Needlework News

Free alphabet for hand embroidery

Denise Felton — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:20:35 +0000

Renee of Sibling Craftery is sharing her original alphabet for hand embroidery. Yes! Get the pattern.

How-to series: Adapting needlepoint

Denise Felton — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:07:52 +0000

Have you been watching Thread Medley’s series on how to adapt needlepoint? If not, go catch up. You’ll love it.

Inspiration: Liz Kueneke

Denise Felton — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:47:54 +0000

MrXStitch introduces us to Liz Kueneke…

…an artist who works with communities to help them understand their neighborhood through participatory embroidery…The participants add value to the embroidered maps with their own experiences. It provides a social history to the area that you wouldn’t get from municipal maps.

See more photos and get the links from MrXStitch.

New from Betz White

Denise Felton — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:38:11 +0000

Betz White — princess of adorableness — offers irresistable projects for dressing up your needlework accessories. She says,

The Ladybug is sewn with a retractable tape measure inside. To extend the tape, just give her antennae a little tug. Be gentle! The Leaf Scissor Case is sized just right to hold your 4″ embroidery scissors. Both can be made with any kind of felt (shown here in recycled sweater felt and wool felt) and can be sewn by hand. Great to make as a gift or to keep for yourself.

Get the PDF pattern from her Etsy shop for US $6.00.

Patriotic machine embroidery

Denise Felton — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:10:55 +0000

If you live in the USA, today is the day to download these free designs by Vicky of VK Digitizing for SWAKembroidery.com. Get the eagle. Get “defend her.”

Free patterns: Floral motifs

Denise Felton — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:32:52 +0000

doe-c-doe is sharing these sweet floral motifs from her collection of vintage embroidery patterns. Get them from her blog.

Tutorial: Tatting + beads

Denise Felton — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:14:01 +0000

LadyShuttleMaker of Tatting Tales points out that you get a completely different look if you add beads to the core thread as opposed to the working thread. See her tutorial with an abundance of excellent photos to learn both options — and combinations!

Free chart: Summer Day 1776

Denise Felton — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:47:30 +0000

Here’s a lovely gift from Tanya (aka The Sampler Girl). She’s sharing her original chart for a small sampler commemorating the USA’s Independence Day. Get the chart.

Premiere: Ebooks from Janet Perry

Denise Felton — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:39:31 +0000

The first two needlework ebooks from Janet Perry are now available! Janet says,

I’m so excited about them both because they represent an affordable way to buy needlepoint projects as well as great ways to use material you already have on hand.

Go to Janet’s site, Nuts About Needlepoint, to learn more and order.

How-to: Scotch checker stitch

Denise Felton — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:27:16 +0000

Barbara Bergsten of Create Needlepoint blog gives us instructions and excellent illustrations for doing Scotch checker stitch. See the post.

Tutorial: Kasuthi embroidery

Denise Felton — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:12:33 +0000

You’ll love the guest tutorial on Mary Corbet’s Needle ‘n’ Thread blog. Jayashree walks us through the Indian embroidery technique known as Kasuthi, a geometric style that results in lovely works such as this one. Get the tute.

More inspiration from Ivory Blush Roses

Denise Felton — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:04:10 +0000

This is an Altoid tin. No, really! Lisa of Ivory Blush Roses beautifies everything she touches, including household debris such as old CDs and Altoid tins. Go see.

Inspiration: Samantha Fields

Denise Felton — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:55:24 +0000

Holy mackeroly! Samantha Fields embroiders on walls! See Joetta Maue’s review of her work (and more photos!) on Hello Craft.

Embroidery challenge: Tiny flowers

Denise Felton — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:47:50 +0000

Needlework Tips & Techniques not only demonstrates simple embroidery stitches for small flowers but also invites you to show off your practice composition. The site says,

Use my ideas, or come up with your own. Don’t worry about finding a pattern, just start somewhere and scatter your flowers wherever you like. Fill in the gaps with the tiniest flowers and make your own little garden grow on the fabric. But most of all have fun…

Upload a scan or photo of your sample and tell us about what you added. What stitches did you use, what threads or fibres? Did you like some stitches more than others? Will you use any of them again? Were any of them new to you?

To join the challenge, see the post.

Free pattern: Terrible Lizard

Denise Felton — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:10:25 +0000

July’s free embroidery pattern from Andrea Zuill of Badbird’s blog is this Terrible Lizard. He’s so cute, I’m sure that roar is just a bluff. Get the pattern.