May Gibbs Cross Stitch kits

Dionne    Cross Stitch     At the Seaside, Cross Stitch, may gibbs

I have finally finished loading all of these beautiful kits online.  The May Gibbs collection are our most popular online brand.  At the Seaside is probably my favourite.

Ask a question. The response may be breathtaking …

Dionne    Cross Stitch, Feel good stuff     Cross Stitch, hall of fame, Stewart Merret

I discovered our latest Hall of Famer in store last month.  She came in and bought 25 Stewart Merrett Australian Animal and Bird kits.  Me, being the big sticky beak that I am, wanted to know what she was going to do with them all, thinking gifts for friends abroad, Christmas gifts for relatives, she is a teacher planning a craft class, …. blah blah blah.

None of it.  She is going to stitch them all and then commandeer her sister to put them all together as a quilt.

I mused that it would be a cold day in hell before either of my sisters did anything like this for me, (the Novocastrian doesn’t sew at all but the Brisbanite is a pretty good knitter, and  is currently having to revisit all the crafty skills we learnt from Mum with an 8-year-old burgeoning Martha Stewart in the house.  She wanted to do some craft with a dead rat that was found in the ceiling! My neice, not my sister … story for another day).

Back to Vicki and her quilt, this cross stitching/quilting pair have already collaborated on this scale before, with spectacular results.  Vicki told me about the quilt they have already completed using the Stewart Merrett Australian Flora.  I asked her to send me some photos, I was so impressed I suggested she email Stewart.  Thought you all would love to see them too, and have entered her into our stitching Hall of Fame.

Thank you for sharing your work and ideas Vicki.  Love it!

Beatrix Potter, Green Apple Chart update

Dionne    Cross Stitch, Update     beatrix potter, Cross Stitch, Green Apple

Apologies if a Google search has lead you here, Green Apple Beatrix Potter Charts are no longer in print and we are unable to source any more.

We removed our remaining Beatrix Potter charts from our website, due to Australian Licencing Law restrictions.  Please phone the shop for assistance.

Mother and Baby Animal Cross Stitch: Our October Book of the Month

Dionne    Book of the Month, Cross Stitch     book of the month, Cross Stitch

This beautiful book first came to our attention through a customer and we just had to include it as a stockline.  DMC have translated the artwork of Britain and Europe’s foremost wildlife artist, Pollyanna Pickering, into cross stitch designs you will love.  16 designs featuring mothers and babies from the Arctic Circle to the African Savannah.  Every design is presented with artwork and colour and symbol charts for counted cross stitch art you can reproduce or adapt. 

While entering it onto the site I was tempted to put it under the Baby Sampler category as well.  But managed to restrain myself.  This is a lovely book any cross stitcher will love to own.  Available now online or instore for $35.00.

Stitching Forums

Dionne    Cross Stitch, Embroidery and Crewel, Knitting and Crochet, Tapestry and Needlepoint     crochet, Cross Stitch, embroidery, hand embroidery, knitter, needlepoint, stitching, tapestry

Stitching has an unfortunate reputation for being a little solitary, this is probably the reason for the global success of the “Stitch and Bitch” gatherings.  If you are looking for online Forums to showcase and share your work while checking out others, and finding new inspiration, here are a few I have found and like.

Cross Stitch This site is MAD! incredibly busy, and has lots of  helpful advice, don’t let the heading fool you.  Members don’t, and there are postings and advice on other stitching habits arts as well as cross stitch.  No advertising or sponsored links.

The Hand Embroidery Network is a relatively new forum, it has a comprehensive directory of stitches and a rapidly growing membership.  Some limited advertising on the site.

Needlepoint.about.com This is not as busy a site as others, but it is very specific to needlepoint and tapestry and focuses on a very good techniques and terminology resource, free patterns and support.  There are quite a number of sponsored links and advertising for needlecraft and other products.

Ravelry is a monster!  This is a one stop shop resource for the knitter and crocheter which would explain the over two hundred thousand members.  There is advertising but you have to go hunting for it!  How novel!

Stitchin Fingers is a textile and fibres forum rather than a particular stitching discipline.  The Take a Stitch Tuesday discussion opens up a world of possibilities for you to try out new stitches then you can check out the photos of other people’s take on it, very cool.  There are a couple of Google ads but they are limited to the side bar.