The Needlework Boutique has always been a home based business.  With Stage 4 restrictions in place here in Victoria, we are still open to online orders, and will plan trips to the post office around visits to the supermarket.  Fortunately they are in the same shopping centre and less than 5km from home.

How were your New Year Celebrations?  For the first time in years I went to a NYE party and had a wonderful time with family and friends.  I have been thinking of my goals for 2018, the direction I want to take and what I want to do.  And one of my goals is to do something creative everyday.  Naturally I missed January 1 (recovery day), but since then I have stitched everyday, and have now finished the 3rd pattern card in Lizzie Kate’s “Living with Charm” Double Flip series – ‘Listen/Learn’.  I am looking forward to starting on ‘Believe’ today.  Each of these charts are quite simple, and quick to stitch.  I usually take 2 days to stitch each word.  What are you stitching on at the moment?

Today I started entering the Weeks Dye Works, Sampler Threads and Classic Colorworks onto the website.  These threads retail at $5.50 each.

What is in your sewing basket right now?  I currently have a number of projects on the go, but the one that is getting all my attention at the moment is Ann Womack from Shakespeare’s Peddler.

Several months ago I applied to have a stand at Pakenham Stitch!  Having been accepted, I quickly realised that I needed to stitch some new models.  And chose Ann Womack.  I started working on her using threads and linen from my stash about 6  or 7 weeks ago.

Stitched on linen in a single colour, Ann Womack is an easy stitch.  Although I have chosen to use threads and fabric from my stash, I will share with you some thread and fabric selections from the store in a week or so.

I have just posted a little more information about this sampler over at my other blog, Bette’s Musings.  So pop on over to check it out.  You can also see a progress report in images on my instagram feed

Ann Womack is available on line or at Pakenham Stitch! while stocks last.

Over the past few weeks I have been entering more charts on to the website. And I have also ordered new ones for the shop. I am looking forward to their imminent arrival, but really want to finish transferring the existing inventory over to this new website. I am getting there.

Tonight, as I was entering the 490th chart, I was attracted to the sweet sounding Springtime Serenade by Country Cottage Needleworks. With Melbourne being in the cold, wet depths of winter, I am looking forward to Spring, as I am really a summer person.

Just quickly ducking in to announce our massive end of financial year sale.

50% off all in stock charts.

When? June 1 – 30, 2016

Why? To make way for the new charts we are ordering in preparation for Pakenham Stitch!

Orders will be processed on the Saturdays in June, to be shipped on Mondays.

What is your ideal Mother’s Day?

Mine is sitting in my favourite chair, my floor stand in front of me, a glass of water beside me, while I stitch away on my latest project.  Or maybe one from my WIP (or should I say, UFO) pile.  At regular intervals during the day, my beautiful children graciously serve me with wonderful meals they have prepared.  The dogs sitting at my feet.

My reality is more likely to be running around like a headless chook, taking one child to basketball training in the morning and to a game in the afternoon, fielding frequent requests for attention from another, and discussing the importance of cleaning a bedroom with the third.

Ahhhh.  I can dream, can’t I?

In the meantime, have a look at the store.  It is getting there.  As of tonight I have over 430 charts on the website.  Maybe there is one there that tickles your fancy?  And while you are at it, have you signed up for the newsletter yet?

Have you checked out the shop yet?  More than 400 charts and kits have been uploaded.  And more to come.  This chart is Passione Ricamo’s Fairy of Dreams – The Guardian.

I love school holidays, especially now my children are teenagers.  I get a little more uninterrupted time to work on the website.  So far today I have uploaded around another 20 – 30 charts.  But I have come across a problem.  Some of the pictures I used on the old website have gone missing.  I will have to scan the missing images later this weekend.

One of the things I love about redoing my shopping cart (about the only thing if I am telling the full truth!) is coming across designs that I have forgotten about, but absolutely must stitch.

I had forgotten about The Birdkeeper.  The shop only has one copy of this beautiful design left.

Then there is Eliza Adams.  (Found here)  It is such a sweet little sampler that I think I will have to stitch this one this weekend.  I have suitable fabric in my stash, I am just not sure what the threads are.  Maybe DMC?

Over the weekend I am planning to work on some of the other pages as well.  Two major improvements need to be the About page and the Contacts page.

Have you looked at the shop recently?  I have now uploaded approximately 1/3 of the charts that were there prior to all the changes I started making at the start of this year.  It is a long, slow, laborious process, as I enter each chart individually, making sure I have also added the correct image.  I do have to go back and finish adding category images, but I have already started doing that.

At the moment, I believe my email link may be broken – I had to change hosts a month or so back.  If you have been trying to contact me, please leave a comment, and I will get back to you.  It has been so long since I have done a redirection of an email address that I need an hour or so to focus on that task alone (will probably take me 5 minutes to do once I work it out.)

I will definitely be updating you more over the next few months.  Don’t forget to sign up for the enews.

Till next time…