Favorite Finds Product Reviews
When you think of Nashville, Tenn., the first thing you might think of is country music or the Grand Ole Opry. Not so if you’re in the cross-stitch business. To people in the needlework industry, Nashville means one thing: the spring Nashville Needlework Market. The 2017 market was held in early March, and more than 130 needlework-related companies exhibited products and showcased new items. I will be revealing some of my “Favorite Finds” in this and future issues of Just CrossStitch.
The companies listed below are wholesalers who sell to retailers only. To purchase these products, ask your local needlework retail shop to contact the companies listed.
Sticktwist Madeira Embroidery Floss from & More
Prices vary The company & More exhibited various flosses at the Nashville market, and the floss that made me stop in my tracks was six-strand cotton floss by Madeira. It wasn’t the floss itself that caught my eye, but the “delivery system.” The floss isn’t in a skein or spool; it comes in a plastic packet that you clip ever so slightly at the bottom. After you snip the plastic in the center, you can gently pull the thread out to the length you want. I like the packaging because the unused floss remains in the packet; you pull out just enough floss for your immediate needs. And after I pulled the Madeira floss from the package, I found that the floss looks and feels more like silk than cotton. It works up very nicely for samplers or other designs where you might like to use silk floss. Ask your local needlework shop owner to order this floss at www.andmorethreads.com.
Cross Stitch/Needlepointer’s Case by Hug Me Bags
Prices vary
Some women can never have too many shoes, but I’m different. I can never have too many bags for carrying my cross stitch. I keep a few (actually more than a few!) projects going at once, and each design needs a bag of its own. For an extra-special project, you need an extra-special bag, and I found a beautiful one in Nashville at the Hug Me Bags exhibit. The company began as a diaper-bag company (hence the title Hug Me) and now sells a variety of bags. The Cross Stitch/Needlepointer’s Case lies flat when you open it, and it has several plastic-covered compartments. There is room to keep your linen, floss, chart, scissors, magnifying glasses, a small hoop or Q-snap— anything you might need for stitching. The Hug Me Bags website, www.hugmebags.com, shows a variety of styles and fabrics along with a list of shops and a toll-free number for wholesale ordering.
Bead/Needle Case from Accoutrement Designs
Prices vary When you vacuum the floor around your favorite stitching chair, do you hear,
clink, clink, clink, clink, clink, clink, clink, clink? That’s the sound of needles and beads rolling around inside the machine. If so, you should get a magnetic bead/ needle case. Accoutrement Designs sells metal cases that open out to reveal a pitted silicone section for capturing beads and a magnet on the opposite side for grasping needles. The company offers dozens of magnets to adorn the cases. My favorite is an emerald alligator. The company calls its bejeweled cases, needle minders and fobs “jewelry for your canvas.” Check out Accoutrement Designs’ website, www.fobfriends.blogspot.com, to see these gems, including the emerald alligator, and a list of retailers.