Needle storage and use

She does nice designs, she started out originally with a shop of some kind online but then went on her own five or six years ago. Nice person and prompt, at least she was when I was ordering. She likely still is because I expect that's part of the reason she went solo. Her designs have been consistently nice over the years too.

I guess it depends what you like but she does make them easy to assemble and I give her extra marks for that as I can ruin something quite easily assembling it lol

Though I've organized other aspects of the stitching life, I have never gotten control of the needles. Because I can take the finish off of any needle quickly, I usually have a spare pack of size 26 in my stitching bag and will use several different needles during any project taking more than 20 hours. I used to put needles from a finished project in a clear film canister if there was still life in them. And then I'd just pick out whatever felt appropriate to me for a new project.

Donna in Virginia

I tend to use the needle I'm comfortable with - usually petit size quite often gold or platinum - piecemakers , John James , or Jane Greenoff Jan, Wiltshire UK

Thanks, that's all good to know. We're always trying to find some crewel that isn't too pricey, or dauntingly large. Trying now to find a printer here to do some original designs that we can sell. I'm just about finished with my first "original" - and will post some pix. Doing another design - wedding announcment - on commission - for one of our favorite regulars. This woman is 80, stitches a storm - fabulous crewel work - though this past year has been doing XS - kind of a struggle - but with dogged determination. Anyhow - she asked me to design a crewel wedding announcement that would incorporate some of her favorite motifs - but be a size that she can finish - leaving names/dates blank - for all her grandchildren, etc. So, I promised that with the shop owners' help (she does interpretations of photo-realism florals & some animals) I'd have it for her by June sometime. Should be fun.

That's really important. Finishing is just so baffling to many people.

Ellice

My favorite size is 26 because my favorite size fabric is 32 ct. I will use larger needles for projects requiring 3 strands, though.

I keep my extra needles in the mechanical pencil lead cases, after cleaning them out, of course, with the number written on the case & cap.

Joan

I noticed..... LOL

Nah - my mother used to do that. So did I until DH had a tizzy fit over it.

Cheryl

My sister who loves to cook and shop made me buy 'green' bags. She said she used 'em all the time and that they really did keep fruit and vegetables fresh longer. I shipped 'em all to her after I uncovered something slightly slimey one day. I'm not sure if they were supposed to be reusuable but there was no way in heck that I was going to wash and reuse that bag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I scanned that book just yesterday looking for inspiration. Even if I made several little cushions for specific type needles, I know I'd never put the needles back where they should go

Would anyone care to expound on why non-USA stitching magazines have more interesting designs than the ones from the USA?

Baffling is a good word ... what've you got to describe someone (me) who is a real klutz, can't see or draw straight lines, and would die if her life depended on her ability to do neat ladder stitches?

I started off in war time Britain at my grandmothers - she would not toss anything. When a parcel arrived I was sat down to unpick the knots in the string (parcels had to be tied up with string in those days, Scotch Tape had not been invented yet) and trust me it took hours as the sender pulled the knots tight so the parcel would not come apart ! Cutting the string and wasting even a snip, not a consideration ! So I wash ziplocks without even a blush.

Oh Dear!! I do both some of the time. Maybe we should start a club.

Lucille

That's a very good question. Though, there is PieceWork. Personally, I think that most of the British magazines are quite similar in design types to the US ones. There are a lot of "cute" things in all the mags, so I - not being too cute oriented - stay away. But, I do go through Piece Work, Antique Sampler, here, and we get XS 7 Needlework in the shope. Luckily, we also get Inspirations.

Perhaps it reflects what seems also to be popular on the craft/arts tv shows here.

Ellice

You and my father were soul mates ... he never threw anything away. He frequented several banks because one place had free checking, another had free copying, and yet another had free notary service.

Funny, I was looking at those a week or so ago....they are sweet

Cheryl

I really don't know - I love Pieceworks (US) and Just Cross Stitch(US). But Mary Hickmott (UK) always has great stuff as does Needle Pulling Thread (Canada) and Stitch (UK). While Inspirations (Australia) is lovely to look at, I don't find the same "fall in love" factor.

I think the non US magazines have more freedom to try a wider range of things than the US where we are supposed to fit into neat categories according to publishers.

Cheryl Isaak wrote: > I really don't know - I love Pieceworks (US) and Just Cross Stitch(US). But

The U.S. market simply either: 1. Won't purchase a multi-purpose embroidery magazine; or 2. Stores won't sell it. For instance, "Inspirations" is very difficult to find, as "Australia Cross Stitch and Embroidery". "Rakam" is finally available from Italy at Amazon. I believe "Anna" (Germany) has stopped publishing, but I may be remembering incorrectly.

There isn't a market for it. Well, there is. But it's not large enough.

Another problem is the choice of articles. The U.S. market won't make aprons, bedding, table cloths, place mats and napkins, curtains, fancy pillows and anything that requires construction. They either don't have a sewing machine, don't want one, and/or don't want to or can't sew by hand or machine.

Now, that's not everybody, but it's a huge chunk of the market. That's why there is gobs of scissor fobs, needle books, pictures for the wall, and an occasional baby afghan (or other baby products such as bibs).

Dianne

I think you have many good points but things like Sampler and Antique NW has some more complex pieces as does Pieceworks.

I know I am a minority of my generation in knowing how to sew (as opposed to stitch). I think a lot of the girls in DS's age group want to learn to sew given the popularity of the local "Adult Ed" sewing course. So maybe the pendulum will swing back.