I’ve written about Trish Burr’s needle painting kits here on Needle ‘n Thread many, many times. And there’s a reason for that – her needle painting projects are so finally detailed, so charming, so pretty. Her flowers, her birds, her little miniatures – they appeal, you know!

But most of all, what I think I love best about Trish’s embroidery projects is her sense of color and color blending. No one else does it quite like she does.

Here are four of Trish’s recent kits, up close. To see them is to love them!

This first one is Redouté’s Sweet Peas. This is by far my favorite recent kit from Trish. The colors in it are exquisite! The whole bundle of flowers is so light and delicate, but still vivacious. I love this!

And while the flowers themselves might catch your eye first, it’s the leaves, stems, and tendrils that I really admire in the piece. The shading, the subtle details – very nice!

This second kit is the Briar Rose, another lovely floral piece. More stunning color and shading here, and perfect details on the branches, leaves, the centers of the flowers.

*Sigh* It makes me long for summer! And that makes me think it’s a perfect piece for winter stitching!

These two other kits belong to Trish’s collection of Vintage Miniature embroideries – a tiny needle-painted girl seriously munching a slab of watermelon and another little tyke pouring out milk for a fluffy, patient kitten. They’re both so sweet!

I’m particularly taken with the kitten, since she sports a red bow. We must be kindred spirits. (Not that I sport red bows…)

Trish’s kits come with the design pre-printed on a high-quality cotton muslin. The printing (or silk screening) is done in a very pale grey, so that that the outline are visible, but easy to cover.

You can see that the size of the sweet peas (which is the largest design of these four kits) is not large at all – it’s about four inches high. So the designs are small, which makes them manageable. They’re not “long term” projects. They’re the type of project you actually do have a chance of finishing!

The kits also come with a needle…

…and the instruction booklet. I like Trish’s booklets! They’re compact, clear, printed in full color, and they cover all the basics necessary for completing the project.

Each project booklet includes a stitch guide and color layout (like the one pictured above), thread charts with the colors & types of threads required for the project, and step-by-step photos and brief instructions showing the development of the project.

The instructions don’t go into meticulous detail on thread painting. You can find more detailed instruction in Trish’s books, especially her book Needle Painting Embroidery: Fresh Ideas for Beginners, which I’ve reviewed here on Needle ‘n Thread. It’s an excellent introduction to needle painting for beginners and beyond.

For those even slightly familiar with long and short stitch shading, though, the instructions are thorough enough to take you through the projects. The step-by-step photos often include enlarged details, so you can really see what your stitching should look like when complete.

Trish’s kits don’t include threads. This is actually a good thing for most people – you have a little more freedom in choosing threads and colors if you want to mix things up, and it is generally more economical to purchase the required threads locally.

Trish Burr Kits – A Give-Away!

Today, because it’s Thursday, and Thursday is a great day for a give-away – and because Christmas is coming, and you need your own little Christmas gift – I’m giving away all four of the kits featured above, with many thanks to Trish Burr, who sent them along for you!

One winner will receive A Sweet Slice of Watermelon and Redoute’s Sweet Peas.

And another winner will receive A Saucer of Milk and Briar Rose.

Give-Away Guidelines

If you’d like to sign up for the give-away, please follow these guidelines:

1. Leave a comment below. Your comment must be left on this article on the website, so just follow this link and it will take you straight to the comment form. Comments sent in via e-mail or left on any other article are not eligible.

2. In your comment, please answer the following:

What’s your favorite embroidery kit or design available in Trish Burr’s Etsy Shop, and what draws you to it?

3. Please make sure you leave a recognizable name on the comment form, either on the “name” line or in the comment box. If your name happens to be Sue, for example, please qualify it somehow, either with a last initial, a location, a nickname, or something similar. This helps eliminate confusion when the winners are announced.

4. Leave your comment by Thursday, December 12, at 5:00 am Central Time (Kansas, USA). I’ll announce the winners that day. Look for the announcement – if you win, you’ll need to contact me with shipping information!

So, sign up for the give-away! And then go stitch something beautiful!

I’m off to drink a much needed cup of strong coffee.

It’s early, you know.

See you on the morrow!