Category: FlossTube

Embroidery bits and bobs

11/5/2020

I am going to start with a huge thank-you to those who have bought a pair (or even pairs!) of DOVO embroidery scissors. Scissors have been sent out to Ireland, the US, the UK and Canada. Thank you so much! Last week I talked to the people at DOVO and they are very touched by all the support they are getting from the embroidery community. We sure rock! For those of you who have missed what this is all about: DOVO, the makers of the best embroidery scissors in the world, informed their distributors last week that they had to file for insolvency. Not because of the Corona-crisis, but because of 'changing markets'. The people at DOVO are working hard to keep this small traditional company going. If you would like to give them a hand, please order your pair of scissors here.

Another thing I'd like to draw your attention to: a couple of weeks ago, I did another podcast with Gary of FiberTalk. We talked about all kinds of medieval embroidery and how they were made. It has become a lively discussion with lots of interesting facts. The podcast was aired the Sunday before last and you can find it on the FiberTalk website.

As I can't show things on an audio podcast, I also produced a short FlossTube video. In the above video, I talk a bit more about how these late 15th/early 16th-century goldwork orphreys were made. It might surprise you, but this was mass-production. Don't forget to give me the thumbs up and please subscribe to my channel so you don't miss the notifications when a new video is uploaded. And I am already working on some interesting ones for this week! If you have a minute, please leave me a comment on this blog post with what you would like to see/learn in future FlossTube videos. Would you like me to demonstrate some actual medieval goldwork embroidery? Would you like me to talk about historical pieces? Or something else entirely? Over to you!

And last but not least, my husband repaired the older set of drawers in my studio. This meant that I had to empty all the little drawers first. Rather a good exercise! I found several goodies that have now found their way into my webshop. And I also found another packet of fabric dye and decided to dye some Zweigart 40 ct Newcastle and 46 ct Bergen a lovely lavender. Hurry, as this is a limited supply!

That's all for this week. I am working hard on the samples and research for my new eBook on goldwork embroidery. I have a feeling it is going to be a good one :).

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Tips on how to support small businesses during the pandemic and beyond

27/4/2020

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As we are entering week six of the lock-down here in Bavaria, we can look forward to some restrictions being lifted a little in the near future. But we are a long way off normality. And I am not sure we will or want to go back exactly to how things were six weeks ago. For my part: I love the clear blue skies, the fresher air and the lower levels of noise. I really enjoy seeing and hearing more wild-life on our daily walks. And I love seeing my fellow church members via zoom several times a week. This is a huge improvement compared to pre-pandemic attending church service once a month in Munich. But as a small business owner, I can't help but be worried. Will my business survive the storm? Will the small family businesses I order my embroidery supplies from, survive? Will my customers still have disposable income to spend on my products? That's why I decided to write a blog post on all the big and small things you can do to help small businesses during this pandemic and beyond!

As we cannot gather, find other ways to stay in touch with your favourite small businesses. Follow their social media channels and make sure to like, comment and share their posts. The algorithms favour posts that have a lot of social interaction. These posts get shown to more people and thus more potential customers! And best of all: this is a completely free way of supporting small businesses. If you don't already do so, please subscribe to my Instagram account and get linking, commenting and sharing. Equally: bought something from my webshop? or working on one of my patterns?: tag me. Thank you very much!

If your favourite small businesses offer digital newsletters: sign up to them! This is a great way to stay up to date with what is going on. And if Social Media is not your thing as you find it too time-consuming and interrupting; these newsletters can be opened and enjoyed when you want to! This is another great way to support small businesses for free. If you are not a subscriber yet, please follow this link to subscribe to my weekly newsletter (and get in the monthly draws for free embroidery threads!).

Many small businesses have used the past few weeks to come up with new-to-them digital ways of staying connected with their community. I've started a FlossTube channel for which I make short videos on my medieval embroidery. This is my latest video on my last finish. Please subscribe to my channel, like my videos and leave comments. The YouTube algorithm loves popular videos/channels and the more social interaction, the wider the reach, the more potential customers I can serve! Thank you very much for your support!

But, and I won't lie, it comes all down to this: buy from us regularly. As international parcel service is severely disrupted, please buy smaller items such as threads, my petite needlepoint kits, most goldwork supplies, fabric, needles and scissors which can easily be put in a padded envelope. Yes, they take longer to reach you, but let's face it: most of us aren't going anywhere soon :). And most small creative businesses have a variety of digital downloads for purchase as well! These don't require any shipping as you can instantly download the PDF. Please browse my collection of embroidery patterns (goldwork, stupwork, crewelwork and Schwalm whitework) or my eBooks on 17th-century silk embroidery from Tyrol and my latest one on the long-armed cross-stitch. Every purchase is very much valued and the survival of my business depends on it now that I can't teach embroidery!

And last, but not least: your support has a knock-on effect. Small business owners tend to shop with small businesses themselves! Not only do I mainly sell products from small family businesses, but when I shop for groceries, household items or clothing, I am almost only buying from independent small businesses. The only exception: cat food and cat litter. When we tried to use an organic brand from our local organic store, Timmie and Sammie were sure we were trying to not so subtly kill them :). Above you see my latest purchase: a hand broom made from wood and horsehair by the last surviving authentic brush/broom binder in Germany. I've been purchasing high-quality brooms and brushes from Volker Kees for years. He is a travelling craftsman and we usually meet at open-air fairs here in the South of Bavaria. He has no website, but can be contacted by email. As I was pretty sure that he struggles to sell his products now that all fairs have been cancelled, I sent him an email and a couple of days later this functional beauty arrived.

Supporting small businesses is something I have been firmly integrating into my life over the past few years. If you did not already do so: please take this pandemic as an excuse to start doing the same. You'll be surprised at how much impact your purchases have!

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FlossTube with the Acupictrix

13/4/2020

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As the lock-down here in Bavaria, and indeed elsewhere, continues till at least the 19th of April, my embroidery courses at the open-air museum Glentleiten and the stumpwork course here in my studio had to be cancelled. Unfortunately, teaching is literally my bread-and-butter. Over the past two weeks, I have been looking into other avenues of promoting my embroidery business and making up for the financial downturn. One project will be another eBook. It will be on a little-known counted medieval embroidery technique with huge potential. I hope to be able to release it next week. The other project underhand is starting a FlossTube channel on medieval embroidery. The second episode is now up:

In these short videos, I'll talk about a specific aspect of medieval embroidery. In the first one, we explore the name acupictrix and the Babylonian confusion regarding the word 'embroidery' in Greek and Roman written sources. If you have missed it, you can watch it below. In the second episode, I'll show you how to search a fantastic online catalogue of medieval (textile) art in the Netherlands. It contains many high-resolution pictures of embroidery which you can download and use freely as long as you cite the source.

I am currently working on the third episode in which we will explore the rich silken fabrics used for these magnificent medieval goldwork embroideries. Please subscribe to my channel, give me the thumbs up and help me to promote my business. These are crazy times and we will only make it if we support one another. Thank you!

P.S. Did you like this blog article? Did you learn something new? When yes, then please consider making a small donation. Visiting museums and doing research inevitably costs money. Supporting me and my research is much appreciated ❤!

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Stitching opportunities

6/4/2020

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Since most of us are forced to stay at home, this blog post is a collection of embroidery related news to keep your hands busy in good virtual company. First up is a lovely spring-time cross-stitch pattern I adapted from a vintage pattern I found in the Antique Pattern Library. The pattern uses only two colours of stranded cotton: a colour for the flowers and a green. No need for specific colour numbers, just pick two colours that go well together. And if you like the effect of variegated yarn, you get a similar result as I did (see pictures below). I've used vintage variegated DMC stranded cotton on linen banding from Vaupel & Heilenbeck. You'll find the free pattern download in the download section of my webshop.

If you are rather into whitework, check out Luzine Happel's Global Schwalm Sampler. Over the next three months, embroiderers from all over the world can contribute to this community art project. Details are available on Luzine's website in German and many more languages.

Since we cannot for the foreseeable future gather in real life, I've started a FlossTube channel. The first episode has been up for a few days. And as viewers are rather positive and starting to suggest future topics, a new episode will go up in the next few days. Please like the video and subscribe to my channel so that you don't miss any new uploads. You can watch the first video here.

Nothing to do on Easter Sunday? Brilliant! Join hundreds of stitchers around the world for the first-ever FiberTalk Stitchathon. If you are in the CET time-zone (Amsterdam, Berlin etc.), make sure you are in front of your screen from 18:00h till 24:00h. Give-aways from shops, designers and fellow stitchers are coming in and guests from all over the world are being lined up. This is going to be awesome! Hope to 'see' you there!

If you are a follower of the antics of Gary of FiberTalk, you would have heard him rave about his purple fabric :). I have three pieces left for sale. They have the same fabric count as Gary uses, namely 35 ct. However, the colours are somewhat different. The basis for all these pieces was Maxima Alba/Weddingen linen, but of different batches. Some were white others more off-white. These pieces can be shipped in an envelope worldwide for €3,70 postage. Please keep in mind that mail is still going overseas, but it probably takes longer due to the virus. You will find the pieces for sale here and here.

And last but not least: the winners of last month's thread packages! If you would like to be included in the draw for one of these then please make sure you subscribe to my newsletter. This month's winner from the existing subscribers is: Marcella van Oost. And this month's winner from the new subscribers is: Elizabeth Dilworth. Both stitchers have been contacted. Congratulations!

That's all for now. Keep well!

P.S. Did you like this blog article? Did you learn something new? When yes, then please consider making a small donation. Visiting museums and doing research inevitably costs money. Supporting me and my research is much appreciated ❤!

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Weekly Embroidery News...

Embroidery bits and bobs

Tips on how to support small businesses during the pandemic and beyond

FlossTube with the Acupictrix

Stitching opportunities

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