It's tool time on the Internet! I've found a number of interesting items to make our stitching easier in some way for you to explore. First of all, have you been intrigued by Japanese needles and wondered why they are so expensive and how they differ from the needles you can buy locally? Tricia of Thistle Threads (and the person spearheading the 17th Century reproduction embroidered jacket project at Plimoth Plantation) explains on her website.
http://thistle-threads.com/shop/accessories/japaneseneedles.html
Jennifer Ashley Taylor also sells Japanese needles and you can buy them through the Japanese Embroidery Center as well. But thanks to Tricia, now you understand exactly what you are getting when you buy one.
http://www.needleartworks.com/dsgnr/jat/order/jat56.htm
http://www.jecstore.com/Needles.php
Cyn has been busy organizing her stash and found a nice set of boxes here and there to use.
http://cyns-stitches.blogspot.com/2009/04/after-many-months-of-effort-ive-reached.html
Then her buddy Kelly got them.
http://kellysorts.blogspot.com/2009/05/it-is-all-cynthias-fault.html
And Jeanne did, too! I've included all three postings so you can get a good look at the storage boxes and see the range of threads that fit within.
http://juststring.blogspot.com/2009/04/organizing-metallics.html
They cost from $19-27 dollars depending on your store and whether you have a coupon.
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat273848&PRODID=prd17165
Speaking of storage, Madonna found Ziploc brand bags she can use for project storage in an emergency.
http://kmack-backtothefuture.blogspot.com/2009/05/xxl-zip-loc-bags.html
Leigh Designs is distributing Ashland Sky Bags for project storage and travel which are nicer and probably more durable and which come in several sizes and styles. Your shop can order for you from Leigh.
http://www.leighdesigns.com/GrpA10x.html
DMC has two new threads coming out. One is called Satin Floss and the other Memory Threads. Judy Harper is working a project with both to demonstrate how to use them. She's also using their Luminers "Light Effects" threads, which are new to me, but not really new. If you are curious, check out her project on her
blog.
http://fairy-crafts.blogspot.com/2009/05/patchwork-with-dmc-showing-new-threads.html
Barbara Bergsten has been working on a design that uses Rainbow Gallery's Gold Rush, a chainette thread that is giving her trouble but she's found Thread Straighteners to help. Here's how they work.
http://createneedlepoint.typepad.com/create_needlepoint/2009/05/thread-straighteners.html
You can buy a set of thread straighteners for yourself in your favorite color from Flying Needles if your shop doesn't carry them.
http://www.flyingneedlestx.com/threadstraightener.htm
Finally, we come back to Tricia who explains how to attach gold spangles on her blog with information about where to buy them.
http://thistle-threads.com.mytempweb.com/blog/index.php/2009/05/getting-the-goods/
Hopefully there is a tool or thread here to tempt you.
Jane/Chilly Hollow
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow
