More Sold Out Ottobre Issues

We just got word that several more issues of Ottobre are totally sold out. Here is the list:

spring, summer and fall issues from 2000
summer and fall issues from 2001
spring issue 2002
spring issue 2008

There are also some English edition magazines that are sold out, but still available in other languages. They are.........

winter 2003 - only available in Dutch with English instructions inserted
summer 2008 - only available in Dutch with English instructions inserted

Inspirations Magazine #63 - coming soon

Here are some pictures of projects in the upcoming issue of Inspirations magazine - issue #63.
Enjoy...............................

Early Release

We just got word from Ottobre that the newest magazine will be released a little early. I'll be looking for mine late next week.

Ottobre's Autumn Issue

The cover picture for the newest issue - 4/2009 -has just been released. It will be sent out in early July. Here is what you'll find in this issue:

This issue includes forty (40) patterns for kids in sizes 50-170 cm.

The themes are:

RUSSIAN PEASANT

You'll find rich Slavic colors and voluminous styles. Delicious clothing items for layering – both for boys and girls. Tunics, pinafore dresses, pants, a bodywarmer and three fabulous coats. A pinafore dress and a girl’s T-shirt also in plus sizes.

Sizes 86–158 cm

BABY DREAMS -A delicate vintage-style linen outfit and a soft, first outdoor coverall for a very young baby. Sweet hooded jackets, a little skirt and com-fortable overalls for toddlers.

Sizes 50-74 cm and 62–92 cm

ENJOYABLE AUTUMN -Showy appliquéd and embroidered motifs appeal to schoolkids. Straightforward, practical outfits for daily wear: pinafore dresses plus T-shirts, knit jackets and pants for boys and girls.

Sizes 104–170 cm

Looks like another winner to me!

If you want to see more pictures, so to Ottobre's own blog at http://www.ottobredesign.blogspot.com/

Sold Out!

We had just been notified that Ottobre Design magazine issue 1/2008 (spring, 2008) is totally sold out. Not only are we sold out, but so is Ottobre - even the foreign language editions of this super popular issue are gone. I don't recall such a recent issue ever being completely sold out this quickly. It's been removed from our ebay store and when our web designer gets back from summer vacation, it will be removed from our regular website, as well, but wanted you blog readers to be first to know. If there is a back issue you want, don't delay!

What a Deal on A-Z Books!

We've had a chance to get a really great deal on some of Country Bumpkin's renowned A-Z books. The regular retail price is about $30 - $33, but we are offering the following A-Z books for just $15.

A-Z of Stumpwork
A-Z of Wool Embroidery
A-Z of Embroidery Stitches 2
A-Z of Threadpainting
A-Z of Embroidered Flowers

In paperback we are offering A-Z of Knitting for $18.

These books are available on our website - or just contact us via this blog if you want one.

Wool Soap??

You may remember our wool rocks (see post on Dec 16th) that we introduced last year. Well now we have found some wool soap. This is actually soap that has felted wool surrounding it. Here is what our information says about it:

These handmade bars are wrapped in wool to create a soap and washcloth all in one. Wool has natural antifungal properties and will retain its freshness. The wool acts as a wicking agent, soaking in the lather of the soap, making the encased soap last longer. The wool felt shrinks along with the soap as you use it.
The wool used in this product is locally sourced from friendly farm sheep. The cold process soap is made in small batches from 100% natural vegetable oil base with real essential oils and botanical ingredients. No synthetics, chemicals or animal ingredients are used in our soap. These make great travel gifts and may also be used to add wonderful fragrances to your car or linen closet.
Made in California, USA

This soap sounded intriguing, so I had to give it a try and sure enough, it really does work. Once the bar is thoroughly soaked, the lather from the soap emerges from the wool. It dries out just as nicely as it was originally.

As it says above, it can also be used in a closet or drawer to add a subtle fragrance. We have several of these wool soap bars in either lavender or verbena. The picture shows only one, but they come in various colors. If you want one, let us know. - Price: $14/each

A-Z of Sewing Has Arrived!

The long awaited and much anticipated 19th book in the highly acclaimed A-Z series of books from Country Bumpkin has arrived. It is entitled: A-Z of Sewing. It is a hard-cover, spiral bound book which is 156 pages long and full of color photographs. Pre-ordered books will be sent out tomorrow. We have extras, so let us know if you want one. Price $3o.

Australian Smocking & Embroidery magazine #87

AS&E magazine issue 87 has just arrived this afternoon. Subscriber copies will go out tomorrow.

Here is what you will find in this issue:

Hearts and Roses - floral dress smocked from shoulder to waist (sizes: 3, 4, 5)

Little Wonder -bishop dress with ribbon embellishment (sizes: 6, 12, 18 months)

Eloise - classic Sunday dress with lace collar (sizes: 4, 6, 8)

Poppy - poppy print dress with black smocking (sizes: 4, 6, 8)

Luminesce - bewitching silk party dress for little girls (sizes: 2, 3, 4)

Summer Blooms - daisy print dress with embroidery (size: 3, 4, 5, 6)

High Five - smocked denim jacket (sizes: 2, 4, 6)

Serious Fun - sleeveless wrap front dress with matching cardigan (sizes:12, 18, 24 months)

Inspiration Magazine issue 62 has arrived!

Inspirations issue 62 has arrived just today. Subscriber copies will be in the mail tomorrow.

Here's what is in this issue:

>Chiffon Flower: Proddy flower using rag rug techniques

>Oliver Twist Temari: Learn the Japanese art of temare

>Garden of Earthly Delights: Stunning bag and cushion

>Serenade: Exquisite embroidered chair back

>Sitting Pretty: Kogin style embroidered chair pad

>Picnic Time: Ivory flannel blanket with endearing embroidery

>Snow White: Elegant Mountmellick embroidered table cover

>Washing Day: Spectacular thread painted study

>Constance: Beautiful needlecase and pinwheel

>Lavender Delight: Dainty embroidered sachet

>Sweet Slumber: Luxurious embroidered pillowcase

Ottobre Design - Summer issue

What a great smile this little girl has! I especially love the toothless look.

This is the cover of the soon-to-be released summer issue of Ottobre.

This magazine will be sent out the last week of the month, so be watching for it.

Here's what you will be seeing in this issue:

This issue includes forty (40) patterns for kids in sizes 62-170 cm.

BABIES IN A PEA POD - Sweet summer outfits for babies. Intense colors borrowed from garden produce ripening in the sun: rhubarb, carrot and raspberry. A little jacket, tunics, a dress, a shirt, T-shirts, jeans and a sunhat.Sizes 62–92 cm

VISITING GRANNY -Elegant special-occasion wear in vintage style for schoolchildren. Modernized sailor outfits for young children. Shirts, dresses, a skirt, shorts and a vest.Sizes 62–170 cm

ZOO OR JUNGLE - A safari-themed collection dedicated to little boys. The clothes are pepped up with animal motifs, using new techniques. A jacket, T-shirts, a shirt, shorts, bermudas and pants.Sizes 98–170 cm

TECHNICOLOR KIDS -Colorful outfits for the hottest days of the summer holiday: a T-shirt, a tunic, pants, dresses, sunwear and swimwear.Sizes 92–170 cm

What a Deal!

We have just located a source for two more A-Z books that we can offer you for less than half the regular price. A-Z of Threadpainting and A-Z of Embroidered Flowers are now available for just $15 each. Our website is in the processing of being updated to give you this discount on our website. We'll keep this low price as long as supplies last.

Theo Chocolate

As most of your know, I am a huge chocolate fan. Now and then we find a great chocolate and want to share it with you.

Theo Chocolate is a fair trade, organic chocolate producer right here in Seattle. Their newest creation is the Jane Goodall dark chocolate (70% cocao) bar. But, this is more than a chocolate bar and it benefits far more than just the consumer (who gets to eat it) and the producer (who gets to sell it). Here is what Theo has to say about their newest creation:

The partnership between Theo and Jane Goodall is inspired by “Cocoa Practices,” a ground breaking Theo Chocolate initiative that brings together small scale cocoa farmers, larger producers and non-governmental organizations from the world’s cocoa producing regions. Cocoa Practices is designed to give farmers the tools they need to grow high-quality cocoa beans while conserving indigenous wildlife and other natural resources in the tropical rainforest eco-systems that provide both their livelihoods and their homes.

Proceeds from the sale of these chocolate bars will benefit cocoa farmers, promote conservation in the tropical rainforest and directly contribute to the Jane Goodall Institute’s efforts to save chimpanzees, develop community centered conservation efforts and direct youth education programs around the world.

We like this chocolate so much, we bought a case of it fresh and direct from the Theo Chocolate factory. If you'd like a bar or two - before I eat them all myself - just let us know. They aren't on our website just yet. They are $5 for a 3 ounce (84 gram) bar. Contact us for more details.

A-Z Book in Paperback?

Yes, it is true. For more than 20 years, Country Bumpkin has been producing their highly acclaimed series of A-Z books. With 18 titles now available, A-Z of Knitting is the first one to be made available in paperback. The book has the same dimensions (9" x 8.5"), has the same cover picture, the same number of pages, and the inside is identical to that of the hardcover.

What is different, is that it is a paperback without the spiral binding used in the hardcover editions and the price is almost half the cost of the hardcover edition - $18.

Sneak Peek

Here is a very early sneak peak at one of the outfits that will be in the children's summer issue of Ottobre Design magazine being released late next month.

This tiny dress is made of Anna Maria Horner fabric from the Free Spirit collection of Westminsterfibers.

The child shown is 10 months old.

Can't wait to see this issue.....

Vintage Ottobre and A-Z Books

We have a few of the very oldest Ottobre Design magazines dating back to the first year of publication. They are not in English, so keep that in mind if you decide you want one.
Here's what we have from the first years of publication:

- winter issue 2000 in Finnish (shown)
- spring issue 2001 in Finnish
- winter issue 2001 in German and Finnish
- summer issue 2002 in Finnish
- autumn issues 2002 in Dutch, German, and Finnish
- winter issues 2002 in German and Finnish


As for the A-Z books from Australia's Country Bumpkin......

we have some new offers on some older titles. We found a great deal of the A-Z of Flower Embroidery, so can offer it for just $15 - that's less than half the regular price. We also found a brand new paperback edition of A-Z of Knitting that we can offer for just $18, rather than the regular $33 price for the hard cover edition.

Let us know if you want any of these books or magazines and we'll send them to you.

What's New?

The expo is over and it was once again a great show. It seemed especially good this year, because we were expecting it to be in a slump as is most of the economy now, but someone forgot to tell the attendees. We had a great time and attendance was actually up from last year.

Just before the expo, Ottobre launched their new blog. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out:
http://www.ottobredesign.blogspot.com/ . This is the place to see details on current issues and get all the news first.

As for us, what's new is our recently arrived shipment of The Crewel Work Company kits. Here is a brief overview of what we have in stock. We only have one of each, so if you want one you see, let us know right away. They come from the UK, so it takes a while to re-stock. More details are (or soon will be) on our regular website.

Sewing and Stitchery Expo Here We Come....

Later this week, the Sewing and Stitchery Expo in Puyallup, Washington begins. It is touted to be the largest sewing show in the country with about 30,000 attendees over the course of its 4-day run. For the sixth year now, we'll be participating.
Here's a link if you want more information: www.sewexpo.com

More Ottobre Woman Pictures

We just received some more pictures to post from the newest, soon-to-be released women's spring/summer '09 issue along with some background information.

The model in the beige dress is Maya - her father is Peruvian. The model in the gray coat is Laura and she is a Finnish Laplander. Also note that the current children's issue features a young boy on the cover who was adopted from Africa by a Finnish family - scroll down a few postings to see him.

Don't you love the international flare of this magazine? What's more....this is a Finnish magazine with an Italian name.

New Ottobre Woman Magazine

The newest Ottobre Woman magazine is not out yet, but we can show you a picture of the cover and give you some details about the contents. This magazine will be ready for release the last week of February. If you want one, just let us know, so we can have it sent to you as soon as it is released.

Here's what you'll find in this issue:

Nineteen (19) patterns for women (European sizes 34-52) Carefree clothes for active women, modern yet romantic special-occasion dresses, skirts, tops and pants, a breastfeeding top in response to our readers’ requests and much more.

ROUND'N ROUNDLight and easy summer wear. Retro prints, nuanced natural colors and always chic black. A sundress, a tunic, pants, a skirt, a nursing top and a knit dress.Sizes 34-52

OUT AND ABOUT Clothes for sporty women who love the great outdoors. A coat with a metallic sheen, a flared viscose knit tunic, a camisole top and denim pants.Sizes 34-44/46 and 34-52

ART GALLERYDressy clothes for those special occasions that spice up the daily routine. Bamboo, cotton and linen. A beautiful classic dress in two versions, elegant pants, tops and a swingy viscose-jersey skirt.Sizes 34-44 and 34-52

BROWN, TURQUOISE OR MOSTLY PINKApparel for functions and cultural events. Small and large print patterns, draping viscose and soft linen. Viscose-jersey blouse and dress, a skirt, a linen coat and a linen sheath dress.Sizes 34-44/46 and 34-52