December 18, 2017 1 Comment on Embroidery Detail for Little Folks Turkish Tunic
I was stuck at home last weekend because of the 13(!) inches of snow we got on Friday and Saturday. I enjoyed being out in the snow with my kids, but I am also not a cold weather person. So, I also enjoyed being inside and warm and dry. And, with the electricity flickering (and eventually going out), I looked for a sewing project I could work on without needing my machines. I picked up the Little Folks Turkish Tunic embroidery pattern, my hoop, some waste canvas, and some organic silk Eri embroidery thread and set to work.
I decided to try and practice the Tunic embroidery suggestions for around the placket and hems, which use cross stitch and Holbein stitch. I put down a narrow section of waste canvas or scrim and was able to quickly embroider a long row with the madder red and mid-indigo silk thread. I only used 4 of the eight strands of thread to do this embroidery and I thought that was adequate. The thread was beautiful and I enjoy sewing with it. You can find the thread, now in 4 colors, in our store.
Instructions for these embroidery stitches are in the Handwork section of the 109 Little Folks pattern, which you can also get as a PDF file. I hope to get a video up soon with a demonstration of how to do these stitches, so stay tuned for that.
My favorite part of this kind of embroidery is taking apart the canvas to reveal what I've done. I admit that I need to keep practicing - my stitches are not perfect. But, I was satisfied with it and love the contract and colors.
Who else is out there embroidering anything?
September 22, 2017
I am so excited about a new product we are carrying in the Folkwear store: naturally dyed, organic Eri silk embroidery thread!
This thread comes from Botanica Tinctoria, a company that sources sustainably made trims, voile, and threads. Eri silk is durable and strong (and the worm is not killed in the processing). The thread is GOTS-certified organic, and is dyed with natural materials and safe mordants in a closed loop process in India. You can feel good about using this thread.
We carry Madder Red and Mid-Indigo Blue - two colors that are traditionally used in clothing embroidery in many cultures. This 8-stranded thread will be perfect to use, separated (and often together), for any embroidery stitching on 107 Afghan Nomad Dress, any of the garments in 109 Little Folks, 142 Old Mexico Dress, 209 Walking Skirt, and many others. There are so many uses for embroidery thread in our patterns when doing traditional handwork - from couching (Afghan Nomad Dress) to applique (Hungarian Szur, Big Sky Riding Skirt) to quilting (Turkish Coat, Quilted Prairie Skirt).
Environmentally and socially sustainable, and used to create hand-sewn, beautiful garments - this thread is the opposite of fast fashion. We are proud to carry such a product and can't wait to see what you make with it!