Add a Little Embroidery to your quilt with Presencia threads 15 of them in fact

I have a confession to make. I'm not a quilter.

So why, you may be wondering, am I writing an article for a website devoted to quilting? And that's a very good question!

The answer's pretty simple: I'd like to encourage you to add a touch of embroidery to your quilts! Oh, no, not to every quilt, but some quilts are perfectly suited to embroidered highlights, and in the scheme of things, embroidery on a quilt is a new trend...At least according to the latest polls Madame Samm has shared with me.

I would like to add some tutorials here for you, to all those who are interested in the basics. Mdm Samm thought this would be a great start. And I agree with her, so here you are.

Here are some great videos for all of you visitors and soon to be embroiderists

If you are to learn one stitch, this is one that you will use more than any other !
Backstitch a close second!

Stem Stitch is my favorite hand embroidery stitch, because it is so versatile and so attractive. The poor stem stitch doesn’t get the attention it is due, in my opinion – most folks tend to stitch lines today using backstitch, running stitch, and chain stitch, more than they do with stem stitch. But stem stitch makes a beautiful line stitch! Hopefully, the how-to video here will help you learn or perfect your stem stitch, and maybe you’ll end up loving it, too!

You can see that the stem stitch makes a rope-like line. How heavy the rope is depends upon the thread you use. Stem stitch can be very delicate, and can be used on the most delicate embroidery pieces. Or it can be bold!

Stem stitch also takes curves really well – so vines, curly-q’s, little circles and so forth are a breeze with stem stitch.

And finally, stem stitch can be used to fill an area, by working rows of stem stitch close together. The shading on the leaf above is achieved by switching out different shades of green as the leaf was filled in.

If you want to read about the stem stitch in addition to watching the video tutorial, please check out the Basic Embroidery Stitch Index, where you will find stem stitch under the Line Stitches.

A Note Concerning Threads and Hands

Threads: For the stem stitch to produce the rope-like results in the photos above, if you’re following the method described in the video below (stitching left to right, and keeping the working thread below the needle), the thread you use should be an S-twisted thread. When threads are made, they are either S-twisted or Z-twisted. Cottons – such as DMC, Anchor, and other embroidery flosses, perle cottons, and so forth – are S-twisted threads. Most commonly used silks are S-twisted threads, but some are Z-twisted (for example, Trebizond, Soie de Paris, and The Silk Mill threads are all Z-twisted). Rayon flosses used in Brazilian Embroidery are Z-twisted. So what does this all mean for the stitch itself? It means that, to achieve the nice rope-like look of stem stitch, you would actually stitch with the thread above the needle, when traveling from left to right. But never fear! As complex as this sounds, most commonly used embroidery flosses are S-twisted, so in all likelihood, if you’re a beginner, you’re using an S-twisted thread, and the instructions in the video are exactly what you should follow.

Hands: If you are left-handed, go ahead and watch the video – you will see that if you use the stab method, you can stitch the stem stitch just like a right-handed person does, and if you want to use the sewing method, just follow the directions for stitching the top line on the rectangle in the video (from left to right, with the thread above the needle).

Here’s the video:

Some further tips on stem stitch can be found here:

Joining Stem Stitch in a Circle
Stem Stitch Corners

For more video tutorials, please visit my whole collection ofHow-To Hand Embroider Videos here on Needle ‘n Thread!

Love to return with another video for you,

Thank you Madame Samm and all of you soon- to- be- stitchers.

I look forward to seeing your stitching!

Editors note: Mary Colbert has been stitching for years- since she

was 10 years old in fact. Who other than Mary would be an ideal teacher

for the months ahead. Do yourself a favor and subscribe to her newsletter on the top right

to her site, she will keep you in stitches.

Editors note: Why not a giveaway????...HOW about all of these PRESENCIA FINCA size 8 and a couple size 16 threads in yellow  hues for spring...And S for Spring....and 


S for ----------------- 
you tell me...Draw will be Monday..! 

Thanks go out to our sponsors Presencia!

( they look like some are the same colors, not sew...all diff't)

Congrats to Cindy Chon, 

YOU have won all these hues of yellow.

They will be shipped to you today.

All the way to Cornwall UK.

" I just starting to do embroidery and this is invaluable 

to me. Thank you for introducing Mary to all of us.

S is for SHARING with us. Thank you Madame and Mary"

To all those who SHARED, thank you, I have now

many "S" words to my file.... 

We will do this again....I have many balls of Presencia to give away...