you’re looking at filet lace illustrated in these old publications, you’re seeing black and white photos of the completed woven pattern, which can be much more difficult to read than a chart would be.

The easy solution is to chart the filet pattern. There are a couple ways you can do that. Let’s talk about how, using this particular image:

From filet lace photo to counted chart
Continue reading “From Photo of Filet to Counted Chart”