Good morning, from a stormy, rainy Kansas!

Today, (very quickly, because things are flickering a bit with the storms passing through), I’d like to share with you the finish on the beginner goldwork and silk rose that I showed you a couple weeks ago and explain what it’s all about!

This is a project that I’ve been wanting to put together for quite a while.

So many times, I hear from beginners – or even from folks who have been stitching for years – that they really want to try working with silk, or they really want to try working with goldwork threads, but that they are too afraid to start.

And to address this difficulty, I’ve had this project floating in my head for a while.

I wanted a project that would cover the basics of working with goldwork threads and that would serve as an introduction to embroidering with silk.

Neither should be intimidating. Goldwork, I think, seems like a lofty pursuit because the supplies are harder to come by, they tend to be a little expensive (but you don’t need huge quantities!), and folks seem to associate it with really advanced techniques.

But that’s just not the case. Goldwork involves very simple techniques – it’s just a matter of getting used to working with the threads and seeing how they can perform for you.

Silk is a beautiful thread. It’s slightly more expensive than cotton, true, but with a project like this, a little goes a long way. There are different types of silk on the market, and some are easier to stitch with than others. A project like this is a great way to overcome Silk Anxiety and dip your fingers into the glorious world of embroidering with silk threads!

So that’s why Anna and I have been dabbling with this project lately. I used my niece, Anna, as a guinea pig, because she has never done this kind of goldwork and she’s never stitched a project like this with silk.

I’m working up a slightly different version of the project, now that I’ve seen where Anna had some difficulties, or where the design could benefit from a little alteration in technique, color, or thread type.

So if you’ve wanted to take the plunge and try silk and goldwork, keep an eye out! I’m sourcing the supplies right now, and I’ll have this available in a couple different formats as soon as I can. The supply lines are still a bit shaky, but hopefully, it’ll be sooner than later.

Time to power down before things frizzle. I do love a good storm!

Have a wonderful Monday!