Let's Recycle

Pop top spools sit in a little pile on my stash cabinets, waiting to be reused to corral a thread that needs to be kept secure. Most of mine originally held Kreinik's metallics but Mary Corbet reminds me that several brands use this type of spool and all come in handy after their original threads are gone.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2013/10/save-the-spools.html

Now I can't wait to see what Mary is going to do with this recycled spool of thread!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Shisha UPDATED AGAIN

I imagine most of us have seen embroidered purses or shirts or tunics with tiny mirrors trapped behind the stitching. This is called shisha embroidery and I think it originated in India. 
http://embroideryforducks.com/2011/11/14/shisha-mirror-embroidery/

Mary Corbet has been writing about shisha embroidery on her site.  She started out with an article on the technique and using acrylic mirrors instead of glass ones (glass is heavy, acrylic scratches easily)...
ww.needlenthread.com/2013/10/making-merry-with-mirrors-shisha-embroidery.html

...and then followed up by explaining how traditional shisha embroidery is done.  I hope this inspires you to try adding a little mirror to your stitching!
http://www.needlenthread.com/2013/10/stitch-fun-shisha-stitch-tutorial.html

Here are more about the glass mirrors available and where to find them.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2013/10/shisha-mirrors-types-resources.html

And here is a variation on the embroidery stitch most commonly used to hold shisha mirrors in place.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2013/10/stitch-fun-shisha-stitch-variation.html

UPDATE:  Mary figured out a variant attachment system that is quite pretty.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2013/10/stitch-fun-shisha-stitch-variation-2.html

IPDATE #2:  The easiest shish technique of all, courtesy of Mary again.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2013/11/stitch-fun-the-easiest-shisha-embroidery-technique-ever.html

UPDATE #3:  Mary talks about the various products you can use as mirrors for Shisha embroidery with links to places you can buy them.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2015/01/shisha-mirrors-for-embroidery.html

By the way, did you know the Chilly Hollow stitch will hold a small shisha mirror?  I think the March 2002 version on the ANG website will work better but this is up to you.
http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2002/Mar.php

http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2011/may.php

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.