This time we are here with something quite different.. It’s time for a mystic approach to embroidery…A rather esoteric way of the unknown powers and spirits that rule our world! Many believe that each of us here on earth have certain symbols or signs which when associated with us individually or as groups – represent powerful attributes and could play an important role in moulding our lives. As for me, I do not really believe in these forces, but one never knows the truth unless one experiences it!

Anyway, to continue – let us first understand the difference between signs and symbols. A sign is a material object which points clearly to something – like a road sign or the weather. A symbol is a deeper connotation or reflection of something profound. For example, the moon symbolizes calmness, desires while a sun symbolizes victory, warmth.

The next important question for a person on this path is to determine one’s sign or symbol. The simpler ones are birthday symbols (determined by your birth date and time – You could also have precious stones related to your birthday). The tougher ones are symbols that are revealed to people through dreams, meditation or trance states.

Signs and symbols embroidery is nothing but embroidering these signs and symbols. What is special is that you would find all of them as a category or group in one place.

Some of the examples would be the embroidered alchemy group. There are 7 elements in alchemy. One of them is copper. Check out the alchemy copper embroidered image above. This is available for sale at “What’s your sign” in the form of embroidery patches, appliqued T-shirts, sweatshirts, wall hangings or just as an embroidered item. Finished alchemy sign embroidery designs (on shirts) are approximately 3.5″ x 3.5″. Finished Wallhangings are about 8″x8″. Patches/Badges are about 4″ x 4″. All shirts are high quality Jerzees, Hanes or Fruit of the Loom, 100% cotton.

You also have animal totems or animal symbols in the same resource website – an example is the alchemy phoenix which you see besides this post. The dimensions and product details of animal symbols embroidery are identical to alchemy embroidery. These are quite colorful and even feature peacocks, lions and other wild animals.

So, what’s your sign?

This is an oft repeated question and I have been getting a few requests to get some cute looking borders for the embroidery hoops. We have quite a few resources on the actual embroideries or appliques but very few which really give you choices for the variety of borders that you can treat your design to. Just like in artwork, the border can make or break the look and feel of an embroidery. Hence it is important to choose the right border for the right design.

How does one do this? The rules are quite simple. Invertendo is the key. If the design is really complex and eyecatching, simple or sometimes no borders would do. If the design is simple or small and you would really want to attract the viewer, a smart border which showcases the design would be apt. The embroidery border should always focus to highlight the design – in some manner or the other.

Check out this page at Madmumbler. This focuses on some of the borders that you can choose from – as starters. But innovation is the key. Elegant borders can be used for stunning designs like the appliscapes. They generally come with single color or multi color formats from which you can choose suitably. Borders like the Holly Corner (you see besides this post) is good for simple colorful designs which need to suitably accentuated. This comes in 3 sizes, 2 of them fit the 4X4 hoop, the third fits the 5X7 hoop. These designs are available in the .hus, .pes, and .dst formats and the information on machine embroidery would come in handy here. Some of the moon corner border embroideries you see in the site are really cute and can be used as a contrast to the parent design.