September 16, 2019
I've blogged about the best embroidery hoops and fabric, but one of my most frequently asked questions over on Instagram is how I organize my embroidery threads.
Keeping my threads organized is so essential to making stitching easier. I primarily work with DMC six strand cotton floss. This type of floss is typically sold in skeins. A skein is a loose coil of thread and has two label tabs on either end. DMC gives each color its own identifying number.
When I first started, I never undid the coil; I just pulled the thread. Big mistake! Over time, these coils get knotted, twisted, and/or impossible to keep track up.
A peek at my thread boxes.
So what to do? I finally got smart and ordered plastic bobbins and divided thread storage boxes. They are game changers!
In my new guide, Hand Embroidery Essentials, I share direct links to where I source these supplies as well as my methods for winding bobbins and organizing the colors. In addition to these tips, I go in depth about different types of embroidery thread and where to buy them, what to do with leftover threads, and what to do if your thread color bleeds. Find the guide here!
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August 26, 2019
In my previous blog post, I wrote about the best fabrics for hand embroidery. In this post, I wanted to touch on another embroidery essential - the hoop.
There are many different types of hoops out there, and I’ve about tried them all! From pricier imported wood hoops to plastic hoops to "hoops" made of plastic piping, there are a lot of varieties to try out. Sometimes it comes down to personal preference depending on what feels good in your hands and what materials you choose for your stitching projects.
Using a hoop makes stitching much easier as your hands have something to hold. It also keeps your fabric taut, which helps you to stitch evenly and to prevent your fabric from puckering.
The size of hoop you select completely depends on the size of the embroidery you are hoping to stitch. I typically work with hoops in the range of 5 to 7 inches wide.
In my new guide, Hand Embroidery Essentials, I do a deep dive into hoops and go into great detail about how to use a hoop, the various brands I've tried, and what I prefer to use. You can find the guide here.
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August 19, 2019
What fabric do you stitch on? Where do you buy your fabric? These are two of the most common questions I receive on Instagram about my work.
Different types of fabric for hand embroidery.
It's taken a lot of trial and error to figure out the fabric I prefer to stitch on. These days I typically work on fine imported linen, but I learned how to stitch on different types of cotton. I mention trial and error because fabric quality varies a LOT and over time I've learned how much easier it is to stitch on quality materials. This often translates to the fabric being more expensive, but I choose to invest in the best materials I can find because I want my work to have an heirloom quality that will last for years and years.
If you want to learn more about fabric, I go in depth about how I select fabrics, the pros and cons of different types, the materials to avoid, and the exact places I purchase fabric in my new digital guide, Hand Embroidery Essentials. You can find it in my shop here!
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July 30, 2019
After you have purchased Hand Embroidery Essentials, there are 3 ways to download the guide, ensuring you won't have a hard time figuring out how to download it.
1) After placing your order, there will be a link to directly download the guide on the final order confirmation page. Under your order number at the top of the page, you'll see a link that says "Click here to download the digital hand embroidery essentials guide."
2) You'll find a link to download the guide at the bottom of your order confirmation email. This email is sent from "Happy Cactus Designs" with the email address hello@happycactusdesigns.com.
3) You will also receive a second email soon after you place your order with a link to download the guide to your computer or other device. Please note that this is a separate email from your order confirmation email and will come from "Happy Cactus Designs" with the email address noreply@sendowl.com. SendOwl is the app used to deliver your digital download. Please check your spam folder if you don't see these emails.
A few notes about the download:
You may download the guide three separate times.
The PDF file size is approximately 21 MB.
Please check your spam folder if you don't see this email. Alternatively, some email carriers have a separate "promotions" folder these emails may be sent to.
The guide is a PDF, so you will need a PDF reader (such as Adobe Acrobat) to open and view the guide. Download one here.
If you have problems with your download, contact hello{at}happycactusdesigns.com.
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August 19, 2016
I love spending time pouring over textile books and learning about the history behind textile designs, stitching and dyeing techniques, and how design has shifting over the years. These are my three favorite books on my shelf:
The Fabric of India by Rosemary Crill - I could spend all day looking at this book! It's the exhibition book that accompanied the Indian textile exhibit that was held at the V&A Museum last year. I was so sad to not be able to make it to London to catch the exhibit, but the book is all encompassing with gorgeous photographs.
Embroidered Textiles: Traditional Patterns from Five Continents with a Worldwide Guide to Identification by Sheila Paine - This book provides a wonderful overview of different styles of embroidery from around the world. It helps the reader identify traditional techniques from countries like Pakistan, India, Tunisia, and Russia. Paine also addresses common motifs found in traditional techniques and their meanings.
Textiles of the Islamic World by John Gillow - The best part about this large book are the vibrant full-bleed photographs on nearly every page. This book also covers motifs and techniques found in textile creation with a specific focus on the Islamic world. My favorite section in particular details the amazing designs coming out of Indonesia.
Top image via Fabric of India, V&A
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April 12, 2016
I realized I hadn't shared a blog post about my brand new hand embroidered photo stationery! This product marries two of my favorite things: the handwritten note and hand embroidery.
High resolution, close-up photos of my hand embroidery work is printed on 110 lb. matte (not shiny) stock. These folded notes are sold in boxes of eight with white envelopes.
So far, I've released three different styles, but hope to introduce more designs down the road. Shop them here.
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April 06, 2016
The April issue of House Beautiful that features my embroidery is on newsstands now! I hope you've had a chance to check it out. I wanted to share more details about the piece I was commissioned to create!
I worked with the lovely editors on the design idea and the color palette. The piece itself is a bit larger than the actual magazine photograph - about 8" x 9.5". This is a larger scale than I usually stitch, so I adjusted my flower sizes accordingly. While a typical flower of mine might be an inch (like you see in this piece), the flowers I stitched for the magazine were about 3 inches tall.
I loved this color palette. It reminds me a lot of the Desert Southwest - pinks, dusty roses, peaches, rusts, copper, and greenish browns. I also stitched "Some New Threads," though a font was ultimately used in the magazine spread. I worked on a cream colored linen twill that held the stitches really well.
The entire piece took an estimated 30+ hours to stitch. I lost count after about hour 30! I stitched the piece over a four day period. This was an amazing project to work on and I am so grateful to the editors of House Beautiful for entrusting me to create something beautiful for their pages!
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March 22, 2016
I have some very exciting news to share, perhaps some of the most exciting news in my company's 4.5 year history...my embroidery work is featured in the April issue of House Beautiful magazine!
The editors behind the magazine contacted me a few months ago and commissioned me to embroider a special piece to open "The Best" section of the magazine. I jumped at the chance and loved working with the wonderful section editors.
I loved working with this color palette so much that I used it into many of the newest pieces of embroidery that I released last week. Shop them here.
The issue hits newsstands today. I hope you'll pick up a copy!
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February 26, 2016
I've been looking at the latest fashion trends and it appears that the 70's are back in a big way. Case in point: embroidered denim is everywhere! I haven't experimented with embroidering on denim in my own work, but these picks below have me inspired to try my hand at it.
Kimbchi Blue Embroidered Denim Jacket
February 24, 2016
Yumiko Higuchi is an extremely talented Japanese embroidery artist who creates beauitful hand-stitched motifs and floral patterns with a style all her own. What most distinguishes Yumiko’s work is the way she combines wool thread and cotton embroidery floss in her pieces. The wool adds a more three-dimensional quality to her work.
I was delighted when Zakka Workshop, a U.S. based publisher of craft books, kindly asked me if I would be interested in reviewing Yumiko’s newest book. Simply Stitched is chock full of wonderful projects in Yumiko’s signature style.
The projects seem completely suitable for a beginner to advanced beginner. I liked that the sewing projects aren’t too ambitious (perfect for a novice sewing machine user like myself).
The photographs in the book are fabulous - you’ll see a large image of the full motif or pattern design and then a photograph of the completed project. The book also provides a great overview of the types of materials you will need.
Many beginners often ask me on Instagram where they should start with embroidering. Simply Stitched would be a great starting point for any embroiderer! The instructions are very clear and easy to understand.
Want a copy of Simply Stitched? Enter the giveaway I am hosting on Instagram!
February 18, 2016
If you follow Happy Cactus on Instagram, you know that I have been hard at work creating new hand embroidery pieces for my next collection. I hope to release the next batch of embroidered artwork in a few short weeks. Sign up for the Happy Cactus newsletter so you are the very first to hear when these one-of-a-kind pieces are for sale!
February 03, 2016
Since I work freehand and don't use a pattern or template while embroidering, every design is unique. If an item is listed as out of stock, it means that the one-of-a-kind piece of art has sold.
While you may be disappointed, you can contact me to to explore creating a similar design for you. I do my best to replicate the design as much as possible. You can also reach out if you are interested in a design in a different colorway or with a different color mat board. I try my best to honor requests. The lead time for creating a piece for you varies, but is usually about 3 to 4 weeks.
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