I finished making the smaller version of MOTHER HEN into a needlebook this week. It was really nice to make a piece of raised embroidery into something useful for a change and I was so excited to show you a few days ago.. but 'sigh' I have just spent the past two days getting my computer upgraded and running properly again (big sigh).
It is a quite simple little needle book. A little press stud to hold it closed and just a single felt page to keep needles and pins at hand.
The edges are decorated and neatened with seed beads, stitched in place with Palestrina stitch.
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Palestrina Stitch
step-by-step
The stitch is worked along a line or, as for Mother Hen, over a seam.
1. 
2.
2.
1. Secure the thread and take a small stitch a little further along.
2. Holding the thread to the left, slide the needle from top to bottom under the short stitch without picking up any fabric.
4.
3. Pull the thread to so it sits snug around the stitch.
Slide the needle under the short stitch one more time, this time making sure the thread is looped under the needle tip.
When the thread is pulled to it will form a small knot. 4. Continue to work the stitches like that close together to form a knotted line or edge.
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I was, at first going to just use the Palestrina stitch on its own. It forms sort of a knotted but neat edging, but looking at it, I felt like Mother Hen deserved something a little more elegant, so I decided to add beads.
The Palestrina knots help keep the beads evenly spaced. All I needed to do was to make sure the beads were snug between the knots. For that, I simply used the needle to push it into place against the previous knot as you can see above.
I used three strands of cotton matching the darker shade in the fabric pattern and it now looks like a string of little pearls framing the edges.
The next step is to get the instructions on how to make the needlebook written and with my computer back up an running there is no reason not just to get on with it.
Between writing, I am planning to now get back to work in the large, original version of MOTHER HEN.
If you remember, this is where I got to before realizing it was going to be too involved for the two day class I have coming up.
Have a lovely week everyone.
Anna X
