This coming week we are going to be lucky enough to have a talk with Susan Hoekstra on color theory. She is an ANG Certified Senior Master Teacher and a member of the National Embroidery Teachers Association. If that is not enough she can even speak to you in German and Dutch !! She has had her own business for more than 24 years and it will be a pleasure to have her speak to our guild. You can join in the fun by joining NJNA so as not to miss out on events like this.

Coming in Feb we will be hearing from some of our members discussing their participation in “A Tale of Two Stitchers” in the ANG magazine “Needle Pointers”. I am sure they have plenty of insights to share with us about their experiences.

A reminder that this coming Friday, the 21st, Linda M will be at the Edwardian Needle to collect Woodlawn submissions.

The Jan/Feb issue of Needle Pointers is online and will soon be in your mailbox !! Having seen the cover I can’t wait to see what is inside !

I don’t know about you but it’s that time of year – time to organize your “stuff” !! Many clean out closets and cabinets etc. because after all, not only do we need to make room for “new stuff” but we are stuck inside by snow and cold weather so what better time ?!?!?

Does your stitching room/area look like you live in the Container Store ?? Or does it look a bit more like this:

After talking with numerous friends over the past week or so – here are some ideas to get a handle on your needlepoint “stuff”.

One of our favorite threads is Kreinik – anything !! Those little spools can be difficult to store but a nifty container has been found and you want to act fast ! They are having a sale at Michael’s Craft Stores on storage items and they have a wonderful lucite box with 3 drawers that holds those little spools quite nicely. They also have a wider version should that suit your needs better.

You will also notice those colorful rubbery rounds in the middle of the table – they are great for keeping spools from unwinding. They are called “Peels” by Smartneedle. They work really well on the larger spools. Peels Spool Huggers – Smart Needle

While shopping I found a 3 tiered metal cart. It is a perfect height for when your sitting in a chair to contain the many items you use while stitching. Even better it has wheels so you can easily move it out of the way. They also make several organizers that fit in or on this cart like the lucite one in the top tier which is slanted like stadium seating so you can see everything better. These items were also in Michael’s Craft Stores in many colors.

You may have noticed in the top tier is a silicone tray to hold your tools. They come in 2 different sizes and several colors. Of course they are on Amazon but a savy shopper I spoke to found them in the Beauty Aisle of Walmart – intended as a Makeup Brush Holder !!

I know how much everyone loves to bead ! Do you have lots of colors of beading thread?? Try using a box made for sewing machine bobbins – they fit perfectly !

I love yogurt and this one brand in particular comes in a small glass jar. At times they even paint them with different flowers. They are so handy for many things – orts, tools, etc. If you go on their web site you will find that you can purchase lids for them !! You may also recognize the little plastic pieces in and next to the jar – they are the items the dry cleaner holds down the collar of a man’s shirt with. Those freebies are great to keep the River Silks ribbons from unwinding off the paddle !! Plastic Lids – Custom Made to Fit Oui Glass Pots – Oui by Yoplait

I also have a “Frog” which is an old fashioned item that was put in the bottom of a vase to arrange flower stems. They may be considered antiques now a days but they make great tool holders !!

FOMO Alert !! Thread Cutterz – What a nifty gadget – thank you Cathryn! They actually have several versions of this. It was originally made for cutting fishing line when his wife had an idea, check out their story on the web site. Our Story – Thread Cutterz

Our Tip this time is about extending the life of your stretcher bars and it comes from our own Melita G (Thank You)! She found this on the Nashville Needleworks Blog. She tried it and it works great though not on Evertite Bars (they may rust).

Who would have thought !!

The famous stitchers from the last blog were Henery Fonda and the beloved Betty White. Can you guess who these 2 are???