Blue Ribbon Stitch A Pen

Size doesn't matter. Your stitchery, whether big or small, has the potential to be a ribbon winner. At the very least, it's already a victory: for carving time out of a busy day to create, for resting your mind by using your eyes and hands, for turning a strand of thread into a picture. However, if you ever get the chance to submit your stitchery for an exhibit or fair, do it. It's a triumph for bringing needlework to the public, but it could be a prize-winner too.

Rebecca Yost stitched one of Kreinik's smallest needlework kits as a cross-stitch refresher, and ended up winning a blue ribbon in the cross-stitch division with the project. The ribbon was won at The Barlow Fair, which is the oldest independent fair in the state of Ohio. It is a small country fair that has been going on for 143 years. "It is a big deal for the people in our community," Rebecca said. "I have entered photographs and other craft and sewing projects into the fair every year for the last 15 or more years. So when my pen project was completed I knew it would also have to be entered."

"The pen was my first stitched project since I was a teen. When I was around five or six I can remember my mom bringing home a project from some home show she went to. I believe it was a very simple strawberry with yarn and plastic canvas!" When Rebecca started working at the Kreinik offices, she wanted a project that would get her back into stitchery, so she chose Fireflies, one of the Kreinik Stitch A Pen kits. "The pen was very simple and easy to follow and I was finished in no time. It was my first time doing anything with metallic and glow in the dark threads. I really enjoyed working on it."

The "Fireflies Stitch A Pen" kit is one of a series of designs available for stitching pens. Available in needlework stores and on http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Fireflies-Stitch-A-Pen-Kit.html, they use Kreinik metallic and silk threads in a variety of stitches on perforated paper. The finished stitchery is inserted into a blank pen ensemble to make fiber art you can use every day. See more designs in the pen line here.

When you call the Kreinik offices, you may talk to Rebecca on the phone, as she has joined the company in the customer service and marketing departments. She's pretty crafty, in a good way, and loves being surrounded by beautiful Kreinik threads at work. "I come from a very crafty family," Rebecca tells us. "From my grandmothers to my niece, we have worked on weaving baskets, making Ukrainian eggs, scrapbooking and quilting. I recently received a crash course in crochet from my Aunt! Let's just say I still need some practice."

Rebecca's family owns a quilt shop in Ohio, which is just across the river from Parkersburg, West Virginia, where the Kreinik plant is located. "My family's shop is "Sew Happy Quilting Traditions" and is located in Little Hocking, Ohio. Our family has had it for five years. It is run by my sister Rachelle. I can still be found there most Saturdays, working on quilting projects and assisting customers." The store's website is www.sewhappyquiltingtraditions.com and we recommend a stopover if you are in town or passing through. 

Congratulations on your ribbon, Rebecca, and welcome to the colorful thread world of Kreinik!

To get your own Stitch A Pen kit, visit http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Stitch-A-Pen-TM-Kits/