Peek at our 'Studio'

I thought you might like to take a look at our new 'Studio', I call it that with tongue firmly in cheek, as it is our bed room with table set up for our class.  It is small but well up to having 6 girls stitching plus Monika and myself, plus assorted 'staff'.

The photo shows it only set up with the small table, we can add another long table which lets some of the girls us a sewing machine as well.

Here is one of the 'staff' on the sewing machine very busy stitching, ha ha.

Well I will be able to show you my completed bell pull soon, I have just to hem it.  Also there are some new colours from Gumnut Yarns which I will upload for you.  They come in all weights of her threads and look great.

New Cyer classes

Hi all,

I have just updated the Class page with the details for the next lot of cyber classes, these will be a more advanced piece of Myreska and a Crewel piece called 'Exotic Bird ' which is a bag but can be finished as a cushion if you like.

Later in the year I hope to teach the Hardanger bell pull that I am working on at the moment and a stumpwork piece that uses only Gumnut Stars, a lovely hand dyed silk thread that is a dream to work with (my opinion only).

On another note we have just paid our deposit for the Craft and Quilt fair to be held in Adelaide in November, I will give you more details such as stand number etc closer to the time.  Hope you come and see us there.

Hi all,

Well I was wrong things are still not back to normal, just when we thought we had every thing set up we were invaded by some very particular mice.  They came along one night and picked some of our Kacoonda silk threads as bedding and left us the tags.  So while we admire their choice of threads, they walked past other silks and wools, we had to make everything mouse proof.

Well now fingers crossed we should start making progress.  Our classes have settled in well and I am slowly updating our web site, adding more photos and colour cards, let me know what you think and what other information you would like to see.

I am working in our next lot of Cyber class information and will be publishing it soon.

New Location

Hi All,
I seem to be apologising again for not having posted anything for a while, this time a have a really, really good excuse.  At the end of February we closed our bricks and mortar Needlework shop which we have had for the last 19 years, as you can imagine it was a huge shift.  Not only all the threads and other stock but selling or shifting the fixtures and of course all the reference magazines and books we had collected over the years.  Let me tell you fitting a 180 square meter shop into a normal house and garage takes some doing.

We are now selling only via our web shop and by Mail order and in the future we will be attending some of the Quilt and Stitch shows around the country, maybe we will see you there.  I will keep you posted.

Well we are just about back to normal, still finding it hard sometimes to remember were we put stuff, but we are getting better at it.  Have finally picked up my needle again to stitch and maybe that Hardanger bell pull will finally get finished.

So that all for now, happy Stitching

Fractured Diamond Myreshka matt by Rosemarie Hanauer

Well I have finally finished my large Myreshka matt which I have been working on for about 1 year.  It is not really that slow to stitch but as usual I have been working on a bag and a Hardanger bell pull at the same time so each project grows slowly, but what is life and stitching without variety.  This is my own design and I would love to hear your feedback on it.

Gumnut Yarns new colours 2012

We have just heard from Gumnut Yarns that she is adding new colour families to her range of Blossom 2 ply wool threads, she has deleted some colour families that used to have similar numbers.

Autumn Rose

Previous Coral Sunset colours 033, 035, 038 deleted
039 has been re numbered 019 in all weights of thread, while the old 019 which was Blossoms only has been deleted.



Dusky Pink

Previous Heather colours 133, 135, 137 have been deleted







Sarsparilla

Previous Charcoal Blue colours 305, 307, 308 have been deleted

Sage

Previous Peacock colours 485, 486, 488 have been deleted






Kiwifruit

Previous Fern colours 564, 566, 567 have been deleted




Thyme

Previous Pistachio colours 594, 595, 596, 597, 598 have been deleted







Mushroom

Previous Terracotta colours 883, 885, 887 have been deleted






All the deleted colours have other families that are very close to them in shade, and most come in all Gumnut Thread weights instead of just Blossoms.  I will post some conversion ideas directly.

Tour Downunder stage 1 - here today

Well the Tour Downunder went past the shop today, glad it was not me riding, it was already about 34C when they started the race and they were heading into a hot Northerly wind for most of the way.  Bet you didn't know that kangaroos could ride a bike
 

Here comes the peloton

 

And 2 seconds later there they went

 

We decided to dress the front of the shop up in streamers and we had the ideal vantage spot, complete with airconditioning  and drinks on tap.

Goldwork Bicycle - you can almost ride it

Well Monika's Goldwork bicycle is getting there, it now has 1/2 a handle bar, as well as a front wheel, but not yet ready for the Tour Downunder.
Even though she has not finished this project yet, she is already planning the next 2 or 3.  There are some beaded projects and a carrier for your drink bottle in her head, just waiting there time to become reality.

Tour Downunder stage 1

The Tour Downunder stage 1 will be leaving from just up the road next Tuesday the 17th of January, there also will be a street party on the Monday.  Because of this parts of Prospect road will be closed to traffic from 10am Monday the 16th until 2pm Tuesday the 17th.
If you are thinking of visiting our shop Christina's Craft and Gifts and are coming from the south we suggest taking an alternate route.  Our section of the road is not affected except for when the race starts at about 10am, the riders will be heading north along Prospect road and then turning East up Regency road and then onto the Main North road on there way to Clare.
We will be dressing the front of the shop for the event and I will post some photos of my handywork.

Hardanger Bell Pull - the next instalment

Well here is the next look at my 4 seasons Bell Pull, worked on hand dyed Primke fabric with Primke handyed threads the bell pull is now at the stage were I can start working the needle weaving.
I have started with  "Spring", the flower is done and I have worked 1 leaf, Summer will be next and I have thought of a design for the filling stitches, Autumn is straight forward but at the moment I have no ideas for Winter yet.  I will keep posting updates as I go along.

Regency Stripe Bag

Two years ago the Government in South Australia banned light plastic shopping bags, so all the supermarkets started selling heavy, ugly plastic bags for you to take your shopping home in which are not environmentally friendly either.  As everyone forgot to take them out of the car before going shopping and slowly collected a boot full of them. 

Over time we have all got better at bringing something to carry our shopping home, this includes clothing and other things as everyone suddenly was not providing bags (only some smaller shops still do).  Below is my take on a bag that you can be happy to be carrying which is also quick to stitch.

Happy 2012

We got back to work on Tuesday after our 10 day break and we are all recharged and ready to do some great stitching.  During our break we went on a day trip into the Adelaide hills to Hahndorf via Chain of Ponds, Lobethal, Woodside and Verdun, it was a lovely drive and you could still buy Cherries straight from the Growers.  The Chain of Ponds reservoir was still quite full, so hopefully no water restrictions this summer.

We stopped of at the Chocolate Factory just outside Lobethal and had a look at how their chocolate and lollies are made, we had to taste some, just for research of course.  Also the Dark chocolate Almonds that went home with us were for research only and we ate them only so they would not spoil ha ha!


 

Then it was on to Hahndorf were we rambled up and down the main street and had a look through some of our favorite shops, no craft supply shops but lots of finished goodies such as wool and possum jumpers for winter  and of course lots of lovely food to enjoy.  Then back home after a relaxing and enjoyable day, I have added some photos of the quaint shops and signs on main street.