A bit of bad thread news...

We are out of stock of Micro Ice Chenille in 221 Gold and 003 Red. Unfortunately, we may not be able to make it in the future due to a manufacturing problem. If you are mid-project, make sure you have enough to finish.

If you need more to finish a project:

• Check with needlework or fly fishing shops to see if they have any remaining stock
• Check with needlework or fly fishing groups on Facebook, Reddit, and other social media to see if anyone has some and is willing to swap or sell

We sincerely apologize for having to discontinue an item, especially something as fun as red or gold in this fabulous fuzzy thread. We will let you know if we can work out the issues and bring them back. In the meanwhile, we do have other colors in Micro Ice Chenille. Click here for the list.

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Embroidery on photographs is our new favorite fiber art

The hot trend of stitching on photographs is a blend of two exciting mediums: visual art and fiber art. Photos are a refreshing base material for stitchers who want to further express their love for embroidery and for making images come to life.

Get inspired with the designs of Janet Dey

Friends in the Toronto area, check out this fabulous exhibit: https://business.facebook.com/events/1241059279416533/ Designer Janet Dey uses Kreinik threads in her fun, expressive, fascinating contemporary art. She hand-embroiders on enlarged modern prints of vintage photographs.

"It is a delight to work with the threads," Janet says. We love how the gold Kreinik Braid adds a dimensional effect and a touch of light, while keeping with the gorgeous vintage color schemes of the photographs. If you aren't in the Toronto area, you can still get inspired by checking out the gallery's website here, https://www.bulgergallery.com/artists/29-janet-dey/works/, or this site featuring more of Janet's work: https://ffoto.com/collections/janet-dey

About the exhibit

The Stephen Bulger Gallery is an art gallery in Toronto, Canada. If you live in the area, keep an eye on their schedule for other inspiring creative exhibits. Here are the details on the Janet Dey exhibit:

• Exhibition Dates: February 22 – March 14, 2020
• Artist Talk with Janet Dey: Saturday, February 22, 4pm
• Public Reception: Saturday, February 22, 2 – 5pm

The gallery is pleased to present an exhibition in the Reading Room of work by Janet Dey featuring her series entitled “Magic”. The exhibition is on in conjunction with “Illusions: The Art of Magic” on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario from February 22 – May 18, 2020.

In “Magic”, Dey draws attention to well-known magicians who charmed and captivated audiences, and whose stories have been retold time and time again. Compelled by their dark and mysterious minds, Dey hand-embroiders on enlarged modern prints of vintage photographs. Every stitch and knot in Dey’s design embellishes or further hides the identity of the subjects. Often masking entire faces leaving only their eyes visible, the work takes on a new story, a vision told from Dey’s perspective and left for the viewer to discover. The final artwork is unique, designed to last another several lifetimes. A rebellion against time.

The source photographs are from the collection of David Ben, writer, stage magician, performer, and magic collector.

Photos from the Stephen Bulger Gallery

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Fuzzy metallic fibers add more fun to Halloween designs

Halloween is the fun holiday, isn't it? Oh we love the traditions of Christmas with all of its classics in tv shows, movies, songs, clothing, cards, food and such. But Halloween is a free-for-all, a no-stress, let-your-hair-down holiday. And, it has become the second biggest stitching holiday in the needlework world. This year, let your Halloween projects reflect some of that spooktacular silliness by adding fun fibers and wacky stitches. Why not?!

We recommend adding some of ThreadWorx' fuzzy fiber, which is actually Kreinik's Micro Ice Chenille, just artisan dyed by this California company. We're spotlighting the Halloween colors here, but they have many other colors for just about any design, mood, holiday, or theme. 

Micro Ice Chenille is a fuzzy metallic thread that you could on the surface of your design. So whether you are needlepointing, cross stitching, doing embroidery or crazy quilting, you can use this fun fiber. Lay it on top of your design or your stitching and tack down in the desired position with a matching color of cotton floss, silk thread, Kreinik #4 Braid, or even a clear monofilament thread. Plunge the ends to the back of your work and hide or secure under other stitches. 

Where would you use a fuzzy metallic? Anywhere! Think bugs, bats, cats, goblins, witches...anywhere. The point is fun. 

For more information:

• on Kreinik Micro Ice Chenille visit the Kreinik website or needlework stores
• on ThreadWorx artisan dyed Chenille visit the ThreadWorx website or needlework stores
• Chenille tip sheet on the Kreinik site

The colors shown in our photos:

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Download the official Kreinik Metallic Thread Home Inventory Form

"Know before you go," is good advice when it comes to shopping for anything, including Kreinik threads. To make tracking your Kreinik thread stash easier, we've created a home inventory form. Download this Microsoft Word document, which shows all Kreinik metallic thread colors and indicates which colors come in which thread sizes. Fill in the blanks with the number of spools you have at home. Then you can carry it with you to your favorite needlework store, or keep it on your computer for online shopping.

Here's the link: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Metallic_Home_Inventory_Form.html

And here's what we need you to do: test it! Does the format work for you (ie, a Word document)? Is it easy to find colors? Any and all feedback welcome. Let us know here in the comments, via Facebook Messenger (connect with us on Facebook here), or email info@kreinik.com.

If you want a chart showing all the colors, download this one: https://www.kreinik.com/PDF/2019_11x17_metallic_chart.pdf or treat yourself to an actual Kreinik Metallic Thread Color Card. 

Share the links above with your stitching friends so they can test the new inventory form. Thank you!

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3 new Kreinik metallic thread colors!

Meet the newest Kreinik metallic thread colors! Available in Kreinik Fine #8 Braid, Tapestry #12 Braid and Medium #16 Braid (no #4 Braid right now). These fun metallic colors are a wee bit thicker, so go down a size than you'd normally use. 

Welcome 9591 Buttercup, 9592 Peony, and 9594 Bluebonnet. 

9591 Buttercup

9592 Peony

9594 Bluebonnet

Ask your favorite needlework store to order the new colors for you. They fit right in with our current pastel shades such as 091 Star Yellow, 092 Star Pink, and 094 Star Blue, offering a shade darker. Buttercup is richer and less lemon-y than some of our current yellows. Bluebonnet will make a great sky or water blue, and Peony is just a fabulous pink for everything. 

Have fun with the three new Kreinik colors. We'd love to hear your feedback on them too! 

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Threadworx is making this Kreinik thread even better

The hand-dyed specialty thread company called Threadworx out of California has been transforming Kreinik's metallic Braids into variegated wonders for years. Now they are hand-dyeing Kreinik's fuzzy metallic threads, Micro Ice Chenille, in the most gorgeous colors.

Take a look at the photos and pick your favorite...we can't because we love them all. With names like Galactic Night, Seaweed, White Crystal and Ghost Gray, we're coming up with ideas already.

Micro Ice Chenille is one of Kreinik's fly fishing fibers, a staple for forming bodies on various fly fishing lures. Once needleworkers saw it, they knew it would make fun effects in embroidery, needlepoint, and cross stitch and it has been gaining popularity ever since.

You want to couch this thread in your needlework designs, rather than stitch in and out of the fabric with it. Simply couch with a matching color of Kreinik Very Fine #4 Braid, or have fun couching it with any thin metallic or non-metallic thread. You may create one-of-a-kind fiber art with your color combinations.

You can also crochet with Kreinik Micro Ice Chenille (makes great mini wreaths). Use it along with Kreinik Facets and the Kreinik Custom Corder to make trim—the Facets add the look of beads. So many applications for this fun thread, just get a few of your favorite colors and start experimenting.

For more Threadworx information

Threadworx fibers are sold in needlework stores. Visit their website for more information. For the original line-up of Kreinik Micro Ice Chenille colors, visit the Kreinik website.

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Meet the newest Kreinik color Sea Glass

By designer demand (aka, Associated Talents!) this gorgeous blue-green metallic thread color is debuting at Kreinik. Meet 096 Sea Glass, and we are making it 'round the clock right now.

We are making it in Fine #8 Braid first, which will be followed by production in your other favorite Kreinik metallic thread sizes: Tapestry #12 Braid, Very Fine #4 Braid, Medium #16 Braid, and 1/16" Ribbon. Give us a few months for full production, as we actually do make our own threads, but look for the new colors in needlework stores starting now. Retailers who attended the Destination Dallas trade show were first on the list. Help us spread the word now to other retailers and stitchers that there's a gorgeous new metallic color from Kreinik.

Speaking of Destination Dallas, the wholesale needlepoint trade show held in September of every year: we held the new color next to painted canvas designs and found it matches perfectly to something in just about every design line. Don at Associated Talents knew what we all needed when he suggested this color. Now we wonder how we ever lived this long without it!

A big thank-you to Needlepoint In Paradise in Florida who came up with the winning name.

Welcome Kreinik color 096 Sea Glass to your needlework fiber stash.

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Farewell to this Kreinik color

We hate to discontinue colors, but sometimes it is necessary. Due to production issues, we have to discontinue one of our holographic colors: 031L Berry Red. Please make a note of it if you are using it in a project (stock up to make sure you have enough). This applies to all thread sizes, including Braids, Ribbons, Filament and Flash.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by stoppage or shortage in colors. Some good alternatives to 031L include the antiqued version, 153V Vintage Burgundy or 080HL Garnet Hi Lustre.

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Time for a name change

What's in a name? A lot, actually. Our identities, first impressions, definitions, and often lasting judgements come with names. Some people wait until a baby is born to give the child a name that fits the budding personality. Names are actually rather important. That is why we are changing the name of...a Kreinik color.

4011V Adventure Green is now 4011V Vintage Viridian

Sure it sounds super trendy, like a character in a Star Wars movie or a superhero flick—or a Pokemon city. However, the reason for the change is simply to identify it with its color family: the Vintage line (hence the "V" in the color number). We really don't know what we were thinking when we named this antiqued, soft-hued, innocent version of chartreuse "Adventure Green" when it is obviously a more refined and elegant Vintage personality. After much research and discussion, we felt Viridian reflected it's true nature, being an old-world, medium green, a timeless spring that spans centuries.

As a metallic, this beauty has a muted finish, an antiqued look, almost a luminescence that's beautiful in designs. This color comes in Kreinik Blending Filament, Braids and Ribbons. We have updated our website to reflect the new name, but older color cards still list it as Adventure Green.

Who knows, maybe Viridian will become a popular baby name for 2019...

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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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