Saturday, February 13, 2010

Threadneedle Street Announces Replacement for Medici



Threadneedle Street sent me the following message announcing a replacement for Medici wool.  I am reproducing this with their permission.  Their email address for further information is at the end of the message.
Jane, waving from Chilly Hollow

*****************************************


NEEDLEWORK NEWS FROM THREADNEEDLE STREET

Special Announcement, February 12, 2010


IT'S BACK!


Med1.jpg - 13430 BytesMed2.jpg - 14386 Bytes
Our Medicis rack beforeOur Medicis rack after

Many of us were shocked when we learned a couple of years back that DMC would stop producing Medicis wool yarn. As supplies dwindled and color after color sold out, people wondered what they would use in its place. More than one company has come along offering yarn that they suggest we use instead of Medicis, but none of it is yarn that duplicates the color range of Medicis.
We are pleased to announce that Medicis is back - but with a few changes. Here are the pertinent facts:
1) This yarn is not being produced by DMC.
2) It IS being produced in nearly the same color range as when it came from DMC.
3) Color numbers are also the same.
4) Yardage of skeins is the same as before, 25 meters (approximately 27 yards).
5) It is no longer available in hanks.
6) Eventually it will not be called Medicis. For now we will continue to refer to it as Medicis as that is the name people know it by, and many colors are still in stock with DMC Medicis labels.
7) Six old colors of Medicis will be discontinued. Although we still have inventory of these colors, when they are gone they will no longer be dyed. Thirteen NEW colors of Medicis are also being produced.





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New Medicis colors

8) Not surprisingly, the cost of Medicis skeins has gone up. DMC has had 2 price increases in their line since Medicis was discontinued. If DMC still produced Medicis, they almost certainly would have raised the price. Currently we have Medicis yarn at $1.40 per skein.
There are bound to be skeptics out there who will question whether the new Medicis is the same as the old. In my opinion, they are virtually identical products. Even dye lots are comparable. Although every thread occasionally has dye lot differences between batches, in cases where we have the same color in both old and new Medicis, nearly all are virtually identical to the old colors. Two colors are a little different but they are probably an improvement over the original colors. Great care has been taken to ensure the quality of yarn and dyeing.



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Original DMC Medicis colors side by side with replacements

Here is a list of all Medicis colors, with both discontinued and new colors indicated:
WhiteBlackEcruNavy8009**8023**802680278095**8096**
8100810181028103810481058106810781088109
8110811181138114811881198120*812281238124
8125812681278128812981328133813481358136
8139*815181538155816481668168817381758176
82008201820282038204*82058206820782088209
8210821182128214822182238224822583008301
830283038304830583068307*8308830983148313
8320832183228323832483258326832783288331
833283338334**8341834283448346836983808381
8390**839784008401840284038404840584068407
8408840984108411841284138414841584168417
8418841984208421842284268427848485008501
8502850385048505850685078508850985128514
85158542**8543**8544**8567*8610861186188627**8634**
8666868587138720872587398742874887948798
879988008813**8816881788188825**883888398840
884188428845884688718877889588968897*8898
8899890489088930893189328940894189558993
899589968997
*Discontinued color, available while supplies last
**New color
Copyright 2010. All prices are in U.S. dollars and are subject to change without notice.




www.threadneedlestreet.com
e-mail: custservice@threadneedlestreet.com


Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Woodlawn Exhibit Take in Changed Due to Weather





Details on when you can hand deliver your pieces for the March 2010 exhibit are posted on their website.  I'm told there is going to be an exhibit of Japanese Embroidery this year, so if you are a fan, don't miss this show.
http://woodlawn1805.org/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Overcast, With Stash Sighted





Last night I worked a bit on the t-stitch background behind my SharonG tap pants but I only got half way through the remaining area.  Somehow I didn't have the energy or focus necessary to get through the last part of the background.  I'll work on it today and try to finish.  I think all the snow shoveling has caught up with me. I am just plain tired.  I even took a nap yesterday, which I almost never do.

I suppose all stitchers go through some down times when they lose interest in their current project or can't muster the energy to stitch.  When I hit that wall, I start work on the next project, so yesterday I pulled out my stitch dictionaries and started looking for stitches for the next painted canvas project.  I pulled a selection of threads from my stash and started organizing myself to stitch something new.  You'll have to wait a week or so to see what it is, however.  I am planning to work on the borders of Stars before beginning a new painted canvas project.

That reminds me.  Several folks mentioned they were not working Tony Minieri's Stars for the New Millennium as a project--they were trying out various color combinations for the quilt block stars and making ornaments of the results.  I think that's a great idea!  Anyone who is a bit dubious about their color choices could stitch up a star and see how it looks.  They will make lovely ornaments.

I noticed this morning that Melita is working Gayle Bicknell's Pieces of Eight in sections.  She is making napkin rings using three sections done in a row.  This is another way to stitch those big projects.  If you can break them up, stitching the whole thing doesn't seem so overwhelming.
http://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/2010/02/13/pieces-of-eight-octagons-a-b-c/

For those not familiar with Pieces of Eight, here is the original model.
http://www.caron-net.com/sep01files/sep01fea.html

I'm still going to stitch my Stars as a major project.  I just wanted to mention that there are plenty of other ways to stitch it and it might help those unsure of color choices for the big piece to make up their minds.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow