What's New @ Needle In A Haystack

Custom Stitched Pendants by Cathe

If you've been reading our newsletter for the past couple of years you'll know that I've picked up another hobby (soldering) and married it to my love of stitching. I'm now making and selling custom stitched pendants. They are generally stitched over-one on 36 or 40 count fabric with silk threads. The front glass is beveled and the edging is a lead-free solder so you can wear it next to your skin.

I have finished several of the soldered pendants, which are available for purchase and I'm taking orders for any custom ones you might want done. The ones available at present are below. In general the pendants are $100 for the initials (about 1" square) and $110 (Stag) to $125 for other designs (1.5" square). The larger designs don't have baubles on them so you can use them as ornaments on a tree. Pair the pendant with your favorite chain and you've got a great necklace.

D on 40 count in Blue $100	F on 40 count in Aubergine $100	K on 36 count in Pink & Green $100
P on 40 count in Black $100	R on 40 count in Burgundy $100	T on 40 count in Burgundy $100
Stag on 40 count in Burgundy $110	Bee on 40 count in Gold $125	Fall Ornament on 40 count $125
Red Ornament on 40 count $125	Red & Green Ornament on 40 count $125	Turquoise Ornament on 40 count $125

If you're interested in one of these or want a custom one created for you, contact Cathe at the shop.

Can You Hear Me? Sale

Last year we had fun with our Keep Us Warm sale to help pay for the new heating system after our move to this location. This year our 12 year old phone system is likely to need replacing. Seems like a sign for another fun January sale.

You don't need a coupon but you do need to mention the Can You Hear Me? sale to get the discount on your next project's supplies. Get 25% off fabric, threads, kits, charts, canvases and embellishments (e.g. beads, charms, buttons) through the end of January. As is usual for our sales this is for in-stock items only.

There is no limit on the number of times you can purchase included items between now and January 31st, but you do need to mention the Can You Hear Me? sale to get your discount. So get shopping!

Update: If you are ordering through our online catalog, just mention the sale in the Special Instructions. The catalog won't be able to do any sale calculations. If you stop in, order by phone or via e-mail, also just mention the sale.

Accessories, Books, Magazines, Gift items, carriers, already marked down items, Finishing, Classes are exempt from the sale. Rewards Points do not accrue for sale items.

Stitching Over-One with Teensy Weensy

Lynda Keske at Keslyn's has two wonderful small counted-thread designs that work wonderfully for over-one work. I've seen her Itty Bitties stitched up using the 5 colors in our Society of Soie Surfine Series #1 release and hopefully I can get a photo of that piece to show off in a future post.

Taking that as a cue I'm working on doing several of the designs from Lynda's newest small design - Teensy Weensy. I'm not working on the design as one piece but rather as separate pieces that will be turned into ornaments. So far I've gotten 3 of them stitched and I thought you'd like to see them.

All were stitched over one on Fabric Flair 36 count Evenweave - Antique White w/Silver sparkles. The thread is one strand of Gloriana Luminesence.

Motif 1 - Fallen Leaves (046)

Motif 7 - Blue Hawaii (078)

Motif 15 - Poinsettia (035) & Holiday Green (016)

While Luminescence (hand-dyed Soie 100/3) might seem a bit heavy for over-one on 36 count I like the way the round thread gives a plump appearance. And none of the designs is so dense that there's any distortion in the fabric.

Whether it's these designs or other motif designs, explore the use of alternate colors and different ideas for finishing on your next small project.

Happy Stitching - Cathe

Join Us For Small Business Saturday

Saturday is the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday by American Express. If you are an AmEx cardholder and register your card with them for this promotion, spend $25 with us that day on your AmEx card and get a $25 credit on your statement.

We hope you'll visit us in the shop tomorrow and if you can't make it in person, that you'll shop with us online or by phone. Can't decide what you need to purchase or we need to order something for you?  Buy yourself a Gift Card or buy one for a friend.

Visit the Shop Small website for full details and pledge to use your American Express card on the 26th to Shop Small!

New Crescent Colours Threads

We've added some new threads and colors to our online thread catalog. Crescent Colours is now dyeing Chenille which is a great thread for doing embellishment with. Use it as a trim or couch it down for a whimsical touch. It comes in Blue Moon, Cherry Tomato, Purple Aster, Toasted Marshmallow and Wild Berries.

We have also added the new Belle Soie (Beach Grass, Porcelain Pink, Spruced & Velvet Rose) and Floss (Brown Hen, Eggshell, Honey Comb, Pebble Beach, Polliwog & Wilderness) colors to their respective catalog pages.

New Victoria Sampler Designs

Thea & Cathy at Victoria Sampler have created two great new designs. Thea's latest in the Gingerbread series is Gingerbread Church (#129, $23.00). It calls for Cashel Antique Almond and Cashel Black although I'm suggesting instead, Lakeside Linens Vintage Autumn Gold and Vintage Charcoal. When I'm doing designs that have to be stitched together I like the fabrics to both be hand-dyed or both to be commercially dyed (and from the same company and same base fabric). When fabrics are hand-dyed to they shrink so pairing one that's hand-dyed and one that isn't can create some interesting "ease" issues when assembling pieces. Just my personal experience... Your mileage may vary :-)

Button Up Birdies #6 is the latest in Cathy's Button Up Birdies series ($11.00). They can be stitched into cute little ornaments or even small framed pieces.

We should be getting these and the July releases before the end of September. If you'd like us to be sure to order one for you, contact us!

Paternayan wool on sale!

After giving the manufacturer more than a year to fix their supply problems we have given up waiting. Effective immediately all of our Paternayan wool is on sale - limited to stock on hand. The online catalog has been updated to reflect what we have for colors in 8yd (Reg. $1.00/Sale $.80), 20yd (Reg $2.50/Sale $1.90) and 1/4lb Hanks (Reg $14/Sale $10).

We are evaulating other wools at the present time. We're not thrilled with the other 3-ply wools on the market but we are considering stocking the skeins of Appleton Tapestry Wool (we stock the crewel weight) and more of the lovely Merino wool, Bellalusso. We will start special ordering Au ver a Soie's Fine d'Aubusson wool, which is similar in weight to DMC Medici and works wonderfuly for crewel.

While none of these is a direct replacement for Paternayan they do offer some nice colors and texture if you love stitching with wool.

Updated 9/2/11 - the sale will continue until 9/5 at which time we'll either be putting what we have left in grab bags or it's going to other shops. So get what you need now!

Models For Sale

We have some models for sale. Most are cross-stitch and framed. Sorry, there are no photos but you can come by the shop to see them.

• Coleshill Collection - Spring needlepoint ($15)
• Kitty Kats Originals - Where Is My Prince. ($20)
• Just Another Button Company - Wild Blue Yonder ($15)
• Heart In Hand - Hoppin' Hare pillow ($15)
• Fanci That - Hat of the Month August ($20)
• Charland Designs - Bird In Hand pillow ($15)
• Cindy Valentine Designs - 2006 Ltd Edition Egg ($25)
• Pine Mountain Designs - Play Ball Pillow ($5)

• Mosey 'n Me - Frankly, Happy Halloween ($10)- SOLD
• The Victoria Sampler - Crystal Waters ($15) - SOLD
• Lady of The Lake - My Little Multiplication Table ($10) - SOLD
• Birds of a Feather - Good Things ($25) - SOLD
• Elegant Designs - The Lord Loves Rightousness ($30) - SOLD
• Sandy Jenkins - TEA needlepoint ($10) - SOLD
• Trail Creek Farm - Screech pillow ($20) - SOLD
• Just Nan - Hummingbead pillow ($10) - SOLD
• Bee My Valentine pillow (designer unknown) ($2) - SOLD
• Sisters and Best Friends - Little Glove Book ($20) - SOLD
• Fanci That - Hat of the Month March ($15) - SOLD
• Earth Threads - Simple Elegance ($15) - SOLD
• Moss Creek Designs - Montmellick Sampler ($30) - SOLD
• JBW Designs - Secret Garden ($15) - SOLD
• Honey Bee Creations - Pumpkin Lane ($5) - SOLD

Update - Models we've sold will be tagged with SOLD on the end of their listing...

Updated 12/9/11 with currently available models.

Summer Sidewalk Sale is Saturday!

Don't forget to join us at the shop for our Summer Sidewalk Sale this Saturday July 9th from 11-5. We'll have tables set up behind the shop in the driveway (which will be blocked off for the day) and lots of sale items including charts, fabric, a few threads, canvases, accessories and kits. Come join us for a fun day of bargain shopping!

2011 Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers

Summer, the first of the new 3-part Loose Feathers series will be released next week. Featuring 3 seasons, Summer, Autumn and Winter the first sights of the Summer design sure look great. The main design fabric (which is enough to stitch all 3 side-by-side) calls for 30 count R&R Irish Creme. We're subsituting 32 count Lakeside Linens and you have choices of Vintage Luna, Vintage Lentil or Vintage Light Examplar. You can certainly choose another Lakeside Linens color or even Linens By Design (aka Birds of a Feather) or Week's Dye Works if you like more mottled fabrics. The main design uses Crescent Colours and Sampler Threads. There are 2 additional designs with Summer, which use Lakeside for the fabric and Belle Soie and Dinky Dyes for the designs.

You can sign-up for the series via our online catalog or by contacting us at the shop. We don't know when Autumn and Winter will be released but we'll post that information when it becomes available.

Change in fabric availability

We were notified today that Graziano's Ricamo linen (40 count) is no longer available. We have sold out of the white and ivory we still had. However we have a few hand-dyed colors from Lakeside Linens available. It was sad to hear the news since it was a really wonderful linen. This does not affect the availability of Graziano's Florence linen (45 count), which we can still obtain and we have that in stock.

Wichelt is producing 16 count waste canvas once again. We expect a shipment of a couple of yards in the next few days. It had been out of production for almost a year.

Weekly Special - Sale Charts

We're reorganizing our cross-stitch charts and finding some we're putting on sale. For the next few weeks we'll be posting a list each week of a set of charts on sale that week. You'll find the list by visiting our on-line catalog sale page and it will be updated each Friday with a new selection of 70-100 charts. Sale prices good while supplies last!

Part 2 of Brenda Gervais's Mystery Sampler Is Released

Brenda released Part 2 on Friday and we expect it at the shop toward the end of next week. Here's a sneek peek Brenda posted to her blog. She's also created a Mystery Sampler Blog where you can follow other's progress.

We have a Yahoo SAL group and if you'd like to join while stitching this piece you'll find the group here. You don't need to be a NIAH customer to join, just be working (or intend to) on the project. If you need supplies you'll find them in our on-line catalog, which also has our silk conversion list.

Friday the 13th Sale!

There's only one Friday the 13th in 2011 and this is it! All Halloween related items in the store are on sale for 13% off today only. Sale is good on regularly priced in-stock items only. Come have some pre-Halloween shopping fun.

Mindy Trunkshow has arrived!

After a multi-city detour, or Mindy Needlepoint Designs trunkshow has arrived safe and sound. It's being put up as I write this. We will be extending the trunkshow through at least June 5th so you'll have plenty of time to come check it out. Mindy trunkshow canvases are 10% off and earn Rewards points as well. Come by and check it out!