Dames of the Needle Fingerwork : The Silver Needle, Fine Needlecraft Materials

Dames of the Needle Fingerwork
Mary's Etui and Accessories A little fabric bucket with silk drawstring bag lining... the beeskep scissor case, the pin mattress and bee fob all store inside... except that you don't want to hide them! Mary and her little lambs grace the front and sides of the fabric-covered box, with the big beeskep on the backside. Stitched in overdyeds on 32ct Lambswool Linen, the main box measures approx 3 x 3 x 6. There are lots of special stitches scattered everywhere... and pages and pages of finishing and assembly instructions. Originally designed as a class piece only in 2007, Elizabeth is now offering this in chart format! Really, really cute! Pull your threads and the Lambswool linen and then shop for that yummy silk lining fabric.
New England Hornbook These little paddles are just the cutest way to finish a small project. Elizabeth always has some tiny stitching on the front, and a surprise scissor and needle page on the backside. You can simply perch these on a shelf in front of a stitched piece (on an easel?) or leave off the wool on the backside and frame them. WAY COOL in a shadowbox frame with a collection of old needle packages, thread labels, bits of lace, and an old wooden hoop! New England features a courting couple and is stitched over one thread on 32ct linen with Gentle Art Sampler Threads. Offered as the chart, it does include a rare-earth magnet to tuck into the scissor sheath, so the small scissors do not slip out. The wooden hornbook piece is available separately, as are the matte black Lil Gems scissors -- which are dinky!!! For corner buttons -- we LOVE our bags of 144 dark mother-of-pearl shell buttons from Kelmscott. Petite little buttons -- 144 in the bag for $6!
Twas Christmas Morning What a cute little set of things! Make the Tree Ruler Holder out of Weeks Juniper wool -- don't forget the tiny wool mouse!!! Add the Humbug-shaped Elf Thimble Holder, and Scissor Tag featuring stitching on one side and a wool pocket for Angel scissors on the back. The tree case is simply wool joined together -- you can see the 3-inch ruler poking out as the trunk... and the tiny mouse is just the perfect touch. I love the scissor case; it is a flat board -- stitching over one on the front -- with the entire back a piece of weeks wool (choose any neutral color the scissors look good with, a good mouse color, and coordinates with your linen) with a Buttonhole Stitched slot, and twisted cord ties to store the scissors. Since the blades are hidden inside the case, all you see is that gold angel! A VERY creative finishing treatment for this set, it'd really be neat actually hung on the Christmas Tree as a trio of ornaments! After all, aren't hand-stitched ornaments the BEST?
Nantucket Beach What a charming beach scene from years and years ago! How pretty to hang in a seaside cottage setting... I want to go there!!! Stitched on 32ct Lambswool Linen in Weeks and Gentle Art overdyeds, everything is stitched in Cross Stitch -- but the people are worked over one thread, and the ladder and wheels on the bath houses are couched long stitches. Charming old-fashioned striped swim suits, I love the soft, sandy colors and those tiny wheeled houses! Offered as a chart, this finishes approx 5 x 9.
Small Americana Hornbook I LOVE this! Mounted on our medium-sized wooden hornbook piece (just 2-1/4 x 2-3/4 in size), this is stitched over one thread on Weeks Dye Works 35ct Straw Linen in bits of overdyed floss. Lots going on in this petite piece -- the edging is Nun's Stitch to prevent raveling. The grass is Long Arm Cross -- adds texture. The stars on the flag and on the back are simply Long Stitches. All is glued to the hornbook, and garnished with small antique shell buttons. The linen cut will be enough for both the front and back. Love, love, love that waving flag with its dusty colors! This whole thing is less than 3 x 3!!!!!!
Nantucket Strawberries Needle Roll One of Dames previously unreleased teaching pieces, this is now available to us in chart format. A charming needle roll, with lots of stitching, this finishes approx 5 x 15 when opened. Worked on 32ct in Sampler Threads, it features lots of specialty stitches -- Alternating Double Backs, Colonial Knots, Palestrina Knots, Modified Scotch and Roumanian... lots of texture in here! The roll is lined with (quarter yard cut) Weeks Dye Works Juniper Wool (solid, but houndstooth -- or even a different color all together would be awesome, as well), and it features a rouched ribbon edge treatment. The outer design is colorful, the flowers in the grass are pretty, she's coming down the lawn to greet her sailor... I like the billowing flag!
Deer Hornbook and Scissor Case Elizabeth Ann Talledo has another cute little hornbook just like her Maryland Sampler and Christmas Peace on Earth pieces. The cute little wooden paddle is decorated with stitching on one side (while the other two have both sides of the paddle decorated) and this design features a matching needle case. Stitched on 32ct with Sampler Threads, there is a bit of over-one stitching and Nun's and Blanket stitches garnishing the edges. Cute and quick, offered as a chart with hornbook separate. (Note: the paddle in this pic is not available... we have the same paddles available that are featured on the Maryland and Christmas pieces -- they'll all match!)
Pumpkin Stew Scissor Case Here's a cute little scissor sheath and fob set that holds a pair of Kelmscott's Steweb Scissors! Stitched on 32ct with overdyeds you probably have in your stash, the verse reads; 'I brew for you a pumpkin stew of scary bats and spooky cats with a spider web or two.' Nothing too difficult or involved -- perfect to actually FINISH in time to enjoy this Fall!!! Offered as a chart, it includes a magnet to help keep the scissors nestled in the case.
Peace on Earth Dames of the Needle has a new miniature hornbook ornament that finishes a mere 2-1/2 x 2-3/4. Both sides of the little paddle are stitched, and garnished with Just Another Button Company buttons... very simple and cute! Although the hornbook is technically supposed to be displayed with the handle downwards... where one would hold it... to avoid having to drill holes in your paddle piece... you could always 'adapt' and hang it on the tree from the top hole in the handle! (We won't send the Cross Stitch Police after you!) Offered as the chart, stitched on 32ct linen in overdyeds... linen, hornbook and buttons (8 stars and 1 sheep) all available separately.
Maryland Hornbook This is a neat design that fits onto the front and back of a miniature walnut wooden hornbook. Used as a learning tool in Colonial America, students learned daily lessons from the notes, stories and alphabets that were written on their hornbooks. (We even have a French Battledore that tells the story of a little boy and his dog, on our Dessins page!) A charming way to display needlework, Dames of the Needle has designed a stately manor house stitched over one thread on 32ct, amidst trees of really neat long-stitches. Lots of sweet details on one side, flip over your 3 x 4-3/4 wooden paddle, to find small Lil Gems scissors and a few needles stored on the back. Pretty Sampler Threads and Weeks overdyeds and a bit of Weeks Palomino for the backside, this is simply the cutest little project! We have the wooden hornbooks in three sizes... this uses the largest. Might be fun to get some of the smaller ones for other little projects, cute, quick and classy way to finish!
Elizabethan Purse Quite a pretty set of pieces, the 60 pages of instructions are stuffed full of amazing pictures, diagrams, steps, hints and instructions to create this lovely Elizabethan-inspired sewing case, pin keep, scissor fob and case pair, and needlebook. Full of Double Running, Queen, Rice, Reversible Cross, Montenegrin, (I didn't know one could do Queen Stitches on an angle!)... everything that looks like regular Cross Stitch is really Montenegrin or over one... one of the stitch diagram pages numbers your path through stitch number 206!!! All the pretty blues, pinks and greens of the 18th Century samplers, there are even some green fresh-water pearls in here that are the tiny peas tucked in the pods of the needlecase! Definitely an advanced project... there are cutting layouts included for the linen, linings, and even interfacings!
Playful Day Necessaire Quite a pretty set of pieces, the 60 pages of instructions are stuffed full of amazing pictures, diagrams, steps, hints and instructions to create this lovely Elizabethan-inspired sewing case, pin keep, scissor fob and case pair, and needlebook. Full of Double Running, Queen, Rice, Reversible Cross, Montenegrin, (I didn't know one could do Queen Stitches on an angle!)... everything that looks like regular Cross Stitch is really Montenegrin or over one... one of the stitch diagram pages numbers your path through stitch number 206!!! All the pretty blues, pinks and greens of the 18th Century samplers, there are even some green fresh-water pearls in here that are the tiny peas tucked in the pods of the needlecase! Definitely an advanced project... there are cutting layouts included for the linen, linings, and even interfacings!
Owl Scissor Case One of two new designs on our Dames of the Needle page today... A 'wood-sy-flavored' scissor case by Elizabeth Talledo, this is a fun little case to highlight your new Kelmscott Owl Scissors! A fun, forest scene on the outside... complete with a little skunk!!! Inside, there's a verse about owls perching alert, then settling in for the night to ask Who Who. Quite a different curiosity, this kind of thing is always fun to stitch, perch on the shelf, and let browsers discover!!! Sampler Threads, a few special stitches, all the animals are stitched over one thread, so they look extra detailed and special against the forest floor. Offered as a chart.
Acorn Thread Holder Here's a pretty tri-fold piece that stores your Kelmscott Brand Rondelle Mother-of-Pearl Thread Winder, a MOP Acorn-shaped thread keep, and teeny-weeny Little Gems scissors! Bitty squirrels and acorns decorating the outside of the case, it is lined in a deep green, to highlight all the tools hidden inside. A simple thing... very finishable... and a really place to store some of your gadget treasures! Offered as a chart, this finishes approx 3 x 11 on 32ct, to fold into a 3 x 3-ish case.
The Chase Casket from Finger WorkThis is such a charming piece... Elizabeth Talledo has designed a fabric box that is covered on all sides with a busy hunter and his hound chasing the poor bunny through the countryside, and across the ponds. Inside the box, you'll find more of the scene stitched on a tiny needle roll, needle cushion and needle custodian!! Finishing approx 3 x 4 x 9, the finishing instructions are available separately. The chart -- all 14 pages of it -- includes both over one and two stitching, and the pattern comes with three additional pages of color pictures of all aspects of the piece. I found this little ditty in the design credits... 'Also please note that at no time were any animals harmed in any of the scenes. The bunny goes on to live a very long and prosperous life, as does the dog, the swans and cygnets. There is an unconfirmed rumor that the hunter has become a vegetarian.'

Whale Hunting One of Elizabeth Talledo's newest pieces, this is an absolutely charming Colonial-flavored seaside treat!!! Stitched on 32ct linen, it finishes approx 22 x 10, and is stitched in both Weeks and Gentle Art overdyed flosses. Complete with church, lighthouse and manor house, notice the raft of 'seasoned sailors'... out for the grand adventure of a whale hunt??? All the friendly whales are swimming around in the swirly waves... water spouting everywhere!!! Really nice color in the overdyeds... great buildings, the trees are so whimsical... but that tiny 'ship of pirates' and the frolicking whales are over-the-top-cool! Featuring a few special stitches here and there... I love everything about this piece!
Playful Day 'A peaceful day for frolic and play' is the verse on this truly unique sampler piece! I have never seen hot air balloons featured in a sampler -- it feels like this has come straight out of American History to me! Stitched on 32ct, this finishes approx 9 x 11, and is worked in Weeks and Gentle Art overdyeds. It's full of special stitches that are tucked into the various motifs for extra texture and interest. (Ascots, sleeves, waistbands, the pond, cuffs and shoes, the leaves... that kind of thing.) I love the tiny sailboats in the pond, and the tiny balloon far away in the sky. Simply very unique... this is offered as a chart.
N is for Noah Finger Work's Alphabet Primers... we're knee-deep in water with both of these!!! Offered as charts, each of these is cuter than the other! M was designed in 2002, N in 2007... we don't have the rest of the alphabet! Finishing approx 4 x 5 on 32ct linens, both are stitched in overdyeds and feature a clay button embellishment or two. I just think they're cute, good color, good stitch detail... something to enhance your stash!!!