Visiting The Black Sheep needlework shop in Florida

Heading south for winter? Make this needlework store in Orlando, Florida, your home away from home. 

Wow! Check out the Kreinik thread selection at the fabulous needlework store The Black Sheep in Orlando, Florida. While carrying mostly needlepoint patterns, their thread and yarn selection is for all techniques: cross stitch, embroidery, Temari, Swedish Weaving, knitting, crochet, everything. 

Watch the video to meet the owner and find out why it's called The Black Sheep (can we relate?!). Sounds like creativity runs wild at this fun shop. 

Visit the shop's website for address and other information: http://www.theblacksheepshop.com/

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Come to the once-a-year Kreinik sale

Grab your friends and make an autumn road trip to the Kreinik Factory Outlet Store the first weekend of October. The mi-Ohio Valley is lovely that time of year, and the fibers you'll find in our mega sale are even lovelier. 

We put up tents in the parking lot for the overflow of silks, metallics, fabrics, accessories and just about anything your creative mind desires. This year we are selling finished models from the Kreinik archives too. Pick up some home decor or gift items in needlepoint, embroidery, cross stitch, knitting, crochet, and quilting. We will have a huge section of Christmas models that make quick gifts. 

Spend at least $125 and get our famous "Kreinik Stash" tote (you can only get it at the Factory Outlet, much to the envy of people who haven't made the visit yet!). You will have a great time visiting the colorful, interesting Kreinik factory. Get some fibers for your winter projects, and meet new friends who share your passion. 

If you do any of the following techniques (and more that aren't listed), you'll find fabulous fibers and treasures:

• cross stitch
• crochet
• needlepoint
• embroidery
• quilting
• jewelry making
• Temari
• Sashiko
• Swedish Weaving
• fly fishing
• weaving
• knitting
• crochet
• tatting
• mixed media
• fiber art
• art schools
• kids' camps

And, of course, anything else you would want to do with threads and yarns. 

So here are the details:

1. October 3, 4, 5, 2019
2. 1708 Gihon Road, Parkersburg West Virginia 26101
3. October 3 and 4 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
4. October 5 from 8 am to noon
5. We can provide recommendations on lodging and eateries if needed

Hope to see you there!

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New fiber festival in Lancaster PA

If there's anything we all love more than making things with fiber, it's shopping for fibers, right?! Some of us are fortunate to have local needlework shops, while others don't have anything within driving distance. Forget the chain stores; they don't carry much at all. There's a wonderful world of threads, yarns, patterns, and teachers out there waiting to be seen in person (not just seen on your computer). That's why events like the new Lancaster Fiber Festival are so much fun.

Gather your crafty friends and make a summer road trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania this August for the weekend show. Organizers are dedicated to creating a fiber love fest for all techniques: knitting, crochet, quilting, sewing, Zentangle, embroidery, cross stitch, Temari, mixed media, art, everything. (How many people out there do more than one technique? Many!) There will be a shopping area, classes, and demonstrations. Kreinik will be there doing fun demos too. This looks to be a fun event for all ages.

Get the details here and make plans to visit the Lancaster Fiber Festival: http://lancasterfiberfestival.com/

Side note for any fiber-related businesses

Consider becoming a vendor at the show. If you're a designer, shop, kitmaker, or teacher, this is a great opportunity to meet new customers, spread the word about your business, and make some money. Take your cross stitch patterns off Etsy for the weekend, show off a new tool, or bring your unique yarns to tactile life off your web page. There's no better way to boost business than to meet customers and potential customers face to face. We're a people industry; here's a terrific chance to foster those relationships. Vendor info here: http://lancasterfiberfestival.com/festivals/2018-lancaster-fiber-festival-lancaster-pa/2018-lff-vendors/

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Save the indie needlearts stores!

Independent needlework stores—cross stitch, needlepoint, knitting, crafts, or hybrid stores covering all techniques—offer the best selection of needleart supplies, the most personalized customer service, and the largest group of experts to help you have more fun with your favorite hobby. They are needleworkers' jewels, the pots of gold at the START of your stitching rainbow, the Oprahs of your creative soul. Now more than ever, in the age of the Internet, we all need to support local needlework stores.

Independent-shop love propelled a passionate group* of knitters to organize a Local Yarn Store Day. It's now a national day: April 21, 2018. While one day may seem insignificant in a year of 365 days, the goal is to raise awareness for local stores that will carry on throughout the year. (We are hoping that needlepoint and cross stitch communities can organize similar events for those shops too.)

*Side note about that passionate group: they include Kris and Oz of Cambria Yarns, owners of the store Ball & Skein & More in Paso Robles, California (photo at right). They're lovely people, full of creativity, incredibly kind and wholeheartedly dedicated to all things fiber—and they're adding Kreinik threads to their store. The local needlepoint shop retired/closed, and people have been coming to them asking for needlepoint supplies. Check their store often for the new stock as it arrives: http://cambriayarn.com/bswp/

Here's what you need to know:

• It's a special one-day brick and mortar yarn shop appreciation day, and it's April 21, 2018
• How to participate: find your nearest store and go shopping or sign up for classes
• Bring friends and influence people to join us in a love of fiber and stash enhancement activities
• List of stores participating: http://www.tnna.org/?page=LYSDayRetailers (shouldn't that be ALL indie needleart stores?)
• Want your local shop to get involved? Jill Wolcott offers ideas on how to involve them: https://www.jillwolcottknits.com/lys-local-yarn-store-day/
• Visit LYSDay's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Localyarnstoreday-317426702015809/  or http://www.tnna.org/page/LYSDay for more information
• Share your shopping photos on social media with the hashtag #LYSDay. Your post may introduce people to shops they never knew about...and in general make the world a happier place :)

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Free knitting pattern from Hooked For Life

Tis the season to be thinking about holiday gift giving. It's always good to give something handmade —it's unique, created with love, one of a kind, personal and meaningful — but there's only so much time in a day, right? So go for quick projects like this one, Reflective Diamonds Ear Warmer, a free pattern from Mary Beth Temple of Hooked For Life.

Knit this headband in a favorite color; the neutral gray Kreinik Reflective Yarn will blend into anything. What, you haven't heard of Reflective Yarn? If you knit or crochet, you have to try it. Not only is it fun (think of adding subliminal motifs, words, or messages), but it adds another level of safety to items worn in the dark. When the light hits it (like a flash or car light), it reflects. Great for knitted or crocheted dog sweaters, plus hats, scarves, gloves, etc. 

Get the free pattern

Did you see Mary Beth show the Kreinik Reflective Yarn on UK's Hochanda TV in October? She had this cute ear warmer design, which is now available as a free pattern here: http://hookedforlifepublishing.com/2017/11/reflective-diamonds-ear-warmer-free-knit-pattern/

Side note about the Reflective Yarn: you can also stitch with it. It's about the weight of our Fine #8 Braid. Go ahead and needlepoint with it for belts, shoes, handbags. You can also use it on 14-count Aida in cross stitch or in embroidery on clothing. 

For more information

• Purchase Kreinik Reflective Yarn on spools for small projects or on cones for larger projects. See options: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Reflective-Yarn.html
• Ideas for using it in needlepoint, cross stitch or embroidery: http://kreinikthread.blogspot.com/2013/01/reflections-on-reflective-thread.html

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How to use Kreinik Ombre™ 

In your Year of Becoming A Kreinik Thread Expert, it's time to learn about this unique thread: Kreinik Ombre™. You can use it in needlepoint, samplers, weaving, knitting, crochet, embroidery, cord making, Temari and bobbin work, among other techniques. It's a loosely twisted metallic designed to give a loosely woven effect in needlework. The core color range is variegated, going along with the origin of the word, which gives you interesting color effects. 

The word "ombre" in general refers to the gradual blending of one color hue to another. The color effect is popular in hair styles right now, as well as fashion (skirts, shirts, handbags), home decor (pillows, window treatments), and even nail polish.

In needlework, the Kreinik thread Ombre is best used in specialty stitches such as Satin Stitch, Herringbone, and others that show off the loose twist and the variegated color. It was one of the first non-Braid threads Kreinik made back in the company's early days, and was particularly popular when machine knitting was in vogue. Since the unique texture of Ombre became so useful to stitchers for creating various effects, the Kreinik family started making it solid colors as well as variegated. 

Ombre offers you a unique thread with elegance and texture. Get at least one solid color (we love 3200 Pearl for snow and 2000 Gold or 1000 Silver for Christmas) and one variegated color (1600 Misty Lavender is popular) to start experimenting in your projects. Read on to learn more.

What is Kreinik Ombre?

• An 8-ply softly twisted metallic thread
• In nine variegated colors
• Also in four solid colors (Gold, Silver, Pearl, Copper)
• Comes on 15-meter spools or larger cones (by special order)
• Mmost often used in needlepoint, bobbin work, counted thread (samplers), card making, knitting, weaving, embroidery, Temari, cord making
• For an interesting look in cross stitch, use Ombre for French Knots — they'll be fluffier
• Iit is meant to be used straight off the spool, as it comes, not separated

Why would you want a loose twist?

• It creates a stitch that "lifts" off the surface of your canvas/fabric, creating added loft, texture, and dimension.
• In knitting and crochet, it gives you a metallic look but in a super-soft thread. It is one of the softest metallics you'll ever feel.
• In needlepoint and counted thread, it gives you a unique, fluffy texture—imagine snow drifts, jacquard fabrics, and other "risen" effects.

Why would you want a metallic?

• Adds elegance
• Makes a design look more expensive
• Adds light reflection
• Adds a different texture
• For visual interest

How to use Ombre:

• In hand stitchery, use it straight off the reel, with a #22 Tapestry needle or a #18 Chenille needle; longer or decorative stitches are best for showing off the fuzzy texture or variegated color.
• In crochet and knitting, use it as a carry along to dress up alpaca, cotton, wool, silk or any yarn.
• In bobbin work, use a coordinated color of #60 or #80 cotton, mono, or rayon thread in the top; makes lovely raised, nubby effects in particular with zig zag and decorative stitches—lengthen stitch length slightly. Lovely in digitized embroidery designs or programmed machine stitches (looks like you have stitched with glitter). 

For more information:

• Color range: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Ombre.html
• Ombre cones: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Ombre-250m.html
• How to use it in bobbin work (video): http://www.kreinik.com/shops/VIDEO-Kreinik-Ombre-Metallic-TM-In-The-Bobbin.html
• Bobbin work how-to with Louis Carney (video): https://youtu.be/GzWu6bK49y8
• Free crochet pattern (scarf) by April Garwood using Ombre (shown in photo below): http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Spring-Frost-Scarf.html
• Free crochet pattern (bridal necklace/choker) by Gwen Blakely Kinsler: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Bridal-Baubal-Choker.html

Share how you use Kreinik Ombre in your projects. We'd love to hear and see!

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Knit the most elegant Halloween design

Your "what to wear this Halloween" quandary is solved with two new knitting patterns from Kreinik and LMB Designs. The unique designs are pretty (with a twist) and versatile: lacy for daywear, edgy for nighttime, and fun for party time (they glow in the dark).

The Black Widow Spider Choker is designed by Lisa M. Barnes (LMBDesigns on Ravelry). She used Kreinik's realistic fuzzy Micro Ice Chenille yarn for the creepy-cool spider, and carry-along Blending Filament for the glow-in-the-dark background. Fun and quick to make, the downloadable pattern is just $6 here: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Black-Widow-Choker.html 

Complete the look with the matching Widow's Spider Web Wristlets, available as a separate downloadable pattern here: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Widow-s-Web-Wristlets.html. Both can be worn beyond Halloween, too: the choker will be a conversation piece at your next ComicCon, Spiderman viewing party, or knit-out. The wristlets will keep your wrists warm in a cold office, plus serve as an elegant accessory to wear at a formal event. The background yarn (Kraemer Yarns Fountain Hill Brushed Mohair) is a lovely neutral gray, so it will coordinate with any outfit.

The spider is created with duplicate stitch, a useful tool to have in your knitting repertoire due to the embellishment possibilities. If you've never tried duplicate stitch, this project is a perfect first-timer.

Love the designs but don't knit? Simply buy the supplies and pattern, and ask a knitting friend to make one for you (they'll probably want a set for themselves too). Both projects are easy weekend or weeknight projects that can be finished quickly.

Buy the patterns here:

You can buy the Kreinik threads on the Kreinik website or through your favorite shop.

• Black Widow Choker: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Black-Widow-Choker.html

• Widow's Web Wristlets: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Widow-s-Web-Wristlets.html

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