A pattern featuring a sleeping cat with a mouse balanced on the branch of a fir tree above has been added to the Stitching Cards pattern collection. I created the pattern following a request from Stitching Cards customer Ivy Crowhurst who wanted a card with a cat, a mouse and a Christmas tree…

There has been some discussion in previous posts about the size of the Pinbroidery patterns. Some customers said that they were too large. Other customers said that if they wanted to reduce the size of the patterns they know how to do it using an image editing program.

To help those who are not so technically advance in the field of image editing I have published a step-by-step illustrated tutorial on the Pinbroidery web site…

Today I have received enquiries from customers in Canada and France on where to buy greetings card blanks suitable for card embroidery. Unfortunately I do not have any experience of buying blank cards overseas so it is difficult for me to answer these kinds of queries.

Card blanks are best purchased locally since they would cost a lot to post overseas relative to their actual cost. If I try searching for blank cards the results are dominated by British suppliers since search engines tend to give local links first…

There is a range of patterns on the Stitching Cards web site that are designed to fit on a card 50 mm x 152 mm (2 ins x 6 ins). This is half the width of a standard double fold card so it enables them to be used as bookmarks or greetings cards.

The illustration (right) is from the Stitching Cards Bookmark Flower 1 pattern…

People who receive hand stitched greetings cards are usually amazed and delighted that someone has made it especially for them. Many have been so pleased that they frame the picture. As well as giving pleasure, embroidery on paper it is also an enjoyable way of passing the time. Since only a small amount of equipment needed, it is very portable and can be done almost anywhere. Here are five easy steps to get you started…

One of my blog readers, Jackie Welch, has sent me a picture of a card she has made with a reduced size pattern. Jackie says “I am quite pleased at how delicate the design looks”. If you fancy having a go at this it is easy to reduce the size by changing the print settings in Adobe Reader…

Beading needles tend to be much thinner than embroidery needles. The main requirement is that they go through the beads that you are using with room for the thread as well…

When it comes to choosing a needle for paper embroidery it is really a matter of what works best for you. If you have a range of needles in your sewing box then the best thing is to try them to find which one you like best…

Stitched leaves often employ a fan style stitch where most of the thread goes from points on the rim of the leaf into a single hole where it joins the stem. This can easily be converted to a loop stitch using the same holes but having much less thread on the back of the card…