AS&E Magazine - ALERT !

Here's the information we received from Country Bumpkin yesterday:

After careful consideration Country Bumpkin Publications has made the extremely difficult decision to discontinue publishing Australian Smocking & Embroidery magazine. The final issue of this publication will be issue 100 which is due for release on the 29th August 2012.

Issue 100 will be a collectors issue with ‘best of’ articles, a history of Country Bumpkin and articles from both Susan O’Connor and Margie Bauer, Country Bumpkin’s original founder.

No on subscribing through us will lose any money paid for her subscription. If you have a current sub and want to renew, so you can get this final issue, it will run through the final issue #100 and the price will be adjusted accordingly. If you already have a subscription which extends past issue 100, you will be refunded for any issues not sent.

If you want this special final issue and don't have a subscription, please let us know as soon as you can, so we try to get one for everyone who wants it.

If you have any questions, just let us know.
We greatly appreciate the 'heads up' from Country Bumpkin with 3 issues still left before ceasing publication.

Home Sweet Home kits

We finally have some information for you about the kits for the new Home Sweet Home project book by Country Bumpkin. Here is what they have to say:

We have finished pricing up the kit. Thank you for your patience.
The kit contains fabric (external fabric not lining fabric), Threads for Embroidery and Beads. It does not include any cardboard or charms etc.
The kits are expensive to put together as a result we have a set a retail price at AU$380.00 ($407 US dollars)per kit.

Available from the 1st March.

We are also offering a 10 month subscription to the kit. When people subscribe to the kit, each month they get one project towards making up the kit. The monthly price is AU$44.95 ($48 US dollars). This is only offered directly through Country Bumpkin, so if your customers don’t want to pay for the kit up front you can direct them to contact us if they are interested in the subscription kit. If there is interest in the subscription kit they have to subscribe before the 1st of March, otherwise they will miss out.


So, that is it - if anyone is interested in purchasing the kit, let us know. If we can get 20 committed to the kit, I'll import them and that will cut down the shipping costs.

Pin Bin by Kacoonda

Here's our newest kit from Kacoonda. It is a pin bin. The finished size is approximately 7cms high by 10cms (2.75" x 4"). The kit includes the pattern with detailed instructions and photo, felt, ribbon, silk threads and patchwork fabric for trimming around the top. If it isn't on our website yet, just contact us via email. They sell for $35.
Please excuse the poor color quality in the second photograph. The top one is more accurate.

Inspirations #73

Our magazines are in the air and due here either later this week or early next week.

Talliaferro's "Pomegranate Tree Sampler"

It's here! The beautiful "Pomegranate Tree Sampler" - the third design from TALLIFERRO Classic Needleart has arrived. Price: $30.

We have made up some Appleton packs for the threads needed to complete the project. Price $25.

The finished size of the image is 7.75" x 10".

They should be on our website by next week, but if you want one in the meantime, just let us know.

Home Sweet Home Kit

We've just gotten word that there will be a kit for the Home Sweet Home project.

January Newsletter

Our January newsletter is out. We have several new inventory items this month to go along with the new year. Here's the link.
http://www.woolythread.com/newsletter.pdf

Home Sweet Home - An Embroidered Workbox book by Carolyn Pearce

It seems I got so busy sending out all the books and magazines that arrived last week, I neglected to post here that they did, indeed, arrive and have been sent out to everyone who pre-ordered. They are also now on our website, so check in there if you want one.

Ottobre's Spring Issue

Here's a peak at the next issue due out the second week of January. I just love this hat!

Here's what else you will find in this issue:

BUTTERFLIES AND BEETLES
The first butterflies emerging from hibernation are definite signs of spring. A velour dress, a tunic, a jersey top, leggings, narrow-leg cargo pants, a poplin coat and a rose-trimmed hat for little girls. Retro-style overalls, sweatpants, a T-shirt and a hooded velour jacket for boys.

INDIAN STORIES
Children love hearing intriguing stories about life in bygone times while playing Indians. T-shirts, sweatpants, recycled jeans, a plaid shirt, tunics and hippie-style velveteen pants.

SMALL WONDERS
Fresh Scandinavian print patterns are inspiring and just perfect for baby clothes. Bodysuits, coveralls, jersey and velour pants, an apron dress and a jersey jacket. A quilted patchwork play mat and a colorful pennant bunting to pep up the baby’s bedroom.

SPRING IN DENIM
Denim looks always trendy and lends itself well to various casual spring clothes. A little denim skirt, recycled jeans and a ruffle skirt plus a polo shirt, two beautiful tunics and a T-shirt.

100 Ottobre Magazines

We just received an order of 100 Ottobre Design magazines ranging from one of the earliest published 2002 through the most current issue. We don't have every issue in this range, but we do have the vast majority of them. We are offering these issues that we have on hand for just $14 each with free shipping to US and Canadian addresses. What's more, they will be sent directly from here in the US. This offer is not on our website, so contact us if you are interested and we'll let you know if the issue/issues you want are in stock and we'll send it/them right out to you. You do not need a subscription to get this special price and the offer is only good as long as our supply lasts. If you order 3 or more, we'll send them priority mail.
The issue shown is one of the most popular issues ever. It was re-printed after much demand. It is issue 6/2007 - the children's winter issue. We have several of this issue.

Talliaferro's "Paradiso I" - crewel embroidery project

It's here! The newest embroidery design from Talliaferro has arrived and should be on our website shortly. If you want one before it shows up there, just let us know. It is available with the Appleton pack or without.
Price: $25 - with Appleton pack - $37.

Arrival

Customs just called to tell me our shipment of ASE #97 and the new Home Sweet Home books has cleared and will be delivered here tomorrow. Everything will be in the mail by Monday and on its way to you. The books will go priority mail, so they should get to you by Christmas!!

Erica Wilson

Erica Wilson 'mother of crewel' and a great needleworker passed away yesterday. Here's a link to her obituary in the New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/nyregion/erica-wilson-dies-at-83-led-a-rebirth-of-needleworking.html?_r=1

"Home Sweet Home" book

Our shipment of the new Country Bumpkin book Home Sweet Home is on its way. We have tracking and expect the shipment to arrive next week.
In with this shipment of new books, we are also getting Australian Smocking and Embroidery magazine issue 97.

Ottobre's Etsy Shop Gift Card Give-Away

Ottobre generously offered us a 50 Euro (about US$70) gift card to be given away for use in their Etsy shop .
We mentioned this offer in our most recent newsletter and 20 Ottobre subscribers entered to win. In order to select the winner, we gave each entrant a number based on the order they entered the give-away. So the first one to sign up was number one, the next one was number two, etc. I then logged on to www.Random.org and entered numbers 1-20. The site randomly selected number 10 which turned out to be Sara Spofford - a long time Ottobre subscriber and an even longer time Wooly Thread newsletter reader. Congratulations Sara! I'll contact you with details.
We may just do this again, so keep reading our newsletter.

December Newsletter

Our December newsletter is out!
http://www.woolythread.com/newsletter.pdf

First News About Ottobre Spring 2012 Issue

Here's the little bit we know so far about the next issue of Ottobre due to be released January 13th.........

Themes:
*Bright outerwear
*Comfortable clothes for school and daily wear
*Much-requested baby basics in delightful print fabrics

We'll post more info about this new issue as we get it, but there will be other Ottobre news released tomorrow in our newsletter.

Crewel in Dallas

Crewel 101 at Oil and Cotton in Dallas Dec. 3
For those of you in the Dallas, Texas area you may be interested in this upcoming event. As you may know, we have stocked Wool & Hoop embroidery kits for several years now. This is a chance for you to get some hands-on instruction from the designer of the Wool & Hoop projects. Here is the information that has been released about this event..............

Hey, crewel friends! I'm doing a crewel embroidery workshop on Saturday, Dec. 3 from 11am - 1pm at Oil and Cotton in Dallas. All skill levels are welcome to attend. I'll go over crewel embroidery basics and teach eight crewel stitches and finishing techniques. Participants will receive all the supplies needed to get started -- including my book, The New Crewel, which offers 30 of my original designs, 15 fun projects, and 16 classic embroidery stitches. Additional crewel kits and supplies will be available for sale at the workshop. Just in time for your holiday gift-making plans! Click (or copy and paste)this URL for details.
http://oilandcotton.bigcartel.com/product/december-3-11-1pm-new-crewel-basics

Mohair Embroidery Thread

We now have some mohair embroidery thread in our inventory. Our current supply is limited, but we plan to add more as the demand for it increases. It is made in Australia by Kacoonda.
It feels sooooo soft to the touch as you embroider with it. If you have never used mohair embroidery thread, please send a self-addressed envelope and I'll send you a sample.
Here are the colors in stock - they should be on our website by the first of the month. In the meantime, if you want some, just let us know. Price: $3.50/skein (11 yards).
The identifying color numbers are (left to right)
001, 008, 033, 036, 049, 056, 059, 067, 068, 071, 073

Kacoonda

Kacoonda's "Floppy Feet" Pincushion Kit

We have decided to branch out a little more and are now the only North American stockist for Australia's "Kacoonda" products. You may be familiar with them via some Inspirations magazine projects.

Kacoonda produces hand-dyed variegated embroidery threads (wool and mohair) and ribbons, as well as, wool felt using only the best of natural fibers. Their threads and ribbons are hand-dyed in their own unique color range to produce exquisite embroidery products that will inspire and delight.
We are starting with their mohair threads and a pincushion kit "Floppy Feet" that will introduce you to a wide range of their product line, ie. their hand-dyed wool felt, ribbons, and threads.
Go to this link to see more details and pictures of this kit....

http://www.kacoonda.com/happy-feet-kit

We have the kits and some mohair threads in stock. They will soon be on our website, but if you want one now (since we only ordered a few to start), contact us via email and we'll get it to you right away. Kit price: $59.

I'll post shortly the colors of mohair threads we currently have in stock.