To make embroidery more original, replace a few cross-stitches with seed beads: they add relief and light!

To hang a frame without making a hole by hammering in a nail (for a door plaque, for example), use double-sided stickers coated with transparent nail varnish before application: it really "welds"!

To frame a linen canvas, pull a thread from each of the four sides of the canvas, the same size as the cardboard on which the embroidery will be stretched. Then simply glue in place, making the cardboard edge coincide with the pulled threads.

When undoing a dark color, there's nothing like an old toothbrush for gently brushing the canvas to remove any colored lint that may have clung to it...

Grandma's trick for preventing bright embroidery colors from bleeding in the wash: before washing, soak the work in cold water with ordinary vinegar to fix the colors, then wash. When rinsing, add a little more vinegar. Tipfrom Irène, Valenciennes

To cancel out the static electricity that causes embroidery threads to wrap around themselves, try passing the thread through a fabric softener, such as small dryer wipes, once the needle has been threaded.


Ifyou'd like to share your embroidery tips, we'd be delighted to publish them here.