Saturday 22 November 2008

Sewing Stuff

I like to shop local wherever I can to support businesses in the community. It’s getting harder though. Virtually all our local craft and wool shops have gone. We do have a large warehouse type of thing a few minutes drive from where I live and it sells all kinds of craft stuff. However I’m finding as it diversifies into the trendy scrapbooking and card making supplies it’s reducing the range of some of its more traditional crafts such as the fabrics and supplies for cross stitching.

I wanted to buy another Beatrix Potter cross stitch design book in the range I bought a few years ago and some Aida 18 count fabric. When I went last week they had neither. They’ve stopped stocking the chart design books and you can only buy complete kits. That’s a pain because the Hunca Munca design I wanted isn’t available as a kit, only as a chart. They now only stock DMC embroidery silks, no Anchor stock at all.

So I ventured online to browse the sewing supply sites. I’ve avoided this in the past for as I’m one who likes to see and feel what I’m buying in the sewing department and often I’ve found delivery costs high. I found one with a good range of Beatrix Potter design booklets and amazingly the price was slightly less than what I’d paid years ago.

I also saw some plastic bobbins for my trusty old sewing machine whilst I was looking around the site. Yet another thing the local warehouse supplier has stopped stocking. The down side was whilst browsing I saw some things I couldn’t resist in their 50% off sale.

I've only used a cross stitch kit once. A horse and foal picture for my daughter and it was really expensive so I've avoided them since then. However they had some lovely kits which were all half price. I got a sweet Christmas Peter Rabbit cross stitch kit for £5.25, the photo at the top. Another I chose was a gorgeous Me to You kit for £8.00. He's the grey bear with the blue nose below, isn't he beautiful? You also get the alphabet chart so you can customise it. Imagine everything you need including the needle and no running about. I'm converted!

Unbelievably the postage was only £1.00 and the order was sent out first class post about an hour after I ordered it. I got it the next morning, that's incredible! Marks & Sparks take over a week to deliver!

Seasoned cross stitchers may already know about them, the company is Sew and So
www.sewandso.co.uk. If anyone wants to buy from them I can highly recommend them. They do deliver abroad too. I’m not on commission or anything, I’d never heard of them before. I doubt I’ll be wasting my time and petrol wandering about from now on, I’ll be buying from them!

Apologies to anyone if I've broken copyright with the images from their website. It was just to let people see how nice they are. If it's a problem I'll take them off if you let me know.

15 comments:

  1. They are very nice, don't think they will mine free advertising. Peter Rabbit is a good one. You have been tagged.
    Patsy

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  2. I don't cross stitch, but I love the Tale of Peter Rabbit. Too bad my grandchildren never shared my enthuisiasm for Peter Rabbit. I recently viewed the Geezer Flick, Miss Potter and highly recommend it.

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  3. While it's true I knit for pleasure and not necessity, I still like the idea of being able to do so readily. It's too bad so many of these specialty shops and factories are closing. I've been ordering my knitting supplies online for quite awhile. I've only been disappointed once or twice when the final item has arrived. I've only been let down by a supplier once when ordering supplies online. Because I'd used Paypal, my purchase was readily refunded.

    I adore that teddy bear.

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  4. I've never done cross stitch. But I think it is lovely. My crafty thing to do is crochet. And that is mostly afghans. Last winter I made 5 afghans, 4 were for gifts and 1 for myself. This year I am catching up on my reading.

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  5. Several of our daughters do beautiful work in cross stitching. Something I could never get the hang of. I do like to crochet.

    By the way, I've tagged you, please go to my blog to see the rules.

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  6. Winifred,
    Your Peter Rabbit, is beautiful. I do not cross stitch either. I am sure Teddy will be stunning too. I have a summer neighbor who is from Alabama, she is an avid cross stitcher. I have admired her work, and realize, it is for the (patient) crafter.

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  7. Hi Winifred,
    I used to do a lot of counted cross stitch. I do love the bear and Peter Rabbit. I have so many projects that I have started and not finished it is sad. I must have thought that if I bought all these projects when they were "on sale" I would make them when I had the time. It hasn't happened yet. Ha. Have a great weekend!

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  8. I too love Miss Potter's world of sweet bunnies and things. And, I'm quite taken with that adorable little bear on the phone. I used to cross-stitch...its so lovely. Happy Stitching!

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  9. The Beatrix Potter cross stitch is beautiful.

    Yes isn't it frustrating that wool and embroidery shops and the like are fast disappearing as the large chains take over. These large chains not having anything like the stock or expertise of the small shops.

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  10. Oh peter Rabbit! What a star! Great to meet you, waving from Whitby!

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  11. Gday Winifred, Love the Beatrix Potter cross stitch. I used to do a lot of Tapersry's and cross stitch and Taught my daughters they do lovely fine work. I only knit or crochet throw rugs ,Afghans these days. I can get my wool locally and most cottons but would have to travel about 45mins to get if I still wanted fabric or charts.. If you wish to View my Taperstries and embroidery there in my Archives on my side May 2008 and june 2007 and a couple of my rugs September 2008... Happy viewing

    Hugs Jen

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  12. Oh Win, I love the cross stitches.

    I so hate that all the little shops are going by the wayside. There used to be some little scrapbook stores around us, but they just can't compete with the big craft stores.

    BTW, the next time it snows in Marion, I'm going to take a picture of Jim and the snowblower.

    `hippo hugs~

    P.

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  13. HI Winnifred!
    Lovely kits..Sew and So are fantastic and are often winning awards from Uk X-stitch magazine poll awards..I use them for everything we cant get here in Ireland..which is most things.
    Some kits will come with pre-sorted threads..but a lot dont, especially the smaller kits. DMC are quite good, but Designer Stitchers are notoriously bad..real nightmare..
    Good luck with your stitching, I am looking forward to seeing the finished product!

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  14. That is certainly worth knowing and with such good service too. We are lucky in the town where I live - we have 2 knitting/sewing/crafty shops, both well stocked and very helpful, but I sometimes need to look further afield.

    A x

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  15. you got some great deals..............

    Gill in Canada

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