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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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Embroidery Transfer on Dark Fabric: Two White Pens Compared

 

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Howdy, all, and good morning! It’s been a while!

I’m sorry about the hiccup in my blogging schedule lately. I’m going to try for a couple articles a week right now. I have a little bit of time to catch up at work, but I’m not sure how much time. My sister from Florida arrived this past weekend to help with dad care and “sitting” while he’s at a rehab hospital, so we’re all taking turns with that. The goal is to get him home, but how that goes – and how fast it goes – depends on much.

Today, we’re going to chat about transferring embroidery designs on dark fabrics, and specifically, I’m going to show you two white transfer pens available on the market. They are “heat erasable” pens – not always my favorite option, and I’ll show you why below. Still, they may work for certain stitching situations, even if they don’t work for all stitching situations.

Every transfer tool has its fan base, I’ve discovered, just like pretty much every tool (ok, maybe not this one – I still find it useless) has its good uses. But there’s no doubt that some brands and some tools are just better than others. So I’m hoping that this ongoing discussion of transfer options helps you make informed decisions about what you are willing to try and invest in.

white transfer pens for embroidery
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Blackberry Kits & Other News

 

Good morning, my friends, and welcome to October. Whew. It’s a crazy month so far – I’ll fill you in below and let you know what to expect in the next week-ish from my end of the computer screen.

For those who have been waiting and hoping for a re-stock on the Blackberry Brambles & Blossoms kits, though, I am happy to say, they are back in stock. You’ll find them here. Anna’s been at the studio packaging them, and they’re ready to go!

Blackberries Brambles & Blossoms kits available
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Embroidered “Maria” – One Word Down

 

One word down, and four to go on this project I’ve been working on at home when time allows.

The text reads O Clemens, O Pia, O Dulcis Virgo Maria. The C, P, D, V, and M are all decorated with a filigree pattern, while the rest (including the O‘s) are simply the filled letters with no filigree. On each end of the phrase (worked on a 40″ long linen strip) is the decorative monogram that I showed you here.

I’ve managed one word – Maria – and one decorative monogram so far. Besides the four remaining words and the one remaining monogram, I have three capital O’s to work as well.

I would really like to be farther along than I am, but I can only do what I can do at this point. I’m not going to beat myself up over slow progress on this project!

embroidered Maria on maniturgium
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Blackberry Brambles & Blossom Lesson 5: Finish for Framing

 

Happy Friday, everyone! Today’s the last installment of Blackberries Brambles & Berries, where we look at how to prepare the project for framing.

If you’re just joining in on this project, you can find the Project Index here, where you’ll find all the previous lessons.

If you’re a member of the Needle ‘n Thread Community on Patreon, you have already received the PDF download for this lesson.

Blackberry Brambles & Blossoms Stitch-Along - Lesson 5, framing
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Pique-a-Jour: Downloadable PDF Available

 

Due to high and consistent enthusiasm for it, I’ve decided to release Plique-a-Jour as a downloadable project PDF.

You’ll find it available here in the shop now.

My plan was to ultimately release the PDF download, but not quite this soon and possibly in a different package. I wanted to stitch a corresponding project that we’ve designed and put both projects together. But it is unlikely I’ll get to the second project any time soon, and it may make more sense to handle them individually, anyway, for those who prefer one but not the other.

Also, realizing that many of you who are outside North America want to work the project, too, I don’t want leave you hanging any longer!

Today, I’ll tell you what you can expect from the PDF, including the advantages of working with a PDF. I’ll also talk about substitutions you can make if you are unsure of finding or affording the original materials. We’ll talk a little bit about sourcing materials. We’ll also discuss the difficulties of substitutions and managing expectations when using substitutes.

Finally, I’ve included a quick personal update at the end of today’s post, so that you will know what’s going on in case I disappear for a wee bit now and then.

Plique-a-Jour Embroidery project - PDF available
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Project Update: Lettering with Long & Short Stitch in Silk

 

A couple weeks ago, I showed you this new project I’m working on at home.

I haven’t made as much progress on it as I would like. Things have been a bit nutty on the home front, making it hard to concentrate and focus on a project for any effective length of time.

With the lettering on this piece, I’m using Soie d’Alger silk (you can read about it here – it’s a spun silk that handles like stranded cotton, but has a higher sheen and softer “spread”) in two shades of blue.

maniturgium embroidered with silk on linen - lettering
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