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

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NEEDLEWORK NEWS FROM THREADNEEDLE STREET

Special Announcement, February 12, 2010

IT'S BACK!

Our Medicis rack before		Our 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.

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.

Original DMC Medicis colors side by side with replacements

Here is a list of all Medicis colors, with both discontinued and new colors indicated:

White	Black	Ecru	Navy	8009**	8023**	8026	8027	8095**	8096**
8100	8101	8102	8103	8104	8105	8106	8107	8108	8109
8110	8111	8113	8114	8118	8119	8120*	8122	8123	8124
8125	8126	8127	8128	8129	8132	8133	8134	8135	8136
8139*	8151	8153	8155	8164	8166	8168	8173	8175	8176
8200	8201	8202	8203	8204*	8205	8206	8207	8208	8209
8210	8211	8212	8214	8221	8223	8224	8225	8300	8301
8302	8303	8304	8305	8306	8307*	8308	8309	8314	8313
8320	8321	8322	8323	8324	8325	8326	8327	8328	8331
8332	8333	8334**	8341	8342	8344	8346	8369	8380	8381
8390**	8397	8400	8401	8402	8403	8404	8405	8406	8407
8408	8409	8410	8411	8412	8413	8414	8415	8416	8417
8418	8419	8420	8421	8422	8426	8427	8484	8500	8501
8502	8503	8504	8505	8506	8507	8508	8509	8512	8514
8515	8542**	8543**	8544**	8567*	8610	8611	8618	8627**	8634**
8666	8685	8713	8720	8725	8739	8742	8748	8794	8798
8799	8800	8813**	8816	8817	8818	8825**	8838	8839	8840
8841	8842	8845	8846	8871	8877	8895	8896	8897*	8898
8899	8904	8908	8930	8931	8932	8940	8941	8955	8993
8995	8996	8997

*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