Favorite Finds Product Reviews
Notable Notions
Pat’s Favorite Needle
Sizes 24 and 26, $25; Size 28, $27.50; sold in packs of 25 Pat Carson helped popularize cross stitch in the 1970s with her partner, Gloria Steele. Designs by Gloria and Pat Inc. was incorporated in 1975. After Gloria passed away in 1984, Pat continued to design and teach needlework. Pat’s most recent venture is the introduction of Pat’s Favorite Needle. The 11/2-inch-long needles come in sizes 24, 26 and 28. The long gold-tone eye differentiates these needles from others, and the needles glide easily through even the finest linen. To find a retailer, go to www.yarntree.com.
Zappy Dots Stitch Dots Needle Nanny, Bracelet & Necklace
$12, $20 and $6 I cannot live without needle nannies, and the prettier the better! Stitch Dots are magnets that hold needles while you clip floss, get a snack, feed the cat, etc. The tops are embellished with crossstitch pictures from a host of popular designers. Now you can even wear your needle nannies! Zappy Dots devised jewelry with an area fitted to hold a magnet. Wear these while you stitch, and if you wear your bracelet in a restaurant, be careful not to snag your fork! Yes, these are powerful magnets. www.zappydots.com
Thread Cutterz Ring
$12 I rarely leave home without a cross-stitch project to work on in case I get stuck in a waiting room or other boring setting. I like to keep my nice embroidery scissors at home—I won’t even speculate on how upset I would be to lose them. Thread Cutterz came up with a device you can wear, making it pretty difficult to lose. Metal blades are set safely inside a plastic shell. You can wear the ring while cross stitching to clip floss. This ring is especially valuable if you go through an airport with an overzealous TSA agent who might confiscate your scissors. If you use your Thread Cutterz ring to clip floss when you’re away from home, you will want to use scissors when you get home to clip floss tails close to the back of your linen; the ring is not designed for close cutting.