My friends, a Happy Saturday all around!
I’m going to use today’s article to poll our community and get some help! I’ve been testing some embroidery hoops, making comparisons, and drawing conclusions lately, to prepare a detailed article on embroidery hoops of different types, their advantages and disadvantages, and the like. It’s an article that I hoop will be helpful to many!
I thought some community input would be a good thing! And so, today – along with some other knick-knacks, bits and bobs, bobbles and bibelots, gaudies and gewgaws, I thought I’d ask this question: What’s Your Hoop?
Mind you, the question isn’t “What’s your favorite hoop?” And it’s not “What’s in your hoop?”
Rather, it’s “What is your hoop? What hoop do you use – if you use one – and why? Or, if you prefer a frame to a hoop, what’s your take on that?
If you’d like to contribute to the broader knowledge of the community on this hoop topic and help me get a wider sense of hoop usage, please join in the conversation below!
I’m looking forward to reading about your experience and perspective on embroidery hoops! Many thanks!
Now, grab a cuppa, and let’s do a tiny bit of wandering…
Go to the Met!
Did you know that there are some 4,000+ works of embroidery art in the open access artworks section of the Met Collection online?
These are high resolution images of public domain artworks that can be downloaded, remixed, shared, and so forth without restriction.
Go browse! It’s kind of fun, and the possibilities are rather enticing…
The Ladies’ Guide
I don’t think I’ve shared this online book with you. It’s a good one! It’s the Ladies’ Guide to Needle Work, Embroidery, Etc. by S. Annie Frost. There are some interesting pieces in it that could be adapted into nice patterns. Plus, it’s one of those old books that are kind of fun to read, wonder, and chuckle over.
Coming Up!
Just a quick run-down on what’s coming up for A Stitcher’s Christmas – my yearly series of give-aways here on Needle ‘n Thread.
A Stitcher’s Christmas is an opportunity for small needlework businesses to showcase what they offer, and also to give back to the stitching world as a “thank you” for all your support!
This year, there are ten give-aways in the series and they include the following:
Threads from Colour Complements
Beautiful hand-crafted wooden tools from Stitch ‘n Turn
Collections of fabrics & threads from Needle in a Haystack
Subscriptions to Inspirations Magazine
A gorgeous silk ribbon embroidery kit from Di Van Niekerk
Some fantastic collections of new embroidery books (and not-yet-released, but upcoming books) from Search Press
Sumptuous hand-dyed crewel wool sets from Renaissance Dyeing
Delightful tools from Jenny Adin-Christie
Fabric, threads, ribbons, and haberdashery from The French Needle, in color themes
And a whole set of floche!
And there may be a few more surprises in there, too… but Shhhhh! – don’t tell anyone.
Why not take some time to browse these small needlework businesses this weekend and see what they’re all about? You may find just the right thing you’ve been looking for – and of course, they’re lovely places to shop for your Christmas wish list. (Share with the husband, wife, children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, friends… Never hurts to drop a hint!)
A Stitcher’s Christmas will begin the Monday after Thanksgiving and run up until right before Christmas here on Needle ‘n Thread. Pop in throughout the weeks to catch the different give-aways!
Don’t Forget the Hoop!
Don’t forget to weigh in on the hoop question.
On that note, I’ll wish you a great weekend! I’ll be glued to my computer this weekend, finishing up Snowflakes. If you’re eager for the e-book, with multiple sized patterns and detailed stitch & finishing guides, look for it right after Thanksgiving.
Oh, OH!! Speaking of Thanksgiving – I have a little surprise for you on Thanksgiving Day. Well, it’s just kind of a silly thing, but I couldn’t help doing it – I had a blast putting it together! You’ll have to wait to see what it is, but if you liked looking for my tweezers, you might enjoy it!
