Archive for April, 2007

The Online Needlework Show’s Technical Difficulties

Thursday, April 19th, 2007

I have received official confirmation that the online Needlework Show’s technical difficulties which made their website inaccessible for many yesterday are unfortunately continuing again today. However, the reason for the problem is actually a POSITIVE: they are getting overwhelmed by stitchers and shops wanting to see all the wonderful things they have to offer. Our craft is booming, and YOU are one of the reasons.

The neat thing is, since we’re all able to visit the online Needlework Show 24 hours a day in our pajamas on a bad hair day, the temporary problems we’re having getting there right now are certainly tolerable. I have a bad hair day most of the time, so I know I can commit to visiting the show whenever they’re ready for me to do so. In the meantime, I can stitch something I already have (although this does feel like a tragedy when I need retail therapy!) in the comfort of my own home. I’m not stuck in an icky hotel room or a crowded airport, and I have all my favorite specialty fibers kitties around me to help.

Please check back here for further news. I will pass on to you whatever information I learn the second I hear about it.

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Update Regarding the Online Needlework Show

Thursday, April 19th, 2007

For those who tried viewing the online Needlework Show yesterday and were unable to, I’ve just received information that they think the problem was caused by higher than expected traffic overloading their servers. I guess they’ve done something on their end to remedy that issue because they don’t expect any further problems of this nature and are asking people to please return again now for your relaxing retail therapy experience.

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Have You Been There Yet?

Wednesday, April 18th, 2007

One of my favorite events started today: the online Needlework Show. You can browse designs from many designers you may never have heard of, and then place an order for whatever you want through any retail needlework shop listed as participating on the “Retail Shops” portion of their website.

Most vendor pages have a link to their websites, which I recommend checking out to see their other designs and products. You never know what you might have missed previously that you just have to have! I’ve also found that designers are very receptive to being contacted by email during the online Needlework Show. Although they are busy then, most designers really enjoy hearing from us stitchers about what we like about their offerings, and I have yet to contact a designer I encountered through the online Needlework Show who didn’t send me a very nice reply.

Many of the designers are offering door prizes and freebie charts as well, so there are many reasons to check out the online Needlework Show.

This show is an excellent way for us stitchers to influence the needlework industry as a whole. If your local needlework store doesn’t know about the online Needlework Show, please tell them. This is a way they can obtain product without the expenses incurred by travelling to a trade show. Additionally, by giving your local needlework shop a list of the products you see and want from the online Needlework Show, you let them know what you really want. Now your favorite needlework store can identify the types of products which will sell well for them, including things they may not be aware of yet themselves — and obviously, their providing what you want to purchase is what keeps them in business.

The designers/vendors participating in this show, which continues through at least midnight on April 23rd, are:

A Kitty Kats Original, Abby Rose Designs, Always Time to Stitch, Angelic Crafts, Annie Cicatelli Designs, Art-Stitch, Aunt Susie’s House, Barrani Design Studios, Bask Designs, Beardie Designs, Brenda E. Kocher Designs, Brunnerhaus, Butterfly Stitches, Camus International, Carousel Charts, Carriage House Samplings, Cedar Hill Designs, Cherished Stitches, Cindy Valentine Designs, Country Garden Stitchery, Creative Cross Stitch, Cross Eyed Kat, Cross Stitch and More, Cross Stitch Wonders, Dames of the Needle, DebBee’s Designs, Debbie Draper Designs, Designing Dogs, Designs by Lisa, Designs From Pamela, Dessins DHC, Dette Designs, Dinky-Dyes, Dutch Treat Designs, Enchanting Lair, European Crosstitch, Fern Ridge Collection, Follow The Leader Designs, Forever in My Heart, French Needle, Full Circle Designs, Funk & Weber Designs, Gift of Stitching Magazine, Haberdashery Designs & Needlework, Handblessings, Harbour Light Designs, Heart’s Content, Heartfelt Designs, Historic Stitches, Images Stitchery Design, In Good Company, In the Company of Friends, Ink Circles, J. Designs, JAR Designs, JBW Designs, Jeanette Ardern Designs, Kelmscott Designs, Keslyns, KRIF, LGK Crafts and Supplies International, Lilipoints - Sarl LLP, Linen Flowers Designs, Living Stitches, Liz Turner Diehl, Magic Needle, Marilynn & Jackie’s Antiques & Collectibles, Marking Samplar, MarNic Designs, Moonflower Designs, My Big Toe Designs, My Mark, Naald en Draad, Needle & Frame, Needle Arts Mystery Retreat, Needle’s Notion, Needleboxes Etc./Charted Imagery, Needlework Designs By CJ, NeedleXpress, Needlizations, Night Owl Needlepoint, Northern Pine Designs, Olde Willow Stitchery Threads, Olive Hope Design, Original Designs By Christine, Periwinkle Promises, Pine Glen Designs, Princess and Me, Punchneedle Marketplace, R & S Designs, Reflets de Soie, Sampler Girl, Sandy Grossman-Morris Designs, Scarlet Quince, Scholehouse for the Needle, Sekas & Co, Silver Lining, Simple Stitches, Spring Valley Stitchery, Stitch A Gift, Stitch Niche, Stitching Pretty Presents, Stitching Studio, Stoney Creek Collection, Sue Hillis Designs, Summer House Stitche Workes, Sweet Pea Designs, Sweetheart Tree, SzuLet Creations, Tasselart, Threaded Needle Designs, Threads of Gold, Wild-Heart Designs, and X’s & Oh’s.

So please visit the online Needlework Show … Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to be a bigger part of the industry!

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“Happy Week” from Helga Mandl Designs

Tuesday, April 17th, 2007

Helga Mandl of HMDesigns is a designer I discovered not all that long ago who has some really great designs on a variety of subjects to offer. Every single one brings a smile to my face, and a couple gave me a belly laugh (which we all know is great exercise and feels wonderful, too).

I already know I’m going to have to add her newest design, Welcome to my Kitchen, to my own collection because I’m in love with the frying pan button! Plus, that looks like a male cook, and my husband is always asking me why I don’t do more of the cooking (I don’t recall cooking being anywhere in my wedding vows, and obviously, I’d much rather be stitching than in the kitchen).

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With Helga’s designs you choose whether you’d prefer to receive her charts in .pdf format or by mail (as you might expect, the mail option requires a small shipping fee). I usually choose .pdf charts when I can because, besides preferring to spend my $$$ on stash than shipping, quite simply, I like the INSTANT gratification!

I’m a particular fan of Broom Parking:

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And from now (actually, it started yesterday; I am running behind) through April 23rd, HMDesigns is offering a special incentive to all customers: 35% off your entire order! Helga calls this “Happy Week,” and the term certainly fits at least here in the US where we procrastinators are all hopefully just finished filing our taxes. What better way to celebrate that and spend a bit of your refund (or spend a bit to console yourself if you had to pay taxes instead :) ) by taking advantage of a sale.

Here is Helga’s design called Beehive, which is just perfect for that warmer weather it seems we’re all either waiting for or struggling to hang onto — and I love how she used specialty stitches to create the beehive:

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Even though Helga’s designs are available from the UK shop Celtic Rose Needlecraft, I chose to order directly through Helga myself in the past because the cost was slightly better for me as a customer. In fact, wanting her designs was the reason I signed up with Moneybookers, which is similar to PayPal for those who might not be aware of it. I had no problems working with either Helga or Moneybookers and will gladly do both again to take advantage of this sale … and would even without a sale because I like Helga and her designs so much.

So please go visit HMDesigns right away … I’m sure there is something there you would love to stitch!

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Are You in on the Secret?

Wednesday, April 11th, 2007

San-Man Originals have some of the cutest designs around, but did you know they also have a SECRET Shop? Well, now you do.

I can’t tell you what’s available in the shop because that information is only for those of us who are already in the know. I will tell you that if you think San-Man Originals designs are cute, then you will absolutely LOVE what you’ll find in their Secret Shop.

But don’t worry; I won’t leave you flailing in the wind. I’m going to tell you exactly what you need to do to gain access to this wonderful underground organization and San-Man Originals’ Secret Shop. It’s actually quite easy, but oh so worthwhile. All you have to do is sign up for the San-Man Originals’ Newsletter. That’s it.

Now, not only will you be given the all-important magic word to allow you access to the Secret Shop, but you’ll also be kept informed by San-Man Originals of all their new releases!

Oh, one more thing … Pass it on!

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World’s Newest Needlework Store Now Open

Sunday, April 8th, 2007

Linabear.com has just opened for business! Linabear.com is the realized dream of brand new cross stitch and knitting designer Selina of Linabear Creations.

I’m really impressed with Selina’s designs, which include several perfect for the very popular biscornu finishing technique. Being someone who loves the pitter patter of little furry feet, I’m partial to Aireen’s Paws:

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Selina has also designed an absolutely ADORABLE knitting pattern of a dog. Here is Spartacus all ready for adoption:

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If Selina ever designs a knit cat anywhere near this darling, it will absolutely guarantee I learn how to knit!

During Linabear.com’s Grand Opening Week (from now through April 15th), you can use coupon code e5bd320f52 and receive 20% off your entire order. It doesn’t get much better than that … so hurry over to Linabear.com and see what you have to have!

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Oh Wow!

Sunday, April 8th, 2007

Look what’s at the top of The Silver Needle’s Just Arrived page … Jeannette Douglas will be teaching a class at The Silver Needle in Tulsa, Oklahoma the weekend of July 27th and 28th — and she’s designed a special sampler called A Silver Needle just for this event. All the details are here in a downloadable .pdf file and here’s a tiny peak at what it looks like:

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As if that weren’t enough great news, right below the information about the Jeannette Douglas class on the Just Arrived page is more wonderful news. This time, it’s for fans of Indigo Rose (Catherine Strickler), who has now released her previous class piece Bead Blanket Sampler as a retail design. Actually, it comes as a complete kit and costs only $34.

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Magazine Information at Your Fingertips

Sunday, April 8th, 2007

Have you seen the Cross Stitch Magazine Database? Although it isn’t being regularly updated anymore, it contains information about many, many cross stitch magazines (408, to be exact … and 4068 individual patterns!) — especially if they were published prior to November of 2006. The database creator, Taneya, really put a lot of energy into it, creating a very useful resource for stitchers in the process. The database is searchable by subject or title (the title search is based on a key word), or you can browse by magazine or designer. Take a look … I think you’ll find yourself going back often.

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Almost Friday

Thursday, April 5th, 2007

Hoffman Distributing has posted this week’s new releases a tad early because they are closed April 6th for Good Friday.

I’m enjoying a chuckle over Kit & Bixby’s Haunted Wool, perhaps because my weather fits the haunting season better than the bunny season:

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Another Great Sale!

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007

Anything you can order from Elegant Stitch’s Merchant Mall with Hoffman Distributing will be 20% off through the close of business in California on Friday, April 13th. I can’t think of a better way to ensure good luck on Friday the 13th than to know an order of goodies is on its way from Elegant Stitch!

Sale pricing won’t show up through the Hoffman link, but will be done at Elegant Stitch when your order is shipped. For more information, see the hot pink text under the April 2nd entry on Elegant Stitch’s What’s New page

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