Beeswax, Needlework, & the Hidden Pleasures of Evening Work

 

Amazon Books

Night time, this time of year, is dark.

And while there are many, many people in the world who don’t like the switch back to Standard Time, I must secretly admit that I’m not one of them.

I actually like it – once I adjust!

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t like the time switch in general. But I see it this way: it’s not Standard Time’s fault. It’s the switch to Daylight Savings Time in the spring that’s the problem. If we just stuck with Standard Time, the gradual lengthening and shortening of days would follow the regular rhythm of life and the seasons. And it wouldn’t be a jolt every time there’s that dagblasted hour switch.

But I digress…

Recently, I’ve been re-discovering the hidden pleasure of evening work.

Beeswax petites for needlework
Continue reading “Beeswax, Needlework, & the Hidden Pleasures of Evening Work”

The Christmas Mitten: Embroidery Kits Available Now!

 

Good morning, and Happy Monday!

We’ll jump right into the exciting news – the embroidery kits for The Christmas Mitten stitch-along are available now!

This final stitch-along for 2024 features a sparkly, festive mitten ornament. You can tuck gift cards, a note, small candy canes, or other small trinkets and gifts in it.

The mitten will make a beautiful addition to your own Christmas decorations or a perfect way to wish your favorite people a Happy Christmas!

Read on to learn a little more about the kit and the upcoming stitch-along…

The Christmas Mitten embroidery Kit
Continue reading “The Christmas Mitten: Embroidery Kits Available Now!”

Harvest Hues 4b: Final Steps in Finishing

 

Yesterday, we began the finishing process on Harvest Hues, and today, we are going to tie up the project!

In this final lesson, we’ll be adding the stiff floral wire to the back of the leaf to create a hanger and a “spine” that is bendable, so that you can style your leaves by bending them, if you wish.

Finally, we will sew the embroidered leaf to the felt backing.

If you are just joining in on this project – or if you’re just catching up – you can find all the installments of this stitch-along listed here in the Harvest Hues Project Index.

If you’re a member of the Patreon Community on Needle ‘n Thread, you will find the downloadable and printable PDF with all the finishing instructions already posted.

Let’s finish the leaf, shall we?

Harvest Hues autumn embroidered leaf stitch-along
Continue reading “Harvest Hues 4b: Final Steps in Finishing”

Harvest Hues 4: First Steps in Finishing

 

Good morning! Today, we’re going to start the finishing process for Harvest Hues – yippee!!

Due to the length of explaining the process, I’ll be presenting the finishing in two parts here on the blog.

If you are a member over on Patreon, you already have all the information on finishing available over there in a downloadable PDF. It was posted yesterday.

If you’re just starting or catching up with Harvest Hues, you can find all the lessons involved in this project available here in the Harvest Hues Project Index.

Let us begin!

Harvest Hues stitch-along finishing
Continue reading “Harvest Hues 4: First Steps in Finishing”

Sneak Peek: The Christmas Mitten

 

Good morning, and welcome to November!

Next week, on Monday and Wednesday, we will be finishing up Harvest Hues. I think I said it was this week in our last installment (I’ve since corrected it), but in fact, I was looking at the Wrong Week on the calendar. I thought it was moving too fast!

Today, in joyful anticipation of finishing one project and starting another, I want to sneak peek our Christmas ornament stitch-along for this year!

I’m excited about this little ornament on so many levels – because it pairs well with my mini sampler stockings that I designed a few years ago, because it has a unique finish with a real cuff, because it is customizable, because it uses great materials, because the techniques are accessible and oh-so-satisfactory, because it makes a great gift (or a keeper!), and because, darn it, it’s just so dang cute!

Embroidered Christmas Mitten Ornament Stitch-Along
Continue reading “Sneak Peek: The Christmas Mitten”

Holiday Open House at Needle ‘n Thread!

 

I’m so excited to announce this today!

If you live somewhere in the vicinity of Northeast Kansas – or if you happen to be passing through after Thanksgiving – I have an invitation for you!

We are having the first ever Open House at Needle ‘n Thread this year, to kick off the pre-Christmas season. And we can’t wait!

I’ll tell you a little more down below…

Christmas Open House at Needle 'n Thread, 2024
Continue reading “Holiday Open House at Needle ‘n Thread!”

I Am Not Real: Artificial Intelligence in the Needlework World

 

The topic of AI in the needlework world has been on my radar for well over a year. But I’ve hesitated about writing on the subject of Artificial Intelligence because I didn’t believe that it would really influence the embroidery world all that much – not the real embroidery world, where real people are interested in doing real things with their real hands and their real minds, using real materials.

But AI is becoming more and more influential in several aspects of “popular” needlework as time goes on. If you spend much time online and you explore needlework especially in social networks, you’ve probably come across AI in one form or another. It’s not just in images – it’s in writing, too – but lately, the images are The Big Hook. They’re the things that draw you in.

Keep in mind, though, that it’s not the real designers, the real teachers, the real artists that are driving AI into the creative world.

I AM NOT REAL
Continue reading “I Am Not Real: Artificial Intelligence in the Needlework World”