Like everyone else on the internet, I am well and truly obsessed with Pinterest (you can follow me here!) and today I’m sharing with you one of my favorite boards I follow. The board Embroidered and Embellished from Josephine Holmboe is one of my favorite places for couture embroidery inspiration. If you’re inspired by these photos, I highly recommend you subscribe to the rest.

Anyone have a favorite board they follow for inspiration?

Hot on the heels of the previous CMYK embroidery posting from Kasikov, design co Custhom created these amazing machine stitched posters for a limited edition run. It’s fantastic to see machine embroidery being used as such a simple but beautiful medium.

via swissmiss

Do YOU know where your towel is?

Don’t Panic! We have you Hitchhiker’s Guide nerds covered. In honor of international Towel Day on May 25th , a day celebrating the life and works of author Douglas Adams, we decided it was too perfect a combination not to do an embossed DON’T PANIC freebie for your new favorite towel.

Yup, you can get your nerd on and embroider things too. Plus you’ll always know where your towel is. Grab this new design free now through May 28th by clicking here.

Psst… want to know how to embroider embossed towel designs? Get the tutorial right here!

In love with our new Misfit Nursery Rhymes collection? Well we’ve got a fun way to really bring some characters from that series to life… as plush printed dolls!

We picked three of our favorite characters from the series and decided to so something extra special. We digitally painted and detailed three fabric doll patterns of Little Miss Muffet, the Cat and the Fiddle, and Humpty Dumpty for you to stitch together.

Have a peek at each design and their matching doll…

Each of the dolls is created with a basic simple shape that can be stitched together with ease, either in one big shape, or with the addition of simple legs for better articulation. Each doll design comes printed of a fat quarter size of fabric.

Want to learn how to put them together? First, grab all three at our Spoonflower store, then check out this tutorial for step by step instructions on how to put them together in no time, so you can pair them with your favorite embroidery designs and make the coolest decor accessories ever.

We are so excited to finally be able to introduce our brand new Misfit Nursery Rhymes Collection!

For those who loved our Dark Fairytales series, and our previous Primitives style series, this is like all of those combined in all the best ways. This series pulls together everything that was both cute and… lets admit it, a little bit creepy about the old vintage nursery rhymes. Wide eyed characters from all your favorite tales are rendered in a beautiful illustrative style that is perfect for kids or folktale lovers alike, stitched in vintage shades and with just that light twist of macabre we so love here at Urban Threads.

Featuring 9 of your favorite nursery rhymes, Mother Goose, the Cat and the Fiddle, Little Miss Muffet, Humpty Dumpty, Three Blind Mice, Little Bo Peep, Three Little Kittens, Jack and Jill, and Three Men in a Tub,  Each design also has a light stitching accent design featuring the name of each famous rhyme perfect for adding that extra touch to your series.

That’s not all that’s brand new about this collection though. In a fun first, we created three custom plush dolls to match Little Miss Muffet, Humpty Dumpty, and the Cat and the Fiddle that you can get from our Spoonflower store!

Each doll was digitally painted for beautiful print detail that brings each character to life, and they’re quick and easy to assemble. Check out this post to see all the dolls and find out how to put them together!

Finally, you’ve been asking for it pretty much since we began, and certainly after our first Alphabet release… now the Handwriting Alphabet is here! Light stitching and whimsical, this new alphabet was designed to give your embroidered writing a natural, handmade feel. It’s available in 1 inch, 2 inch and 3 inch sizes for all your project needs.

If you’re wondering how to use our alphabets to create your lettered creations, check out this tutorial to learn about perfect placement techniques. They’re the perfect way to add a little ones name to your new nursery rhyme creation!

Pair your designs with a matching plush doll to create the ultimate gift set, or stitch just your favorite designs for one of a kind whimsical creations.

These designs are perfect for creating a whole set of amazing children’s decor!

Use your favorite stitched character paired with a framed version of their lighter accent piece for a look that can span the whole nursery.

4×4 versions of each design make them perfect for tiny accents like bibs and onesies, but each design is also available in big and beautiful 6×10 detail.

Just because they’re nursery rhymes doesn’t mean that everything has to be for kids! The slightly dark vintage style illustrations means they can make beautiful accents and pillows in any room of the house.

Of course, the easiest way to enjoy them all is to just frame up your favorite, and perhaps pair it with his matching doll. Either way these darkly whimsical designs are sure to bring tales of old back to life in a whole new light, and for a whole new generation of fairy tale fans.

So what’s the really good news? Well of course, they’re all on SALE now through May 20th 2012, with fantastic deals on individual designs and even better deals on packs. That sale includes both the Misfit Nursery Rhymes series and the new Handwriting Alphabet! The sale does not cover the dolls, as they are a special purchase through our Spoonflower store, but each doll only requires the purchase of a Fat Quarter of fabric to create.

So what are you waiting for? Go visit the sale page (or our Spoonflower store) and get shopping!

Embroidery artist Evelin Kasikov’s work  has to be seen to be believed. She creates amazing stitched work focusing on the optical use of CMYK colors in order to create form. Instead of the usual printed dots, Kasikov creates her designs will precisely placed stitches of color. Her amazing portrait series (last above) has been making the rounds of late, but I really think her whole embroidery portfolio is worth a look.

Check it all out on her website.

via Colossal

As a follow up to that article, I’ve got a guest post up today over on Eileen’s Blog, about how to stitch for guys on occasions that don’t call for golf, or hunting, or beer. Trust me, there are a lot of options besides the usual that let you use your embroidery machine to make really cool stuff for the modern dude, and it’s all covered in the article, with examples to get you started.

Go check it out over on Designs in Machine Embroidery!

Your dude will be glad you did. He really loves his golf shirts, but he might just be ready for something different.

Embroidering a child’s artwork for a loved one is a concept we’ve seen before, but it’s just too cute an idea to pass up for Mother’s Day. Buzzmills shows us a quick and easy tutorial for stitching a little one’s special drawing on a tea towel as a gift for their mum or grandma.

Mother’s Day is next Sunday. Want to get stitching? Check out the tutorial over on Buzzmills.

hat tip to Craft Gossip

Want an afternoon project that looks totally boss?  These embroidered leather cuffs can be made easily in a short afternoon, depending on your talents with a snap pliers and your machine’s applicable mood.

Machine embroidering on leather just takes a few quick tips, and creates a beautiful, almost embossed effect on leather that is just gorgeous. Add lace or just stitch directly on leather for a raw look that you can rock for any occasion.

Get the tutorial here!

May the Fourth be with you!

Before you roll your eyes, I’ll just have you know I’m not the only Star Wars nerd out there in the embroidery universe. Wild Olive has decided to celebrate today with a tutorial on how to make your own little Ewok softie with some simple steps and a little embroidery.

Embrace the nerd. Go check out the tutorial!