MFE Flosstube Ep. 5: The Forever Piece... with Yamir (aka AlmondMnMs)
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- I sat down with the lovely Yamir, a.k.a. AlmondMnMs on Instagram and UA-cam, and we talked about "The Forever Piece". Have a look at our chat, and leave your thoughts in the comments below. Here's some links that we discuss in this video:
Yamir can be found on both UA-cam & Instagram:
Flosstube episode: • AlmondMnMs : Flosstube...
Instagram: / almond_mnms
Patterns mentioned in this video below:
Folk Heart Scissor Fob: www.modernfolk...
The Zimmerman Coverlet: www.modernfolk...
Bristol Monkey Sampler: www.modernfolk...
Article on the cross-stitch periodic table stitched by Brother Martin Sellner: cen.acs.org/pe...
Yamir is stitching “The Bristol Sampler”, which is a design by Wal d’Champs of WDC Designs and was featured in issue 72, May / June 2012, in The Gift of Stitching magazine.
And yes... there's an editing mistake at around 26 minutes into the video - but I couldn't render the whole thing again as it would've taken me hours... :P
Enjoy! :) - Jacob
I am soo happy that we were able to share with everyone! Your video editing skills are tip top! So glad that you were able to finish your 56 count to compare with a larger count. It is a big size difference. It looks sooo good! I will have to stitch that one myself as well🙂. I look forward to hear from everyone on their thoughts on a forever chart, hopefully we are not the only ones that think this is possible. My stitchy fingers are already itching.
Thank you so much Yamir - it was a joy to sit down and chat with you! I'm getting more and more ideas now, it is really inspiring to read comments here as well! :D
@@ModernFolkEmbroidery i absolutely think there is a market for this big type of designs. Personally i absolutely hate starting something new, gives a lot of stress... many choices, fabric, threads, money, which design to make. The thing i have been searching for a long time was something huge, so i would never have to start something new. As you can tell from this i like to stick with 1 project. Something i absolutely love and poor my hearth into. What attracts me is pretty colors, haed style patterns. But i do love the crewel embroidery style and black work in that same style. colorfull soft tones, like earth tone pinks, blues, brown and greys. I would like to see a sampler forever piece in that style, with the option of those colors or 1 color. I would want to see the flower embellishements and a intricate border design. 1 for the entire piece as a big thick border, and also small borders to choose from for the stories you can tell in them. If words is something you consider using, I would pick positive words, like love and hope. I hope this helps and i wish you good luck designing something beautifull
@@essiecrossstitch3038 I love that you do that! The more comments I read the more excited I am getting about this project :D
i love your stitching. it is beautiful. i follow you on instagram and have enjoyed seeing your pieces
Yamir, you are lovely. Are you American ?
I am always inspired when I watch your videos. The information you provide gives life to the pieces you chart and reminds me that they were once done by someone who lived long ago. The beauty and complexity of each piece is what gives it the appeal to challenge me in seeing if I can stitch it with the same beauty. Every time I pick up a needle, the piece I stitch empowers me to do more personalizing whether it is specialty stitches or changing the design slightly to something I see in my mind that I want to transfer to the fabric. I love the idea of a forever piece. I was fortunate as a small child to live next door to an elderly lady who did embroidery and crochet and took the time to teach me how to do both. To this day, when I stitch or crochet I am reminded of the times I spent with her teaching me. We would sit on her front porch in the morning or late afternoon on the glider swing talking and working on our projects. The roses would climb up the trellis and give off the most amazing fragrance. This is something I would like to see translated into a design on fabric with thread. I am not a designer but would love the opportunity to try and capture a moment in time that gave me the opportunity in life to be able to create something with my hands. I envision a woman and child sitting together stitching and roses growing up a trellis on either side. Wish I could design it. Good luck with your projects and look forward to another wonderful video.
Thank you for sharing that story! It is really incredible all the lovely people that teach us and that take the time to do so. The image of passing on a craft is something that is definitely inspiring. I've written your thoughts down in my notebook, thank you!
Jacob, the best and most engaged floss tube experience I’ve had the pleasure of attending! Bravo to you and Yamir for the lively brainstorming and sharing of ideas: I’ve stitched for many years and as a retired gifted teacher, yearned for a way to share my life experiences. I read an article about a stitcher who documented her life by decades, As a writer, I document by years and once our granddaughters arrived; there was lots to record! A journey sampler is what we really need. I envision several alphabet choices, numbers,Roman numerals, botanicals (growth),symbols of historical reference, and lots of imagery,. I’m working on Two Quaker Sisters for our girls and will include me and my sister ...all initials.as well. Continue to share and thank you again for the informative session! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thank you so much Angel! I'm writing down all the thoughts in a notebook and I cannot wait to sit down in a while, go over them again and pick out things that I think could work together on a large piece. :)
Jacob, this flosstube was the most thought provoking to date! The idea of a forever piece is nothing less than genius and the thought of it took my breath! I've pondered for over a day and made pages of notes. What would I want to incorporate in such a piece? The one thought that kept returning was a time capsule of our life. Motifs of events, historic or otherwise (the death of John F. Kennedy, Diana, Princess of Wales, Mother Teresa, The Challenger Disaster, September 11, 2001, the world wide Pandemic, Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon, and etc.) Motifs of things that once were in our life but no longer are such as baby diaper pins, film cameras, typewriters, ash trays and cigarette machines, chalkboards, library cards/card catalogs, Sears catalogs, nurses hats, digital watches, slide rule, rotary phones, garter belts! The list is unbelievable! Discoveries of new planets, stars, Galaxies. Movies and music that shaped our lives. Family events, memories; personal memories of things such as grandma's apron, pin cushion, her Siamease cat, "Achoo". Animals we love, instruments we play, places we visit. This would indeed be a forever piece. How one would organize such a project is beyond me. It makes that periodic table look easy :) I would love to hear more about where you would like to go with this idea of a forever piece and what it will look like. Thanks for a wonderful, thought provoking episode. I absolutely love all you do!
Thank you Kandi! It's so good to hear so many people are excited about this idea. I do think that if / when it happens, it can't be too adaptable for what is in my head (it would be far too time consuming and costly for me to develop such a thing) but I do keep a lot of the comments here in mind - and will make space for text blocks as well where stitchers could put text if they so wish. I am super excited now to start planning this and start work on this huge project. Over the coming months / year(s) I'll post progress on the design process and share my thoughts here on the flosstube - so keep an eye on that! :D
@@ModernFolkEmbroidery I love the idea of text blocks; one could use these for personalization. I am anxious to "see" your thoughts and the process you choose as you develop this piece. Please keep us informed of your progress. This is so exciting! I look forward to what other stitchers have in mind also. Thank you for opening a new window in my thoughts where I can be more creative !
What a wonderful chat to watch to you interact and grow ideas....create. It's so exciting to watch lovely Yamir (what a beautiful girl) her heart for this world of needlework is amazing. So thrilled she picked it back up and found her own rhythm and technique. Quite interesting that I was thinking last evening that I wanted to do a long horizontal piece, so many things are like vertical band samplers. I was going to wander up to my stitching cubby and look through some of your designs that are smaller and work to integrate several into a piece. Fits into telling our stories.... You both brought much happiness to my day....thank you.
That's so good to hear Sarah, glad you enjoyed it! :)
This was absolutely amazing, Yamir's work is exquisite and breathtaking. I, also, have started doing 1 over 1 the last several years. This amazing to me because I am 78 yrs and have eyes to match. I, however, only have been doing this on 28, 32 or 36 count, and understand that it does take a while to refocus the eyes when moving between the sizes. I would like to see something in your Forever Piece that I could start and hand down to my daughter and/or my grand daughter to add to the design. I have incorporated information of my family history in one of my over one. Woodland animals, flowers and symbols of different nationalities that could become a family-type tree.
No matter what you come up with, it will be amazing. I enjoy the history tidbits that you incorporate into your videos, so much knowledge and wonders. Thank you for all you do for us. Stay well, safe and inspired. Stitch everything you love.
Thank you so much Mary! Yes, I know what you mean about refocussing the eyes when moving between sizes! I have that especially when moving from a very fine linen to a larger linen - suddenly the stitches look enormous for a few minutes! It's very strange... :D. I've noted your thoughts on the forever piece, writing them all down in a big document. I've started a few small bits already on the design, and I'm super excited about working on it again!
Oh my goodness, I must stitch the Zimmerman Coverlet. I am Canadian, born and raised in Toronto, and would love to support the charity and of course stitch that beautiful piece. What a wonderful thing you have done here. I will follow keenly on the large project you are planning to see how it turns out. I am so glad you are on flosstube Jacob. I love you and your designs.
Thank you so much! :)
Thanks, Jacob and Yamir! I love the idea of the "forever piece," and think it would be lovely to have a tree of life design on it somewhere, that could be customized for each individual - like a family tree but a bit more abstract. One recent finish of mine is a 50th-anniversary sampler for my parents, based on your Secret Sky pattern. I have the two large birds on the sampler to represent the two of them, and have incorporated four medium-sized birds to represent myself and my three brothers, and eight small birds to represent the grandkids - with one just hatching from an egg. :)
I also appreciated the discussion of "the imperfect is perfect." I think there is a lot of beauty in our messy uniqueness as humans, and I was reminded of the "Verso" projects of the fiber artist Cayce Zavaglia. If you haven't yet seen this beautiful video about her work, you may enjoy it. Cheers! www.thisiscolossal.com/2018/02/interview-cayce-zavaglia/
Thank you Anne - I love how you personalised the Secret Sky - it is just so lovely to see such personalising! Whatever the Forever Piece will feature, I'm 99% sure it will have a tree in there somewhere...! :). Thanks too for the link to Cayce's piece - I will definitely check it out tomorrow! :D
Sitting down tonight to catch up on a couple of weeks of Flosstube and enjoyed this video immensely. Yamir is inspiring and I admire her choice to stitch teeny tiny items, it is a challenge. Jacob, I am stitching a forever project. I call it the Christmas Heirloom tablecloth and I stitch a square to represent the Christmas gathering every year since 2004. I have 7 or so years left to fill this up, then will move onto some blank areas. I have 2 daughter in laws who will be competing to stitch on it when I pass on. I think family is an important theme to include on a forever project - streets and pathways to houses, modern motifs such as cars to show the current day. I look forward to seeing what you achieve.
Thank you Bronny - that sounds like a wonderful heirloom! I love it when stitchers make something that is truly passed on to next generations!
Wow! I don't know what to say other than Wow!!! Thank you so much for sharing your conversation with Yamir and I will be checking out her flosstube channel soon. I could see the excitement sparking off both of you. I haven't ever stitched 1 over 1 but I had thought about trying with a 32 count to start with before I go to a finer linen as I think it would be too much of a shock to my 61 year old eyes! I have stitched your 2020 SAL very successfully using Sulky 12 weight cotton thread but I don't think it is quite as fine as the thread you used. Thank you once again and happy stitching from a very wet Herefordshire!
Thank you so much for your kind words Rachel! I've never used sulky - but this floss that I'm using right now I'm absolutely in love with. I think I bought it in a traditional haberdashery in York (Duttons for Buttons I think...) and it's absolutely wonderful. I need to see if I can find a shop that sells it over here in the Netherlands (once things open up again). Greetings from an equally wet (and quite miserable looking out of the window) Rotterdam... :)
Hi Jacob, you are so talented, I am looking forward to your new idea how exciting, I would love to see the four seasons, spring followed by summer , summer followed by autumn and so on , a never-ending cycle, enjoy your new adventure . Xx
Thank you Lesley, writing down your thoughts in my notebook! :)
Lots of great ideas! Some years ago The Drawn Thread designed a Souvenir Sampler, which is still listed on their site. It was full of areas which could be personalized, as well as small framed spaces intended for keepsakes to be attached, such as bits of lace or clothing. It was fascinating! The only thing I would like to see in the way of an overall design on a ‘forever’ piece would be that it was structured into pages rather than one large design. Fabric counts, types, colors, types of threads, design elements, etc, change as we progress, and what worked early on in a stitching journey will change over time. How wonderful it would be to have a small portfolio of needlework ‘pages’ from another stitcher-also a way to try out some edging stitches!😁 Looking forward to seeing what you design!
Thank you so much Jeri! My idea is to design it so it can be stitched on 32 count linen (which has a height of 1.40 metres and can be as long as you want it to be) so if folks choose to stitch it on one piece of cloth they can do so. But I do love the idea of it being broken up in blocks and then sewing them all together again to form a kind of quilt of different pieces... :D
I'm not much of a text stitcher (I have only one wip where I'm using text creatively) but I think you are converting me Jacob! You are so right that text on old tapestries, and the unique and different ways that it's incorporated into the imagery, is fascinating and definitely contributes to the beauty of the piece. I love the idea of stitchers having a variety of alphabets in order to be able to stitch their own stories into pieces. Yamir's coverlet is stunningly beautiful. You are a queen of tiny stitches and color choices, Yamir! This was fun, thank you.
Thank you Nitya! Yes, Yamir really is the queen of tiny stitches and those colours are gorgeous! :)
Absolutely astounding. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to listen to your podcasts. So inspirational. What a wonderful talented lady.
Thank you Gail! Yes - I agree, her stitching is absolutely breath-taking! :)
Hello from northern Maine. I just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying your videos on flosstube. I love how you talk about the history of the pieces you find the fabric that may have been used at the time the different regions of the lands of where the needlework came from. Your presentation is just really enjoyable to watch and listen to. This one with Yamir was fascinating on how she does her work with the 56 count linen. Thank you so much. Stay safe.
Thank you so much Joanne - glad to hear you enjoy the videos :D. Stay safe! :D
Wow - that was so inspiring! Thank you for bringing Yamir on your FlossTube. I love stitching one over one on 25 count, but you both have made me think I should try experimenting with smaller work. Looking forward to trying! On the Forever Piece - I would want to stitch our family history in there - so house options, cat and dog options, love the text box idea, and beautiful borders that lead the eye all around the piece. - Sheri
Thank you Sheri! Making all the notes :D.
What and inspiration this video was. Loved watching. I have cross stitched for years and have just within the last two years really got interested in samplers and started stitching them. I love hearing the history behind them. Love your flosstube and thank you for introducing Yamir to us. I will be following her on instagram and her flosstube. I look forward to more patterns and flosstube. You both have inspired me to try stitching one over one.
So good to hear Linda, thank you! :)
What a wonderful idea! I think this is going to be such a fascinating project. Something that comes to mind for a "forever piece" is the concept of the four elements (wind/air, fire, water, earth)... just because they are technically with us "forever". Thank you for sharing your ideas! Can't wait to see what the final result will be! 💖
Thank you - I've noted your thoughts! :)
I loved this stitchy chat. It was so fun. Yamir, your stitching is beautiful. I love the idea of a forever sampler. I collect hedgehogs so would love to see one of those. And other animals too. Loved seeing your adorable heart.
Thank you so much! I don't know about hedgehogs (I do love them as well) but I'm pretty sure there will be forest animals. I'll see if I can squeeze a hedgehog in.... :)
@@ModernFolkEmbroidery I love forest animals too. 😊
Wow it’s all I can say about stitching on 56 count. How exciting to hear the plans for a forever piece. I would love to stitch that. Now! I’m a big lover of florals and just adore a floral border and motives. When I was watching you guys what came to my mind was to cross stitch a bed through, that’s how I imagine my forever project.
I would also like to stitch some of my favourites bible verses on my pice for sure.Feeling excited about all the possibilities. Thanks Jacob for sharing and been awesome. I’m huge fun🥳😘😘💚🌻
Thank you Edina! :)
Jacob I enjoyed your conversation with Yamir. 56 count is out of my league. I have not found what is my so called sweet spot yet. I am jus back into cross stitch recently after many years away from it. You are talking about a forever piece. I would offer that it is also a journey piece. We are all on our own personal journeys in life. Our journeys can overlap, such as cross stitching in the same time period, which is what you are trying to bring together for us. It is so good to see you making accommodations in your designs to please others. Thank you for a great floss tube again!
Thank you Connie! I love the Lao Tzu quote - “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” and I think that might be something to incorporate for sure! :)
Hi Jacob. I can't wait to see that forever piece come to fruition! Butterflies and flowers would be nice on there.
Really enjoyed this video. Can't wait for the next one!
Thank you Aubrey - noted your thoughts in my notebook! :D
The smallest I can find is 56 count !!! I am just flabbergasted. You go girl. I’m a follower!! 🤩🤩🤩🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I think 56 is the smallest 'proper' linen woven for cross-stitch - any finer and you're looking at regular cotton or linen! :)
Definitely another super video. Just so inspiring and interesting. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much Jo Marie!
Wonderful interview. I very much enjoyed watching the interaction of two people who obviously love their craft. Thank you for introducing me to Yamir. Post watching the interview, I went to watch her channel, and amazed by her stitching, personality and look forward to her future contributions to the FlossTube community. I am also looking forward to catching up with all your videos. Best wishes for a safe and healthy New Year.
Thank you so much Jasmine - the very best of wishes to you too! :)
The Gift of Stitching is available as a PDF. I saw the advertisement on Pinterest for a mere $39.95. Excellent magazine for finding your next stitch. Enjoyed your video so much. Thank you!!!
Thank you Jan! :)
This truly is the most enjoyable floss tube video I have ever watched. You complemented each other beautifully in your talent and creativity
and an enormously large collaboration from the two of you would be spectacular. Thank you so much for a wonderful video.
Thank you so much Rosemary - that is really wonderful to hear! :)
I like the idea of a huge project that would include stitching by family members throughout the years. When I sew quilts or stitch samplers, the reality in my world is that my daughters may not want many of my pieces; my grandchildren may not want any, and quite possibly my great grandchildren may not even know me much less want something so dated. A lot of us quilters and stitchers joke that our pieces will end up in secondhand shops. But we stitch and sew anyway because we love the handwork.
It's a strange thought to think what will happen with works after we're gone, isn't it! I think it's a good thing to think who might be interested - but in the end, it will find its way to the home that will appreciate it. Just as they find their way now to mine (and I am super grateful for that!) :)
@@ModernFolkEmbroidery and who knows - perhaps the young girls who stitched in the 1800’s never thought millions of people in our century would be coveting their pieces. And I appreciate your thought that our work will find its way to an appreciative home although I would love to think my daughters would want my things. One can hope 😉
@@homespun5 I'm sure they will! :D
Thank you so much for sharing....always learning, studying and taking your needle to the next level...take care and be safe
Thank you so much Nannett - and you too!
Thank you for all of the hard work that you put into your videos. They are so inspiring! Shary
Thank you! :)
Lovely to meet Yamir ☀️TY Jacob..
I love seeing her tiny stitches, it looks like a fabric painting .
A universal crossstitch piece likened to
a quilt, each piece from all over the world 🌍.
GigiR has a similar piece done years ago.
Always a joy watching..
Now I’ll head over to Yamirs pages.
Blessings ~
Sharon 🇺🇸
Thank you so much Sharon, and enjoy Yamir's flosstube / IG! :)
I so enjoy your videos! I learn so much about the historic periods when these samplers were made. As a new cross stitcher (I’ve been quilting and sewing much of my craft life) I am drawn to the samplers as Family Heirlooms and historic reporting of events. But I’ve yet to jump into this well. I’m still improving my stitches of Aida and even weaves. TY for your instructions and encouragements. I look forward to your next “Class”.
Thank you so much Lori - glad to hear you're enjoying these videos! :D
This was so incredibly delightful! Thank you!
Thank you!
I will never complain about frogging 40ct over 2 ever again 😉 Gigi R and some other inspiring (French or Italian? Renato Parolin maybe?) needleworkers did a few amazing projects on sheets many years ago. They combined many individual samplers into a single project. I can't even get my head around stitching something like that, just awesome 🤯 Great video 💕
Thank you so much! I do need to check on Gigi R's project as you're the 2nd person to mention it to me! :)
That was a WONDERFUL discussion between yourself and Yamir. She is one of the loveliest people I've met. I had so many "aha!" moments during this video. Bring on the "Forever Project". Like you, I love words on my samplers; they don't usually feel complete to me without a saying. I also really enjoyed Yamir's idea about being able to personalize the forever project with family heirloom ideas, a recipe, a favourite saying, things like that. And then as if this video weren't already amazing, you said Quaker Craftivism. I can't WAIT!
Thank you so much Michelle! And yes, Craftivism! I'm super excited about this episode. It will be quite a bit of research that I want to do for it, but crafts and activism have gone hand in hand for such a long time - it's definitely not something that is a new thing. And in times like these it's more important than ever to have an awareness of these things... one of the reasons that I love Quaker related stuff so much! :D
I’m catching up on FlossTube and just watched this episode-I LOVED seeing AlmondMnMs’ awesome work and enjoyed hearing you both talk about designing a “Forever Piece.” I’m heading off to watch some of AlmonsMnMs FlossTube. Thank you for introducing us to another Flosstuber!
Thank you - so glad you found Yamir! She is seriously amazing - I am always in awe of her beautiful stitching!
I am looking forward to the fruits of this collaboration! I really like personalizing pieces and have finished Elizabeth Gee which I personalized for my husband for our anniversary. I mentioned this to Jacob a while back and once I get it framed I will share a picture with him. Just minutes before I started this video I was looking at the long dog piece I am stitching on at the moment and realized there was a hidden fish in it! Really enjoying these modern folk embroidery videos.
Glad you enjoyed our chat Sarah! Yes, would love to see that finished and framed - and if you're happy with it, I could share it here on my flosstube as well! :D
First - I adore Yamir. She is extremely generous and just a beautiful person. In responding to your question about ideas for your "Forever Piece": when I think of family I think of a huge tree that has roots below the surface, a wooded textured trunk, fingered branches of all sizes, and a halo of leaves. The leaves change color, wither, and fall away - only to bud and bloom beautifully the next season. This is my vision of a forever family.
Thank you Sylvia - glad you enjoyed this episode! I'm noting down your thoughts on the forever piece as well - thanks! :)
I can't thank you enough for the idea of stitching a family recipe!!! It is a wonderful wonderful idea. My next project will be a family recipe 😊.
Martha from Southeast Georgia. (And you know in the south there are many family recipes)
Thank you Martha! The recipe idea is all Yamir's! :D
The project sounds amazing and Yamir, your WIPS are simply breath taking! Thank you both so much for this flosstube.
Thank you Stephanie! :)
What a fantastic video. I enjoyed your conversation and love the idea of creating a forever piece. I spent several years travelling through Asia and have long thought about documenting my trip on linen. I became somewhat overwhelmed though at how to design it. Some initial ideas for your piece could include architecture from around the world, significant moments in our history, flora and fauna motifs, the list is endless. For my piece, I was planning on stitching natural and manmade landmarks, food, means of transport, fashion, etc etc. I think your biggest problem will be limiting yourself! I really look forward to following this idea. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you so much for the ideas - I'm writing them all down. It's impossible to incorporate all but it is inspiring to see what people like to find on a 'forever piece'! :)
I think your channel is fabulous - very professionally and expertly put together. Yamir was lovely and yes, so inspiring and full of amazing ideas. I have just subscribed to her channel too!
The thought of a forever piece is intriguing. I just received a book of family history about my paternal grandmother. It has been fascinating to read. So thinking along those lines, it would be interesting to have a family tree or something similar that could be personalized. Thank you for sharing your beautiful work. Looking forward to more videos.
Thank you Merritt! There will definitely be place for family tree elements on the sampler! :)
Yamir and Jacob, no one is going to be able to sleep after watching this. Our minds are going to be whirling and whirling thinking about what we each will want on our forever album samplers. A very inspiring discussion. Thank you😊
:D Thank you so much Cheri - so glad you enjoyed it! :)
Awesome video....made me think of all the times that I went to visit my mom or grandmother and wanted to see if they were still working on a project that I saw the last time I was there. Wonderful idea to create a forever piece to pass on. Currently, I’m loving samplers with little cottage scenes, alphabets, and flowers. And yes, love the idea of inserting text...I recently inserted a quote from hamlet into blackbird designs Christmas garden. The idea of a Christmas garden made me think of an English garden and then it morphed into the hamlet quote. 🤣
Thank you Jennifer! Yes, that is such a beautiful thing - seeing someone actually make something. I think we sometimes forget (I do) that it is quite interesting for family to see what you're working on and following that process. :)
I actually prefer small to medium sized projects. I enjoy the process but I also enjoy the completion! It’s nice to finish a piece and see it being used. Many of my projects finish as useful objects rather than framed wall hangings. As to imagery, there is a plethora of florals and gardening themes available but it would be great to see other topics; how about nautical themes, musical instruments, needlework, spinning and weaving tools, or something as universal as food and cookery? I’m often inspired by antiquity: the images on Greek vases, the mosaics from Roman villas. To see these themes translated to cross stitch would be wonderful! While I’m an experienced needleworker, I’m quite new to cross stitch. I recently purchased a couple of your designs and I’m eagerly awaiting the arrival of the linen to begin. I’m really enjoying your blog! Thank you!
Thank you for your thoughts! As to Greek things - there might be something like that on the horizon... :D
Thank-you for the introduction to Yamir, I am beyond impressed with her work and really enjoyed your whole conversation so look forward to now following her channel and Instagram .. I love to stitch over one on 25 & 28, with my favourite completed like this being your 'Real Comfort' .. The lifetime project idea reminded me of the burial shroud a friend of mine is making .. It's an idea come out of her Death Cafe group ~ do they have them over there? A google search would describe it much better than me, but essentially it's a casual get together to discuss death, with the idea that it needn't be taboo or morbid, and open talk can decrease fears and encourage appreciation of each living moment .. Anyway, they came up with the idea of decorating their own death shrouds, so some are painting and others embroidering etc, and my friend has actually asked me to cross stitch her a lion (she is a Leo) to put on it .. I have looked and found quite a few, but none that feel appropriately ornate .. Personally I think flora and fauna of all seasons and regions of the world would be my chosen subject to stitch on an extra large piece, with a lot of beautiful frames for text ..
I have heard of those - a friend of mine actually does workshops talking about death and removing taboo / stigma from it. Thank you for your thoughts, glad to hear you enjoyed our chat! I think we are all completely in awe of Yamir's amazing stitching! :D
Over one on fifty six count, simply amazing! I’ve been stitching on 40 since the late nineties before it was so popular and my stitching friends thought I was crazy but I haven’t done any smaller. I enjoyed the interview and seeing Yamir’s stunning work. Happy stitching!
I can just about do 2 over 56 - it is quite extraordinary indeed. It's funny how the needlecraft / cross stitch community has been developing so much in the last few decades - 32 count was pretty much the standard and was considered already fairly fine - 40 count was nearly 'insane' according to some! :D. Then again it doesn't really matter what we stitch on - as long as we're having a good time! :)
Lovely interview! Your tiny work is awesome Yamir. Thank you for the introduction Jacob.
Thank you Brigitte! :)
I love the idea of a piece that takes years to stitch. I am someone that loves the process a lot. Not sure what I would want to have on it, but one that tells a story about history is an awesome thought. Loved the video and Yamir is a fabulous stitcher.
Thank you for the thoughts Sarah! And I agree with you on Yamir! :)
Loved the energy and excitement the two of you projected throughout that chat! Listening to creative folks be creative gets your own creative juices flowing!
Thank you so much Donna - it's so good to hear you got inspired! :)
Really enjoyed the two of you! Thanks for encouraging me to try smaller counts. I am enjoying 36 count and may get brave and try smaller!
Thank you Desiree - 36 is a gorgeous linen size I think! :)
This was so interesting to watch. I’ve done a little bit of 1 over 1 on 32 count but this is definitely taking it to the next level- very inspiring.
The forever piece sounds like a fabulous project. I’d love to see motifs depicting fundamentals of life, perhaps representations of childhood, food, nature, death. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Thank you! I've started it a little bit and cannot wait to dive back into this project again. It will take me forever to finish designing it also ;). But it's a real challenge and very exciting!
Jacob, I love the idea of a legacy piece. As I have aged I am feeling an urgency for family stories, memories, etc. to be passed down through my family. I am planning a journal of short stories but wouldn’t it be wonderful to have an accompanying piece to see Grandmother’s Pound Cake Recipe, or the family lineage, a stitched picture of a favorite pet. I am so excited about the possibilities. Thank you!!!! ❤️
Thank you Rinda! So many possibilities - it's wonderful seeing everyone's thoughts! :)
Absolutely love the idea of a forever piece. I always enjoy natural motifs ... it would be interesting to contrast the styles from different cultures and parts of the world ... a Greek floral motif along with a Quaker floral motif in different "chapters" I just started the 2018 SAL on 26 count Greek ground cloth and it's like a blanket:) My husband asked if I was making a rug:) Now I am so inspired by Yamir's gorgeous tiny pieces! Great conversation!
Thank you Jennifer - one of the things I'm certain about is that time, seasons and nature will definitely play a role in the piece. Glad you liked our chat! :D
I love the idea of a Forever piece. I have been interested in doing something like this since I saw Rachel from Tapestree Stitching doing her life story. I would like to be able to incorporate my family history, travel and I also like anything that is medieval. Look forward to seeing what ideas you create.
Thank you so much Rosie! :)
A fascinating talk! I love tiny stitching and now want to try some more one over one. As for design motifs... Im very into historical stitching which is why I'm drawn to samplers. A tree of life motif always pulls my eye. I love your heart and want to stitch it right now! Always lovely to see you... happy stitching!
Thanks to you both for expanding my appreciation of life...and the words given to know that perfection is imperfect...I have started a design to show my granddaughters the many grandmothers in their lives...past...present...and future for their granddaughters...with their dates of living and accomplishments...this could go on forever...best wishes for you both and JOY in stitching ❣️
I love that Loretta - that sounds like a wonderful piece. Thank you for sharing! :)
so beautiful two artist dreaming/ talking about a work of art. Looking forward to see the finished project.
Thank you Joy! :)
I promise you, people will buy it. If for no other reason, but to own such an epic design. There will also be several souls who will be only too excited to attempt to finish such a piece...I guarantee Caroline and I will be right behind Yamir in line to take it on. I encourage and support you and CAN'T WAIT to see what picture your mind's eye paints. What a wonderful video. Thank you so much.❤❤
Aw thank you so much Latisha - it really is encouraging to hear these words! Let's see what happens... it might take me "forever" to actually design it! :"P haha! :D
What a wonderful collaborative video. I loved watching you toss your ideas back and forth. Both of you have such inspiring and encouraging ways. 👍❤️
Thank you Deanna! Yamir is a really lovely person to chat with! :)
Hi there, love your Videos.. just wanted to say.. I was so happy to see you working on the little round hoop. So many times
I say to myself I need to get into working on a frame.. but all the years whether cross stitch or Embroidery I have always used a 3" round hoop.. Ive tried and tried frames, bigger hoops and so on.. but never felt happy.. in it goes.. and out out it comes, and back to the small hoop.. so I know once and for all.... one must use what you comfortable and happy with.. and eventually I got over it all and just use my 3" hoop.. I have many .. one in each project!!
Once again.. love love your blogs.. best wishes from Sunny South Africa
I love stitching large pieces and I love the idea of a forever piece. I would definitely buy the pattern and stitch it. I'm very excited about this idea!
Thank you so much Audrey! :)
Samples of old always to me reflected happenings in the time period in which it was stitched. I would love to see a pattern reflective of our time, with so many events taking place it should be noted and preserved for future generations. Full of hope, color, diversity, seasons, a story woven in truth. I throughly enjoyed your chat, 56 count is an amazing feat. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for your thoughts Shelly - that's really wonderful! :)
Fabulous chat and very inspiring. I'm adding stitching on a higher count fabric to my goals for 2021. Love the Quaker peek. Gorgeous!
Thank you Susan! Hope to finish that in the coming week. Let's see :D
Such a fascinating interview. Thank you so much. I'm thrilled to have been introduced to Yamir and look forward to following her. I have often thought of starting a large heirloom piece to document my family over the centuries, going back to early America and Scotland and Europe; something that would be designed on the go as I move back in time. I think your video is the motivation I needed to start putting it in motion.
Thank you for your thoughts Kathy! That sounds really interesting :)
A forever piece sounds very intersting. Definetly flora and fauna and trees. I just love trees. Woodland creatures, insects, bees etc. like a forest scene. Or a totally different direction would be quakers or flowers, like a Wildflower meadow. I always enjoy all your projects. I am allready very exited to see what you will come up with.
Thank you Nicole! Nature will definitely play a very important role in the piece, of that I am certain! :)
Very interesting video Jacob! I loved the recipe idea... perhaps on a recipe card motif. Some of my ideas to throw into the hat are: A Bible or a book design that favorite Bible verses or quotes could be stitched on, maybe a map of where you could put where you live and places you’ve traveled, different flag designs to stitch as a representation of ones heritage, motifs of sewing/stitching related items since that is the hobby that we all have in common. Aside from family, country and religion another thing that defines most people is their trade so perhaps various motifs to choose from that might represent someone’s job/trade. Hope this is even the tiniest bit helpful. I can’t wait to see what you eventually come up with.
Thank you Kim! Jotting down all the ideas before I start (tentatively)... :D This is a mammoth project to undertake!
Hi Jacob, hi Yamir thank you so much for this inspiring video. I loved to see you both together! Concerning real big projects, I am fascinated by the project of Rachel Samek. Her Flosstube „tapestree stitching“ and her work is amazing! Keep in touch and keep us inspired! Dorothee
Vielen dan Drothee! Yes, Rachel Samek is wonderful - someone recommended her flosstube to me about a week ago and I've been in touch with her as well. It's a lovely project! :)
I'm a bit late with my reply but I would love to see animals (forest animals are my favourites) and trees and flowers on the forever piece. I would also like to see stars and planets.
I think the idea with the forever piece is absolutely gorgeous.
Your videos are so so good, I really love to watch them. The way you dress is fantastic and inspiring.
Two of my favourite flosstubers together. How wonderful. I would like to stitch the project you were talking about. A tapestry of my family story. So, a pattern with different panels or motifs that I can choose to customize, including a space for meaingful text. Many of our human stories are universal no matter where we live or when. Stories of love. For example, children, spouse, gardens, cooking, pets, faith (no matter the religion), birth, death, weddings, birthdays, etc. All different kind of love. A quaker perhaps? Also, at my age, I don't have 20 years to sitich a BIG piece though I like BIG pieces. But with panels, I can create something smaller. As you can see from the length of my comment, I find the idea of this project very exciting. You are the perfect person to design it.
Thank you Jenny! I'm thinking of designing it in the form of a set of (irregular) panels that could be constructed together. So 1 stitcher could stitch it technically and work on it 'forever', but a group of stitchers could also work together to take responsibility for the whole thing. Let's see where it takes us. Thanks for your ideas! :)
I absolutely loved this and the idea of a Forever Sampler. I think it would be important to honor all the stitchers from all over the world. So maybe include designs from all over the world, cultures and from previous times. For example, maybe an eagle from the Mayan culture, a modern Chinese dragon, a historic Viking ship, an African Axum obelisk, an Incan puma (or linework, like the Nazca), or an Aboriginal kangaroo. You don't necessarily have to stick with animals, but something that represents the various cultures, current and past.
Thank you Mandy! World cultures and heritage is so important... I would love to do something like this, either on the forever piece or perhaps another piece! :)
That was just a wonderful chat! While you were talking of the Forever Piece, it reminded me of the beautiful Apocalypse Tapestry in Angers France or the Bayeux Tapestry that you can read like a story book. I could be an ode to all creatures big or small that makes this beautiful planet of ours what it is with all it's amazing diversities with a touched of different embroidery styles from around the world.
Thank you Maryse! I'm definitely thinking of those types of tapestries, and also the Lady and the Unicorn which is in the beautiful Musée de Cluny in Paris (one of my favourites!). I cannot wait to go back there and see those exquisite works of art again...
@@ModernFolkEmbroidery Yes she is beautiful! I haven't had the chance to see her in person yet, but for sure a trip to Paris one day is on the calendar. And a little side trip to Sajou is in the plan also!!! LOL!
@@marysedubeau8876 definitely! Sadly the Sajou shop in Paris is now closed permanently... but you can still buy from them online!
@@ModernFolkEmbroidery Oh no! This is too sad!!! From the pictures is was such a beautiful shop!! :(
@@marysedubeau8876 It is indeed - but I think with the high prices of shops in Paris and with Covid, it must have been very hard to have a shop that's not open but you still need to pay all of the overheads... but luckily Sajou is still going strong online. And who knows what the future will bring! :)
Thank you both for such a great video. It is lovely to see people talking with such enthusiasm about the thing they love.
I would love to see a pattern that has an outline structure with borders and linking motifs and then a selection of motifs, icons, texts that I can choose to insert into the panels in an order / manner that fits with my own story. So I might use the same birth announcement panel or something to represent a trip etc as someone else but mine appears earlier / later in the bigger piece. I might insert a dog or a ferret into a panel with something else to represent the family pets / combine smaller elements into larger spaces.
I would probably be sewing pieces of aida together just so that it is not too cumbersome to work with (and because I can imagine finding a huge single piece in 1 go would be difficult and quite costly) so would like to see convenient places to split the pattern to accommodate this.
Thank you again
This was an amazing interview! Thank you for sharing. Very insightful.
Thank you Cheryl!
What a great interview to listen to! You both have such great ideas and I appreciate the sharing and collaborating. I use a hoop, but keep my fabric very loose in the hoop. I've tried stitching in hand, but without much success, but loose in the hoop works well with the sewing method. The idea of a purposely long term project is great - something you can add to as you age and your life changes is a wonderful idea, like a photo album you add pictures to each year.
Thank you Leslie!
Thank you for sharing your interview with Yamir. I have always wanted to stitch some type of tapestry that would represent my family history as well as precious memories in my life's journey. May I suggest that you also check out Tapestree Stitching. She shared her first floss tube in August of 2020. In her very first floss tube she shares a tapestry that she has designed herself and has been working on for several years that depicts her life journey. My grandparents were immigrants from Italy and lived with us until they passed. As is very common in European families. Some similar icons that I can see being put into a tapestry chart that others could customize would be, Cooking, recipes, garden, travel, maybe an area where the shape of a country or state could be insterted, various hobby or trade icons, animals such as cats, dogs, birds, horses. Various landscape icons, such as bodies of water, mountains, deserts, fields, forests. Various buildings such as churches, courthouses, houses, cottages, barns, schools. These are some of the things that are a common thread in all of our lives. I look forward to seeing this project come to life. I certainly would be one that would purchase this templated design. Of course it goes without saying that this design would encompass your Modern Fold Embroidery touch.
Thank you Lisa! For the size I'm thinking of a super adaptable design might be a little too complex - but I think this would definitely be very interesting for a smaller piece. So many ideas - I love it! :D
So beautiful! I had no idea you could stitch 1 over 1 on 56 ct 😲 I would love to see cameos on the piece. Also, references to needle and thread. Thank you Jacob💕 you are an inspiration
Thank you so much! Yes, 1 over 56 is quite extraordinary... I can only manage over 2 but I do now want to find the finest thread I can find and give over 1 a go as well for a mini mini sampler... :D.
Thanks for being such an inspiration! I have just recently begun to stitch again after many, many years. Your interview with Yamir was lovely. I am looking forward to challenging myself as I've only ever stitched on aida. Ordering fabric soon and one of your patterns! Thanks again, Jacob.
Thank you Cheryl and welcome back to cross stitching! It's good to keep challenging ourselves I think. Aida is really lovely - and it's exciting to try a different fabric as well to see what you think about that. Small pieces are the best for that I think, just to see if you like it! :)
Very interesting guest. I'm am definitely going to make the jump to higher counts, one over one, for some of my larger projects (Future plans).
Glad you enjoyed it Linda - so good to see it's inspiring :)
Very inspiring. You are lucky to have young hands and eyes to stitch on fine fabric and in hand. For my old arthritic hands I can't hold the rolled up fabric for any length of time so need to use a hoop or frame on a stand. Then I am only holding the needle and have one hand below fabric and one hand above.
Thank you! Yes, it can be tricky to hold and stitch at the same time when you have problems with your hands! But one thing that I love so much about embroidery is that there's so many ways that we can make it work :)
When my mother showed me cross stitch as a child I was shown the "rules", you always Stitch a color top to bottom, always go left bottom to top right first in a row then come back and finish your stitch. I only knew Aida fabric, and I stitched into my late twenties following the rules. There were three brands of floss, J.P.Coats, DMC, and Anchor. Life happened I stopped stitching until jan of 2020. I got a kit and started in on the adia that came with it but then i found flosstube. I found out about linens and that you could stitch on them, and omg the floss you could get. And many people on Flosstube were not following the "rules". Ive learned so much more in the last year then i did in the 20 years i had been stitching. And the biggest thing i learned was there were no rules. So im sorry this is so long but i totally get what she is saying about not knowing cause apparently I knew nothing of cross stitch before 2020 and Flosstube.
That made me so happy to read Tonia! There are so many ways you can stitch, and everyone has a way that works for them. So yay to many more little crosses stitched, however we stitch them! :)
Just a fantastic video. Thank you.
Thank you Bernadette!
Thank you so much for introducing me to Yamir....how amazing she is. Can't wait to see what she does in the future. Great video..thanks.♥️
You're very welcome Carol! I was thrilled to see her stitch my "A Secret Sky" piece some time ago, and that's how I met her. She's amazing!
A great video, thank you. If I were to stitch a giant lifelong sampler I would like to include all my favourite things, from food recipes, to animals, to quotes, to music, to flowers... it would be never-ending and a lifetime's history of loves and inspiration. It would also include lots of cats 🙂
Thank you! Lots of animals will certainly be there, plus places to personalise! :D
I like videos and the stuff that young lady was showing was beautiful I would love to stitch some of the stuff you have but I can't afford to get them so I'm just going to have to watch your videos and watch you do them cuz everything that's happening today so stay safe stay warm stay true to yourself and happy happy cross stitching and enjoy yourself and I love the video I'm going to keep watching
Thank you so much Hilde - stay safe and warm too! :)
I was so inspired and excited listening to both of you. I love the idea of a Forever Piece. Without giving it much thought and just reacting 'in the moment' I would say I would love it to include different motifs and designs from throughout history (perhaps with ideas sourced from fabric, embroideries, tiles and architectural features) so we can have a bit of a history lesson as we stitch about different times, people and moments in history but also somehow incorporate a bit of modern day, maybe partially through some of the personalised wording we add to our own pieces. I love things from medieval times, the Arts and Crafts Movement period and even modern design and I love 'storytelling'.
Thank you Sharee for your kind words and your ideas! 'm writing them all down, I'm excited to start thinking about how I will plan this one...!
Hello Jacob! I've been enjoying your videos so much, but hadn't yet commented. This video is so exciting and inspiring! If I'm understanding your intention correctly, the Forever project sounds like something we might personalize and add to over time? It reminds me of the "Winter Counts" that the tribes of the western plains of the United States would make. At the end of each year, they'd pick the most significant event of that year and paint something that represented that event, so that over time there was a historical record of all the years. Something like that could be passed down to other generations to continue. Or maybe the project would be more of a snapshot history of a family, with various motifs to represent people, occupations, birthplaces, etc? In either case, I'm envisioning having a library of alphabets and motifs to chose from, with several possible layout ideas - for example gridded, random, or tree shaped. I look forward to seeing all the ideas and how they take shape! I really liked another commenter's idea of having lots of different cultural styles of stitching represented. Maybe even a few special words, "peace," "hope," "family," for example, in several different languages.
OH! A companion project to this might be a huge community piece. You would set up a large piece of fabric in a museum or other public place and invite the public to stitch little motifs on it. You could have volunteers there to help people stitch, and a giant catalog of little motifs that could be done quickly. Or heck, larger motifs might be worked on by multiple people passing through. The piece could travel the world and get stitched on every where it went - the largest Round Robin ever! Ok, I'll stop now. LOL
Hi Wendy! Nice to meet you :). So the design would be more of a preset huge design with some options to personalise - however, I think a slightly smaller design with the idea some folks had is also really intriguing!
I so *love* the giant Round Robin idea in a museum. I've seen a couple of places where they did something like that (The Leeds Tapestry comes to mind - a huge community project stitched wth lots of different people to mark the new millennium and now on public display: secretlibraryleeds.net/2014/10/10/the-leeds-tapestry/). But I think a community craft project like this, either in a museum or, on a smaller scale, in a community centre would be so exciting!
Really interesting interview and the project sounds really exciting. For me definitely flora and fauna would be good also anything depicting Hares and the mystical qualities surrounding them and pollinating insects particularly bees and the part they play in our glorious planet. Thank you Jacob and of course Yamir
Thank you Jane! These are beautiful images :)
I haven't scrolled through all the comments to see if anyone has mentioned that The Gift of Stitching magazine is available online (tgosm.com). It was an Australian digital magazine that is now out of print, but the issues can still be purchased. You can buy all 72 issues ($39.95 USD, I think) or each year's worth of issues in a 12-issue package.
Thank you Karen - there was one person who found it indeed- amazing deal! :)
The idea of this huge piece of stitching is so beautiful. Thanks for this video
Thank you Sabine - glad you enjoyed it!
What an amazing Flosstube!! Really loved hearing you two talk about stitching, personal growth & the inspiration about the long term personal project stitch!! Love the idea and I think making the chart with the ability to personalize is genius!!
Thank you so much! :)
This floss tube specifically I have found most fascinating and inspiring. I have never even considered trying over 1 on any count, and now I am most anxious to try it right away. My imagination, when considering a work of massive proportion, would for it to be a collection of different stories personal to me on a consistent count, purposefully not all the same color, just the same count sewn together like a quilt. In the film "How to make an American Quilt", a group of women each contribute a block for a quilt on the theme of what love is to them, and them sharing the stories of their lives that inspired their blocks. Cross stitch could be used in a similar way, with each contributing person expressing their interpretation of the chosen theme, or different blocks all by one person combined to tell the highlights or adventures or experiences that have shaped them into the person that they have become. The same thing for a group of different people contributing on a common theme or historical event (such as the past year and living through a world-wide pandemic, for example). All of the blocks, when combined, could be an incredible achievement worthy of being called an heirloom, either for a family or a society. Thank you so much again for this amazing sharing of ideas and inspiration.
What wonderful thoughts Shari! I've been thinking about different panels myself, and was thinking that it would be really interesting as well for a big group of stitchers to tackle the project - sewing the individual pieces all together to create the finished piece. After just a few hours reading the comments here there's definitely no lack of ideas! Thank you so much :)
Dragons, lions, griffons, lots of medieval lettering, phenomenal video.
This is such a wonderful idea!! I would love to stitch a forever chart like this. My son is 7 and has started getting very interested in my stitching so we were actually just talking about incorporating some stitching time into his homeschool day while we listen to an audio book. (We're currently hand sewing a little pouch for some of his playing cards while we listen to The Wind in the Willows.) Thank you for this interview, I can't wait to see the patterns that you come up with for the forever piece! ^_^
Also, I would love to see animals (birds especially because of the symbolism with life and growth) and trees and plants to represent the growth of both the piece and the individual stitcher(s). I also love the idea of sections for inserting text/memories/verses into the piece to customize it to the individual stitcher.
@@YumiYarns So wonderful your boy is interested - it would be wonderful for him to contribute a little panel as well if he wanted to! I'm planning to design a whole bunch of panels, and stitchers can choose to either stitch them all as they are, or leave bits out and replace sections with texts they like or add different designs to it! :).
@@ModernFolkEmbroidery That sounds so fun, I love that all of us stitchers will each be stitching the same project but customizing it at the same time. Can't wait to see all the designs you create! I know my little boy will be interested in any panel designs that include animals or birds especially, but he really does seem just very interested in hand stitching in general. I bet he'll be thrilled to get to have his own panel in the project & it will be a fun experience sharing the stitching with him. Thank you for designing the panels and organizing this! ^_^
Thank you for sharing this wonderful conversation. So enjoyable. I have often thought about an epic stitch of a life span. For example infancy, childhood, educational time frame, courting, marrying and procreation. Then career-oriented icons, middle age with grandchildren and finally growing old with lots of room for personalization and texts. Generic icons or depictions of the stages of a life span would be combined with the personalization. Just a thought for a really big project that would unwind over the years.
Thank you Joan - writing these down! :D
Thank you for this lovely interview and the idea of creating a forever piece. I love your ideas of texts, especially different types of fonts. Some motifs or images around life in the 21century. I was thinking along the lines of communication which was highly used last year (Zoom, Facebook, Instagram ... ) , mail (packages) and the word kindness.
Glad to hear you enjoyed our little chat! I'm taking your ideas down in my notebook. And kindness is something we definitely need in this world! :)
Jacob thank you for this interview and your knowledge. I would love China patterns from old tea cups or dishes. They all have a story.
Thank you! Written down your thoughts in my notebook as well :)
Such a lovely video. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you!
Fantastic interview. Love hearing design approaches -- so refreshing and new for cross stitching or any needlework.
Thank you so much Colleen - glad to hear you enjoyed our little chat! :)