Debbie

In several earlier posts I discussed my thread choices for my designs. Sometimes I use threads that are not readily available in every local needlework shop, and I’m asked, “is there a conversion for that?” Sometimes I’ve worked out a conversion, sometimes I haven’t, but this post today is about conversions. Under the “About” tab, […]

  Today I’m asking your indulgence as I depart somewhat from stitching subjects, and share something strictly personal. This week we made the devastating decision to put our dog to sleep, after she lost the use of her back legs in what was probably a neurological incident last weekend. Those of you who are owned

The relationship between a designer and a stitcher is a somewhat anonymous one. I design, write the instructions, and send them out to the shops. I almost never know who buys the design, or stitches it, unless someone sends me an email or a picture (which I love, by the way!). I get to meet

Recently I found a “new” thread line, one that has actually been in business for more than 30 years, Treenway Silks. I had first heard of Treenway Silks when a stitcher had used them for a different colorway for Diamond Delight 4, and her rendition won a prize at the prestigious Woodlawn competition. I was

I got a bit side-tracked with show preparation, but I have a few more things to say about thread selection. When I go to the trade shows I’m bombarded with new threads. Sometimes it’s a bit of overload! The colors, the textures – I’d love to design with all of them. I’ve had to impose

Continuing my discourse about which threads I use and why I use them! Before I leave the solid cottons though, I haven’t mentioned Anchor. I don’t use Anchor because it’s not available in my area, and I have never been able to get any from the distributors. This brings up an important point in my

With so many thread lines on the market, how do I choose which ones to use? Very good question! When I started DebBee’s Designs 10 years ago the choices were more limited, but still a staggering array from which to select. I pretty quickly settled into a few standards – DMC cotton flosses and pearl

The bread and butter of every needlework designer is thread. Thread is our medium, how we do what we do, our “paint”. We surround ourselves with it, with color cards, floss rings, whole thread lines, and never have enough. One of the questions that I get asked a lot is how do I decide which

I hate making mistakes! Especially in my charts, because usually that means someone has to frog stitches. And I know how much I loathe ripping out! In my distant past, I studied journalism in college and was editor of the college paper. Part of my job was to correct mistakes in the stories submitted by

OK, confession time – how many of you have started a project, then lost interest? You were excited when you bought the chart, loved the threads when you pulled them, couldn’t wait to put in the first stitches, then your interest waned and the project got put aside. I know in my conversations with stitchers