Doug Kreinik's famous Thread Talk is coming to Colorado in October

Learn everything you need to know about Kreinik threads direct from the maker himself when he comes to A Stitching Shop in Denver this October. Entertaining stories, fiber knowledge, and hundreds of actual samples/models will get you excited about your own creativity and projects. 

The details:

• Sunday, October 20, 2019 at 1 PM – 4 PM MDT
• At A Stitching Shop, 4444 Morrison Road, Denver, Colorado 80219
• Get cost info and reserve your spot by contacting A Stitching Shop, (303) 727-8500

This is a fabulous needlework store serving Colorado residents and more (they ship!). Owner Christine Hause carries a huge Kreinik thread selection (look at all of those boxes of Kreinik threads!) and will order cones or other special put-ups. Be sure to visit when you are passing through Denver, visiting friends or family in the area, or just moving to town. And hope to see you in thread class!

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How Kreinik and Elvis are connected

Doug Kreinik is full of interesting information. On a recent trip to Cleveland, Ohio, for a needlework trade show, he revealed a pretty cool Kreinik connection to Elvis Presley.

In the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, an area is dedicated to singer/actor/icon Presley. The artifacts on display include a motorcycle, his guitars, and various items of clothing. As Doug and Kreinik Creative Director Dena Lenham stepped up to this leather jacket in the Elvis exhibit, Doug read the description. "Oh, Nudie Cohn. Nudie was a customer of my parents' when the company started," Doug casually mentioned.

Nudie, Nudie Cohn...the famed tailor-to-the-stars who also created Elvis' gold lame suit, was a customer of Jerry and Estelle Kreinik's little Kreinik Manufacturing Company! Both Jerry and Estelle were professionally involved in textiles—and Estelle was a professor of couturier design—before starting the thread company, so they were well versed in clothiers' embellishment needs. Since 1972, Kreinik threads have been worn in all kinds of places by all kinds of people. Today, the company still sells threads to top fashion houses in New York as well as costume production companies.

Elvis passed away in 1977, so he probably didn't wear any Kreinik threads (although we don't know for sure). We like to think he would have loved the sparkle.

For more on Nudie Cohn, visit the official website, run by his granddaughter: http://www.nudiesrodeotailor.com/

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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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About those Kreinik spool labels

We hear you: It's really annoying when the labels come off the Kreinik thread spools. We're here to assure you: we're working on a solution. 

Why do the labels fall off?

1. Most of the spool end is hollow. We were forward-thinking back in the 1980s with our snap-spool mechanism design, creating a spool with a lip that opens so you can wrap the thread end around it, close it, and never have flyway thread ends tangling up your thread drawer. However, that unique design comes with a price: a hollow spool. There's not really a lot of space for a label to grab onto, not a huge area for sticking. These hollow spools are also required for our thread-winding machines. In hindsight, we would have created spools in which we could print info right on them. But for now we're stuck, no pun intended, with the spool design. 
2. The glue may not be aggressive enough. We print only a small amount of labels at a time to keep the glue from deteriorating in storage, and keep those in a temperature controlled environment. However, humidity levels can affect the hardiness of adhesive. Also storage conditions and weather conditions in shops and homes can affect the glue.
3. Kreinik labels are applied by hand. A few years ago our label machine broke down, and we were unable to fix it. Since then, every single spool has been hand labeled. You definitely get the personal touch from us here at Kreinik. However, perhaps every once in awhile the labels aren't attached well enough. 

So what can be done?

The biggest effort right now is fixing our label machine. Our engineer Martin is actively working to get it going again. The machine uses pressure to push the labels on, and it will be a stronger bond than hand labeling. We are also investigating other adhesive options for our pre-printed labels to make sure we have the strongest bond available. 

Other stitchers recommend...

In the meanwhile, if you have spools with labels about to come off, look for some small baggies at craft stores (in the jewelry section), drug stores (for single use medicine storage) or office supply stores. Some stitchers use Floss Away storage bags. One stitcher tucks the label inside the spool. We suggest using double-sided tape or your own glue to reattach (tuck some cotton balls or scraps of something inside the spool to give a greater area for the adhesive to 'grab'). 

We appreciate your comments and your patience. Feel free to contact us at any time if you have questions or concerns about Kreinik products—or if you need help identifying a color that has lost its label. We also have a downloadable color chart for quick reference, or an actual thread color card with actual thread samples. 

Thank you for using Kreinik to make your creative ideas come to life! 

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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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Kreinik is coming to Ohio!

Meet Doug Kreinik and do make-it-take-its with Kreinik threads at Quilt Fest at the end of this month, at The Dairy Barn in Athens, Ohio

Come play with Kreinik threads and pick up exciting fibers to use in your next creation. Show dates and times are August 31, 2019, 10 AM – 6 PM and September 1, 2019, 10 AM – 4 PM. This event is being held in conjunction with the Athens Area Fiber Faire and is a celebration of everything fiber.

It doesn't matter if you're not a quilter, come anyway. There will be lots of exhibitors (including Kreinik) to inspire you! You'll find treasures you can use in your own creative projects. Get your fiber fix if you're into crafts, creating, making, and merriment.

• WHEN: August 31 - September 1, 2019
• WHERE: The Dairy Barn, Athens Ohio USA
• MORE INFO: https://dairybarn.org/

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How to learn embroidery stitches galore

If you've admired the gorgeous embroidery seen on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest and wish you could stitch those beauties, we're here to tell you that YOU CAN. It's as simple as:

1.  Learning the stitches
2.  Combining different fibers for different textural effects
3.  Practicing
4.  Then using your newfound knowledge to create patterns

Ok the last part can be more challenging, so just focus on steps 1 through 3 if you're beginning. A new pattern series from PIecemakers—the huge store in Costa Mesa, California—will help you get started. Their "Stitches Galore" patterns focus on the most popular and basic stitches you should know as well as give you actual projects that combine the stitches. 

We love how they have combined different fibers, beads, etc to create more visual interest; something that is not hard to do at all and takes your stitches from basic to stunning. "We appreciate the quality of your products and recommend them highly," Shivaun from Piecemakers told us about using Kreinik threads in the designs. 

Look for the STITCHES GALORE series from Piecemakers or other online sources (notes in italics are our commentary):

1. Volume 1, Number 1: Buttonhole Stitch Combinations (a basic beauty)
2. Volume 1, Number 2: Chain Stitch Combinations (another basic that can be used in so many ways)
3. Volume 1, Number 3: Herringbone Stitch Combinations (classic linear/traveling stitch)
4. Volume 1, Number 4: Zigzag Detached Chain Stitch Combinations (these look really elaborate but are easily done)
5. Volume 1, Number 5: Cretan Stitch Combinations (anyone know the origin of that stitch name?)
6. Volume 1, Number 6: Feather Stitch Combinations (one of the best for creating foliage)
7. Volume 1, Number 7: More Cretan Stitch Combinations (definitely a counting stitch)
8. Volume 1, Number 8: Bugs, Bees and Butterflies (let's be honest, this is the most fun)
9. Volume 1, Number 9: Chevron Stitch Combinations (a useful foundation stitch)
10. Volume 1, Number 10: Ribbed Stitch And More (shown in the pumpkin photo in our post)
11. Volume 1, Number 11: Cross Stitch Combinations (fun to see this basic stitch worked in different ways)
12. Volume 1, Number 12: Holbein Stitch Combinations (it's so much more than a straight-line stitch)

This is a great time of year to learn new stitches and to explore embroidery ideas. Once you start combining your favorites, you will create gorgeous designs. Have fun!

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