If you add fusible web to fabric in preparation for applique, you’ve had this happen at some point. Somehow, the web and the fabric get bunched, and you wind up with ugly, permanent ripples or creases. Should you just throw … Read More ...
A trick for evenly spaced flower petals
Do you avoid embroidering flower motifs because it’s so hard to space the petals evenly and make them all the same length? (I do.) Mary Corbet to the rescue! Her solution is a snap for anyone with a computer and … Read More ...
Cool summer stitching
If you live in the northern hemisphere and it seems too hot for needlepoint–all that wool and a lapful of project–check out Janet Perry‘s tips for cool summer stitching. See her Nuts About Needlepoint post.… Read More ...
Tutorial: Damp stretching embroidery
If you press your finished embroidery–even if you press it face down on a fluffy towel–the stitches may be crushed. Mary Corbet of Needle ‘n’ Thread steps us through damp stretching, a process that smooths the ground fabric while preserving … Read More ...
Video tutorial: Basque stitch
Mary Corbet‘s instructional videos make even complicated embroidery stitches doable. Her latest is basque stitch. She says, “You can think of the Basque stitch as a combination of twisted chain stitch and buttonhole stitch, upside down.” It’s easier than … Read More ...
Free patriotic pattern
Just in time for Independence Day in the USA, here’s a patriotic doodle for your embroidery pleasure, thanks to Primitives by the Light of the Moon. Go to her blog post to get the design.
Ed. note 7/6/12: Many … Read More ...
Tutorial: No-sew fleece octopus
I’m loving Abby Glassenberg‘s update of a classic kids’ craft. She says she spotted the instructions for a yarn octopus in a 1966 magazine. (I remember making one in Brownies about 1960–one of my first crafts!) You can get … Read More ...
Tutorial: Sweet soft book
I can think of no better way to employ your applique skills than to create one of these adorable soft books! LeAnne Ballard from Everyday Celebrations shares her design and tutorial on Moda Bake Shop. See the tute.
Quiet … Read More ...
Tutorial: Stumpwork ladybug
If you love Elizabeth Braun‘s stumpwork as much as I do, then you’ll be thrilled to learn that she’s sharing the tutorial for this adorable ladybug! Go to her Sew in Love blog post for the instructions.
Looking … Read More ...
How to make a traveling stitch kit
This might be the most awesome needlework kit ever. It holds everything you need, from the hoop to the needles. It opens flat so you can lay it across your lap and use it as a work surface when you’re … Read More ...
Tutorial: Ending and restarting thread invisibly
What if you run out of thread in the middle of a complicated stitch? How do you keep the join from showing? Annet of Fat-Quarter shows her technique for solving this problem in a row of cable chain stitch. The … Read More ...
Learn “Vintage Strawberries” from Margaret Cobleigh
Mary Corbet of Needle ‘n’ Thread announces a new online class to be offered through her site:
… Read More ...Margaret Cobleigh will be hosting…Vintage Strawberries. It’s a beautiful little needlepainting project for stitchers who have at least some experience with
How to remove acrylic paint from fabric
It is possible to remove unwanted acrylic paint from fabric, even if it has dried. Diana of Closet Crafter explains how she does it, and her photos of the results confirm that her method works. Check it out. And … Read More ...
Tutorial: Sparkling embroidered dragonflies
Chris of Ella’s Craft Creations explains how to create embroidered dragonflies with gorgeous iridescent wings. See her tute.
The Dragonfly represents change, metamorphosis, adaptation, and self-realization in practically every corner of the planet. The shift that is … Read More ...
Get “Poncetto Lace” in English
Jeanine of Italian Needlework blog shares the news that Poncetto Lace by Theresa Rizzi is now available free from the Smithsonian’s internet archive. This little instruction book, published in 1917, may be the only manual ever created in English for … Read More ...