sampler

Inspired by my baby steps in embroidery on Carina's blog hop, I picked up this neglected Alphabet Sampler kit a few weeks ago. I bought it from Alicia Paulson's Rosy Little Things shop way back when. The kit sold out but if you are interested the pdf pattern is still available here.

I am in love with the base colour of the embroidery, and love that the design is screenprinted on to the fabric. It is helping me practice my embroidery stitches without too much thinking as the colours and stitches are all specified in the notes.

One thing I changed from the supplied kit was the needle. I found the short thin embroidery needle a pain and kept pricking myself. I wasn't enjoying it. I don't think that the work suffers for using a larger needle and it keeps me happy. 

I'm also liking the embroidery crewel that comes with this, for those of you who haven't used it its a yarny sort of thread, different to the flosses I've used before, it doesn't separate as much as the floss and seems more immune to snarls, I like it. It looks much like the floss in the embroidery too, despite its woolly feel.

I've discovered too that embroidery is a great travel craft! Small, portable and involving minimal tools. Check! Perfect in fact for throwing in the bag as you walk out the door. Just the thing for our recent Hawks Nest trip.

I would be interested in knowing what needle the rest of you use. And your preference for floss or crewel? Or any clever advice. As usual, don't look too closely, and yes it is crumpled, from the travel you know!