With My Needle : The Silver Needle, Fine Needlecraft Materials


With My Needle's Newest Releases! Wow... a trio of fun stuff!!! Mrs Waddelow's Needlework Basket is a companion piece to her Huswife piece... pretty Brick Week's Dye Works color on Amber Linen... you'll notice a button bag in there and a scissor case, along with a ruler and thread winders! Offered as the chart. Next, is Blue House Primer -- the little wooden hornbook paddle. Stitched on both sides, one holds needles. Cute, the chart comes with the wooden paddle piece. Third, With a Pleasant Thought is a simple sampler stitched with Gentle Art's Simply Wool Thread. (Luscious thread... we carry the entire line, you'll love working with it!) Pretty, soft, old look, Ellen's original sampler was stitched with those 'long s's'... they look like the letter 'f.' She's charted an alternative regular 's' for you, if the other bugs you! Three lovely offerings to tempt The Stash!!!
Mrs. Waddelow's Huswif A 'huswif' is a folded or rolled case for holding needlework supplies, and often they were tucked in pockets beneath women's skirts. Typically make from left-over fabric scraps, Mrs W's case shows 5 different patterns inside (you choose.) Ellen chose a single-color stitched vine for the outside of this case... to showcase both the thread and the interior fabrics you choose. Maybe you have fabrics left over from a quilt you made... old fabric scraps left over from when you sewed your children's clothes??? (my mom sewed my sister and I nightgowns and matching miniatures for our Barbie dolls!!! Complete with the elastic around the 1/2-inch wrists!) So... WHO was Mrs W? She is designer Ellen Chester's 8X Great Grandmother, born in England around 1610!!!!!! Amy Waddelow and her husband Nicholas had 3 daughters -- Patience, Temperance, and Comfort! Anyway... this is a charming needlework case that really deserves to showcase some family heirloom fabrics, and possibly a few initials tossed into that lavish vine decorating the outside! Offered as a chart, this measures approx 6-1/2 x 15-1/2 on 32ct. Choose your family fabrics first, then linen and threads.
Quaker Sampling III Inspired by the Ackworth School's 1800's sampler lessons, this is a Medallion Sampler -- one of four different types of Quaker Samplers taught at the school. You'll see the medallions -- lots of these are whole -- but in many Quaker samplers, they are not! 'Medallions are symmetrical... so why stitch the same thing twice!?' Offered in a chart, this is stitched in only one color -- choose a pretty overdyed you love! Offered as a chart, this finishes approx 21 x 6-1/2 on a 36ct. Crisp and pretty!
A Multiplication Table Examplar The classic multiplication table with Quaker motifs accenting the top and bottoms... this is offered as a chart and finishes approx 4 x 6-1/2 over one on 32ct! Regular x's... double check the numbers! The bit of history included with the chart is fun to read. It does admit that very few multiplication table samplers still exist... and they didn't use a lot of color... but the frame Ellen has chosen for this piece just makes it POP! A hornbook frame with a metal beaded edge... our shipment is due to arrive in 6 weeks!
A Fair Maiden's Etui Ellen Chester has been busy... she's created this charming etui to store all sorts of fun tools of your trade! She adapted her verse from a song published in a sewing primer from 1886! 'Come haste, my fair maiden, prepare for your work, Let not in your person untidiness lurk, See that scissors are sharp and needles are new, Your tools all in order, so well will you do.' The tiny fabric topper -- that holds the pyramid closed -- un-buttons from only three of its 4 loops... so it will NEVER come totally off and get lost! Unbutton the top, and your 4 x 4 x 4 box (different pictures on all 4 sides, and that verse on the bottom) floats open to reveal more needlework inside! (Click the lower pic at right to see it open.) There is a swan scissor pocket, a tiny needlebook, a tiny padded pin keep, and tons and tons of involved and really clear finishing/assembly instructions (her husband LOVES to do all that graphics stuff!!!) Kelmscott bluebell thread rings are sewn in place, there is a Mother-of-Pearl ruler area... the whole thing is just charming! Pretty mauves, blues and greens, everything is stitched on 36ct Cream Linen in a few overdyeds and DMC cottons. Just lovely!
A Pair of Pin Cubes Ellen Chester has a few new releases... a Family Record Sampler... and this fun set of antique-inspired pin cubes! Popular in the Victorian era, as actual pin storage pieces, these are stitched on 32ct linen in Sampler Threads overdyed flosses. The Strawberry Cube features the verse 'Sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam, and sup upon strawberries, sugar and cream. The Quaker Motif cube features 5 tiny designs, and both have one side reserved for 100 glass-headed straight pins. (She's suggested regular Dritz brand from the fabric store.) Petite creations, each cube finished approx 1-5/8 inches in size... and is so endearing perched in a needlework shadowbox, or hanging as a Christmas ornament! Presented in chart form with detailed assembly instructions.
Family Record Samplers This is a beautiful piece... a family tree/birth sampler... that is adaptable for any size family! (Multiple sets of parents and grandparents if need be! Doesn't that sound a bit timely...?) Charts of alphabets and numerals, lots of placement suggestion for grandparents, children's names, surnames... this is one you'll need to study a bit before you begin. A lovely way to record your family, this can be stitched on any linen you wish, and is coded for both silks or DMC flosses. On 36ct, the basic sampler measures approx 8-1/2 inches square. Offered as the chart with lots of options!
Quaker Turtles Oh my gosh... these are the CUTEST little things!!!!! Ellen Chester has designed a most endearing little family of turtles... stitched on both their tops and bottoms... and each is a tiny needlework tool case!!! The Needlebook turtle's shell (stitched area is 2 x 2) opens (button closure) to reveal wool needlepages inside. The Pocket Turtle is large enough for a thimble, or certainly a threader, and the Pin Cushion is simply too cute to stick with pins! Then, there's the baby fob... it's stitching measures only 1/2 an inch.. Everything is offered in one chart, complete with stitching placement on the linen, and finishing instructions. It calls for 32ct Olive Belfast, everything is stitched over one thread, uses Weeks Juniper Perle Cotton, floss and wool felt, so everything matches. Just darling, this is such a fun way to 'do' Quaker, and the turtles are precious! The darling basket is from Olde Colonial. It measures approx 2 x 4 x 7... which is lined in the same fabric as the turtle insides... and features a nice, stable wooden bottom. So perfect to store your new Quaker Turtles!
A Hornbook Examplar This is a fun little needle and scissor case in the shape of a hornbook. The pattern includes a bit of hornbook history -- popular in the 15 - 18th centuries as learning boards for letters and reading -- typically 3 x 5, and wooden. Since we already know our alphabet... a needlework case is much more fun! Offered as the chart, you get finishing instructions for the piece which is stitched in only two overdyed colors on 32ct Chestnut Belfast Linen. Different, and petite!
Maidens of the Sea Ellen Chester celebrates Mermaids with this charming sewing case piece that features a matching scissor fob and little thread winder fish!!! Offered as a chart, the case is stitched as one long piece, and then folds over and over again to make the little 2-1/2 x 3-1/2-ish sized curio. Decorated on the outsides with swimming mermaids, little fishes and seaweed, and a lovely tall ship and lighthouse scene... there is a template included to make a felt seahorse needlepage on the inside, and room for a couple of Kelmscott Mother-of-Pearl thread rings. Included with the charts are two resin fish beads! Measuring approx 3/4 x 1-5/8, they are there for you to wrap your threads around, and store in the little case! Just precious!!!
A Work'd Pocketbook This is an exquisite piece ONLY for someone who LOVES to execute Queen Stitches! Thousands and thousands of those time-consuming little stitches completely cover your linen, creating a lovely strawberry carpet. Finished into a gussetted envelope, when folded closed it measures approx 5-3/8 x 4 inches. Inspired by an antique case in Ellen's private collection, she's recreated the pattern using fresh colors, and the same closure style as the original piece. Just lovely... by the time you finish stitching this, you will be THE EXPERT at Queen Stitches!!! Offered as the color chart with complete finishing instructions included.
Tiny Pattern Books Just like the Ackworth Friendship Book, here are three more of With my Needle's charming little 'trophy pieces' to show off your stitching... and bits that were done by your friends! Just elegant, each is stitched as a small individual piece, then joined together into what I affectionately call a Zig-Zag Book!!! Just like the Ackworth piece... each book's pages can create tiny pouches to hold special photos and tiny notes, all while showcasing your stitches! Each of the three books are offered as charts, and each includes the finishing instructions. Choose a cool overdyed floss shade -- or two -- mix and match the designs... whatever!
Beauty and Grace A serene swan graces the front of this charming stitching case, which is stitched on 32ct Smokey Pearl Linen. Folding like a book, there is a mattress-style pin cushion inside, two needle pages, and tie-downs for scissors. Something fun to add to your stash... and your collection of lovely needlework cases! Offered as the chart with complete finishing instructions.
Make Each Day Count Count the day lost whose low descending sun views from thy hand no worthy act done. Wow... I like to have a day now and then, that I don't do much... but gosh... I better not have too many, based on this verse! Make each stitching day count... and work on this instead! Stitched on Black linen in yummy tweeded DMC shades or silks... (you could even change to some of the overdyeds in your stash) the colors and design really 'Pop' on the black background. Finishing approx 16 x 7, notice the pretty strawberries, again, which match that stunning new sewing roll!!! Offered as the chart with stitch diagrams.
Times Remembered This is a charming colonial-feeling design mounted into an Olde Colonial PR3001 Mini Clock made from Birdseye Maple. Finishing approx 3 x 7 on 32ct Light Sand Belfast, and stitched in Sampler Threads, it's filled with special stitches, and reminds me of that saying, "To a friends house, the road is never long." Offered as a chart, clock is optional!
Cherished Workes A needlework set consisting of a needle book, sewing case, and thread palette, this is just charming! Very complete and clear instructions, there are 15 pages of them... stitch diagrams, charts, and finishing diagrams and pictures. Stitched on 32ct linen in lots of overdyeds, I especially like the inset on the wooden thread palette! Something very neat, useful, and not seen everywhere... the palette would make a neat gift all by itself! The closed sewing case measures approx 6 x 8 inches, the needle book 2 x 2-ish, and the palette 4-1/2 x 6. You will need a fat quarter of linen for the entire project -- tons of color choices would work! Wooden Thread Palette This is a beautifully finished piece of wood, shaped into an oval thread palette to display pretty threads! A classy addition to a needlework display, especially if you fill it with cool threads, you can even mount a small design into the center. With My Needle has one design idea, shown above. Just a nice, unusual stitcher gift, each measures approx 4-1/2 x 6 inches.
Acorn Sampler Sewing Case This is a wonderful set of sewing accessories, all stitched on Toasted Almond 32 linen in rich Hazelnut, Mulberry, Cognac, Golds and Cidermill brown overdyeds. Included in the set of instructions is the sewing case, a little "mattress" cushion, a needlebook and scissor weight. All of it coordinates, and there are wonderful instructions for assembling all of it! The actual design is full of golden acorns and little squirrels. Parts are done over one thread, most is not. There is also an option for you to stitch it as a framed sampler, if you'd rather! It's just so charming... I hope our pics show you how cute it really is! So hard to describe well... this is a definite 'have to have' for your collection! Linen cuts are for the sewing set (18 x 27 and 5 x 7), or the sampler only (9x16).
Accept This Posey This is a charming sampler design, with a matching stitching bag, needlebook, pinkeep, and scissor case. Pretty hazelnuts and teals, some of the special stitches featured include closed herringbone and nun's stitch, as well as a little one-over-one stitching. The pattern shows your cutting layout for all the pieces, as well as very clear stitch diagrams and complete finishing instructions. It's really well done, and just begs to be stitched!!! Available as a chart. Make sure you see the rest of Ellen Chester's creations on her page... fun baskets and stitching sets! And... if you're into samplers... visit our Samplers Page!