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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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    Videos

    Over 75 Embroidery Stitch Videos to Help You Learn

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    A Collection of Instructional Articles

 
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March 19, 2025

The Modern Needlework Stand: A Close Look and a Question

 

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It’s been a long time since I’ve reviewed a major piece of embroidery equipment on the blog.

I haven’t reviewed a high-dollar, costly-investment item in a while, even though I know that many of us use equipment that the non-needlework-world (or the entry-level stitcher) might find a bit extreme, budget-wise.

When it comes specifically to needlework, it’s the needlework stand that tends to fall into this category. Good needlework stands are not inexpensive.

Today, I’m going to show you an expensive piece of embroidery equipment. It’s a needlework stand, but it’s not like any other needlework stand I’ve used. For many stitchers, I think the pros of this stand will outweigh the higher cost of it.

Let’s take a look at it!

Potoky MODERN needlework stand
Continue reading “The Modern Needlework Stand: A Close Look and a Question”

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March 17, 2025

Happy St. Patrick’s Day – and Some News

 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Out in here Kansas, the day is celebrated only in small pockets of green here and there.

Growing up on the east coast, St. Patrick’s Day was a much bigger deal – especially when we lived outside Boston, but also in the South. Through high school, I marched in my high school band in the parade in Savannah every year. It was a hugely anticipated event and lots of fun!

In Kansas, though, it’s a bit lower key. I wore green to work today, nevertheless. (I was afraid Anna might get a bit pinchy.)

Whitework embroidered shamrocks on green linen
Continue reading “Happy St. Patrick’s Day – and Some News”

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March 14, 2025

The ABC of Padded Stitch – Elisabetta’s New Book!

 

Did you know that Elisabetta Sforza has a beautiful new book out?!

I’m so excited, because this particular book focuses on Elisabetta’s approach to padded satin stitched monograms – which she does so, so beautifully.

ABC of Padded Stitch is both an instructional book and a project book, and it has some really nice aspects to it that will surely appeal to anyone who wants to try, practice, and master the padded satin stitch, especially when used in monogramming.

That said, the techniques in the book can also be applied to other uses of padded satin stitch, besides monogramming. If you are a lover of whitework embroidery, this is right up your alley!

The ABC of Padded Stitch
Continue reading “The ABC of Padded Stitch – Elisabetta’s New Book!”

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March 11, 2025

Art Nouveau Embroidery Design: We Have a Finish… and a Name!

 

I love it when a plan comes together…

The Art Nouveau project that we’ve been developing here in the studio is finished. This is Anna’s piece, more or less. I was just the advisor, after a fashion – colors, threads, techniques, troubleshooting – that was my part. Anna she drew the design and she stitched it. Hurray!!

When we talked about it here last time, I was musing over a name, and many of you piped in with some great ideas! Thank you!

So below, you’ll find the floofy name we came up with. I picked it. I’m not sure Anna loves the name, but it’s an artistic technique popular in the Art Nouveau era, seen frequently in jewelry (I love, love, love it in jewelry – but just for looking at, because real jewelry of this ilk is way beyond any imaginable budget!), and I think it evokes what we were trying to do with this piece.

Art Nouveau embroidery in silk and gold
Continue reading “Art Nouveau Embroidery Design: We Have a Finish… and a Name!”

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March 7, 2025

Goldwork Butterflies for a Good Cause

 

Today, I’m presenting you with a different kind of book review.

A Kaleidoscope of Goldwork Butterflies is a project and technique book published by Alison Cole last year. It’s a beautiful book, with beautiful projects in it.

At the same time, it’s a special book. It was published and is being sold to raise funds to support medical research for a condition called NORSE (New Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus), which tragically took the life of Alison’s daughter, Bek, in 2023.

I’m going to let Alison tell us about this, but I’ll be giving you a glimpse of the projects in the book, as well as the instructional content you can expect from it.

As with all of Alison’s books (like Goldwork Masterclass reviewed here and Stumpwork Masterclass reviewed here), the instruction is excellent and the projects are exquisite.

Alison Cole's Goldwork Butterflies
Continue reading “Goldwork Butterflies for a Good Cause”

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March 5, 2025

Testing the Sparkle on Little Bits of Embroidery

 

Good morning! I’ve got a lot to chat with you about in the coming days, as we pull together the projects that we’re working on here in the studio.

My goal this week is to set up the “final” version of a project sample I’ll be stitching over the next couple weeks.

It’s a small, spring-bright, happy project that I want to use to focus on how metallics can be incorporated into hand embroidery projects in a subtle but effective way, to add a little touch of sparkle and life. I showed you some testing for it a little while back.

Testing metallics in small embroidery project
Continue reading “Testing the Sparkle on Little Bits of Embroidery”