Welcome to our look at what’s new in the warehouse for August! We’re torn between saying goodbye to the summer and hello to the autumn, and our picks this month reflect that inter-seasonal position!
These two new needleminders illustrate this “goodbye sunshine, hello frost” feeling perfectly. From Bothy Threads and Caterpillar Cross Stitch, these bold and beautiful stitching accessories will brighten up your needlecraft project, as well as being an invaluable way of keeping track of any needles making a bid to escape! The Here comes the Sun needleminder on the left, from Bothy Threads, will make a cheerful burst of sunshine on your fabric, whatever the theme of your stitching. Strong magnets on either side will keep your needle, or your chart, in position whilst you work on your project, making your hobby time even more stress-free and relaxing: there is nothing like a needle lost somewhere in the sofa cushions to bring unwanted anxiety to a stitching session! The Ice Skates, on the right, is one of Caterpillar Cross Stitch’s new additions to their needleminder collection, and it’s just perfect for stitching your way towards the colder months. The thick, glossy enamel, complete with two strong magnets, is styled as a pair of festive skating boots, with holly and berries decorating the sides. Glide into your festive stitching with this charming minder – it’s time to give up losing and hunting for needles!
For our two selected cross stitch projects, we are enjoying the contrast between these two new picks from Bothy Threads. Harvest, on the left, is a charming addition to the collection of wonderful shoe designs from Bothy Threads. Stitched in a soft palette of reds, creams and browns, the shoe’s heel is fashioned from a collection of wheat with some bright flowers popping up around the base. The chequered design on the shoe is finished with a floppy bow at the back, whilst a basket of mushrooms sits daintily on the toe, a butterfly circling lazily. We love this quirky, charming design by artist Sally King, who says that she is only limited by her imagination, and we can certainly see that reflected in her wonderful illustrations, brought to life in stitch by Bothy Threads – and a stitcher of course! Using cross stitches, back stitch and some French knots, the finished project is a manageable 28cm by 22cm – definitely enough time to have this finished and up on your wall for the autumn festivals! Our other Bothy Thread pick has a far chillier feel – Christmas Townhouse, on the right, is all about winter frost and snow. Designed by artist Sally Swannell, this charmingly chilly design is stitched on 16 count ice blue aida, in a range of cool tones to match the illustration. The large, formal house front is softened and brightened by the Christmas wreaths and decorations seen hanging in the window, whilst the jolly snowman leaning against the tree by the front fence looks on, cosy in his hat and scarf. Two bare, wintry trees give the design symmetry and balance, whilst the small dog and the cute robin bring movement and life. Sparkle thread is included in the kit, along with stranded cottons, beads, and a clear stitch diagram and instructions – everything you’ll need to embark on this frost journey!
Finally, we found some charming, and extremely useful project bags on our warehouse shelves and couldn’t resist bringing them to your attention! Perfect for storing your stitching projects, threads or crafty accessories, these fun and handy bags will zip up safely, keeping everything together until your next stitchy session. The Haby Notions pouch, on the left, features a zippered, transparent front pocket, so that you can easily check what you’re keeping in there! Measuring a generous 30cm by 29.5cm, most hoops and frames will fit neatly inside, leaving plenty of room for threads, scissors and, of course, your invaluable needle minder! Made from 100% organic recycled cotton, and decorated with a cute design featuring all sorts of crafty accessories, we think this bag will make a real difference to your crafty life. Equally useful and cute is a new Bothy Threads project bag – Sunshine Stitcher! Bright and colourful summer motifs give this bag a summery, light-hearted charm, and the bold zip brings a cheerful accent colour. Perfect for storing your needlework projects away from dust and damage, you will always know where your summer stitching is with this bag! Of course, you could manage without a stitchy project bag, but who wants to spend precious stitching time searching for threads or a pattern? We are very much in favour of keeping your projects tidy and safe in their own bag, so you’re ready to begin as soon as you’re settled in your favourite stitchy spot. We think that, once you begin to use one, you’ll wonder how you managed without! (If you’d like to make your own project bag, please check out the free pattern for The Pip Bag on our website.)
That’s it for August in the needlecraft section of Wool Warehouse. Be sure to see what Alex has to show you in Yarns, and hop on over to Fabric for Vic’s choices.