Last Friday, Melissa Prince stopped by the shop for a meet and greet.

It was so much fun for customers to look through all the canvases that she brought with her and talk to her about her designs.

Linda set up what she called a “shrine to Melissa” at the shop. All my finished pieces were on display as well as my many WIPs …and there are a lot of them!

Saturday I spent the day teaching an embellishment class on any Melissa design. We had a blast!

I’ve got some really cool things going on everyone’s canvases. I was showing the group how you can stretch Flair on a canvas for the orange segments. Super cool effect!

I gotta say…my highlights look great! Lol!

Speaking of classes…our winter class schedule is up on the website. Be sure to check it out and sign up for one or all of them!

Our schedule is jam packed for classes this winter.  The entire schedule is up on the website with all the details but here’s a quick overview.  Please sign up as soon as possible so we can make sure we’ve got a canvas for you and a seat at the table.  As with all of our classes on a set piece, ghosts are welcome and we can send a kit to you anywhere.  Call the shop to sign up or to order kits.  I haven’t loaded that into the online store.

January

Basic Beading  – January 10th 10-12.   Pick one of the following colorways and learn brick beading, basketweave beading and couching on this adorable piece.

Ribbon 101 – Ruffle Ribbon Heart   Thursday January 17th 10-12

Christmas Trees by Sew Much Fun

Saturday February 23rd, 10-3

March

Chickadees Anyone?

Saturday March 2nd 10-12:30

Hydrangea Basket

Saturday March 9th 10-3

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I know I did!  I need to get my fat pants out!  LOL!

The Enriched Stitch is open today, Black Friday from 10-3 and we’ll be open tomorrow on Small Business Saturday from 10-3.  Be sure to stop by and pick your coupon out of the hat for up to 50% off your entire purchase.  Yep . . you read that right!

Anywhere from 10-50% off!

We’ve got floor and table stands, Koncept lamps, bags, self finishing items and so much more!

Greatest lamp EVER!!!!!!  I’ve got a blog on them coming up showing you just how much of a difference this lamp makes.  It will change your life!

If you need a quick last minute gift for the holidays you can fit any 4 x 4 canvas into these glass topped coasters.

These gorgeous lacquer boxes come in six colors and fit any 5 x 5 canvas.  Just take it to our framer and she’ll pop it in the box for you in a few days.

I need to stitch up a few last minute gifts myself.  Hmmmm . . . which one to choose?

Our winter class schedule is packed!!!!  Here’es just a few of the classes we’ll be teaching this winter.

I’ll also be teaching embellishment classes once a month.   This class is limited to 6 students so definitely don’t wait on this one!

Here’s how it works.  You purchase a canvas from the shop and I will write a custom stitch guide, typed and with diagrams.  You’ll spend the day at the shop learning all the elements of your personalized guide.  I’ll tailor the guide to your skill level so it’s not too easy and not crazy hard.  But you’ll learn a lot, have a lot of fun and spend the day with other stitchers.  You need to submit your canvases to me at least a month before the class so I can write the guide.

Hop on over to the website to see all the classes we’re offering in January, February and March.  There’s tons more.  Some are technique classes on beading and ribbon or just straight up technique.  We all need to “Tighten Your Technique!”

I’m sure you’ll find something you’re interested in!

Not about actual turkey . . .we’ve all got that on our minds. Let’s talk about Turkey Work!

Most of my customers are terrified of Turkey Work. They start to break out in a sweat when I mention it. Maybe this will relieve some of your anxiety about it.

The first problem is that it’s a multi-step stitch and the diagram doesn’t look anything like what your desired outcome should be.

You tell me how that’s supposed to look like fur?

Here’s a simpler way that I break it down in my stitch guides.

Step 1: Brick Stitch over 2

Step 2: Come up in the middle of the Brick Stitch

Step 3: Go over two holes (either direction) and go back into the canvas. Leave a loop.

Step 4: Come up to the right (or left if you are working to the left) of where you just went back into the canvas. HOLD THE LOOP!

Step 5: Do a brick stitch over 2 back over where the looped stitch went into the canvas. This lock the loop in.

Step 6: Continue working the same direction. Start your next loop in the hole where the last loop went into.

Tip 1: Stagger each row.

Tip 2: You will be left with an area that you can’t do a brick stitch over two. That’s ok. Just do a little horizontal stitch over 1 to fill the area. Do this at the top and bottom of the tail. Once you cut the loops, you won’t be able to see it.

Tip 3: Work the rows in both directions. Follow the diagrams above, but work to the left. If you have trouble, work them all to the right.

Tip 4: Leave your loops long. Theyr’e much easier to hold down. Yes . . .you waste a ton of thread with this stitch.

Tip 5: Wait until you finish the section to cut the loops. You will regret if you don’t wait. Trust me!

Here’s a picture of a piece I’m working on. I wish I could show you the entire piece but it’s a new design for the Spring Show so I have to keep it a secret. This looks like a hot mess after you’re done stitching and you probably can’t imagine how it’s going to turn into a well trimmed fur.

After you cut the loops and trim it a bit it looks like this. Better, but not quite what you’re looking for. Get yourself a pair of curved needlework scissors. They make the job a lot easier.

Keep trimming little by little and it will start taking shape. It’s easiest to fine tune it once your piece is off stretcher bars. I’ve got some more work to do on this.

I hope you feel a little less intimidated by Turkey Work after reading this. Now, I’m sure you all have to get back to grocery shopping and cooking.

Hot off stretcher bars!  The new design by yours truly for Vallerie Needlepoint Gallery for our 3rd annual Go Red with Thread Fundraiser to support charities for heart healthy causes!

Patchwork Heart – Vallerie Needlepoint Gallery

If you’re not familiar with this, I’ll tell you all about it.  A few years ago, a customer of ours, Bill, new to stitching at the time, started stitching to do something to chill out.  He tried yoga, meditation (got kicked out of that class) and a few other things.  His neighbor suggested he try needlepointing. A few weeks after we met him, he came back with a finished piece and said that his blood pressure had dropped 10 points since he started stitching.  I know we’ve heard this before, usually in regards to knitting (ugh  . . .sorry to all you knitters out there lol), but why can’t needlepoint get the same nod?

So, I worked with three designers for the first two years, Amanda Lawford, Melissa Prince and Leigh Designs to come up with some really cool designs for this fundraiser.  I’ve been a little sidetracked this year with everything that’s been going on, two trade shows, moving the shop and a retreat, so we’ve got one really cool piece.

I call it the “Patchwork Heart.”  What’s really cool about this piece is that there are 13 different stitches, so it works as a teaching piece and a sampler for you to use on other pieces going forward.

The Enriched Stitch will be hosting a stitch in on February 9th.  It’s a $25 donation to attend.  Please register in advance because this event fills up really fast.  Lunch is included and you can stitch on whatever you want.  Or, you can work on this heart or any of the Go Red with Thread pieces from previous years.  I’ll be teaching a class on the heart from 1-3 that day.  All the previous kits are featured below and we can certainly put any of them together for you.

Wonderland Heart – Amanda Lawford/Vallerie Needlepoint Gallery

Heart of Hearts – Amanda Lawford/Vallerie Needlepoint Gallery

Mediterranean Diet – Melissa Prince Designs

Paint the Town Red – Melissa Prince Designs

Lady in Red – Leigh Designs

Red Tails at Sunset – Leigh Designs

I know I have followers all around the world and you can’t possibly attend our stitch in.  But, here’s the good news.  . .any shop can hold  a stitch in and participate.  So, contact your local shop and see what they’ve got going on.

All the kits can be ordered online or give us a jingle in the shop!  203-210-5107

My piece went off to the finisher today.  I can’t wait to get it back!

Sadly, summer is over. But I’ll be honest…I LOVE the fall. We’ve got lots of new things coming in for the holiday season so we need to make a little room in the shop. All the bags featured below are 50% off! They are on sale while supplies last. The prices are featured above the picture of the bags.

Frame 1- Original Price $40. Now $20

Frame 2 – Original Price $75.  Now $37.50

Frame 3- Original Price $40. Now $20

Frame 4 – Original Price $68.  Now $34

Frame 5 – Original Price $68.  Now $34

Frame 6 – Original Price $15.  Now $7.50

Frame 7- Original Price $30.  Now $15

Frame 8 – Original Price $25.  Now $12.50

Frame 9- Original Price $68.  Now $34

Give us a call!  203-210-5107

Halloween is over but it’s never too early to get started on decorations for next year.

All in stock Halloween canvases are 30% off now through November 10th.  Give us a call if there’s anything that catches your eye!

203-210-5107

Introducing our newest club!

There are 4 canvases in total.  4 x 4 on 18 mesh.  Perfect size and a quick stitch!  Each kit includes the canvas, stitch guide and threads.

There’s lots of fun flower techniques and so much more packed into these little guys

The club starts January 2019 (I can’t believe I’m talking about 2019).  You must sign up by December 1st to be included in the first shipment.

You can sign up online by clicking here or give us a jingle at the shop.

203-210-5107

Here’s the best part about these 4 x 4 canvases . . .they fit perfectly into the self finishing coasters.  Pick your color coaster, trim the edges and pop them in!  And you’re done!  These were SO much fun to stitch.  I hope you join in the fun!