FINALLY! The Kumihimo kit is live….your leopard print bracelet of dreams is one step closer. I feel like I’ve been teasing you with this kit for so long and it’s finally here, well - most of it. We’ll start shipping on the 9th December, so in plenty of time for Christmas! This kit is basically a meditation in a box, once you’ve threaded up your loom you’ll be hooked, as you see a beautiful patterned braid start to appear. I’ve linked to a Youtube video to help you get the hang of the technique. Also big thanks to all of you lovely people who pledged towards our Crowdfunder, this is one of the kits that you enabled us to press go on, and the beautiful packaging was a big part of that. So thank you!!! 💛

New for Christmas, something to keep you calm and centred on the run up go Christmas 🎄

Did I mention I’m going to see Taylor Swift on Tuesday?! Well now my ticket is secured my mind has turned to friendship bracelets! I’ve just found a new way of adding beads to the more traditional style of friendship bracelet and it’s so cute! This braid, the zipper braid is so easy. You just need 3 strands of embroidery thread. The middle thread won’t be seen so it can be any colour and needs to be about 40cm, the two threads either side should be about 80cm. Start by tying a not at the top of your threads then secure your braid with a pin or clip (I’m using the packet of our friendship bracelet kit because it’s got a handy measurer on the side to tell you how long to make your bracelet!) All you need to know is how to do a forward knot and it’s reverse, a backward knot. And then the with the left hand thread you knot a Forward backward knot, and with the right hand side you knot a backward forward knot. Each knot is made up of two knots if that makes sense? I think they are technically called ‘hitches’ so two hitches make up a knot, a forward and a backward hitch, but in a different order on each side. Just slide the beads on when you’re ready and then carry on knotting in exactly the same way, it’s that simple! I used soft cotton because it’s a bit thicker than normal embroidery thread and that’s what we put in our friendship bracelet kit. We also sell the alphabet beads! If you’d like this pattern and 5 other simple designs you can get them all in our friendship bracelet kit! Who’s been making friendship bracelets for Taylor?!

Day 11 of Embroidery Tips Did you know you can cross stitch onto just about anything, with this really clever water soluble cross stitch fabric. You lay it on your fabric and then cross stitch as normal onto it, it then dissolves when you run warm water over it leaving just your beautiful cross stitch design! I did this Uniqlo bag last year and I’l repost the reels so you can see the whole process but it’s super easy, and it’s available in our shop!

My new obsession is French knitting. I don’t know why this is so satisfying? You produce this long knitted tube and there are various things you can do with it (we’ve got a blog coming that pulls together some ideas!) but actually it’s just really satisfying seeing this long knitted tube just get longer?! Am I weird?! We sell French knitting bobbins and crochet hooks cause you’re definitely going to need one of these to help you hook over your stitches! There’s a little blog on our website now linking to a beginner tutorial and our tip tips! 🧶🧶🧶

A 90 second cross stitch lesson. What did I miss out?! Using our new Pickle kit which is available now!

Modpodge!!!! I just love it! You can do sooo much with it?! You need to get yourself a pot (but maybe wait cause I think we’re going to start stocking it ) No you must get some cause then you can make these cute little eggs. You could use napkins or those lovely patterned tissues you can get for this in the same way, you wouldn’t need to rip them up into such small pieces as we have here. String through some cotton with a needle and you could hang them on your Easter tree!

Thread conditioner is not something I’ve ever used as an embroiderer but it can help you with a couple of things….getting less knots & tangles AND threading your needle! You could just condition the end of your thread to help you get it through the needle if this is something you struggle with. All of our Hoop Club subscribers had a beeswax thread conditioner included in their boxes this time and we’re thinking of stocking this now I realise how useful it is!

Coming soon…which one is your favourite? 🍯, 🥒, 🫒 or 🥬 this will have to do as the kimchi emoji 😂 Also this bedspread is my new favourite obvs it’s just in the studio not in my house, I wish…it’s from @dunelmuk !

Niche niggle 😂 Keep that thread nice and short and I promise you, you’ll enjoy your embroidery so much more and you’ll make progress quicker too! 🪡✂️🎂