Competing with Walmart UPDATED

Erin is continuing her adventures in opening Needlepoint Land, a new needlepoint store in Stuart, Florida with a two part essay on her competition, Walmart, and how to compete with a chain that can offer DMC floss at almost wholesale prices.
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/10/the-wal-mart-effect-part-i/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/11/the-wal-mart-effect-part-ii/

UPDATE:  Erin pulled a fast one and now has three parts to her essay on competition with the big chains.
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/11/the-wal-mart-effect-part-iii/

However you feel about shopping at the big box craft emporiums, at Walmart, or on eBay, let me assure you that shop owners think you are taking food out of their children's mouths every time you do.  As food for thought, any canvas you buy elsewhere and take to your local shop --assuming you are lucky enough to have one-- to buy threads is giving them only the pitiful profit on threads, not the nice juicy profit on a canvas purchase.  If you ever wondered why a shop is not thrilled to help you select threads for a purchase made elsewhere, that's why.  Not every shop assumes you value their customer service enough that you will buy your next canvas from them which allows them to stay in business a little longer.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 10, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Playing with Angelina

I thought you'd like to see the experiments Helena is doing with silk gauze and angelina.  
http://hgotts.blogspot.com/2014/04/jellyfish-and-angelina-fibers.html

http://hgotts.blogspot.com/2014/04/jellyfish-done.html

http://hgotts.blogspot.com/2014/04/jellyfish-20.html

Angelina is new to me so I looked it up.  It comes in a lot of colors.
http://www.texturatrading.com/angelina.html

It is a sort of fiber mass out of the package, often set with heat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgA1MdPj8oA

Interesting stuff.
http://www.embellishmentvillage.com/store.php?cat=3

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright April 16, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Belleza's Fashion Plate Sister

BeStitched has announced a kit for their Day of the Dead Lady, La Dame Elegante. This is a Tapestry Fair canvas that comes with threads, stitch guide and embellishments.  Click on the photo for a better view of her stole, hat and skull earring.
http://bestitchedneedlepoint.com/la-dama-elegante-order-today/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 9, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Frixon Magic Pens

Trish Burr has found a pen that is erased by heat.  It's the Frixon Magic pen by Pilot, manufactured in Japan.
http://trishburr.com/2014/04/16/magic-pens-whitework/

I was concerned that Trish's find might not be available in the United States but I see them for sale on Amazon. Here is a bit more about them from the Pilot pen website.  Trish used the Frixion Point.
http://pilotpen.us/brands/frixion/

I would proceed with caution but these might be just what you are looking for if you transfer a lot of patterns to canvas and linen.  But beware, put your piece in the freezer and the lines reappear!
http://trishburr.com/2014/04/17/frixion-pens-follow-up/

How many of us put our work in the freezer if we aren't trying to get creases out of linen by dampening it and freezing it briefly?

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright April 16, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Public Service Announcement

A friend who doesn't have a Facebook account did a little testing for me. (Thanks, M!)  She tried the various Facebook links in the TNNA Indianapolis May 2014 tab where shops or designers posted photos of new things on their Facebook pages.  She says she can see most everything.  So if you have been ignoring all those Facebook links because the photos were invisible, try again.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© May 9, Copyright 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.