The StitchIts Sweater Collection

My trip last week to Needlewoman East included a careful inspection of the current trunk show. No matter how good the pictures are you see online, nothing beats seeing painted canvases in person. So I look over all the NW East trunk shows carefully any time I get to visit. I don't want to miss anything!

This time the trunk show on display was by StitchIts, not a designer I know much about. They specialize in simple designs, not the realistic canvases I prefer. Not my cup of tea usually but I enjoyed their little sweater patterns. I photographed my favorites for you to see. Looks like they are on 18 count canvas, and all are in primary colors with contrasting polka dots in an all-over pattern. Each sweater comes with a series of 2-4 themed buttons in matching colors, and it is the buttons that set these designs apart. If you look closely you'll see the teal green wizard-castle-dragon buttons, the brown dog with a white bone, the three elfs on a blue sweater, and the tiny Nativity Mary, Jospeh and Baby Jesus. [NOTE: This image is on my main blog. The link is below.]

I've put a second image on my mirror blog (above) that shows the bright green cowboy boot, hat and cactus sweater; the one in blue decorated by the toy ship/airplane/truck; the red bowling pins and ball; and finally the brown trout and fish basket sweater. These are an easy and quick stitch with outstanding embellishments. There are a great many more of these (I saw at least 25 different sets of sweater canvases and of course their line has much more than sweaters), all very cute and all a perfect easy present to stitch for someone, or even for yourself.

By the way, if you love buttons with your canvases, Mindy and Squiggee also offer great buttons that match or enhance a painted canvas design.

Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Mighty Bright's Clip-on Light/Magnifier

I've been saving up for a Dazor light/magnifier for a while since my old light/magnifier died. They are expensive so I purchased a battery operated travel light/magnifier to stand in until my piggy bank is full again. The photo you see above is what I bought--a Vusion Craft Light by Mighty Bright.

It has a very bright LED light with a high and low setting controlled by the black button on the top of the light, a two inch magnifier that enlarged to twice the normal view through an "optical grade" acrylic lens, and a base where it stands upright until you need to clamp it on your frame. The clamp is large enough to handle my stretcher bars and ahoops, and the box says it will fit over Q-Snaps as well. The base has a large round magnet on the underside. You can put the light/magnifier in the base under a latch so it can sit on a table or hang sideways off the refrigerator when not in use. It takes three AAA batteries and is probably not meant for continuous use, just for travel. It seems to weigh about a pound and doesn't add substantially to the weight of any project I want to stitch holding the frame in my hand. The two necks bend separately in any direction--and stay there--to light or magnify your canvas (or both) as you stitch. You can buy an adaptor to plug into the wall and use like any electrical appliance but for me that would interfere with clamping this on my canvas. This AC adaptor costs extra and you have to buy it separately if you want it.

I've stitched a bit with my Vusion Craft Light and so far I like it very much. But I don't need a lot of light or much magnification and I don't mind the very small magnified area. I also don't need "true" illumination and don't mind a slight bluish ast from the LED lights. I am not sure it is wildly durable, however, since the clamp is plastic. I think a lot of clamping and unclamping might eventually break it.

Shop around on the Web before you buy something like this. I found it here on sale for $23.99 and no shipping charges. It came to me via UPS about four business days after I ordered it. I think it also might be available from Needle in a Haystack in California although I don't see it listed on their website now.

http://www.lampsplus.com/Products/desk-lamps/Type_Book-Lights/08118/


Here it sits on the base. Can you see how much the magnifier enlarges the base itself? I find it very useful and perhaps it'll meet some of your stitching needs also.

Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow