Stitching Beautifully

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful , or believe to be beautiful."

William Morris

Mariana by Sir John Everett Millais @ Tate

I embroider because I have a deep need to create beauty.  The act of embroidering is equally as meaningful to me as that which I am creating.  From tools to threads, everything in my surroundings must minister to a feeling of loveliness, enriching my enjoyment of the experience.

To this end I've created many embroidery accoutrements that I've shared on this site previously. 






At times this aestheticism has made me do things others would surely consider eccentric.  As when the thread manufacturers began packaging threads in cellophane bags.  -- What a clever move on their part.  The crystal clarity of the bags made thread colors pop.   -- I secretly added the bags to my stash.  

I say secretly because I was somewhat sheepish about this small peculiarity.  But not enough to stop.  After selecting threads for a new project, I would place them in cellophane bags arranged with those embroidery tools to be used for the project. I would then admire them for a week or so before I began to stitch.  A guilty but harmless pleasure.

By serendipity I came across a new product at my local needlework shop  -  Vinyl Project Zipper Bags by Access Commodities.  They're made from a thick durable vinyl with a very high sheen.  I immediately realized they would do the same thing for my embroidery fibers as the cellophane bags.  

The shop had 2 bags.  I bought both of them, planning to put my new project threads in them.  The shop reordered.  By that time I'd thought of other uses for them.  I bought all of those but one - I didn't want to be greedy, after all. 

You may have noticed the ribbons on the zippers of my bags. I use a bit of some frippery that matches the project.   It's a great way to use up those bits of opulent ribbons too small to do anything with, but too beautiful to discard.  If you set aside the project for awhile you can also tie the color same ribbon on the slate frame so you'll know which threads go with the project at a glance.

What else do I use them for?  

*Storing current knitting projects

*They make great gift bags for gifts for your stitching friends, making the gift look that much more enchanting

*Storing those needlework smalls - pin keeps, scissor fobs, etc - not currently in use


Needlework Eye-Candy.  I hope you find one or two in your Easter basket this year.  (Don't worry, I've bought as many as I can use for the moment).