The whole family has been sick lately, and my daughter was home sick from school today. I wasn’t feeling well either, so I managed to get this hedgehog done while on the couch with her, watching episode after episode of The Magic Schoolbus and Curious George.
The backstitch on the web and hedgehog were hard to follow, because they didn’t follow any kind of path. But I’m happy with the finished result. Happy Halloween!
*Cough*Sneeze*
Carrie
I started this hedgehog Halloween project several weeks ago but lost interest. After finishing my punch needle project, I decided to work on it again and it is finally starting to take shape. The design is by Rhona Norrie and was in issue 207 of The World of Cross Stitch magazine.
I absolutely adore hedgehogs. I will probably never get to see one in real life, so cross stitching them will have to do!
XXX
Carrie
Well, the punching for this project is complete. But I am not quite sure what to do with it yet to finish it off. I could use floss to make a cord and then sew it around the edges. And then it can be used as a hanging. But I don’t really have anywhere to hang it. So maybe a small frame would work better. I’m not in any hurry, because Halloween is coming up and I have an idea for my son’s costume that is going to take a lot of time. So the punch needle gets put away in the “finished projects” tote that most of my cross stitch creations end up in.
XXX
Carrie
I’ve made a bit more progress on the punch needle project. I am still enjoying the relaxing, fun technique and love watching how the loops start coming together.
XXX
Carrie
To say thank you to everyone who visits my blog, I am offering a special coupon code that you can use at www.crossstitchers.com. This coupon is good for 20% off your next order of $5 or more. Just enter this code at checkout: stitchingcorner
Your discount will be applied after you click the “recalculate” button. Hurry, this offer won’t last long!
Happy stitching,
Carrie
Learning to Punch Needle was easier than I thought, thanks to this great video series on YouTube. I watched all of her videos through once, then went back to the important parts again (like how to thread the punch needle). Then I started punching… and am loving it! This project is working up so quickly compated to counted cross stitch, and you don’t need great light or eyesight. You just outline a motif and then fill it in. It actually reminds me of making all of the Wilton cakes I have created for my kids over the years!
With punch needle, you work on the top of the hoop surface, right on the transfered design. But the back is actually the right side. The loops that you make don’t look like much to start, but as the design gets fuller the loops squash together to make a nice looking picture.
These photos were from day one’s progress. On day two it looked like this:
See how the loops are starting to press together?
XXX
Carrie
We got our first shipment in of the new DMC colors. They are available here. The color numbers are 3880, 3881, 3882, 3883, 3884, 3885, 3886, 3887, 3888, 3889, 3890, 3891, 3892, 3893, 3894 and 3895. These new colors are available only in this assortment. DMC has not released them for open stock (yet). The pack retails for $11.99. Three free designs are included with the pack.
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Carrie
The other day I was going through my stash of DMC floss and made note of which colors I was missing (or running very low on). I was shocked at how my full set of floss had dwindled down a lot. Some of the colors I do have, but they are pulled out for various projects. I decided not to worry about those, and just get a full bobbin-wound set again. This is what the “before” photo looks like. It will take serveral evenings of sitting in front of the TV to get these all wound. But I love looking at a full set of floss when it is sorted by numerical value and organized in plastic cases. I’ll post another photo when my bobbin winding is finished.
XXX
Carrie
Today I got the urge to try out punch needle. I have never done it before, and don’t even own a punch needle tool. But I purchased a DMC messenger bag to store my WIPs in, and it came with free iron on transfers and fabric for punch needle embroidery. And nearly every issue of Cross Stitch & Needlework Magazine has a punch needle project. So I leafed through my back issues to find something I liked (I don’t really care for the designs that came with the messenger bag). Then I headed to JoAnn Fabrics to buy a punch needle tool. And I came home empty handed. Seems they don’t sell anything related to punch needle. So then I headed over to the website of one of my suppliers and… success! They not only offer several punch needle tools, but they are not all that expensive, either. So I will now be selling punch needle supplies in my store. Hopefully they will go over well, because if they don’t I will be doing punch needle for the rest of my life. I will order the supplies on Monday and they should come in later in the week. Until then I can figure out what colors of floss I need, transfer the design to my fabric, and watch YouTube videos for information on how to actually do punch needle. Because that’s kind of important. I remember when I tried to make a quilt for the first time. I didn’t read any instructions, just dove right in. I attached the top piece to a side, then another side, then the bottom. Then I had no clue how to get the middle part of the block in there. Needless to say, that project went in the trash and I bought The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Quilting. And then I made dozens of quilts after that. Punch needle seems easy enough, but I’m not taking any chances.
XXX
Carrie
Today I stumbled upon a bag full of goodies that were packed away. I had forgotten all about these! So it was like Christmas morning going through everything. Most of these items came from shop buy-outs when stores are going out of business. I have purchased the inventory of 3 shops so far – one in NY, one in FL, and one in MI. Some of the items that the shop owners sold me were just not fit for resale. There were spools of Kreinik with the sticker missing that says what color number it is, other Kreinik spools that are obviously half used up (probably from shop classes), and spools that may be unused but are completely coming undone. That’s okay, they will make a great addition to my stash!
Some of the items included are a ton of the same color of Caron Watercolour’s Burnt Toast (with photocopied labels, for some reason); Kreinik spools in every color and size; overdyed floss from JAR Designs, Weeks Dye Works, Crescent Colours, and more; and a bunch of skeins of different types of The Thread Gatherer.
Here are some pictures for you to “ooh” and “aah” over! Click on the small images to view them full size.
XXX
Carrie
