A week ago today, I took my first steps toward learning hand embroidery. My stitches still aren’t perfect, but I can feel the process becoming smoother. Block 2 of the Bluebird Quilts BOM (above) is complete and block 3 just a few more details away from being complete. I’m enjoying the learning process and am looking forward to embellishing a special PROJECT very soon!
Yesterday, I visited The Stitching Studio here in Austin for their open house event at the new location. It looks to be a great facility for learning, with a large, open and bright classroom area with large design walls and great tables for sewing.
In their Thread-Bare thrift store area, I lucked into what I think is a real find, a whole set of darning threads, most of which is silk. I actually bought the little bag of thready goodness because I love wooden spools. When I opened up the bag at home, I realized I might have a little treasure! After poking around online, it seems that darning thread, especially silk, was used to repair silk hose. Anyone have a clue as to what the age of these particular spools might be?
TTMT is tomorrow and the Project of Doom is back in action this week…see you all soon!
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As far as I can find in my costume design texts, silk stockings started to go out in the mid 40’s-early fifties when nylon started to become available, and became harder to find after 1960 when pantyhose were introduced, so I’d guess somewhere between then for the spools. I can’t find my blasted costume history text or textiles and fibers, but i’ll see if I find any info when I find them.
Love the embroidery… maybe you’ll have to do a few HP embroidery patterns since a bunch of us are learning embroidery for the same reason? I’m waiting for stuff from sublimestitching.com to get here and will definitely get in some practice before I touch a quilt block with a needle…