I learned embroidery as a child, growing up in Shanghai, China, during the 2nd World war.  We were Jewish refugees who had escaped the *** in Poland.  I actually learned embroidery from other children, Chinese girls who started to embroider their own slippers by the time they were 5 years old.  I have always engaged in embroidering various things, both stamped items, and later things drawn by an artist (my husband).  We now live in Israel, and I have learned embroidery all over again with the influx of Ethiopean immigrants who do things quite differently than the Chinese or Europeans.  The Ethiopians use only one stitch - the chain stitch, and they make very intricate patterns by manipulating and filling in with this one stitch.  I must admit that this is much easier on the eyes as one get older -- some of the Chinese stitches are now beyond me.  Most of the things I make are Jewish religious items, designed by my husband.  They include collars for Prayer Shawls, as well as covers for Challah and Matza and other Holy day items.  Sarah Goldenberg

Funny you should mention Leslie Levinson.  Her articles were one of the reasons I subscribed to Quilting Arts in the first place!  I was sorely disappointed when her series was discontinued.  I've embroidered much of my life, and would suggest you consider resurrecting embroidery stitches in the magazine.  Shirley Bentsen, Michigan

My "fiber love" began at age 8 when my gramma taught me to knit on a spool!  By age 10 I was making aprons and blouses as  4- H  sewing projects.  I have always made my own clothing as well as much of  my daughter's and grandchildren's.  In the early 70's I learned to weave and bought a Le Clerc loom.  Then in the 80's I learned to weave baskets.  I got hooked on primitive rug hooking in the early '90s and find pleasure in designing my own patterns to this day.  After retirement in 2000 I decided to try quilting.  I have not found a quilt pattern I didn 't want to try!   Currently, I am working on a 24 block Baltimore Album quilt which is entirely hand applique plus embroidery embellishment.  Everyone I love appreciates my work of heart and treasures the results of my lifelong passion.  I plan to explore these creative paths till the day I die. Carrie in Texas

i totally agree with bentsens:

one of the main reasons that i began reading and subscribing to Quilting Arts was that focus within the mag on HAND embroidery. it wasn't much but it was  something and now, not even that~!

you really should consider shifting some of the content to those of us who engage more in the hand work. i know that  bentsen and i are not the only ones out here~!

:- O

libbyQ

I agree with libbyquilter and bentsen. I first subscribed to Quilting Arts because of my love of crazy quilts and hand work. It also didn't hurt that I saw my first issue in the hands of Pokey Bolton at Sew Expo out here in Washington State. My early issues are dog-earred and well referred to. The most recent issues...not so much.

As to your question; I am mostly self-taught in embroidery, and now I teach it.  I do watch tv when doing handwork... I had to harrass my eye-doctor to give me bifocals with a big lower close distance section, and a sliver of across the room distance at the top. But they work like a charm!  For some reason, "Hell Boy" and "Sahara" are two of my go-to flicks when I have to finish a project.

And I'll quibble with your comment that hand work takes a long time. It kind of depends on what you are doing with it, and how much you practice. That's one of the things I love about crazy quiting and certain illustrative embroidery.  If I have just 15 minutes, I can usually make at least one pass along a patch seam with a stitch or some beads or such. That makes visual change and so I know I am making progress.

Thank you all so much for your comments!  I am so excited to know that others are interested in adding hand embroidery to their quilts...

I learned to embroider when I was in the second grade.  My mom did iron-on transfer patterns of zoo animals on pieces of old sheets for me to cross-stitch and embellish with french knots and other stitches.  When she passed away, I found the entire stash at her house, and plan to piece them into a quilt.  The basic skills she taught me have served me well over the years, are are now finding their way into some of my art quilts, creating texture with threads, beads, and other findings.

I am currently working on a McKenna Ryan 'Sea Breeze' pattern and I've decided to add embroidery details using a variety of stitch techniques. I learned to embroider at a young age from my grandma, but pulled out a book to help decide which stitches for the effects I was going for in my underwater theme. I sampled with a few to figure out which work best for the effects I was trying to achieve. I found using 'free motion rubber finger tips' helped me pull my embroidery needle through where the fabric had previously been stitched closely. Due to my poor eyesight, the best way for me to thread a needle with 'multi-strand' silk thread/cord is to  'pinch' the fine strands between my teeth (thus wetting it slightly), then use tweezers to further 'flatten' out the intertwined threads to finally thread said needle. I must also add that I have to use a visor with interchangeable magnification lens to help me with all of the above.

My mother is an amazing woman.  She taught me how to embroider, knit and sew at a very young age.  I was so young, in fact, that I have no memory of not being able to do these things.  I do remember knitting things to dress my barbie in. They didn't look like much, just crooked little squares, but in my mind they were regal.  I am endlessly gratefull to my multi-talented mother for teaching me so many things.  What is the one skill she taught me that I am most gratefull for?  That's easy, she taught me that I can do anything.

I learned hand embroidery from my great grandmother, back in the mid 50's. It continued in the evenings in her little house, as the only entertainment. That's right, no tv, yet. I continued with lessons from her and my grandmother, on days in the summer while I was on vacation from school. I was hooked, and continued my embroidery whenever I had a few moments to sit or in the evenings after I put the kids to bed. All this continued until my hands got too bent from arthritis. I still drool over patterns that I'd like to do. That's how  I learned.

I learned embroidery from my mother.  I am interested to know what is a prayer flag and how is it put together.

Great article about hand embroidery because a number of intricate designs can also be seen on Chikan clothes which look good whenever they are manufactured over cotton fabric. Kalidar embroidery done over the neck and sleeves of Chikan clothes make them the first choice of youngsters and college going teens.

http://www.chikanbarn.com/

As you read this I am on vacation, happily snuggled in on a chair by the fire with my pug, Elvis, peacefully hand stitching .