Merry Christmas to All

Well I can't believe another Christmas is nearly here, we will again be closing the shop over the Christmas / New year season.  We finish up at 5pm on the 23rd of December and don't come back until the 3rd of January 2012.
This year has really flown by, we have all produced some great projects and there are more in the pipeline, like all stitchers we have more than one project on the go and our brains will keep ticking over thinking of new things to do even though we are taking a break from stitching.
Hope you all have a great Christmas and a Good start to 2012 and it brings you every thing you wish for.

Needlework Web classes at Primke Designs

We are going to hold Web classes for some of our Primke Designs projects next year.  The first classes will start on the 6th of February and are going to be

Small Pink Myreska doily - this is a style of withdrawn thread work which comes from the Ukrain.

 Sea Side Garden - a Needlepoint box lid

both project are by Rosemarie Hanauer, for more information and advance details of future classes please check our web site under Classes.

Myreska Doily in new colour

Gunter is at the moment re stitching one of our Primke projects a Myreska doily, we can no longer get the Pink Lugano that it was originally designed in as our wholesaler is no longer importing it to Australia.  We have decided that the easiest solution is to dye our own pink Lugano, this one works really well with DMC 225 and as this is available in 5, 8 and 12 perle it will also work for anyone doing Hardanger Embroidery.

So here is a picture of the partly worked doily, what do you think of the colour

Primke projects as PDF files

We are please to let you know that we are now able to sell our Primke Designs projects as PDF files.  At the moment it is only the latest projects that are available, but we are slowly changing all our notes over.
If you have a look on the Christinascraft  website, you will see the ones that are available, we can offer these at a much reduced price, compared to the hard copy ones and of course there is no postage involved.

Primke Designs Christmas Tree

As Christmas is fast approaching I thought I would share a picture of the Tree we put up in the shop each year.  In Adelaide most people and nearly all shops put their decorations up at the start of November, to coincide with our Christmas Pagent that is over 1km long and winds its way thru the CBD.  As it is held on a Saturday morning, I don't get to see it in the flesh, but anyone who can't get there watches it on the TV.
Our Tree is 6ft tall and we have decided that only handmade decorations will go on it, over the years the ones we have made ourselves have been added to by ones we have been given by our students and stitching friends.  So now there is a lovely collection of all sorts of techniques including beading, goldwork, hardanger, Romanian point lace, Temari, Cross stitch, patchwork and more.  The final touch is the silver Lametta which is a very traditional thing to put on Christmas trees in Germany and everyone tells us it makes the tree look very special.

Goldwork Bicycle

I finally have got around to taking another photo of Monika's Goldwork bicycle. Even though it is a style of embroidery that progresses slowly (all that couching) the bicycle is taking shape. She might be able to ride it at the Tour Down Under next January (ha ha).

I can't remember if I mentioned it before, but Stage 1 of the Tour Down under will be starting just 5 minuets down the road from us. So if you are in Adelaide for the cycling come and visit us at the shop.

Hardanger Bell Pull - the next instalment

Well here is the update on my 4 Seasons bell pull, I have stitched Spring and nearly finished Summer, with only minor changes.  Autumn is next, hope to start this afternoon, my stitching and blogging seem to come in spurts, with boring things like book work and cleaning in between.

One of our customers once said "It must be great to do nothing but stitch"  what a joke.


Also an update on the Phone pockets, I have just finished the first set of notes and am working on the second set, more about that soon.
Well here is the update picture,  the middle of the flowers and leaves will have needle weaving in them when the piece is finished, but I am leaving that till last.

Stitch Sampler Hussif by Rosemarie Hanauer

We have just received our copy of Embroidery and Cross stitch issue 19_3.

On page 28 there are instructions for a Stitch Sampler Hussif worked in Primke threads, unfortunately the instructions are incomplete with only graphs for 2 of the 4 corners being published.  Also there are photos of only 3 of the 4 corners, and step by step instructions for 2 of the corners and the back.  We did send the whole instructions to the magazine and as we do not get to proof read before they go to print, the first we know of any problems is when we get the magazine.


As they chose to only show a photo of the inside of the Hussif, I have posted the photo of the outside.

Rosemarie's Hardanger Bell Pull - Progress??

On Saturday we only had a small class, so after they all were stitching, I thought I might get a few more stitches into my Bell Pull.  I started on the main element for the Summer part of the design, the Primke perle 8 I had picked really worked well with the background fabric and seemed to reflect the feel of our hot summers.

Then I had a really good look, and found that I had lined up one ship motif to the right of where I should have, so now I am reverse stitching instead.

Well here is the photo before I started reverse stitching, I still like the colours though.

Needlepoint phone pocket by Gunter

Gunter has designed another phone pocket using Primke threads, this is again worked on 18 count canvas in 2 different colour ways.

Below is the photo of one colour way almost finished, then we really must get on and finish the instructions for both sets of phone pockets.  By the way mine is working out fine and it is getting lots of use and comments, this could be something to make for yourself or as a Christmas present.

Rosemarie's Hardanger Bell Pull

Well here as promised are the first stitches on my New Hardanger Bell Pull, even though I have still not finished the Myreshka doily I just needed to start this.  What's stitching if you don't have at least 2 or 3 projects on the go.

Monika has dyed this piece of Lugano for me and it is a pale shade of 'Dirty', Sage Green and DMC 542 works well on it.  I am also going to use some overdyed threads and it is going to have Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter panels.

New Primke Design by Monika

Monika's Goldwork Bike

I thought I would share with you Monika's latest project, she thought that there were not enough projects out there for the men in our lives.  So she found this drawing of one of the very early bicycles and decided that gold work was the best way of stitching it.
As you can see it is only in the early stages but I will keep posting up dates as it grows.

And as an aside the First stage of the Tour Downunder will be starting just 5 minuets down the road from our shop in January 2012.  So if you are a cycling fan and are in Adelaide, come and see us before the race.

Hardanger Bell Pull

I have decided to start a 4 Seasons Bell pull, our new Primke hand-dyed fabrics inspired me.  There is a lovely Dried Sage colour that Monika has dyed for me in Lugano.  I have finished designing it on the computer and have picked the colours I think will work, so now it is just a matter of starting.  Stay tuned and I will post a picture as soon as there is anything to see.

Crewel Embroidery Cyber class

I am running another Cyber class for the Embroiderers' Guild of South Australia, this time it is a Beginner's Crewel Embroidery workshop.
If you have always wanted to try Traditional Crewel Embroidery but did not have the time to go to a class this could be for you.  The class runs over 8 weeks and takes you step by step thru a range of crewel stitches and of course you can ask lots of questions from the tutor as they arise, unlike when you just buy a kit.

If you think this could be for you check it out at  www.embguildsa.org.au

Good stitching until next time from Rosemarie

Royal Adelaide Show Results for Primke Designs

Hi everyone,

It has been a while since I have posted anything, my blog seems to go like that, I try to post on a regular basis but things happen and all my good intentions go out the window.

Well anyway, we all entered in the Royal Adelaide show and I am please to say that this year we all managed to pick up a prize.  Gunter got a 3rd for his Wisteria, Monika a 2nd for her Beaded Lace and I got a 2nd for my Stump work blossoms.  Apparently the entries at the Show are up this year, so go and check them out.

Primke Hand-dyed Linens and evenweaves

Because we in Australia are having more and more problems getting coloured linens and even weave fabrics, we have come up with some of our own.  Below are the photos of just 2, but there are more on the web site and we are going to add to them as time goes on.  So if you have a colour that you would really like let us know.


For instance the Monet Blue, Monika dyed for someone who is stitching one of Monet's gardens and the cross stitch pattern had no sky in stitching, therefore he really needed a sky blue.

New Primke phone pocket by Rosemarie

It's finally finished, took me a little longer than expected but the phone pocket is now finished.Love to hear what you think about it.Will publish Gunter's once his done.

New Primke Design by Gunter

Gunter has worked the wisteria in Primke threads and I think they almost look real.  The Wisteria is worked in Casalguidi technique on Cashel linen.  Gunter also frames all our pieces and I think the octagonal cut mat board gives the whole design an oriental flavour.

Rosemarie is Tutor of the Month at the Embroiderers' Guild

Sorry that I have not posted anything lately but it has been all go, I have been picked as the profiled Teacher for the month at the Embroiderers’ Guild of South Australia. This means that I had to get a collection of my work together for display at the Guild, with accompanying descriptions. Also there will be a write up about me in the guild review, with pictures.

So if you happen to be in Adelaide between now and mid July you can go to the Guild and see my work, plus pieces from the Guild museum and the stitch group that is displaying for that month.

Hardanger cyber class

If you don’t have the time to go to a class but you have always wanted to learn Hardanger, here is the class you have been waiting for.
I will be teaching a cyber class in beginners Hardanger for the Embroiderers’ Guild of South Australia in June.  The project will be a Scissor fob and Needlecase and between the 2 projects you will learn all the basic stitches of Hardanger and some nice filling stitches as well.  Also the project is small enough that you will easily finish it in the time allowed for the class which is 2 months.

For those of you who have never done a cyber class before and you feel you would like to join one, or if you feel you would like to join, go to the Embroiderers Guild web site at www.embguildsa.org.au and check out the class information.

Trailing Roses Biscornue

My Silk Ribbon biscornu has just been published in the Embroidery and Cross Stitch magazine 18_9, and there are 2 slight errors in the instructions. First in the ingredients list it asks for 3 x 3mm crystals, these are used for the buttons to pull in the middle of the biscornu and you only need 2.


Then in the construction notes they have moved one of the dots on the diagram so below is the correction.

I apologize for the errors but unfortunately we do not get to proof read the notes or check any diagrams, so any errors that occur in the publishing process we are not aware of until we get our copy of the magazine. If you ever have any queries re any of our published projects we would love to hear from you.

Kacoonda Thread new numbers

Well Easter has come and gone and we had a great break and recharged our batteries.

We have just heard from Kacoonda threads that she is changing her colour numbers, I will post the new / old numbers as we get them (and I get a chance to up load them) and also post the new Kacoonda colour card as we get them.There will be one for the Silk threads and Ribbons and one for the Wools and Mohair.

Primke Designs over Easter Break

Well, here we are its already Easter again, hope you have all your stitching requirements organized.  We 3 from Primke Designs actually take a break from stitching during our mini holiday, for us it will be gardening, cooking etc that will take up our time.
We are also going to Meadows for their big Easter Fair, driving via the Adelaide hills with the all their Autumn colours, it will hopefully inspire many embroideries in the future and perhaps even some new colours for our Primke threads or linen fabrics.
So from us 3 at Primke designs we hope you have a Safe and Happy Easter with lots of chocolate and stitching.

Gunter's Primke thread selection for Phone pocket

I thought you would be interested to see what Gunter’s version of my phone pocket looks like.  He again used Pimke perle 5 threads but in blues and greens with the same yellow as I used, but it has come out with a different feel to mine. What do you think?

Rosemarie's Projects

Phone Pocket

I just thought I would show you how the phone pocket is growing, I have been busy and not had much time to stitch but it is growing slowly.  I have found a problem with the original pattern and have changed it for the one Gunter is stitching, he is using different Primke colours, I will post a picture when he has stitched a bit more.  Also I am experimenting with different stitches for the black background, the bottom is tent and the other is more of a basket weave.  I might try something else for the next one, as I am keeping this I don't mind different stitches.

Need is the Mother of Invetion

I have just had to buy a new Mobile and as the last one died due to being knocked about, I have decided that to solve the problem I would stitch my self a phone pouch.  I have picked bright colours so I can find it in the dark recesses of my bag and am working it in Needlepoint so it will grow quickly.

This is what I have done so far, trying out the threads most of which are Perle 5 from Primke Designs, while the back ground will be in DMC black perle 5.  Do let me know if you like the colours and stitches I have used.

Needlework Fabrics from Zweigart

This is my first post, I hope to post interesting things for you about the needlework scene in general as well as what we are doing as designers.  Plus hints and things, if you have any suggestions or questions please leave me a message.


We have just heard from our Australian supplier of Zweigart needlework fabrics that Ann Cloth is now only available in White.  Also Congress cloth which is a very fine canvas is no longer being made, there are also other fabrics and colours that have been deleted.  So if you have a particular project in mind I suggest checking with your favorite needlework shop soon to make sure you can still get what you want.