July 2010

Well, with our move to our new cottage, all the good intentions of updating the newsletters every month went straight out of the window!  I had completely forgotten just how exhausting and time consuming moving is.  Add an old house, builders for 5 months, few or no cupboards in some of the rooms and lastly two houses moving into one - need I say anymore!

BUT... we love it and the sunshine this summer has made everything appear brighter and the move to the country more idyllic.  So at the moment I am trying to cope with stitching, gardening and renovating, as well as getting rid of 5 months of dust, which I think has gone into EVERY nook and cranny in our wonky cottage, which simply does not have one single straight wall - first built in 1780-90 and then has had subsequent additions. 

BEFORE: 

 AFTER (and still in progress):

What a transformation!!

Even since taking these more has been done so will update again next month and that is a promise!!!

On the embroidery front the Shows at the SECC and NEC have both come and gone!  We'll be back next year to meet up with customers as I will be demo-ing again at both with thanks to ICHF who put on two grand events.

I have managed to fit in some stitching along the way in the last few months and will have new designs and kits out shortly.   The buttons/beads that are always a constant draw on my stand are now up on the site for purchase and we will shortly have a few new ones to add as well.

Chameleon threads have just launched a new range of Perle No:12 and the threads are simply beautiful, with a lovely twist and high sheen.  As soon as the products go up on their site, I will put the range up on mine - there are a number of new colours so watch this space! 

Sadly this week I take leave of my very trusty friend and helper, Elizabeth,  who is relocating to Edinburgh. She will be sorely missed but happily will join me again on the stand at the SECC in Glasgow in March. She has been a pillar of strength to me with her constant support and many clever ways of improving my products, packaging and helping with what sometimes seem like an insurmountable mountain of work. Good luck with your move and go well! We will all miss you.

So now onto a short break over August and then back into teaching with a swing in September.

Take care and enjoy stitching (and gardening!)

Lorna 

Best wishes to you all for the New Year!

We will be moving both home and business premises this weekend.  We will be open for business as usual but please just bear with us if post is a day or two slower.   

We will be at the SEEC in Glasgow from 4-7th March for the ICHF show, Creative Stitches and Hobbycrafts and then at the NEC in Birmingham for the Sewing for Pleasure and Hobbycraft show from 25th March to 28th March.  The event this year at the NEC promises to be a prestigious one, as it will incorporate the Fashion & Embroidery show as well, which is normally held in October, in Harrogate.

Do visit our stand, as I will be demonstrating at both shows and you are welcome to pick my brains and pick up a frame and stitch with me. 

Best wishes and lots of good stitching in these snowy winter months!

Lorna 

PS Please email us rather than comment as the comment system is not effective especially if you have a query! 

Christmas is almost upon us and, oh boy, has this year flown!  It has been a very busy and productive year for me with lots of teaching and a number of new designs being produced.  In spite of the recession or maybe as a result of, crafts seem to be booming,  which is really wonderful as it would be terrible to see needlecraft disappearing.

My teaching workshop in France and my Great Escapes class this year were both very successful.   In 2010 I will be teaching on two Great Escapes weekends - a stumpwork sampler in May and crazy patchwork bag in October.  Both of these will be run from Highgate in Northampton, a new venue for me and one to which I am really looking forward.

The two residential weekends to France, where I will do a ribbon embroidery and a stumpwork workshop  project respectively, will take place in May and September.  Full details will go up on the website shortly and will also be available in a brochure via post.

We will be also updating the website with a number of changes and events in the New Year.  There will be a number of new monthly special giveaways with each order placed.  If you wish to be placed on my email list,  kindly let me have your email details.  Needless personal details requested on the website for going onto my mailing list have also been deleted.

Hopefully my new Spring Sampler will be available to order in the first quarter of 2010, as will also be a beaded thimble holder and matching needlecase.  Keep checking too for monthly specials, as I add new designs and reduce discontinued lines!  From January all my designs will be available as Pattern and Print or as Pattern only - this exciting new development has come about as a result of repeated requests by those who have hoards of threads stashed, wish to stitch one of my designs but do not necessarily want to purchase a complete kit.

Chameleon Threads has brought out a number of new Au ver au Soie D'Alger silk colours, which will shortly go up on the website, as will her range of gorgeous hand-dyed 28 and 30 count linen fabric pieces.

 I am now offering gift vouchers in multiples of £5.00, so if you are looking for a gift for a stitching friend, be it big or small, a personalised gift voucher could be the perfect solution, or alternatively give your husband or loved one a gentle nudge!

Lastly the most exciting news of all for me is that we (Steve and I) will be moving into a new house together at the beginning of December.  I will have a studio and much better teaching facilities so am really looking forward to the move.  My telephone number and email address will remain the same but as of 11 December my new postal address will be:

South Cottage, Medstead, Nr Alton, GU34 5LN

As you will perhaps realise we are only 5 miles from where I now live, but we will be more rurally situated.

My very best wishes to you all for Christmas and may it be a much improved 2010 for all of us!

Enjoy stitching!

Lorna

 PS.  Hot off the press – Stitch magazine Issue 62 is just out and contains my new Counting Sheep pincushion and Sheep in a Line designs!    Details however should read:

A complete pin cushion kit, which contains the design screened onto the fabric, muslin, all threads, needles and the wooden form can be ordered at a cost of £17.95 (includes packaging and postage). Alternatively a complete kit with the sheep in a row can also be ordered at a cost of £12.95  ie, two kits available and the above prices are correct!

OOPS!

Somehow the comment system is not working as a means of contacting me so please rather email me - use the contact us link - as I am not receiving any notice of comments and also have no way of getting hold of customers other than putting another comment on the site!  

We still do not know how the system works but are trying to figure it all out.  The joys of using a pre-designed system!

I have a super busy schedule this month but come the 1 October I will be updating the site again and putting up pictures of France and my latest work.  What a wonderful work in picturebook surroundings!

Back to the grind - great Escapes next weekend so much to be done!

Lorna