As of today, 2,000 people have “Liked” my Facebook page! I’m flabbergasted by the how rapidly my audience has grown, since it took me so long to welcome Facebook into my life (8 months ago). It’s different from my blog, in that I post pictures just about every day and share images that I find inspirational. Thank you to all of you who follow my work, either on Facebook and/or this blog. To celebrate, I’m giving away 3 signed paperback copies of my 1995 picture book, Mary Had a Little Lamb. You can see all of my books listed here. Since more than half of you are from outside of the United States, the contest is open to everyone, worldwide. To enter, please leave a comment naming or describing your favorite stitch. The winners will be picked at random on Wednesday, August 21st, 2013.
Mary Had a Little Lamb 1995
SALLEY MAVOR 
The french knot! I use it to add dimension, texture, or a nice round spot of color. (I love that you used it to make the fleece on your lamb.) Plus, it’s fun to make ’em 🙂
The blanket stitch I use this to all my felt projects, I was inspired by you so I just wanted to thank you, ❤
My favorite stitch is the French Knot! I love to do them to embellish little t shirts for children around the neck, on sleeves, and anywhere I can find to put them. I did a baby daygown once with the little lamb asleep in the grass. I was so excited to fill this little lamb in with tons of French Knots. Hand embroidery is a passion of mine, and I love what you do with it.
I love the buttonhole stitch–it’s simple and dependable and makes a lovely edging on fabric. Salley I was inspired by your use of the buttonhole stitch with variegated thread–it gives your work depth and richness. Thank you for sharing your process with your fans!
The bullion stitch. I’m having a great time finding new and creative ways to use it!
French knots! I love filling every where I can with it. for me more is not enough!
Hmmm, favorite stitch….I think I have to say the satin stitch as I use it for many things. Whether it be over padding to give a raised effect or just for a fill on a gorgeous leaf…
I love the simple little daisy stitch to decorate with. Your work has inspired me for years!
Thank you for sharing with us!
I love the blanket stitch – I need to improve turning corners…
I love chain stitch because it can be used as an outline, a filling stitch or a flower.and it is fun to do. I LOVE your work too. I went up to Fort Collins to see the Brids of BeeBe Woods last month and I couldn’t believe how incredible your stitching is!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE the French Knot/Colonial Knot and use different threads to change the depth and look. Also, so enjoy looking at your books – I’ve loved picture books since childhood and yours are the best!!! You truly are an inspiration.
I love the blanket stitch. Haven’t mastered corners yet, but I’m still working on it!
I love chain stitch too! I saw the Pocketful of Posies exhibit at the Foothills Gallery in Elkin, NC and I loved studying how you used so many stitches to create such wonderful effects.
buttonhole stitch!
I am fascinated with all your lovely work – can’t wait to see another post. I guess my favorite is the feather stitch but also really like the blanket stitch too. SEW many, just can’t choose one.
My favorite stitch is the FRENCH KNOT!!!!!! I’ve wrapped as many as 12 times around a needle and the knots are FABULOUS! love it, love, love it…..I’ve done whole pieces just in French KNOTS!
Although I love all of your stitches, the lamb’s coat is my favorite.
Impossible for me to choose a favorite stitch, I love embroidery so much, but if I have to choose it is the sweet old fashioned little blanket stitch. Love your work and not surprised by all the “likes”.
Спасибо за ваши работы, за иллюстрации к детским книги, я давно наслаждаюсь ими, правда только по интернету. В вышивке я только новичок, но мне очень нравится французский узелок, это связано еще и с тем, что в детстве мама часто украшала мою одежду (ту, что шила и вязала сама) чудесными букетиками из розочек. И я была так счастлива и горда этими нарядами! А потом мама научила вышивать такие розочки и меня. Поэтому я больше всего люблю французский узел.
I love French knots. They add dimension and texture.
not so much a favorite as enjoyable and useful.. the way you embroider your letters! I used something similar to it when I made my wall hanging to show at my daughters special needs day program… people loved the words!
I really like the French knot stitch. I love the nubbyness it gives to a piece 🙂
I like the chain stitch for outlining .I really like the look of French knots, but need lots more practice to be successful .
I love the French knot by the delicacy of it and also the texture that gives us when we make a bunch of them. I’m a fan of his work I have followed for a long time. Thanks for splitting it with us because it was not via internet would be difficult because, living in Brazil, I would say almost impossible
Really difficult to choose a favorite… Blanket stitch followed by french knots.
Thank you for your inspiration, your work is beautiful and charming!
II love the good old blanket stitch
How can I choose one…!! I’ll say the French knots but really I love them all and love learning new ones! Your books are such an inspiration! Thank you!
French knots love them for texture and filling in spaces
I have always been especially fond of the featherstitch…one of my earliest memories of vintage crazy quilts was this stitch embellished with French knots.
From sunny summertime VT,
The Vermonster
Hi, since I have to choose only one, Ichoose the blanket stich, because of its versatility. Congratulations Salley ! Getting to know your work really changed my life!
The blanket stitch seems to be my standard but also use chain, fly stitch and lots of others.
Love your books!
This is Hard. I guess my favorite stitch is the backstitch – i do lots of redwork both for relaxation and when riding in car on trips. Since it helps me, i guess it would be favorite however i read and peruse everything embroidery all the time cause i love learning more and more : ) Seeing the texture that can be done and the beautiful creations
that is a tough one, a toss up between bullion and doves eyes in hardanger, mind you like the previous comment feather stitch is so versitile and comes high on my list
I love the bullion knot – very versatile little stitch. Also a big fan of the drizzle stitch – it’s also a nice little textural stitch.
I love the button hole stitch! And I loved making your wonderful fairies!
I am so happy to have found you again. Your work is amazing.
Congratulations on 2,000 “Likes!” I like the running chain stitch because I can make accents and swirls or vines with it. Reading your books is like going on vacation for me. Bless you and your creative endeavors! xx
Congrats on so many likes, you deserve even more. I like the stitch, which looks like a chain. Not sure yet how is it called in English. I Love your work.
The blanket stitch has always been my favourite. I just love the distinct contrast. Thanks for sharing your talent digitally. You are an inspiring artist!
I love doing French knots but I NEED to love doing the satin stitch more so I can learn to do it more evenly. I love seeing the work you do. Inspiring !
Congratulations on this wonderful milestone and thank you for offering another giveaway! I hope to enter soon. Happy days and much gratitude! Pam
I like the knotted pearl stitch, makes a nice border. A link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5BakWUcsKU
Love your work, Salley!
I’d love one of your books! It’s hard to come up with a favourite stitch. I love french knots, and the feather stitch. I use them both a lot.
Satin Stitch!
I can’t pick one I use, because I rarely embroider. I’m here to marvel at your fabulous work. But, to look at I like Beaded Palestrina stitch, for the novelty.
The Detached Buttonhole Stitch is my favorite stitch at the moment, just because there’s so many variations of the stitch itself and how you can use it. Of course, tomorrow it may be a different stitch because I do love them all.
I really love them all, mostly because they are all beautiful and useful. My little ones really love your books, as do I. Thank you!
I love the feel of making French knots, but really I love using all stitches as the artistic spirit moves, and as texture and color inspire.
Salley:
Your blanket stitch leaves me in awe. As many times as I have wielded my own needle, and we are counting multiple decades here, I still can’t approach your perfect symmetry. What’s your secret?
Your forever fan,
Cathy G.
I don’t embroider, but “French knot” is the first stitch name that comes to mind. Love all the details in your work. Thanks for the giveaway.
I have a hard time choosing, but ones with much texture are the ones I like most. Possible the French knot since it is fun to make, but I am still a beginner and exploring. I am transported by your work. thanks.
My favorite stitch would be the first one I learned, taught to me as a child by my favorite cousin, Sandy! The stem stitch! We used it in pink floss to make a poodle (iron on transfer) on a handkerchief. A beautiful memory every time I use the stem stitch!
Hi Sally, thanks for the cool giveaway chance:).
My favorite stitch is the bullion. Like you I love Raised embroidery and that stitch give me a lot of bang for my buck!
Your stitching sister Vickie G.
Favorite to see or favorite to do?
My favorite to view is a beautiful padded satin stitch because I know how much skill was involved in getting it perfect. I have always loved to do french knots – even as a kid.
Cheers,
Louise
I enjoy doing blanket stitch. I’m primarily a knitter and it works so well as embellishment of knitted garments. (but French knots are fun to do and make a fabulous little embroidered lamb!)
I’ve always loved blanket stitch, though the French knot comes in a close second.
Ha ha…choosing a favorite stitch is like choosing a favorite food! (Especially when I look at your work 😉
My first love was the chain stitch;that’s the one that got me hooked on embroidery. After years of struggle, I finally mastered the French knot, which is so fun to make. These days I’ve been enjoying the tiny seed stitch.
I vote for the bullion stitch!! It is so versatile….also the drizzle stitch!
Yes I have to agree with many other’s the blanket stitch is my favorite because it can be used so many ways, I love it in black on bright colors the best. Thanks so much for the chance to win, and I wish you continued success.
Happy Sewing
I’m a blanket stitch with variegated thread kind of girl, using it on everything from flannel-backed cotton-faced receiving blankets that I make to huge quilt borders. I find the focus of making evenly spaced and even length stitches to be relaxing and can tune everything out while I’m working on a project.
French knots and daisy stitch. Congrats on 2000 likes!
I love you Mary Had a Little Lamb, and would have to go with the French knot (with the chain stitch coming in second) – probably because they look so cute, but are so easily executed. 🙂
I like simple stitches and I love the seed stitch for filling up empty spaces.
It is hard to say one is my favorite, but chain stitch comes to mind. You combine stitches so beautifully .I am always inspired.
Coincidentally, I just read the board book version of “Mary” to my 5-month-old granddaughter shortly before reading your post about the giveaway. I am in awe of how you “paint” with all of the different stitches. I love your work and can’t wait to see the Beebe Woods exhibit in Falmouth this fall.
Been a fan of you and your beautiful work for years! Think my favorite embroidery stitch is the french knot!
Good luck all I love the chain stitch simple and sweet. Fab prize 🙂
my favorite stitch is the French knot,but it is difficult to choose only one, I like the combinations of points to use in your embroidery on felt that I love.
That is a hard one, I think though my favourite would be the bullion knot, especially when used in little roses. I am still dismayed that your quilts were on display in Fort Collins, long after I have lived there. I was there for two years and saw one quilt exhibition at the Lincoln center.
Blanket stitch was the first that came to mind. I love French knots but don’t like doing them as mine don’t look neat!
I love the blanket stitch. It can be used in many ways and it’s such a nice finishing stitch.
I agree, the french knot realy gives na amazing texture to any work. But I do a lot of other stitches in my patchworks. Thanks for this great opportunity,
Sandra, from South Brazil
The chain stitch is my favourite as it can be used in many ways, and always looks textured too. Your work is truly that of an artist, and I admire each image you present. Keep going with your whimsical and fun figures and animals and flowers and decorations!
I love the feather stitch – it can be very disciplined, neat and tidy or wildly random and it has all those little legs for further embellishment.
I am in awe of a skilled french knot. It is a stitch with character!
I like the chain stitch.: It was the first stitch I was taught and can be used for so many things; filling, writing, the basis of lazy daisy and blanket stitch.
Such talent! Beautiful work!
Your wonderful embroidered birds launched me into a passion for hand embroidery. I have very basic skills but my confidence with chain stitch led me to consult my stitch books and try feather stitch. For now, that is my all-out favourite, doing an outstanding job of suggesting feathers on the wings of the dove I have just embroidered!
I couldn’t do a piece without the feather stitch. Friends call it my signature.
French knot!
I’m more of a beader but I do love the chain stitch.It’s fun watching the little chain appear.
Congrats Salley! Easy to see why you have so many likes so fast-your work is awesome! You pop up into my world every day via FB and emails & you are an inspiration for those of us who are trying to start our own little craft/art business. My favorite stitch would have to be the blanket stich, use it all the time in many different ways.
My favorite is the Lazy Daisy stitch. You can do so much with this handy stitch!
I like the chain stitch. We have wonderful bedspreads with all kinds of colorful flowers and vines embroidered all over in chain stitched wool. So that would be crewel. I used the chain stitch to embellish a cowboy outfit when my son was a little guy. It was a cowboy with a lasso.
I adore the Lazy Daisy stitch. It just looks so sweet.
i just really enjoy the back stitch because I can bend it so gently, thanks for offering your work so freely to us!!
I love your work! I think my favorite stitch must be fly stitch because it’s so versatile. But I’m a stitch dictionary junkie and I love to discover new to me stitches and try them out.
Why, the sweet little daisy stitch- one of the first my grandmother showed me when I was 7 or 8. Love your work!
The Lazy Daisy!
Thanks again Salley 🙂
Hmmm…..that is a really hard question.
I have to say the blanket stitch. I love stitching the edges of little felt toys and doll dresses. For me it works almost like meditation, it is so calming and familiar. When I was twelve, my mother gave be two of your kits for Christmas. One was the kit of a woodland mother and baby, the second her three older children. My grandfather died the day after I got the kit, and all that week, I would find quiet corners and work on my little family and listen to old Lone Ranger radio shows, sewing blanket stitch edging as evenly as I could on every little felt sleeve and dress hem.
Sorry, once I get going, I tend to ramble!
My favorites are the first and last stitches. Happy to begin and to finish.
My favorite is the blanket stitch…and I love the way that you can make the tiniest, most even stitches I have ever seen.
I love doing curly hair or flower centers with french knots. My 1.5 year old daughter loves Pocketful of Posies – we learned she knew what a sheep was when she pointed one out and said “baa”!
I guess I like the blanket stitch best because that’s the one I find myself using the most.
I like feather stitch most of all cause all my favourite napkins, towels and pillow cases were stictched by my darling Granny with feather stitches.
I love using bullion stitches, french knots and straight stitches…. Love your work…
Name a favorite stitch?? I love embroidery and I love them all!! I really did think about this and try to come up with a favorite but they all look nice in their own unique way. That’s what is so exciting about embroidery: the variety and texture. Even the simplest of stitches can be interesting in a design. My earliest memories of embroidery were on my pillowcases as a child in just simple stem stitch, I loved the texture!
French knots! Thanks for offering this contest!
Blanket stitch!! Thank you for offering this lovely giveaway and, as always, so much inspiration.
I love the chain stitch, has a nice look and great for embellishing my pieces.
What a wonderful giveaway, can’t wait to start reading to my new grandson and this would be a wonderful book to read to him.
Debbie
Gratulálok! Nagyon inspiráló a munkád és gyönyörűek a hímzéseid. Az én kedvencem a francia csomó:) Congratulations! Very inspiring your work and they’re beautiful your embroideries. My favourite the French bundle:) I am looking at your book daily, fantastic! Angie from Hungary
I like blanket stitch and its variations. Thank you for this giveaway! And thousand thank you for sharing your marvellous work!
I felt like I was truly a seamstress when I learned how to do the French Knot when I was young. It just adds such whimsy to everything you stitch when you add the French Knot! I absolutely love your work Salley! What a joyful vision you bring to this world!
my favorite stitch is running or outline stitch. Nothing fancy, but it brings everything and anything to life….even a basic fabric with a print jumps out with it
The blanket stitch is loved and used the most, but the other stitches make things so much more interesting . Please continue your delightful art!
I love the feather stitch!
I have to admit I love the cross stitch. So easy childlike done you can get such beauty in no time. I fell in love twenty years ago. My fav are the danish designs.
As I am a poor embroiderer myself, I do not have a favourite stitch, that is why I love your art sooo much, the imagination, the colours,etc: enchanting and endearing!
Hello Salley, one of my favourite stitches would be the Palistrina Stitch. It is a very nice raised stitch and depending on the thickness of the thread depends on how raised the knot is. Love your blog
I just love all your work and so appreciate the time you put into your art. As a child needle and thread have always felt natural to me. To pick one favorite stitch is hard, I think it’s a tie between the blanket and chain stitch. I guess those are the 2 I use the most. I only pray that I will get lucky someday to be able to see your work up close and hopefully to meet you, so we can share the love of hand work and wool. Thank you for sharing your talent with the world.
Hmmmm…I can’t decide either. I use the chain stitch a lot so I guess I’ll go with that. Thanks for all the inspiration
I’ve been following your blog for a while now and it gives me loads of inspiration! Please keep on posting and I’ll keep following in The Netherlands!
I love the chain stitch, immediately followed by the blanket stitch.
My two year old granddaughter and I pore over your “Pocketful of Posies.” I keep a basket of felt and thread handy, and Sweet Child loves to help me push the needle through and catch it on the other side. We aren’t too exacting yet, it’s the process that counts!
I love all the French Knots
Kate
Congratulations! I’ve been enjoying reading your “Pocketful of Posies” to my two boys and now we’re all ready to make our own little dolls. While the decorative stitches are all fun, I think my favourite stitch is running stitch because I can still handsew it while supervising my two rascals and not too much goes wrong!
would have said the French knot as I adore them so… and have been greatly inspired by how you use them… but I have to say, the simpleness and randomness of the seed stitch is my favourite. think that’s what it is called.
Favorite stitch? I just love to have a needle and thread in my hands. I enjoy the relaxing stem stitch or outline stitch, then next would be any of the many stitches that give texture and added dimension to a piece.
I’ve seen your work Birds of Bee Bee Woods in Paducah, then the show at the Gallery in Mt. Vernon, IL. Enjoyed them both so much!
Oh another of your books, how wonderful!. Since it is my birthday month I’m sure the random gods are listening. 😉 Thanks for the chance have another of your great books.
The blanket stitch.
I was so fortunate in 2011 to be in the USA and go to Brattleboro, Vt. and see your enchanting fabric illustrations and your books on display. Since then I have been taking your books that are available in Ottawa, ON. out of the library and following your blog. Love, love, love your work!
The stitch that changed my life is Blanket Stitch. It has opened up a new world of adventures and opportunites to express my creativity and passion for making toys and dolls for children to play with and explore their own imaginations. Then I found your book and my jaw dropped and another world of possibilties opened up for me in creating fairies and small dolls for childrens play thank you thank you. I have friends children who love to come to my house just so they can play with your beautiful creations. You are inspiring. Sadly I am too far to visit your exhibitions so love following you through your facebook page. I have one book and would love another one. Kindest regards.