Just Arrived 3 : The Silver Needle, Fine Needlecraft Materials

Part 3...
Santa Biscornu from The Stitching Parlour This is stitched on 20ct Natural Linen, so the model has finished into a generous 5 x 5 piece. Stitching Parlour's cute little cushion would be awesome on something smaller, too, and would make a neat ornament to hang on the tree. Stitched with Gentle Art Simply Wool, (coded for DMC floss, as well.) the Santa beards are Rainbow Gallery's Wisper! Notice the blue Eyelet snowflakes scattered everywhere? They cover the bottom side... and each evergreen tree is topped with a JABCO star button. Offered as a chart, this is just plain cute!
I Love Stitching and Sunflowers Tin Sewing Sets Awww, these are the CUTEST hand-painted miniature tins filled a matching needle threader, wooden needlecase and scissor magent! Individually painted with love in each piece, these sets are enchanting. Tiny works of art, made especcially for us... we've chosen fun tools to tuck inside the tins that all match. The tins measure approx 3 x 3 x 2... the wooden needlecases hold lots of needles, the painted threaders feature MELTED IN wires, and the magnets are just plain cute! Neat gifts, something you don't see everyday!
Teardrop Handle Scissors We have a trio of 4-1/4 inch embroidery scissors with a very nice handle treatment. Teardrop in shape, each scissor has a different finish, with complimenting flourishes of metal decor. They feel pretty good -- a little longer than our standard 3-1/2 sizes... nice sharp points. The first has a brushed pewter finish with shiny silver filigrees. The second is a shiny stainless finish, with gold filigrees. The third has a gunmetal shiny finish with gold trims. Pretty and very unique, from Sullivan.
99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall! from Ink CirclesInk Circles advises us to 'Stitch Responsibly' where this piece is concerned. She had a great time getting into beer tasting and home brewing while she was working on this piece... a stitched piece to celebrate that obnoxious song everyone knows about the bottles on the wall. This beer sampling is kind of fun -- in order to fit them all into a reasonably sized piece, she really had to shrink down the bottles and labels -- but maintaining the integrity of the label was paramount! Along with her chart is a Key to Great Beer listing -- providing the names of the beer and brewery, and location. So... see how many you can guess, or check them off as you stitch them, or as you drink them! Offered as the chart, this finishes approx 10 x 20-1/2 on 28ct. Coded for DMC floss, it'd be a great gameroom or bar decoration! Can't do them all? Just choose some favorites and do a row. Probably not the best thing to stitch as a graduation gift... but a home brewer would love it!!!
New Thread Releases by The Gentle Art and Weeks Dye Works Wools and cottons to add to our racks... I'm waiting for one of those overloaded racks to simply SNAP from their weight and collapse in a splendor of color -- all over the floor! (but I LOVE that I gotta buy new threads!!!) Weeks has 4 new cottons: Cayenne, Dirt Road, Saltwater Taffy and Turquoise. Gentle Art has 3 cottons: Antique Lace, Otter Creek and Wheat Fields. GAST is also adding to their wonderful Simply Wool line... these threads are simply dreamy! Forest Glade, Summer Meadow and Tea Rose. We have added all to our individual 'Clicky Boxes' on each of the specific pages, and for a short time, will offer the new colors bundled together, so you can collect them in an organized fashion!
2011 Fall Flosses and Silks from Crescent Colours! Ohhh... pretty colors of new threads! Crescent Colours has introduced 4 new Belle Soie 12-stranded spun Silks -- Beach Grass, Porcelain Pink, Spruced, and Velvet Rose. Softly shaded hand-dyeds, they are lovely! The 6 new cottons are definitely a more boring set of color... but it's amazing how much these neutral colors are used in everything... and how they add just a smidge of unique color!!! New are: Brown Hen, Eggshell, Honey Comb, Pebble Beach, Polliwog, and Wilderness. Not much color impact as a group -- but you'll be seeing these show up in all the best places!!!
Garden Secrets from Jeannette Douglas The entire set of nine designs is now all here and together! All finishing approx 2 x 2 on 32ct linen, each small card design features something you'd find in a garden. Stitched with Gentle Art Sampler Threads and Crescent Colours hand-dyeds, there are a few glass bead embellishments here and there as well. Cheerful little designs, each features 2 or 3 special stitches which really stand out in small designs like these tiny samplings! We thought that as they were released, the numbers in the titles would count to nine. That didn't happen... so you have to be extra careful when ordering these to make sure you get all that you need. Needless to say, the title tells you what is in its colorful, miniature garden scene; when you hold your mouse over the images, you will know its title for sure!
Quilted Garden from Blue Ribbon Designs Wow, this is FULL of gorgeous color -- just beautiful to look at! Blue Ribbon Designs has outdone herself with this awesome piece! The floral border is so full and graceful, it surrounds all the tiny 16 x 16 miniature quilt blocks, but notice that Belinda has taken just a bit of it, and made it into a tiny ornament/fob. I almost didn't recognize it as part of the border. Next... all these tiny quilt blocks -- an inch in stitched size, each is different. 55 In all, they are all done with regular Cross Stitch -- but SO EASY to adapt with a few Mosaics, Smyrnas, Eyelets, Satins... you get the idea! Charming in color and overall design, it is coded for Weeks overdyed or DMC floss, and finishes an eye-catching 11 x 16 on 28ct.
Robots, Owls and Butterflies! from Freddie's Friends I couldn't pass up these little guys at a recent Market I attended -- and I imagine that some of you won't be able to either!!! By Freddie's Friends, we have the sewing patterns for these darling creatures. I don't sew... (especially with a machine!)... but I can do these! Look at the edges -- there is not a turned seam on any of these anywhere. Flat pieces all sewn right sides out -- no turning -- just lots of CUTE! Ronny the Robot stands 22 inches tall, and his arms reach almost 16 inches across, and he's 3 inches fat! He could be a She if you made her in pinks! Olive the Owl's pattern is offered in three different sizes (all are included in the package) -- our Olive is the medium size. She stands 16 inches high, has a wing span of 11 inches across, and she's 5 inches thick. She looks great made with autumn-owl-y colors, too, and features cute scalloped tummy and tail 'feathers!' Little Olive measures only 7 x 3 x 11 and Big Olive measures 13 x 7 x 22! Bonnie the Butterfly is quite the eye catcher! She's about 18 x 4 x 15... and just the sweetest thing. All the patterns come with full-sized tracing templates and order-of-assembly instructions. OK you creative people... these are totally fun... and after you make one for your favorite little people, you might have to make another for YOU!
Oh Christmas Tree In Punch Needle from With Thy Needle & Thread This is so cute!!!! With Thy Needle has 4 new punch needle designs, and we've featured just one of them here -- I liked the colors and the unique shape! This makes a generous 6-inch tall snowman tree-shaped scene, and the stick is down there to look like the trunk! Offered as preprinted designs on weaver's cloth -- all the new are punched with a 3-strand needle.
Stitched Initial Necklaces from Rovaris of Italy! These are lovely hand-made necklaces coming all the way from Italy! Each one features a square 1-1/2 inch frame finding that is the base for your needlework. The kit comes with a complete alphabet, so choose your letter and stitch it on the provided 36ct Natural Linen in DMC #815 floss. (or color of your choice, keeping in mind that the charm decor includes a burgundy red crystal.) You'll want to back the stitching with a bit of red felt or something, but then lace it onto the metal finding. Next, attach all the pretty silvery charms to the bottom of the frame! You have a lovely key, little miniature wooden spool (that is wrapped with some of your stitching floss), the pretty coin medallion that is holding the pre-made teeny burgundy red tassel, a fillagree-topped burgundy red crystal bead, and finally a pretty heart. They are all heavy and feel of very good quality! Finally, lace the fabric cord through the top, add the topping bead and tie! Really cute... I must tell you, however, that there are basicallyno assembly instructions in the kit! You're on your own -- but if you print our pic and go by the kit's cover pic, you'll be FINE! These are really cute!
Love Hearts from Rovaris of Italy!What a stunning pair of designs by Rovaris of Italy! Offered in chart format, each heart is simply Cross Stitch in #815 DMC floss. Stitch counts are almost identical -- the stacked trio design is 155 x 144, while the 4 smaller cascading piece is 145 x 134. They don't have names, and I am sure you could work them on most any count -- and choose most any pretty hand-dyed thread you wish. I just think they are sophisticated and very unique for our marketplace, so I delighted in buying them!!!
Laminated Fabric Totes by Anna Griffin Oh my gosh, we have the prettiest, classiest laminated fabric totes!!! Six different patterns at the moment, they are show-stoppers in the shop! Very heavy-duty in feel, each bag measures a generous 16-1/4 x 12-3/4 x 6 with a 6-inch strap drop. Fully lined, with a flat bottom, interior zip pocket and two slip-ins, they also feature an interior 'teather strap' with a clamshell clip on the end to attach keys or something else you want to keep track of. The lamination of the fabric makes the colors POP and come alive! Wipe clean with a damp cloth, if needed. I chose mostly the black and blue styles -- because they are simply over-the-top sophisticated and stunning!!!!!! The Willow Toile pattern is the one that has more white area in the pattern. The Willow Damask is the heavier pattern. The Carmen is the colorful option for the pink and green bags, 'cause I love that burst of color! Several of the shop gals are using these as knitting bags, because they're soft, easy to get into, roomy and just gorgeous! Love 'em all!!!
Maggie Bean's Patience Lesson from Shakespeare's Peddler and Crescent Colours The silent mantle clock, the ever-so-slow snail, and the hour-glass with never-finishing sand... young sampler-stitcher Maggie Bean must learn her lessons of life... and does that with her needlework! A pair of small 50 x 50 designs stitched in Crescent's Belle Soie Silks. Offered as the chart with those silks... you choose favorite linen! Auto-Ship is available!
Tri-Color Tray Storage Box Here is a neat storage box featuring 27 individual compartments in a lift-out tray, with more storage below! We brainstormed in the shop today -- you could use this for a three-week vacation and use it for pills! You could do a week's worth of morning, noon and night! You could store earrings and rings in here... or you could fill all those little 1 x 1 x 1-ish compartments with all sorts of fun beads and buttons! Overall box, with snap closures measures 9 x 5 x 2. It opens to reveal a lift-out tray of 27 compartments -- each with a lift-up lid. Pull out the tray, and you have the entire bottom of the box as storage -- 9 x 5 x 3/4. All see-thru plastic, so you can see and remember all the treasures stored inside! Super Cool! A Box of Round Jar Boxes!!! Quite a compact little case... this 3-1/2 x 7-1/2 x 1-1/2 snap-closure case opens to showcase 4 removable plastic dividers that are holding 25 round screw-top jars! PERFECT for small beads, buttons and findings, each stack of 5 jars (each jar is approx 1 inch in diameter and 1/2 an inch high) screws together to make individual towers of jars. A super compact and organized way to keep all sorts of wonderful tiny things organized... you could even store creams, shampoos and make up in these!
Personal LED USB Desk Lamp AND Fan Well.... This is the coolest gadget... wait till you read all about it! This is a miniature working light and personal fan that has a USB plug -- so it can plug right into your laptop! Weighing in at a mere 7 ounces, this features 12 LED lights up inside the lamp part -- on the 7-inch gooseneck arm. It has its own on/off switch on the base. Next is the personal fan... it's on a 3-1/2 inch gooseneck, and it also has its separate on/off switch. (its blades are very soft plastic, so if you accidentally stick your hand in the moving fan, they don't even hurt you!) What is just the coolest, is that the plug is a USB port... NOT a regular plug. If you have a cell phone charger with a USB on it... use it to plug this into the wall. (you'll understand what I mean when you see this.) Quite the hit with the SN Shop Gals... we couldn't believe how much air that little fan moves!
Sadie Stuart: I Pledge Allegiance Sampler from SamSarah Design Studio Here's a faded-glory-flavored piece that features the original Pledge of Allegiance as its verse! Stitched on Weeks Dye Works 30ct Havana in yummy shades of Crescent Colours hand-dyed cottons, this finishes approx 4 x 9-1/4. There is a small needle book pattern included that is worked on Week's Tin Roof hand-dyed Gingham, too... so you get a taste of two different colorways for this piece. Each project features a few special stitches -- nothing hard -- just something fun for a bit of extra texture. The leaflet includes an awesome entire-page history lesson about our Pledge and its history. All its changes, all the controversies... simply wonderful to read! It makes this little sampler all the more meaningful! Offered as a single leaflet. Offered as a single leaflet.
Summer Sneak Peek from The Trilogy The remaining two parts to Trilogy's Sneak Peek Summer have just arrived! We thought we'd have to wait several weeks... but here they are! Finishing your 5-panel piece, that measures approx 3 x 12, each pic is a small sampling of something very Summer-y. Swimming, picnics, playful dogs and hot dogs!!! These final two card charts deliver the Chef and Picnic Goodies, and Diver and Ice Cream Stack Up. Cute!
Santa Bell Pull Hardware by Charland Designs What a charming Santa this is -- perfect to dress up some fancy Christmas stitching of yours!!! Designed by Nancy Halvorsen of Art-to-Heart designs for Charland Designs... this is a smoothly casted, heavy piece of beautifully brushed pewter that is perfectly shaped to present something long and skinny! Nancy's cute artwork shows in his beard and textured dots and stripes of his coat and sack. Measuring approx 5 inches wide, and 1-3/4 inches high, the display bar will hold up to 4-1/2 inches of fabric. Charland has a witch, Gardening Angel, Spooky Bats and Angel Wings in her Pewter Hardware collection... this little guy is a spectacular addition!
Sweet Nothings for Baby from Leisure Arts and JBW DesignsJBW Designs has liscensed seven of her out-of-print baby-themed designs to Leisure Arts for publication. A good Baby Book, we now have tiny birth announcements, a Christening announcement, a few small bib decorations, and several designs suitable for small nursery pillows or birth announcement samplers. All can be stitched on most any fabric you like, all are coded for DMC floss. If you've missed some of Judy's previous designs -- this is a good place to collect them to use as tiny gifts for someone tiny!!!
Cross Stitch Christmas Seasonal Sensations! Craftways has published this year's 128-page hardcover book full of Christmassy and Winter projects! Intricate angels, whimsical penguins, a baking Santa apron, package ties, ornaments, stockings, beautiful winter birdhouse and wildlife scenes included! There is an olde world Santa, a dancing snowman, an owl dressed in hand-knits, and that darling snowman featured on the front cover -- he's surrounded by swirling winds -- DMC's Memory Thread! I've counted 73 different charts inside -- everything is large and colorful -- the pictures are awesome. There are beautifully shaded stockings and those angels, cute package tags, SSSOOO many options for projects in here, it is really a lovely publication!
Cute Wool Fruits and Vegetables! By Wooden Spool Designs, these darling little things caught my eye, and I knew we had to have them!!! Offered as paper patterns with actual-sized cutting templates, these are hand-sewing instructions (NO MACHINE WORK!) to construct all sorts of tomato things, little pumpkins and even a cabbage pin cushion! All made from felted wool... you need a few cuts of our awesome Weeks Dye Works wools, and a bit of perle cotton, and sometimes a little stuffing. Pumpkin Patch The patterns included in here are for four sizes of stuffed pumpkins -- our model is the second-to-the-largest size at approx 3 x 6. Each pumpkin is dressed with a little wooden spoolie stem. A grinning cat pattern is included, and the CUTEST pumpkin sewing case that can go Spooky Halloween, or not! Just for fun! Rabbit Stew OK... make a little cabbage and a carrot to dress a basket on your kitchen counter! This fun thing would make a cute pin cushion, too! The pattern includes the templates for the bunnies, and vegetables -- all so simple in construction, they amaze me (I'm a non-sewer, and even I get how these are made!!!) Our cabbage model is approx 3 x 6, and the carrot is a bit under 5 inches -- with 5-inch greens. Again, NO machine sewing in these! To-May-Toe... To Mah-Toe No matter how you say it... this is a darling set of things! Again, offered as the paper pattern full of actual-sized tracing templates, To-May-Toe/To-Mah-Toe includes a wool penny-rug picture, the 8-inch candle mat... both the tomato pin cushions -- on the wooden spool and the single one... and the fun needle case that measures approx 4 x 5 when closed. I Love them all!
Christmas Jewels from Mill Hill Mill Hill has released a set of 6 small ornaments -- that are ornaments!!! Offered as the small kits of 14ct perforated paper loaded with flosses, beads and embellishment, these all finish approx 2 x 3. Pretty little things, 3 rounds, 3 teardrops, what fun decorations for your Christmas Tree! Present them as package ties on your extra-special gifts to those who will appreciate your loving stitches!
Southwest Santas from Mill Hill OK... Presenting the 2011 Mill Hill Annual Paper Santas -- numbers 31 thru 33!!! Every year since the turn of the century (love how that sounds!)... Mill Hill has delivered a set of 3 paper Santa ornament designs -- this year's with a Southwest flavor! Look back on our MH pages... you can find ALL of the previous 30 in the collection scattered along the 3 pages of kit offerings!!! Lots of color, neat things to tuck onto your tree... each finishes approx 3-1/2 x 4-1/2 and is garnished with some beads -- not as many as the smaller bead kits. ALWAYS year-long favorites... if you can't do too many, choose some favorites, stitch 'em up, and glue them to a pre-lit greenery wreath! TONS of display bang for your buck! We've had musical, seafaring, mountaineering, arctic... quite a family of these little guys!
Magi Trilogy from Mill Hill Wow... Here are the Three Wise Men... delivered in the same size format as Mill Hill's annual Paper Santas! We're speculating that they'll now have to do an entire nativity in years to come... this is just the first installment! Beautiful ornaments for your tree to help tell The Christmas Story. Each finishes approx 4 x 4-1/2 inches and includes the chart, flosses, beads and glass or crystal Mill Hill Treasures! Classy!
Presenting Mill Hill's 2011 Christmas Bead Kits In my opinion, these are some of the best they have EVER designed!!! The classic 5 x 5 designs that are offered on 14ct Perforated Paper using DMC floss and Mill Hill seed beads, all six this year are going to be favorites! Home for Christmas has that pretty front door -- with family Scottie Dog! Holiday Delivery features an old fashioned mailbox with SNAIL MAIL cards and festively wrapped gifts!!! Winter Woods is a frosty blue and white forest scene. They have two other blue and white designs like this -- wow, they are eyecatchers! Look at that bright red bird button on there! Believe is a swirly Old World Santa -- neat sky treatment in the background. Holiday Stockings features the stocking-in-waiting... against the brick hearth, and Hanging Around reminds me of all my tiny glass ornaments! See the little Santa? He's hanging there from his hook!!! All are offered as complete kits of perf paper, chart, beads, flosses and buttons. We always do ours on 28ct linen, so we can stuff them and make hanging pillows.. Whichever -- this year's collection is STUNNING!
2011 Winter Holiday Collection from Mill HillInto smaller ornament designs? This year's 2011 selection is awesome!!!! Again, some of the best Mill Hill has ever delivered, I love them all! The Star Santa is classic, crossed Candy Canes are the same way. The Merry Moose could pass for a Reindeer! The Holly Sprig is pretty, the Holiday Stamp is so Retro! I Love that one! And of course, check out little Kris Mouse! I think he's sleeping in his Christmas PJ's... waiting for Christmas morning! All of these smaller ornament-sized designs finish approx 2 x 3, are stitched in DMC flosses on 14ct perforated paper, and include Mill Hill glass Treasure embellishments. They are a great value, because everything is inside the little bag -- for only $6.50! We have a lovely wreath in the shop, garnished with about 4 dozen of these small designs. Our local EGA chapter stitched it for us... they put in lights, red bulbs and jam-packed it with these ornament pieces. It is charming... and quite eye-catching in the shop! Just another way to enjoy the stitching... and then an end-use for these!
Cmon Monde! 'C'mon World!' Miss Paris -- We spent a little time Googling the titles of these charming new designs that have just arrived from France! Miss Paris is only one of 8 delightful pieces by Virginie Grousse that are all offered in chart format, and are coded for DMC and Gentle Art Sampler Threads! She's the consummate shopper, don't you just want to be in Paris with her and her little white dog???? Finishing approx 5 x 7 on 32ct, she'd make a darling photo album cover, or look great on the front of a little pink polka-dot tote!
Plenty and Grace from Primitive TraditionsPrimitive Traditions has a new piece, originally designed as a wedding sampler. Sort of a Family Established kind of thing. May joy and peace surround you. Contentment latch your door (that word is crammed in there... just like the stitcher from times past would have had to do to get it in there!) May happiness be with you now and bless you evermore. Offered as a chart, this finishes approx 11 x 13 on 36ct, and is charted for Belle Soie Silks. It does feature a couple of specialty stitches -- Eyelets and French Knots, but nothing too involved. Colors are wonderful, design style is so balanced and traditional, really a very pretty piece. You'll notice initials all over on it... those can be family initials, the 'house established' info... whatever you want!
Modern Flowers This is a really cool book! It features 30 pages with 9 different fresh, crisp, bold, contemporary and FUN artzy-fartzy floral designs!!! New, young, clean, bright, and uncluttered, stitch something for a new household that presents Class with a Flourish! The front cover design finishes approx 13 x 17 on 28ct. The Blooming Poppies Pillow features stitching of approx 8-1/2 on 28ct. All is stitched in DMC floss, too. I'm not sure what draws me to this -- as it doesn't match my home decor - but it makes me want to re-do a room for a new, clean, bright place to hang and perch some of these finished pieces! Softcover.
Farmer's Market -- Fresh Apples! from SamSarah Design Studio SamSarah finishes her 6-part Farmer's Market pic with Apples! (Next comes the vegetables from the Farmer's Market... so we're not done yet!) Stitch the apple slice as part of the main picture of all six fruits... or make it a 3-DIMENSIONAL actual piece of stitched fruit! Such an awfully fun collection of designs... you can be a flat-fruit-fan... or a stuffed-stitcher!!! Each of the six fruits has been offered in leaflet format, with a smattering of glass 'seeds.' Instructions are included to make each fruit into a stuffed piece of needlework -- way too darn CUTE!
My Back Porch from Crossed Wing Collection Crossed Wing's Paula has treated us to two miniature hummingbird designs -- something you'd see outside your kitchen window! Hummingbirds and Fuchsia and Hummingbirds and Morning Glories... this pair of 60 x 60 designs is stitched perfection! The Morning Glories cuddling their trellis are in early bloom... complete with early morning visitors! The hanging basket of Fuchsia DOES look good enough to eat! Crossed Wing does a lot of larger pieces... but these two are petite, and stitchable!!!!! Make them for a bird-lover in your life! Offered together in one chart, on 18/36 ct these finish a mere 3 x 3 each!
The Gingerbread Cottage: A Stitching Etui from Teresa LaymanTeresa Layman is the artist responsible for this work of art... complete from the original watercolor art (she painted it, shrunk it down, and printed it) trimming the turret, the lovely scalloped shingles she's printed on her fabrics, down to her hand-cut white windows and doors! A charming 3-1/2 x 8 round needlework etui... lift off the pin cushion roof piece to reveal a fully fabric-lined storage space for scissors, threads, buttons... whatever!!! Offered in COMPLETE kit format, I cannot say enough about the quality and content of this darling project! Your 3-1/2 x 4 pin-cushion turret roof comes already made by Teresa, herself! Your job is to stitch a few Lazy Daisy leaves on the topiary trees and the Knotwork garland above the front door. Wrap the cylinder with your now stitched fabric, attach the bits of lace curtains to the windows and doors, place them on the cottage, fit the lining pieces inside, and add the flower pot buttons, and you are finished! You'll have done a few tiny knots, and now have a darling miniature gingerbread house to show off!!! Teresa's complete kit comes with absolutely everything you need except a few drops of fabric glue. Her instructions include step-by-step stitching and assembly instructions with lots of actual pics. Your house etui comes packaged in a rich burgundy velvet drawstring bag. The hidden secret inside is your very own hand-made, jointed, dressed in red and white striped PJs. 1-inch, miniature stuffed mouse!!!!! Beautifully presented, clear instructions, with lots of actual pics of the assembly process, and Teresa's beautifully drawn stitch diagrams... this is too pretty not to have!
Stitching Tin Sets TOO DARN CUTE! Check out these hand-painted stitching tins... complete with matching wooden needle cases, needle threaders, and mini-magnets! Available in 4 different hand-painted designs, your 2 x 2 x 2-1/2 inch lightweight metal tin is painted on top with a charming design. Pop the lid to reveal a heavy 3/4 inch magnet set to hold patterns, scissors, anything you want. Next is a matching wired needle threader with a THIN, THIN wire fused into the 1-1/4 inch plastic handle -- small and strong enough for beading needles. Add the 2-1/4 inch long wooden hand painted needle case, and you have one darn cute set of treasures! Choose between the Sewing Set -- floss skeins, the tape measure and tomato pin cushion design; a buzzing beehive scene, a garden cart surrounded by a blooming garden of flowers, or bussssy lady bugs flittering everywhere! I honestly don't know which set I like the best!!!
Birds of a Feather -- Part Three! from With Thy Needle & Thread Brenda Gervais has finished her mystery sampler -- Birds of a Feather Mystery Sampler -- with this charming third part of the design. Pretty, dominant border, flowing tree and bold capital alphabet... it finishes with a pastoral flair -- the grand house-on-the-hill -- complete with grazing sheep on the grounds. Restful, lovely, classy, simple yet colorful and full of design impact... this has been a really fun piece to wait for. Offered in three separate charts, and stitched on your choice of Weeks Dye Works linen of Confederate Gray in 30, 35 or 40ct, with Weeks hand-dyed flosses... do not change any of the colors! This is stunning just as it is! KNOW that the first chart contains your color key for the last two charts... you can purchase the charts separately, or all together!
Introducing Our Christmas Stocking Page! Over the years, we have collected the most lovely selection of various Christmas Stocking patterns from lots of great Cross Stitch Designers. I've finally organized them and put them all in one place for you. One MUST be ready for Santa and his Christmas Eve Visit!!! Featured designers include Just Nan, Shepherd's Bush, Lizzie Kate, Bent Creek, Better Homes & Gardens, Sam Sarah... and lots of others. You'll enjoy the browsing! All patterns are offered as single charts, and we sell all the necessary fabrics, threads and embellishments for each. (You're on your own to work out fillings with Santa!) If you need stocking assembly after your precious stitches have been done, consider our own Magic By Mona to finish your heirlooms.
10 New DMC Color Infusions Memory Threads! from DMC This is cool stuff... and now we have 10 more colors to choose from! Basically a thread-covered thin wire... it's really fun to bend, twirl and twist, and then attach to needlework or scrapbook pages as an additional design embellishment. Designed for the more creative at heart artist... AB Designs uses a lot of this in her pumpkin and snowman smiles... and we've added it to several of our Secret Needle Night and Camp Wannasew projects. Needlepointers and Needlework Finishers LOVE this stuff! Offered in 3-yard cards, it goes forever! Think outside your box!!!!
Zoo Animals Baby Sampler, Owl-o-Ween, and Biscornus galore! New offerings published from Paris, France, we have 9 designs to add to our collection! Beautifully printed charts -- colored pics included of any involved finishing techniques, all coded to DMC flosses and printed in English... these are very nicely presented! Zoo Animals Baby Sampler... Oh my Gosh... this little jungle piece will make a darling birth sampler!!! The snake, tree monkey, giraffe, rhino and zebra are all peeking from the jungle greenery! Personalize anyway you wish! Owl-o-Ween is a new Barbara Ana Scissor Fob -- we have a ton of these already -- TOO darn cute! Faby Reilly has several new biscornu and humbug designs that match some we already have, and some that we do not! Have fun checking them all out!
Homeward Bound from Cross 'N PatchCross 'N Patch has a new design -- 'Over the river and Through the woods...' this looks like the trip home for Thanksgiving! Offered as a leaflet, Emmie's design has several stitching variations. You can change the landscaping a bit and add more Hardanger down at the bottom area... change the 'tumbling leaves' area... change the Hardanger color to one that matches your fabric... actually quite a few different options. Stitched on 32ct Natural Light Belfast Linen in shades of DMC, the main piece finishes approx 4-1/2 x 10. Included is a darling little strawberry cushion -- it is featured in two different designs on the back cover models. Very pretty, the chart is clear, and the Hardanger instructions are very complete. we just love all those rusts, greens, golds and maple syrup browns!
Fresh Eggs from Threads That Bind Threads That Bind has several new Punch Needle releases -- I thought this one was just the cutest!!! Always a generous cut of khaki weaver's cloth, with the design clearly stamped on -- Shawn uses DMC flosses in her patterns -- so they're a little easier on the Punching Budget! She achieves the overdyed look by mixing colors of good old regular floss! Fresh Eggs finishes 4-1/2 x 4-1/2, and is shown inside a Weeks Dye Works Houndstooth Wool 'Mat!' Always full of great color, she uses regualr 'big-box-store' ready made frames for finishing, as well... and our models always look great!
New Arrivals from Kelmscott Kelmscott has a new needle minder design -- a white house and lighthouse on the rocks, against a frosty, grayed blue sky. Very pretty, very nautical... use it as a place to keep track of needles, something to hold your chart in place on a book board, or even to grace the front of your refrigerator! Next, we have a great set of 8mm (approx 1/4 on an inch) Mother-of-Pearl buttons -- shiny and smooth on one side, bumpy and natural on the other. The package that I am looking at for my 'web words' has 134 buttons in it! Tons of little shell buttons, you can do a lot with these tiny things! Once you are on our Kelmscott page, be sure to scroll down to see other new designs we added today!
Mother Hens from FiligramWhat an awesomely contemporary and endearing scene! A trio of concerned Mama Hens are tending to their little chicks who are playing in the garden. A pretty, relaxed, loose design style, this looks young and fresh. Charted for DMC or Gentle Art Sampler Threads, it has a stitch count of 151 x 105, so will finish approx 6-1/2 x 9-1/2 on 32ct. Very classy! Don't miss the other two new designs!
Four New Bothy Threads Designs! Presenting Row of Ladybugs So, so cute! Am I imagining things, so should some of these little bugs have pig tails in their hair??? Stitch the whole row of bugs, watering cans, garden critters and all, or choose just a portion -- all of it is precious! Check out that hungry caterpillar on the end! By June Armstrong, this is offered as the chart. The design measures approx 50 x 230-ish stitches, and can be worked on just about any fabric count you want! Check out the other recent arrivals by Bothy Threads... the Cut-Aways are always fun, and there is a new Noah's Ark Birth Announcement that is PERFECT for twins!
This week... 11 New Arrivals from With Thy Needle & Thread! Click to see some great ways to finish Brenda's projects. She has great ways to assemble her needlework into different shapes, always fun to catch a few new ideas! All pictured are offered in chart pack format.
Cousette de Paris from Dessins DHC 'A Little Sewing Case of Paris'... we have a new design that is shown finished into the shape of a biscornu, but made into a 6 x 6 x 2-ish sewing case! By Dessins, this is stitched over one on 32ct White Belfast Linen in DMC flosses. If you don't want the finishing challenges of this, just stitch the Eiffel Tower panel (approx 65 x 75 stitches) with a few of those lovely black fillagrees scattering the background and frame it! Use any fabric you like!!! The matching scissor fob charts feature tiny scissors, spool of thread or Eiffel Tower motifs to stitch inside the fillagree design. Offered as a chart of the biscornu basket, needle case and scissor fob, there is a tiny Eiffel Tower charm in here as well -- something little and cute to decorate one of the pieces!
Serious Scrap Bags! We've found a gal who is making generous-sized scrap bags for us!!! Assorted fabrics -- never the same ones twice. These feature an emery filling (8-ish ounces?) in the 4 x 6 top pillow, and a thread/chocolate holder bag that measures 6 inches in diameter, 6 inches deep, with a 4 x 4 inch bottom. The little bag does not detach from the fabric tabs, but you won't lose precious needles and pins when you dump your trash. Perfect to hang off the edge of your stitching table or chair, we're glad to have these in a larger size again!
Little Snowy Blue Church from Nora Cobett Nora Corbett is beginning a Snow Glove Village Series of designs, and Little Snowy Blue Church is the first! Offered as a chart with additional embellishment pack, this church absolutely glistens with 4 different sizes of glass beads, 4 different metallics and some frizzy Arctic Rays by Rainbow Gallery. Stitched on 32ct Ocean Kiss linen it finishes approx 5 x 7 in size. I don't have any information yet as to how many pieces will make up this new set, we just need to be patient! Embellishment pack contains 8 different packs of beads, you still need the Kreinik #4 Braids and Arctic Rays, and 1 Caron Waterlilies, and 3 DMC flosses.
Teresa has been busy... several new releases... Home Springs Eternal from Shakespeare's PeddlerWhat a pretty piece by Shakespeare's Peddler -- the house, the alphabet, the border and basket -- and of course the lock and key to keep all safe and sound! Teresa's sampler has a stitch count of 145 x 95, and can be stitched on almost any fabric of your choice. She chose two different colorways for this -- the limited edition Gentle Art Sampler Thread packet features 10 complete skeins of un-released colors (model was stitched with this color asst.), or you can follow the alternate selections of Sampler Threads (in the regular color line) or even DMC. Pretty browns and greens, the house is stitched in Gold Rush (Gold Leaf) and there is a hint of Raisin (Grape Arbor) in the window panes and flowers. Offered as the chart with coordinating clay flower button embellishment (see it on the floral urn?)
A Stitcher's Journey from Blackbird Designs Blackbird's Barb and Alma have published a lovely book -- 52 pages -- stuffed full of projects they taught in various shops during 2010. They had found an antique sampler stitched by Mary Murphy in 1842, which inspired lots of the class projects and more treats in this book. Just lovely pictures and neat projects... the Silver Needle's project trio is featured on pages 34 to 39!!! Samplers, needlecases, pin cushions, box toppers... Just such a pretty book, hard to do it justice with only a few words!
Lighted Telescoping Magnet Here's another really fun gadget... a definite MUST HAVE for every kitchen drawer, desk, tool box and glove compartment! This little charmer features a nice padded handle (which is good, because you'll be using this A LOT!) Next, pull on the head -- the arm telescopes out 25 MORE inches to an overall length of 33 inches. NEXT... turn the little head, and Presto! there is a tiny LED light in there, (yes, battery is replaceable) that lights up! Now... poke this handy stick anywhere dark (like behind a filing cabinet, or under a seat, or down to the floor to pick up pins and needles, the light shows you what you're looking at, the magnet helps grab up to 8 pounds of it! Just like our regular telescoping magnets -- only this one has that awesome light! You'll definitely want more than one of these, so take advantage of the buy 3 option!
All Creatures Birth Sampler from Bothy Threads What a fun birth announcement for twins! Noah is ready for the flood in his yellow raincoat, and busy being The Greeter to all his cheery passengers. Offered as the chart, you have plenty of room to personalize with names and dates... weights and measures... even the time of the blessed event(s!) There are 4 different alphabets included, and a separate chart with line placement for your information. Measuring approx 220 x 120, this will finish about 9 x 16 if you choose a 14/28ct. (Can be stitched on just about anything you want!) The chart does come with some overdyed blue-ish-green-ish floss -- you can see it in the water area. The rest of the DMC flosses come from your stash. Cute!
Miniature Vintage Pincushion I've been seeing this little guy for some time, and finally ordered some for the shop. What a pleasant surprise they are! Sudberry House delivers a 2-3/4 x 4 x 1-3/4 inch box (it kind of reminds us of a tiny manger) with a design area on top of 2-1/4 x 3-1/2! Almost an inch deep inside, you can finish the top -- and still have a tiny storage area underneath the pin cushion lid. I don't know what we'll put into ours yet -- probably a small Blackbird design... doesn't matter... this is just the cutest little thing! Look around for something small to stitch, the box/tray/(manger!) comes with the padded piece to mount needlework.
Wooden Candle Screen We love this finishing idea... a small frame on a stand... really showcases your smaller pieces of needlework. In the olden days, candle screens actually had a candle stick holder on the pole, you'd burn the candle behind the screen -- delivering softer light without the glare of the flame. We used to carry these years ago, and I thought it was time to bring some into the shop again. By Sudberry House, each wood piece features a dark mahogany finish, 5-1/2 inch in diameter base, approx 15-1/2 inch post with pretty finial top, and a 5 x 6-1/2 inch frame that clamps onto the pole. You can adjust the height of the frame on the stick. The opening in the frame is approx 3-1/2 x 5... perfect for lots of smaller samplers! Very traditional, very pretty, a great option if your walls are full!
Hillside Sheep Needle Book from Chessie & Me What a sweet little 9-1/2 x 6 folding needlebook! Stitched on a dark gray linen -- we're using 32ct Charcoal -- in Crescent Colour's Belle Soie silks, you stitch the flock of sheep on front, the alphabet on the back, and a couple of stray lambs on the inside. Some are French Knots, some are just X's, some have Smyrna Crosses, the bee skep is Satin, just full of Chessie & Me charm! Lined with Weeks Citronella solid wool, there are a ton of other matching solid, herringbone or houndstooth wools to the silks you can use. Our Schnigglet cuts are slightly too small, so get a 1/4 yd piece and split it with a friend -- give us your color ideas in the comments box!
Have Carrots... Will travel! from The WorkbasketWe fell in love with this design at Market... SUCH a fun piece! Check out that dashing rabbit.. he's going at least 50 miles per hour! And... check out the carrots on the Carrot Express Wagon... I'd be rushing to stash these babies as fast as I could, too, because they're so plump and deliciously knarley! The greens are all Rhodes Stitches of green -- so they're all little bumps on here -- an awesome texture treatment! (pattern doesn't tell you to do that, but I remember the model and you can kind of see some different detail in the cover pic.) Design is stitched in one strand of Belle Soie Silk on hand-dyed 28ct Week's Blue Jeans Gingham Linen, so neat, this finishes an impressive 8 x 14. (Easy for us to convert to Crescent Colours cottons, if you'd rather, and gentle on the budget at approx $18... but I'd get an extra ecru and orange... so maybe $22.50!)
5 New Scissor Offerings! Our Scissor Case Overflows these days!!! DOVO has delivered us a metal tin that holds those wonderful little Extra-thin Tipped Embroidery Scissors -- complete with a matching tweezer. We have new Chicken Scissors from Premax, 4-inch WASA Storks, and 2 more affordable Gingher 3-1/2 embroidery styles. You can never have too many scissors... stainless or gold plated, brushed or shiny, sharp tips or rounded, larger finger holes or smaller, longer or shorter blades, dreadfully expensive or really great bargains... same styles from several different companies... lots to compare... we have 'em all!
Bite Night from Prairie Moon The latest two Crypt Club Designs by Prairie Moon have risen from the under to haunt your stitching basket!!! Bite Night actually advertises the favored Sunday MORNING drink! You definitely really love OR hate this set of designs... so I'm not even going to show you the other design in this pic. They definitely fill a niche market, I think they are a riot.. probably not in top-stitching priority on my list... but you gotta love that cocktail waitress! Offered as charts... keep an open mind!
Historie de Lettres from Tournicoton! I found this enchanting wandering alphabet sampler that is stuffed full of Springtime motifs and special stitches! Finishing about 9 x 10 on 32ct, Tournicoton is a French designer... and this pattern's directions are in French! I can't read them at all... but the DMC numbers are all there, and the stitch diagrams are all numbered, so you don't really need anything else! Between all the letters, you'll find tiny houses, rabbits, birds, flowers, sheep, a few quilt motifs, and even a child sitting in the garden reading a book. (he's over one!) Just a very pretty design and fun to see this time of year -- because next Spring will be here before we know it!
Scissors by Bohin of France We have three new pair of embroidery scissors from the Bohin Company of France. Same great quality as our Autumn Luster Scissors, we now have Golden Luster, Heart and Middle Ages. The Golden Luster are a super-pretty 4-1/2 inch size... their handles are enameled with a multi-colored transparent marbled finish of golds, deep purples, greens, blues and a wine. Just Lovely!!! The blades are 1-3/4 an inch in length, really a nice, balanced scissor. Next is the 3-1/2 Stainless Steel Heart style (a silver color rather than gold). The classic curvy heart shape is formed on the handles... everyone likes this style -- we have it in several different brands. Stamped with BOHIN on the blades... these are very good quality, flex smoothly, have a very fine point, and make a crisp little snap when you slip them closed! An excellent price for these! Last, are the Middle Ages style. again, a stainless steel 3-1/2 inch size, these feature a more angled handle design, a one-inch blade and a fleur-de-lis design in the handle decoration. Nice and tight, again, sharp little things! All three have BOHIN stamped on the blades, so you know they are genuine!
Baby Stork Scissors Here's yet another fun, new scissor that graces our scissor case!!! This is delicate pair of stork scissors measuring 3-1/8 inches in length. They are a gold color -- a little on the antiqued side rather than super-duper shiny.-- so they look vintage. They feature lots of feather detailing on them -- just really very delicate and pretty! Blades measure 3/4 of an inch, thin and petite! Nice!
Felt Flower Spool Cushions Aren't these the cutest? I found these colorful flowers perched atop old wooden sewing spools, and fell in love with them! Basically, they come in a complete kit. Your old wooden spool may or may not have remaining thread still wound on it, and it might have one or both of its end labels still intact. Inside the kit, are 7 different cuts of various colors of solid, hand-dyed, or pattern-woven wools and felts. You have a green to cover your spool if it's empty, and enough for a base leaf or two. Then, simply stack the PRE-CUT and shaped flower shapes and big ball on top... tack together, and get out the glue gun to attach all to the top of your spool. The crowning glory is your colorful 1-1/2 inch felt ball that tops your flower! The kits even come with 2 sizes of beads so you can garnish your flower, if you like! (If you're handy with a sewing machine, you can do some doodle stitching on the pieces... but if you'd rather, you can hand-embroider a bit on there, as well. That's an optional dressing.) Finishing approx 3 inches wide and standing 4 inches high, these take 15 minutes to put together, and they ARE CUTE!!!!! If you do them at a stitch group... you can even swap felt pieces! Each kit is unique in color. TOO FUN!
2011-2012's Fiber & Fabric Mania Guide Book We love these Needleworker Shop Directories! This one is a petite and packed 5 x 8, 542 page edition of cross stitch, knitting, quilting, needlepoint, crocheting, weaving, spinning, and embroidery stores across the US. Just released with the most current listings, this book delivers addresses, and phone numbers, not always web addresses and shop hours... and not expanded ads for most of the shops listed. Each is referenced on its own state's map, so if you are planning a road trip somewhere, you can study what is near-by on the trip. Zip codes are included this year to help with your GPS System, too!! You may want to research before you visit everything on your way, and this is a great place to begin! Very concise!
	Yes, there's even MORE!