Tools of the trade.

I have been embroidering by hand for twenty years now.

This tin mostly contains cotton embroidery threads, with some special imported silks, at least one reel of glow in the dark, and some difficult yet effective linen threads. And of course a full contingent of needles.

I am never seen without my embroidery tin.

The basic tin is an old Walkers christmas shortbread tin, battered beyond belief and stuffed far past overflowing. I've tried other storage devices but none are as compact, as complete or as easy to fill. The picture on the top of the tin used to be one of a loch and ruined castle. I am slowly plastering the now blank rusted and scarred lid with stickers and magnets.

I would recommend, for anyone starting out, choose the colours you like and store them together, keep your needles in some raw sheep wool as the lanolin keeps them from rusting, and carry magnets. Eventually you will drop a needle and be glad you can pick it up using a magnet.