Back in 2011, a lovely needlework book called Home Sweet Home hit the market.
The book featured step-by-step instructions for stitching a charming, fun, and rather vast embroidery project – an embroidered workbox with all the accessories.
Understandably, it wasn’t long before the book was sold up and out of print.
And people have been pining for it ever since.
Well, there’s good news! Home Sweet Home is back in print, better than ever, and ready to assist you to create your own workbox masterpiece!
Today, I’m going to chat a little bit about resources, supplies, and availability, share some ideas with you about the book (especially if you’re dying to create your own Home Sweet Home workbox), and then – thanks to the kind folk at Wooly Thread – have a give-away!
If you’re not familiar with all the gorgeous details of Home Sweet Home, you can find my in-depth review of the book here. That’s where I go into sordid detail about all the exciting, irresistible aspects of the book!
So, Home Sweet Home went out of a print, and for a while, it couldn’t be had for love nor money.
Well…I take that back. If you wanted to pay Seriously Inflated Prices for it through used book sellers, it could be had for money.
Then, the folks at Inspirations, realizing the popularity of (and eager demand for) the book, heard the Voice of the People and did what any smart business would do – they reprinted it! And that means – glory hallelujah! – it is available now, all over the place.
You’ll find a current list of places you can now purchase the book at the end of my previous review.
You Can Make Stuff!
What I like best about home Sweet Home – besides the fact that the cottage and all the accessories therein are so very charming – is that it teaches you how to make stuff.
The construction of the box, the pincushions, the fobs, all the embroidery accessories – it’s all detailed in the book. So for stitchers who have yearned for different ways of finishing up stitched items, it’s a treasure trove of good ideas and good instruction!
Making It As Is
The supply list for Home Sweet Home and all the accessories is vast, to say the least. There are specialty threads from overseas, silk ribbon, and the like. There are some hard-to-find little embellishment bits scattered throughout the whole collection, too. In the photo above, for example, you can see at least six little charms added on the sides of the workbox – a beehive, some bees, a lady bug, and a gecko.
So there are a couple ways you can go about creating the workbox and all the accessories.
1. If you have a significant stash to pull from, and if you’re confident in making substitutions, you can always work from your stash and make your own substitutions. This will result in a workbox unique to you. If you don’t have the particular charms, buttons, or beads, you can seek out similar ones, or just embroider the elements.
2. If there’s a hunter-gatherer in you, you might enjoy tracking down all the supplies, as written in the book. Sometimes, that’s part of the fun! One of the problems I see with that approach is that you’ll end up compounding your expenses with multiple shipping charges, because most of the items, you won’t find locally. You’ll have to look for them online.
3. But if you’re not a hunter-gatherer, there’s some jolly good news. The enterprising people at Stitching Shop in Denver have done the hunting and gathering for you and put together this Home Sweet Home kit that includes all the threads, beads, charms, and sequins used in the project. They also have a fabric kit available here.
Adding Accessories
In the latest issue of Inspirations Magazine, to celebrate the reprinting of the book, you’ll find instructions for a new accessory for the workbox. It’s this lovely little bodkin holder:
If you’re thinking about launching into the workbox with the new edition of Home Sweet Home, you should add that accessory to your list, too!
A Give-Away!
Wooly Thread offered a copy of the book for a give-away (thanks, Wooly Thread!), so here’s your chance to win your own copy of Home Sweet Home. They carry the book here (and all the Inspirations books, as well as the A-Z series of embroidery books), if you’re looking for it.
If you’d like to join in today’s give-away, please follow these guidelines:
This give-away has ended. Thanks for participating!
1. Leave a comment below this article on Needle ‘n Thread. You can follow this link to go directly to the comment form. Comments left on other articles on Needle ‘n Thread or sent in via email are not eligible.
2. In your comment, please answer the following question:
What’s your favorite needlework accessory or tool?
3. Please include a recognizable name in your comment, either on the name line of the form or in the body of the comment area. If your name happens to be something like Mary or Sue or another frequented name, please include a last initial, a nickname, or a place, to help avoid confusion when the winner is announced. Thanks!
4. Leave your comment by Saturday, November 12, 5:00 am central time (Kansas, USA), and the winner will be announced that day. The winner will need to contact me with mailing info, so don’t forget to check back.
And that’s it! Go forth and comment, and before you know it, your own copy of Home Sweet Home may be winging its way to you, to fill you with inspiration and to infatuate you with the dream of making your own cottage workbox!
PS. Janet Granger made her own workbox from Home Sweet Home. You can read all her Home-Sweet-Home-related articles on her blog, here.
Q-snap loop and my embroidery sissors.
What a beautiful project. I would love to have this book.
My favorite accessory is a pincushion I made that I can wear on my wrist.
My favorite needlework accessory is a little etui I made from an issue of Inspirations. It has a pocket for scissors, felt pages fory needles, anx I modified the pattern a little to add ribbons to hold a needle case and pair of tweezers. It keeps all the essential tools together and easily portable for a stitching session wherever I go. It reminds me a bit of an old timey surgeon’s kit whenever I open it up and see all my tools snug within.
So excited about this giveaway. I’ve been looking for this wonderful book for ages! My favorite needlework tool? I have a lovely pair of gold swan-necked embroidery scissors that belonged to my mother. Using them is like having her sitting next to me every time I work on a project.
This would be a fun challenge! It’s certainly a beautiful creation. My favorite embroidery tools are needles since we can’t embroider without them. I found your blog recently and am looking forward to learning more from it.
Hi,
My favorite tool would have to be my magnifying glasses. Without them, I can’t see my work.
I often wonder about needle workers in centuries past. I guess they had to have amazing vision.
Beth B. from Charlottesville
A pair of embroidery scissors I’ve had for years with the perfect balance for my hand
A beautiful pair of embroidery scissors!
My needlebook. I only recently made a needlebook and I can’t believe I lived without one for so long. I can finally find the right needle for a project without spending lots of time searching.
My favorite is an embroidered scissor slide holding a small pair of embroidery scissors. Whether embroidering, sewing or smocking I need them. Since they are embroidered I tend to wear them almost all the time.
I love this Home Sweet Home-what a fabulous sewing box! Thank you for a chance in this giveaway, Susan
My favorite tool are my embroidery scissors!
My favourite needlework accessory would have to be my Yazzi bag. I can carry everything I need, threads, scissors hoop, pin cushion and more, for all my projects. Everything at my fingertips!!
My favorite needlework tool is my hoop. It is a 5″x7″ square oval. No matter the size of my project, this is the hoop I will always grab. I prefer my stitching to be drum tight and this little hoop holds it perfectly for me. It fits my smaller, arthritic hands. While my tool is humble, it has traveled many a mile with me. I love my hoop.
Thanks for this opportunity, Mary. I hope this finds you well.
My favorite neddlework tools are two, my Star de taylor (a thread tucker) and the snag nab-it. fantastic book, thank you for the opportunity!
My embroidery scissors. I just love them!
My favorite accessory tool is my lap light
My embroidery scissors.
Just love this book, absolutely gorgeous, my favorite tool is my stands and hoops have several different types gathered over the years really helps keep the work taught and neat, i also have a love hate relationship with my unpicker !!
I would so love to win this book! My favorite stitching tool is the thread holders that you wind the floss onto. I especially like the cute ones made of wood!!
Oh, it’s the big toss up between pin cushions and scissors….I love them both.
Thanks for the chance.
Mine would be tools. Without a doubt, I must have my magnifying lens and light.
Thanks for the chance to win.
Desi
Members of my guild alway talk about your wonderful blog!
My favorite needlework accessory is “fabric”. I love handling
the differnet textures of fabric when stitching!
My favorite accessory is a cigar box, which I use to organize all of my sewing supplies. They store easily, give me a space to keep everything, and look nice on the shelf.
My favorite tool are my scissors. They are a spring loaded pair with a button to open them. I have had them for years and they have stayed so sharp. I do a lot a different types of needle work and they have never failed me.
My favourite needlework tool is my silver laying tool. It fits in the palm of my hand and is perfect for laying those stranded threads so they are smooth as silk. I’ve never seen another one exactly like this one, and I have no idea of the maker. It has a fancy little twist at the top, and it’s pointy but not too sharp. This is important as it gets lost in the couch regularly and I don’t want to be stabbing myself with it!
My favourite tool is beautiful embroidery scissors. I’m so glad this book is being reissued! I found it a little while ago but was not willing to pay the inflated price on it. Looks like fun!
I followed Janet’s blog and loved seeing her workbox.
One of my favorite tools is my tekobari. It is a Japanese laying tool for silk which I use for lots of specialty threads especially for needlepoint.
Thanks so much for running the give away. I love reading your blog.
Annie’s storage keepers and slides. I use these to organize my threads for Brazilian Embroidery and my Cottage Garden Threads from Australia. The keepers slide into the storage slides and then I hang them in a plastic file box. This allows my rayon threads to hang freely without tangling.
Thank you for the opportunity at a chance on winning a copy of “Home Sweet Home”.
I am relatively new to embroidery (stitching) but I really like my very sharp scissors, needle threader, and fridge magnet (helps lining my stitches up straight)!
WOW! This is a wonderful project that would expand my stitching abilities. So many different techniques and fibers. My stash would furnish some of the materials, but it would be fun to try some new threads. My favorite stitching tool(s) are Evertite stretcher bars. They are easy to assemble and keep my fabric drum tight.
one of my favorite needlework accessories is my Annies needle keeper. It is a double sided strip that holds all your needles for a project. you can thread several needles with several different thread colors and set them in the needle keeper for when you need that color thread. This way you don’t have to keep threading the same needle when you need to change colors. It is fabulous.
I love the little needle book they show.
Hi,
The thought of winning this HOME SWEET HOME book is very exciting. My favorite embroidery accessory is a rubbery thimble which helps me both grip and pull my thread through the fabric.
Thank you, Mary for all you do and share!
Jennie, from Huntington, WV
My Ginghers scissors are my favorite tool
I am so excited that this book is back in print. Even if I do not win one, I am going to order it. It has so many great projects and I love looking at the stitches so I can add them in some of my projects.
What is my favorite needlework accessory or tool? I would have to say it depends on what I’m working on at the time. But really I would have to say my scissors and laying tool.
I’m so glad it is back in print! And I’m also glad for this giveaway! My favourite accessory is the pincushion, particularly when it is a biscornu because it is always useful and can be so pretty! I use it for my embroidery, but for my sewing and knitting too!
How lovely and would be so fun to watch it grow as each piece is made. My newest favorite tool is my recently acquired aficot for smoothing threads. Thanks for the giveaway!
Such a beautiful project! My 2 favorite tools are my scissors and my magnifier. I could not do any project with out them.
My favorite needlework accessories are my magnet needle minders because I’m always afraid to lose them and my needle threader. My eye sight is bad enough why waste it threading a needle when there is a tool to help me 😉
At this stage in my needlework, my favorite tool is my freestanding lighted magnifying glass!
Sally Hilfiger
This is absolutely beautiful. I’m not sure I could ever make something this beautiful. But would love the opportuity to have the book available. Would feel very lucky.
Thank you for sharing
ohhhh yes! would love to win this book and make my own little embroidery house 😉
my favourite tool is a tool i recently bought: a hand embroidered magnetic needlekeeper, never knew this was so handy: no more lost needles, no holes in your tissue paper and last but not least no more injuries caused by sharp lying around needles.
My favorite needlework tool would have to be my needle minder. It’s a hedgehog with a magnet to hold my needle when I am not working or changing thread. It’s a lifesaver!
My favorite needlework accessory is this little zippered bag that I use to carry my current project with me wherever I go. When I’m making plans to visit someplace and want to carry a project I get out my little bag and decide what I want to makeand then start loading it up with all the necessary details to complete my project. it’s big enough for my base cloth, embroidery thread, scissors, and also embellishments I might want to add like beads, ribbons, etc. and then when I get content all I have to do is grab my bag and CREATE.
Thank you for the gift of this book. It’s such a beautiful, inspiring one!
I would love to do this project. I like complicated projects and work on them off and on sometimes for years. My favorite tool is an antique laying needle which I found in a shop in Paris. I use it for so many things: adjusting stitches, ribbon embroidery, untangling a knot. I even use it when machine stitching to feed layers as I stitch. I like having all my tools organized so I don’t waste time looking so the work box would be terrific.
My favorite tool is a good organizer for my embroidery tools. Right now everything is in different places. Yes, this impedes my inspiration. Who wants to go searching to start a project? A good organizer for me saves time and is a motivation boost. I have great tools. They just need a “good home.”
Mauri
I like a very sharp pair of scissors.
Trace Baker
Heavens to Mergatroid, it’s gotta be magnets. I used to lose needles, ’cause I can’t see the durn things in the carpet, chair, or on me, and pre-threading is MUCH more organized. For sheer ease of use and less egregious pokery, it’s gotta be the magnets.
I remember reading your review of Home Sweet Home, Mary, when you posted it back then. So beautiful! Thank you for hosting this giveaway.
Oh my, this book is a dream!! My favorite embroidery accessory is my embroidery my scissors (I have more than one, actually). And I am crazy about embroidery floss (not an accessory, but I just love them)!
What a Beautiful and generous giveaway. My favorite sitting tool are my vision tools. I use a magnifying lens on my standing floor lamp and I have magic eyes to see even more details while I work my needles.
I’m a pretty basic needleworker, so I don’t have many extra tools. But of course a really good pair of sissors are a must and I have a favorite needle case given to me by a friend.
My favorite accessory is my scissors. A good pair of fabric shears and a good pair of snipping scissors are essential!
My current, favorite needlework tool is the needle threader! Had never used one before last fall and can’t believe how much easier threading is with one! Why did I ever poo-poo using one in the past? Lol!
I’m thinking my next favorite will be a laying tool though! Straightening and aligning the threads as I work gives a cleaner, more finished look to the piece.
Nancy “Nawbird” White
I have been admiring this little kit ever since it was first introduced. I think it’s just as sweet as it can be. And because I repurpose old boxes which are covered with needlework for the Southern Highland Craft Guild, I’d just love to create this one from scratch.
Thank you so much for this give-away. It’s definitely a wonderful one.
Cindi
Oh this is so cute and beautiful! I wish someone could make it for me as I’m not sure I could get it all done (my fingers are having an unhappy arthritis day today), but I would love this.
My favorite needlework tool is my sturdy needle threader and little Gingher embroidery scissors that I won in a contest. Also while many would never list it as a favorite, but it is the amazing wealth of ideas and tutorials that the internet has!
I love the needle book and the embroidered thimble case.I would love to win this contest
My favourite needlework tool? Most definitely my DOVO embroidery scissors. I wish I’d bought them sooner as they’re such a pleasure to cut with!
Omg….I never saw the original…but it’s going to have to come home with me…
My favorite tool is a laying needle….it keeps the stitches smooooooth!!!
Thanks for the millions of good ideas and inspiration..you are a treasure to needleworkers
Sue A ..New Hyde Park
I am a gadget freak! I have a lot of tools, but I must say that my laying tool is the one item that I use the most. Scissors and magnifying glasses are a close second, but the laying tool is always in my hand. Yes, definitely, the laying tool wins.
Thanks to you and Wooly Thread for this great give-away.
My favorite tool for needlepoint is my needle keep!
Hi, Mary,
Unfortunately as my eyes have gotten older, my embroidery needle eyes seem to have gotten smaller and I find that I often need to use a needle threader. Somewhere along the way I found a great one made by DMC. It has a blue plastic half moonish shaped base with three different sized threaders sticking out of it. Two of them are your basic metal hooks and the third the collapsible wire type. I love this thing!
I would have to say that my favorite tool is my laying tool. I am passionate about my needlework and find the laying tool immensely helpful in perfecting a stitch. I bought one of the most popular metal laying tools on the market and created a custom handle that rests in my palm comfortably using several colors of fimo clay. So not only do I have a tool that fits my hand perfectly but is colorful and attractive.
I love my needle keep my mom made for me. It is made from wool appliqué with embroidered embellishments. It keeps all my needles in one place. So cute and I think of mom each time I use it!!
“Home Sweet Home” has captured my heart! I have 2 favorite embroidery tools at the moment – my sharp embroidery scissors – and unfortunately, my reading glasses!!
I really need this for organizing my work pieces and tools. I keep losing my scissor keep among other things. Thanks for the offer.
My favorite needlework accessory is the little rubber fingertip needle grippers. They make it so much easier for me to grasp a needle. Embroidery was too painful without them. They are magic and a must have for me! I keep a pair in my project bag and have a pair to spare at all times.
Hi Mary, My favorite needlework accessory are my little mini snips. I use them all the time. Thanks for the giveaway!
what an awesome project!
My favourite embroidery accesssory is my pair of golden embroidery scissors. My father gifted them to my grandmother when he was a little boy, and it’s one of the few things I’ve inherited from her after her death. I love the trans-generational element of it, as well as the fact that the bird design of the scissors is much more detailed than current versions one could get in a store.
Thank you for the give away! The design of the workbox reminds me of the letter box in Little Women, which is one of my favourite books.
Hi Mary, I enjoy using my little decorative tray that holds all my little items in a neat spot on my side table. It isn’t exactly a tool, but I can’t be without it. Have a wonderful holiday. Thanks for the giveaway!
I would love to have a copy of Home Sweet Home on my bookshelves and have a go at making my own lovely box to admire everyday.
Still hanging on to my old English needles.
Favorite accessory for hand sewing is my thimble which allows a long
fingernail to stick out. Very accommodating and comfortable.
My embroidery scissor and scissor case are my favorite.
G’day Mary
I’d have to say a darn good needle, and that’s not a darning one either! And to accompany those precious needles, a needle minder nice and handy is a must for me.
Cheers
Kath
Hah! This is so easy! Since I’ve gotten older my favorite ( and most necessary) tool are my #325 reading glasses that I use as a magnifier.
Cheryl from Loganville Ga
I love my tekobari and use it all the time!
For me, it’s a toss up of two items that are indispensable to me. The first is a small pair of Wescott scissors that are perfect for embroidery, especially when I decide that something needs to be removed because of the ‘ugh’ factor.
The second is my F.A.Edmunds scroll frame. I used to get downright exasperated using embroidery hoops that kept losing their taughtness. The frame has made embroidery so much more fun and entertaining because it holds my work in place. No more constant adjustments!
OMG!! That is absolutely beautiful! I would think I died and gone to heaven if I won that
My favorite accessories are my scissors and my #26 chenille needles. This book is adorable!
I have to say that my favorite needlework accessory/tool is (are?) my Kai serrated edge embroidery scissors. Sometimes it’s as if I have another set of fingers to grip a slippery thread. As an aside, I first ran across a description of. ‘Home Sweet Home’ when it was out of print and have coveted it ever since. It’s definitely on my Christmas list!
I’d have to say very sharp pointed scissors.
This book totally fascinates me! How exciting it would be to win a copy.
Oops, was so excited about the book, I forgot to mention my favorite tool. The tool that I turn to most often is a special pin cushion I made. It is long and narrow which allows me to have many needles threaded ready to use, and the length of the pin cushion allows me to easily choose the needle with the color of thread which is needed next.
What a sweet book! I love needlebooks and the one illustrated looks perfect!
My favorite needle working tool: 1″ x 2″ needle keepers of white felt, each holding about fifteen needles. Small enough to fit into my smallest work-kits, they show the sizes and points of every needle on hand, and help me keep my vow of “waste no time searching for the right needle.”
My favorite needlework accessory or tool? there are sooo many, but one of my very favorite tools is a 6 inch grid ruler. My go-to for many projects.
Oh! I am in love with this sewing home! It is the sweetest thing! I would absolutely love winning this book and gathering the supplies to make it slowly, but surely! But you’ve asked me to do an impossible task. It’s like saying which of my 9 children are my favorite! Hand embroidery is my favorite thing to take with me on the go and I go everywhere with my Swiss card, which has this adorable tiny pair of scissors that has come in so handy over the years. There! You made me do it! Thank you for the wonderful blog and giveaway. Someone is going to be so happy!
My favorite needlework tool is my wooden laying tool!!
Hello
My favourite and most essential tool is my magnifier. It helps my eyes when doing detail work and also provides helpful light. All in all its making sure my eyes will still be functioning in 20 years time 🙂
What is my favorite needlework accessory or tool? That’s easy, my needle! There is nothing quite like the needle in hand. =D
My favorite accessory would be the lowly needle threader. Couldn’t stitch without it!
My favorite needlework tool is the needle. Without the needle, no other tool would be needed at all!
My favorite gadget….I love toys, but the one I use all the time is a magnetic needle minder.
I have a Golden Thimble. I bought it years ago from an antiques store. It fits me perfectly, more comfortably than any silver one could. I love its soft patina and beautiful chasing designs. You do “use” a thimble like this. You “wear” it, and every time I do I sense the other gentle ladies who wore it before me. It takes me back in time and helps to make my needlework better.
My favorite tool is a pair of really sharp scissors. Would love to make this little house.
I would love to receive this book. It would give me the courage to tackle the project. My favorite accessory (besides the needed magnifiers and bright light) are little post-it notes. I use them to mark my place on the chart and I always know where I am. Sometimes I use 2 to highlight a particular area. That way I don’t need to constantly stop to use a marker.
my current favorite tool is the reading glasses I now wear over my regular glasses (curse you old-age eyes!). Looks very odd but it’s better than not stitching!
I do that too! I have been told I look like a spider…
I can’t live without my glasses and my OTT lite. Whenever there is something small to fix or stitch my glasses and light are there to assist!
Task lights – what a gift!
What a fabulous piece. I love making stitching accessories. I also love tools and gadgets. My favorite tool would be the one I need at the moment. Scissor, needle, or whatever the project calls for.
My favorite needlework tool is a little unorthodox – it’s a pair of nail clippers! I recently finished a large goldwork piece with tons of chipwork, and cutting chips with scissors is messy and leaves those little tags of wire. Not so with the nail clippers! You can just ‘munch’ right down the wire and turn the whole thing into chips in no time at all.
I would love to make this workbox as a gift for my daughter. My favourite tool is my strong mini magnet that I keep on my work which keep my needles safe.
Alex P UK
I really love my trusty needle threader. The larger the years, the smaller the sight! It has helped me thread many a small needle with beautiful silk thread and I wouldn’t be without it.
My favorite needlework accessory is my needle book. I created it out of blackwork several years ago and it is constantly by my side when I do my craft. I have four pages of needles of all kinds, from dull pointed to the sharps. Now that my eyesight requires it, I have created a place for a needle threader. And on the outside I have the date in which it was made and my initials. I wouldn’t stitch without it!
My favorite embroidery tool is a needle threader. I actually use it for catching too short pieces of thread to run under the finished stitches to tie off.
Favorite needlework tool – probably the pair of Gingher embroidery scissors I bought in about 1988. They’re super sharp and have a leather sheath. I don’t often spend a lot of money on tools, and they were pricey by my standards back then – about $20 I think. But for any kind of cutwork they’re priceless 🙂 I absolutely LOVE Home Sweet Home and was so disappointed it was already out of print when I read about it on your blog. If I don’t win it, it’s going on my Christmas list 🙂
Holly
I would love a copy of Home Sweet Home for my shelves . My favorite needlework accessory is my beloved thimble. It took me a long time to find one I could use comfortably because my hands are small. Now I can not work without it.
A friend of mine bought the book when it was first published and I was so jealous. It will now go to the top of my Christmas wish list. I’m so glad they’ve decided to bring out a second edition.
I’m ashamed to say that my most useful sewing tool is the seam ripper that came with my Bernina about ten years ago. For some strange reason, it comes out from time to time!
I think I shall have to go and find a copy of the edition of the Inspirations magazine with the bodkin holder in it and possibly make some of the other goodies for presents for next year – shan’t get them done for this year.
Thanks for telling us that the book’s come out again.
I’ve always loved this project. I couldn’t quite bring myself to buy the book on the secondary market. So excited it is available again!
My favorite needlework accessory is my needle threader. In addition to having old eyes that no longer see needle eyes very well, I have an essential tremor, which complicates threading a needle. Couldn’t embroider without ’em!
Its hard to choose just one but if I have to, I think I’d choose my pincushion(s). I have made several and have one by my stitching chair and one by my sewing machine at all times.
My loved accessory is my Ginger scissor. So thin and sharp to cut all my thread one my Hardanger, Drawn thread and Schwalm project.
I enjoy my pretty cardboard trays where I keep my many projects.
What a wonderful opportunity. Thank you. My favorite accessory has to be the pincushion and/or needlebook. Both can take so many different shapes and sizes, it’s possible to have a whole collection and still never have enough.
WOW . Mary, you find the most awesome things to make. My list have grown to more things to do than years I have life for in 100 life times. They have to back ordered this book, but it is on my bucket list Thank you.
My favorite tool is my embroidery scissors. I’m obsessed with collecting them
Thanks so much for the chance to win this amazing book!
Lucy
My absolute favorite tool is my Oliso iron. You know the one that raises and lowers by the touch of your hand? Yep that one. I’m such a klutz and forgetful too that this iron has been a lifesaver. Literally! No more do I have to worry about leaving it down on the board or it falling over or the cats getting burned. It’s just not possible. I love it! Mary Corbet, thank you for all that you do and the contributions you make to all of us who appreciate the fine art of embroidery. I couldn’t have done or created anything I’ve done to date without you. Hope your health is on the mend and that you’re feeling better than ever!
Best,
Cindi Rogers
Las Vegas, Nevada
Fabulous threads to discover and use.
My favorite needlework accessory is a full spectrum light. This is so important for me to assist in accurate color selection and to assure accuracy in the stitch execution, especially in counted thread work. Thank you for the opportunity to win this lovely project book.
Hi Mary,
I love the ThimblePack stick on thimbles. They last forever and never fall off. I have loved that little house since you first reviewed it.
Thank you.
Connie
One of my favorite tools is Clover’s green embroidery threaded. It works so much better than the wire threaders I love it!
I have been admiring the Home Sweet Home box since I viewed it on Inspirations.
I’d be honored to win.
Thank you.
That book is so lovely. My favourite tool are my embroidery scissors, also I am very fond of my bottle top pincushion inspired by your post from ages ago!
Love Rachel
I think my favorite needlework tool is the table clamp for my scroll frame. I forget who makes/made it, but I adore it. It fits on tables at Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, and other coffee shops…..but not on my own dining room table, LOL. Runner up would be my reading glasses. I don’t wear glasses or contacts normally, but for stitching over one on 40-count linen I purchased a pair of low magnification reading glasses. They work wonderfully, and I’m able to look at my fabric and then shift my eyes and look at the room and have everything still be in focus. 🙂 Thank you Mary!
I love my Needle Need Millennium Scroll Frame. I have use other frames, But this is the best one for my needlepoint, cross stitch, and embroidery projects. I wish I had more, the one I have took six months to get.. It was is wroth the price. I love this project, looks like so much fun.
Definitely my Clover needle threader. It’s getting harder to see to thread my needle.
My favorite accessory is my stand that holds my hoop.
I know it sounds a bit odd, but my favorite accessory is the needle! I love needles in all size, kinds. I am temptrd to change needles frequently because it feels so good to use a brand new, unused needle.
Oh my gosh, love, love this beautiful set. What a fun ongoing project it would be. My favorite needlework accessory at this moment (it changes often) is having a variety of needles at my disposal! I keep my needle cases full of different sizes, types, etc. Every thread has it’s own preferred needle :).
Kari L.
I would love to have this book for the challenge of making it and all the accessories. My favourite and mos necessary tool is a sharp pair of embroidery scissors with it’s own scissor keeper. I have several and have made the keepers or bought some. My scissors have a habit of getting lost, either down the sides of a comfortable chair or under papers an t is easier to fin the if they have a keeper.
Well, I love all the little doodads and fun little tools that would fit in the little house work box, but I would have to say my favorite “tool” is my Craftlite lighted magnifying light, which I bought after you reviewed it. If I can’t see my work, I can’t do it!
My favorite needlework accessory/tool would be my scissor keeper which also doubles as a needle keeper. I made this myself out of need due to the fact that I couldn’t find one in the shops. I have had it for over 30 yrs and it still looks new! Have made several to give as gifts over the years.
Barabal
(Barbara in gaelic)
I am very partial to scissors. I have quite a few and my favorite right now is a tiny stork in mint that I wear around my neck while stitching.
My current favourite needlework tool is my brand new scissors by Dovo. They are a pleasure to use.
Judith Peckham,
St. John’s , Newfoundland, Canada
My favorite (and indispensable) tool/accessory is my Dazor floor lamp & magnifier. I love working on small pieces and it makes it so much easier.
I don’t need much to be satisfied, so I guess I’d have to say that my favorite accessory or tool is that most basic tool, the needle.
My favorite tool is a good sharp pair of embroidery scissors. Can’t stitch without them. Oh how I’d love to win this book. I’ve seen these before but have never attempted one. With this book I’d have all the details. This is the perfect winter project after after all the holiday stitching is finished and the holidays are over. Hope I win but I rarely win anything. Lesta Little
Oh cool! That’s been on my want list since you first reviewed it. My favorite tool at the moment is my beaded ebony laying tool. It works well and I love looking at it.
My name is Tamara T. and my favorite needlework tool is my needle threader. I probably wouldn’t get anything done without it. This book is amazing!
Hi, I’m Sharon from Tinana, Maryborough Qld, AUSTRALIA. I have recently rekindled my love for embroidery and joined a local group. Last week I happened to mention I Had unpicked my work several times and I was promptly corrected and was told “it’s not unpicking, it’s reverse sewing”. So my favourite accessory right now is my little THREAD CATCHER bag, which I’ve just finished making to keep my REVERSE SEWING threads in. I’d love to have this book to recreate such beautiful projects. THANK YOU
Thank you Wooly Thread and Mary for offering this wonderful giveaway!
My favorite tool is my lamp, without it I would struggle to work on my projects.
Mary in Billerica
Needle threader
That looks like a beautiful book and project. The details on the house are amazing! I especially love the snail and strawberries and think that the house would not only be fun to make but useful for storing all my needlework tools. Cute scissors are my favorite needlework accessory.
I love my embroidery stand to hold my hoop while I work, and my scissors. I adore beautiful scissors.
My favorite tool is a small pair of golden stork scissors because my grandmother had a pair when I was small. Years later I noticed she didn’t have them anymore and got her another pair which she loved. After she passed my mom gave them to me to keep. Now my girls use them too 🙂
Hi Mary – This is a beautiful give away. How wonderful. I would love to win this design. My favorite embroidery tool is a plastic 3 x 6 oval hoop. The oval shape is so much easier on my left hand than a round hoop. If you haven’t tried an oval hoop, I recommend you do so. I think you will feel the difference.
Thanks again for the giveaway.
Judy C from Madison
As simple as it sounds my
favorite “tool” is without a doubt
a good VARIETY of excellent
needles. They must be sharp, appropriate length for the task at hand, and organized so I can
find them quickly. This was really
important when doing the silk ribbon work, switching between
various width of silk ribbons, threads and stumpwork. I buy
GOOD Quality needles. I love
Bohin of France.
My favorite needlework tool? I’d say my scissors. A nice little pair of gingher’s I got with a 50% off coupon. They are pretty and functional art the same time!
This is such a cute and yet useful project!
My favorite needlework tool? As I get older, I find a really good lighted magnifier is essential. Otherwise, I’d have to say my good pair of scissors.
Ever since I saw this work box in the latest Inspirations I’ve yearned for it. I’ve never made any of this type of accessory item before but would love to make this whole project. It is so lovely.
I’m currently working on the bodkin holder for my cousin who lives in Australia.
I love Inspirations and use it’s patterns frequently as I enjoy thread-painting so much.
My favourite tool is my ort bag. I bought it at one of our Seminars and it is invaluable.
Thanks for this opportunity Mary. I enjoy your blog, even though I don’t comment on it often.
My favorite needlework tool is my computer so that when making my own designs I can easily play with various colors to see how they all look together on my computer before I put all that time and effort into the stitches.
My favorite needlework tool unfortunately is the seam ripper. Frequently I’m taking out what work I just did if I get too sloppy. I need a book that will teach me how to do things then maybe I won’t need the ripper as much. Thank you
Hi, when you click on your link in the Home .Sweet Home workbox for the supplies and fabric it comes up with no products available!
I love vintage emeries and pincushions- particularly the ones shaped like fruit. The very first in my collection was a vintage strawberry emery covered in neat rows of couched cranberry-colored silk threads and ivory colored leaves. Truly a very lucky find tucked in an old box at an estate sale! Since then I have added to my modest collection, but none will ever be a special as that very first find!
What a fantastic thing that they reprinted this book!
I have a marvelous pair of embroidery scissors that friend gave me and I love them!
Gotta be my lovely hand turned, double ended seam ripper!
Thanks for the opportunity to own a copy of this dear book. It will be a treasure, to whomever wins! I dream of tackling that project from stash. My favorite tool is absolutely scissors – I have more than a woman should and love each one. When I travel to stitch with friends, I take no less than 3 pair with me, and always am on the hunt for more. The prettier, the sharper, the better!
My daylight lamp/magnifier is definitely my favourite tool followed by my needlework stand
My favorite embroidery tool is my small, sharply-pointed scissors. They are shaped like a stork, and there is an enamel design in the golden beak. They make me smile every time I pick them up.
My favourite needlework accessories is a Swiss army pen knife. I found it thrown in a drawer some years ago and started to use it for my embroidery. The little scissors are razor sharp and pointed without finger holes to get your thumb and fingers stuck in. It has a a tool for almost any job that stumpwork demands and a tiny nail file for rubbing down bits of rough skin after a day’s gardening, you know, the bits that pull the thread from the needle at the wrong moment!
It’s all there in a small package!
i am so pleased to hear they are reprinting this book. i have a french version and have been trying to convert in order to make this stunning little sewing box. its been a big job but I am determined to make it…English will be alot easier.lol. My favourite needlework accessory is a thimble. I have an antique thimble that I use all the time. I really enjoy using it, like using a little bit of history.
My favorite embroidery tool is my scissors. I’ve had it for years. This is a great give away. Thank you!
Ooooh! Don’t you just love this? Have drooled over it while it was out of print, and am
now drooling over it since it became available again. To me, really good scissors are the most important tool. If I were to win this wonderful drawing and got really busy stitching, there would be a lovely new “Home” for my best scissors.
Thanks so very much for this opportunity.
My favorite needlework accessory is a charming porcelain thimble with a little owl painted on it by my grandmother. It’s so sweet. My grandma also taught me to embroider when I was just a little girl.
I like anything dangling from a chatelaine! But most of all my pincushion. You can leave anything pointy in it and not be afraid to lose it.
My local guild chapter made individual versions of these boxes about a year or two before I joined, and several were brought to “show and tell” at one of the first meetings I attended. They were all slightly different (all by experienced needleworkers with vast stashes) and I was both impressed and intimidated. I would love to have a copy of the book so I can work toward creating one of these gorgeous workboxes for myself!
My favorite tool is a wooden scroll frame that incorporates q-snap-like clamps fitting over the dowels.
OMG! I am speechless. That is truly beautiful. What a gifted designer!!!
My embroidery hoops.
This looks like the perfect project for me to learn how to “build stuff” — which I have been wanting to do! My favorite needlework accessory so far has been the scissors I treated myself to get. But I have a feeling there’s more good stuff out there…
The projects in this book are the type of things that drew me into the serious embroidery world. I’ve seen pictures of the book several times and drooled over it, wishing we could see more of it. The completed set would be an heirloom. Would love to be included in the drawing for this book!
My 350 or 400 strength reading glasses. Too strong for anything else, but they help me see every thread and placement.
My favorite stitching accessory is my laying tool, I couldn’t needlework without it! I love the Home Sweet Home project, it has been on my bucket list for a while!
Kathy from St. Louis
It seems silly to say, but my favorite needlework tools are needles….all kinds and shapes of needles. A friend in Hiroshima is a needle manufacturer, and gave me a box containing a packet of each needle he produces. Futon needles, doll sculpture needles, sashiko needles. I have iron needles, handmade by an artisan, used for silk embroidery. When I asked my friend why the gold at the top of needles, the answer was simple and logical. ‘So you can find the needle if you drop it.” Would love to make Home Sweet Home!
My most important tool is an over my shoulder very bright lamp as modern light bulbs are rubbish also I find a floor standing magnifying lamp very useful. Just hope I am lucky enough to win this prize as I have liked the look of this book for quite a long time.
Fingers crossed
Beryl (South Yorkshie)
My favorite accessory is a laying tool, and if I can add another one it will be a q-snap!!!
what a charming cottage and what wonderful accessories to make to go in it! I love it. I have just begun to teach my grand daughters to sew and do some needle arts, and I would love to make them this wonderful cottage to stow all the items they need for their sewing tasks! Thanks for the chance to win the book.
~Gin K.~
My favorite tool for my needlework is my all-in-one project bag. I can keep scissors, threads, embellishments, etc. with me in an easy carry case. With my project bag, I can be up and running with any project I am working on!
Thank you for the chance to win this exciting book!
This project seems like a lovely addition to my handwork life. I am always drawn to homemade artistic pin cushions…..but my steady and sharp scissors are my necessity!
Monique
Cualquier labor de aguja me gusta, desde las que se hacen con lanas gruesas, hasta los bordados con hilos finos. Y por lo tanto, mi material favorito son las agujas. Tengo cientos, de todos los tamaños posibles, algunas muy antiguas, de las bordadoras de mi familia, y otras muchas compradas por mi.
Este libro parece precioso y si no me toca, procuraré hacerme con él.
Un placer visitarte, a través del blog de Lavanda e Lillà, que me ha hecho conocerte.
Un saludo con cariño.
My favorite tool would be my leather thimble–I can’t stitch without it! The book looks so charming!
Good scissors are my favorite accessiry
I am new to the embroidery craft. Like any craft when starting, is the essential guide book. In this case the guide book of stitches. Even though a person is not considered a tool or accessory, I continue to go Needle ‘n Thread and Mary’s tutorials. Without her, I could not have and could not have executed the embroidery stitches. Thank you for a chance to grow my embroidery book library. JaniceCarole Allen
Maybe everybody uses these? I have a set of needles that were meant to be used to sew in ends in knitting. The bottom third of the needle is bent. They work great for ribbons because they have big eyes and are ready useful for getting a needle right into tight spots. Would love to win a copy of this book!
My favorite accessory is my mistake picker – a tapestry needle with a beaded tail that lets me pick out mistakes (not that I ever make any hahaha) without the needle flying across the room. Second would be the Star detailer which lets me get those tiny thread ends secure under other stitches. I would love to have this book!
Eye brow tweezers shaped like scissors. It’s my go tool for everything from pulling stuck needles to shaping wire for stump work.
This is the most adorable cottage ever, and I love that you can make it and all the accessories to go with it. What a wonderful idea. I am teaching my grand daughters to sew and do needle art and I would love to be able to make this beautiful cottage for them to stow all of their stitching implements. thanks for the chance to win the book. one of the items that I couldn’t do without is a good embroidery hoop, and I love using my leather thimble, it is so comfortable to use.
~Gin K.~
My laying tool is my favorite along with my scissors.
Beside needles and scissors my favorite tool is a laying tool or teko-bari. It is need to lay flat silk, spread the threads to make pin head stitches and is a great help in laying other threads. A couple friends already have the Home Sweet Home book and I would enjoy making this with them.
My favorite tool I think would be my magnetic needle minder. I don’t know how I sewed before I discovered them. I love that I can park my needle out of the way, it is held in place and I don’t have to keep piercing the fabric and making unwanted holes in my projects.
My favorite tool, besides my needle, is my laying tool. Would love to win this book although it would take me years to stitch it!
I really don’t have a favorite needlework tool other than my cutting necklace that goes around my neck when do needlework anywhere other than my home.
sue
My favorite needlework accessory is a beaded needle tube that a dear friend made for me. Its so beautiful and such a wonderful reminder of her.
My embroidery sissor. They are just the right size and very sharp. I put them on a chain so they can hang around my neck for convience.
My favorite tool is definitely the humble thimble. Although it took some time getting used to it, it has really saved my finger.
I have to have nice sharp small scissors. Dull scissors that let the thread just slip between the blades irks me to no end!
Hi Mary
As simple as this may be, my favorite accessory tool is the needle minder. There are many times that I can get called away from my stitching and I don’t always have the chance to unthread my needle, so I can just lay it down next to where I left off and I then I know immediately where I left off. I also saves on lost needles into my carpet.
It’s hard to choose a favorite tool. I love beautiful needlework tools and etuis and collect antique ones.
My favorite would have to be the wrist pincushion my husband made for me. It’s the one thing I grab whenever I start a new project.
My favorite tool(s) are my hands & brain. It’d be really hard to do needle work without them! After a 40 year break, I’m getting back to embroidery. “Home Sweet Home” would be an ideal project. Thanks. I always enjoy your e-mails.
Blessings,
Sara
So excited about this giveaway. This would be so fun to make! My favorite needlework tool? It’s a ‘sew bag’ that I made that has 3 zippered compartments so i can keep all my needle work supplies together in one place. i just grab the bag and go.
Courage! It’s the most important thing in my toolkit. Sometimes I just can’t make the rules work, no matter how hard I try. It’s then I need to remember that my heart, my mind, and my hands came long before directions. Being brave and trying something way outside the box has often led to happy surprises. Even when it doesn’t work, I’ve learned a whole new lesson. There’s treasure in that experimentation!
Dianne in Salem
my favorite needlework accessory is a beautiful pair of scissors.. I was lucky enough to buy a beautiful set of scissor and coffin from Bohin. They are hand made in France and Inspirations magazine did an article on the maker some years ago. When I saw them in person at Houston Quilt Festival I had to have them. Needless to say I blew my entire budget on them but came home with the most exquisite hand made scissor and coffin.
My favorite needlework tool is my threader. It is not a particularly exciting tool, but it works hard and does an essential job. It is a thin, metal threader, with different sized hooks on each end. I keep two, so I will never be without one. Thank you again Mary for your wonderful articles and instructions,
Shelia in Oklahoma
I have this book on my Christmas wish list! And I’m thrilled to hear about the kit! I have a thing for boxes of all kinds, and as soon as I saw this project I wanted to create it, along with all the accessories.
My favorite accessory is my stretcher frame and floor stand. I absolutely LOVE being able to do my stitching hands-free, and to display my current project when I’m not working on it to serve as inspiration not only to complete it, but also to plan future projects.
Oh so many tools! How to choose? But if I must, then I choose my tweezers. My father gave me these tweezers years ago when he stopped working on his ship models (he used them for stringing linen cord for ship rigging and then tying the tiniest square knots or any other appropriate seaman’s knots). They are about 4 inches long and have exquisitely tiny, sharp points for picking out the tiniest shreds of embroidery floss or silk or whatever when I’ve thrown up my hands and realized it’s time to do something over again.
I have thought many times over the years that I should have bought the Home Sweet Home book when it first came out. What a treat it would be to have it and make this incredible set.
Thanks for a great blog, Mary. Always a treat.
Hi – I always put the same answer for my favorite needlework accessory – a pair of Machingers gloves. (In my case about eight pairs). They have a flexible fingertip grip, and give you hand and wrist support. If the glove fits snug –
you can hardly know they are on, except for the wonder needle grip and “somewhat” thimble-like effect. Thanks
for the chance to own that wonderful book!!!!
I wonder if this counts, but my favorite needle work tool is my magnifier and led light. I am pushing 80 and without them I would not stitch a stitch.
I am spending at least two months away from home helping a sick relative and this would be a perfect project to keep me sane and out of the bars.
😉
Charming project!
My favorite tool would be a very pointy seam ripper.
Sounds terrible, I know, but it has saved me too many times to overlook. I don’t think I over-obsess about my projects or anything, it’s just that when I mess up, it’s big. That’s when my ole’ buddy comes to the rescue.
Thank you for the opportunity to win this amazing book! The projects are delightful! My favorite tool is very basic – it is the needle. There are so many different types and getting just the right one makes all the difference when stitching. I sound like I am one of those people that knows the type and size needle to use but alas, I am not! I just have lots of needles and do a bit of trial and error. But no doubt, the humble needle is my favorite stitching tool!!!!
My favorite tools are needles! I love new needles and I love having all sorts of sizes and styles of shiny, beautiful needles.
Probably use my scissors the most, but am new so seriously lacking in the accessories department.
Thread snips
Michelle
My favorite tool are my pointy embroidery scissors!
As always Mary, can’t do without your arrivals to start my day. My needle work accessory I can’t do without is my needle case. It seems I’m always misplacing the needle, the thimble or the little scissors. The needle case makes an anchor place for all. I couldn’t work without it.
My favourite accessory is a pair of fine artery forceps!! They’re great for pulling out stubborn needles, or pushing out corners, turning fiddly things the right way out, all sorts of uses 🙂
My favorite accessory is a little crocheted pincushion in the shape of a vintage hat. I would love to have this beautiful book.
–Madeleine
Oh, I am so excited. I have literally drooled over this project for years! It was first available while my husband was terminally ill and I knew it was useless to think of even dreaming of making it. About a year after he died, I tried to locate a copy and couldn’t begin to justify the prices! As someone who has always been a needlework addict, I just know I would love making it and enjoy using it even more! As a widow, it is my faith and my needlework that keep me going! Thank you so much for such an inspirational website and for wonderful give-away’s such as this one.
So far I have only done simple things. Would love to try something I could be proud of, and leave as a keepsake. I would love to inspire my granddaughter to learn and enjoy the needle arts.
Was so excited that I neglected to mention my favorite needlework tool. It is my laying tool. I can’t believe the difference it makes in smoothing my threads. It so much more effective than my finger or another needle.
I love this book! My favorite embroidery tool is my cute little pair of scissors.
I love the needle books. I like that I can keep my needles all in one place and not have to look at each pack of needles to get the right one. I also love that there are so many different styles of needle books, that I can’t help getting a pattern or buying one when I see one that I like.
My favorite accessory is a pincushion it tatted the too and filled it with human hair to keep my needles sharp and prevent rusting.
Lovely giveaway! I can’t live without a magnifying lamp. And a needle threader. Does that give a clue about my age! Ha ha!! Thank you, Mary.
This box is a wonderfull enchanting secret garden. As the roof opens up, the voyage of curiosity starts with a fairytale world of childhood. It is done with such love. Looking at it, I could write a story. I would love to realize this house of wonder.
Yolande, Mtl, Qc.
Oh I would really love this book as I have seen it in your newsletter before but here in South Africa we don’t get the chance to get these wonderful books. I have many favourite accessories or tools but the one that I really couldn’t do without is my light magnifier, not because I need it but it really does make things so much easier when pulling threads and the colours look so much better. I do a lot of drawn thread as well as other embroideries of small animals and field scenes. Would start this project immediately and send you a picture of the finished project.
What’s your favorite needlework accessory or tool?
My favorite accessory is a needle book that was made by a dear friend that passed 8 years ago. Every time I look at this needle case I think of her. She was an amazing woman and fabulous stitcher!!
My favourite accessory is a needle book. I like them to have a pocket and a place for thread along with needles. It is useful when traveling.
Kim
After much consideration, I’ll have to say my favorite tool is my tiny silver magnets that can hold anything! I park them on frame tacks, or use them above and below fabric to hold needles, scissors or even my patterns when stitching. I’ll often copy the pattern then cut it apart so small sections can be attached to my project for easy reading as I stitch.
Pam S in IL
Favorite tool…Hmm…I love them all, but since I need to choose and I use my needle threader the most, I guess that is the one.
My favorite accessory is all the pretty little decorative scissors I have to snip my embroidery threads.
Quality sharp needles and embroidery scissors are a must for me when sewing. My feeling is if you’re going to invest your time and materials money in a project you must have sharp needles and scissors to serve you as you create.
Oooooh that has to be one of the most darling kits I have seen!
My favorite tool has to be my scissors. I am a sucker for the sound that a good pair scissors make. (esp. Dovo) Since I tend not be perfect in my embroidery endeavors my scissors are the all important tool in fixing my errors. Although… The cutest of the tools has to be the pincushion because I have seen a few that are truly works of art! So it’s a flip of a coin between the two. I honestly tried to have just one favorite! (I really did)
Dmc cotton embroidery threads are my favourite, whether i am doing cross stitch or indian traditional embroidery.
My name is Doli, from India
I’m so glad they republished this book! What a cool project. My favourite needlework tool is a nice pair of scissors. I love ones with decorative handles but I use little clippers most of the time. Thanks for the giveaway Wooly Thread and Mary.
Heather M. in Canada
Lexa Shaw I love this book! My tool would be an awl. Short and fat or long and skinny, they are useful for many things.
I love my new embroidery scissors, not too big, not too small. But if I win this prize and make this gorgeous workbox, that would DEFINITELY be my new favorite thing! 🙂
I LOVE my Q-Snaps. They have made such a difference for me while I sew my counted cross stitch.
My favorite tool for embroidery is the needle minder. Somehow I end up with more needles in-between the cushions of my couch that in my needle holder. Would love to make this beautiful embroidery holder.
Roxie Allen
My favorite embroidery tool is a small tin shaped like a cat. It’s just big enough to hold an emory filled strawberry. I store some needles in it, close the lid and it’s now portable without any chance of me getting stuck by a needle
Hurray! I just ordered it. can’t wait for it to get here. i was wanting a project for next year…..
My very favorite tool or accessary in my Stitching World are my Embroidery Scissors. I have four pair, various shapes and sizes, and all have charming attachments….some made by me, others acquired here and there
My favorite tool which is always close to hand is my laying tool – nothing like it to ensure your threads look even!
Chris O
My favorite tool would have to be my Gingher scissors. I have had them for something upwards of 20 years, they are still my go-to pair, and have stayed very sharp.
My nifty little knife ring!
(…and my wrist pin cushion, and my awesome chinese scissors, and the little magnet i have on my lamp to gather my needles, and and and… – it’s hard to pick a favorite!!!)
My favorite tool is a pin cushion which I keep next to my couch so I can have a safe place to secure needles and my husband doesn’t find them on the floor.
I would say, it has to be my scissors!
My favorite tool is my new stylus to transfer patterns. This is a lovely book!
My favorite needlework tool is my biggest one. It’s my Lowrey stand. I received it as a Christmas gift (well, I had sent the link to my husband and strongly hinted) about 20 years ago. When I take my stitching on my travels I take my stand along, too. It collapses down to a reasonable size. I love how adjustable the pieces are, fitting any chair I’m stitching in. It leaves both hands free to stitch. I recently bought the lamp clamp, and love it even more.
My favorite accessory is the laying tool. Not used too often but there are so many lovely ones to use. If one has long hair they also make gorgeous items to pin up buns, etc. Placed in hair or behind the ear it is always on hand when needed. It has smoothed out many of my stitches beautifully. joan c
I did not see this beautiful project the first time around, but I have fallen head over heels in love!
My favorite tools are my scissors. I have several favorites among the ones I own.
The Home Sweet Home Workbox is absolutely gorgeous, it would be such an asset to any sewing area. My favorite accessory or tool ????? Geez, there are so many, I try to keep a project box for each stitchery that I am working on that is just large enough to include the piece being worked on, a small pair of stork scissors, extra needles, threads, the pattern, a small crochet cup that I made for thread snips and a hoop. Some projects include beads, buttons, ribbons, etc so those are kept in a small bag in the project box. My project box is always ready to take with me. Would love to win the book, thanks for the chance. I do quilt, knit, crochet, weave, do primitive rug hooking, punch needle work, but when I just want to relax, I grab a hand stitching project and prop my feet up.
What an amazing project. My granddaughter (age 8) and I do embroidery together and she is so excited about the possibility of making her own sewing box with these adorable designs. Our favorite accessory? Together, we used a glass mug and made a cover from a Simplicity pattern. It has multiple pockets in the cover for scissors, beeswax, rulers, markers and is padded for our pins and needles. An excellent organizational tool to keep it all simple. All we have to do is pick up the mug, get our thread box and jump right in!!!
A few of us in our needlework guild decided to work together on this project. (Two of the ladies finished their boxes! Alas, mine is not.) One lady ordered the specialty threads (I believe from the place in Denver) and then we divided those fibers that we thought we would only need partial skeins. And there are several! So you can save some money that way.
I, Judith Lawrance, think the latest favorite embroidery tool I have used, as well as the Sulky embroidery thread , is the Tulip embroidery needles. They have large enough eyes for threading and are smoothnand strong.
I would have a wonderful time finding all the little trinkets to make the projects in this book. Also, I know I would gain new skills in making these gorgeous
Things featured in the book!
My favorite needlework tool is my rug hooked needle case for all the embroidery needles.
My favourite needlework accessory is a pincushion. I have an old one I bought in 1977 that I used for years but recently made myself another one, and I have a pattern for one more.
I’ve always fancied making an etui and I like this style from the book because I have several dollhouses. I would use my stash and make it a bit quirky I think. How neat to do all those small things with various threads and fabric and make everything coordinate.
I am so happy to see this project, it is awesome! My favorite tool is my small scissors and beautiful colored threads!
Oh, I am in love with the HOME SWEET HOME embroidered workbox and accessories. I have always wanted to create one and this is such an exciting and lovely one! I love accessories, tape measure holders, pincushions and often host pincushion swaps. Thank you for the opportunity of winning this delightful drawing. Happy embroidering!
What an exciting giveaway! I’m not sure it’s my favorite needlework tool but my can’t do without tool is my embroidery scissors, followed closely by my favorite thimble.
Beautiful book and projects. My favourite tools as of late have to be my sharp scissors and my needlework tweezers. A bit too much froggin’ as of late! 😉
When I began stitching again, I signed up for a Goldwork class. I needed a stiletto for plunging threads and happened to find one – a 19th century antique, sterling silver, with an elaborately carved handle. Even when I don’t need it I keep it in my line of sight. Seeing it – holding it transports me to days when there was no TV and ladies sat by the fire for light and warmth in their full-skirted dresses on a seat likely stitched by their own hand. It is my most treasured tool. I would love to see it inside my own Home Sweet Home workbox. Thanks Mary! –Liz Blackey
My favorite tool is a thimble. When working on a project a thimble keeps me from sticking my fingers and easily pushes the needle through the project.
Debbie C.
Hi Mary
Lovely giveaway! And my favourite essential tool is obviously THE needle. But then comes the magnifying lamp – very essential accessory at my age 🙂 .
Keep well.
My favorite needlework accessory is a toss- up between my stork embroidery scissors and mt magnetic needle keeper.
My favorite tool is my laying tool. Could not live without it. My best buddy in creativity.
Oh my goodness! This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I would LOVE to win this book. Please pick me!!!
Marsha Surad
I would love a copy of this book. I saw it in my Inspirations magazine and have been dreaming about it ever since. Love it! Thank you.
Elin E
My favourite needlework tool is my thimble. I grew up with a thimble on my finger. For embroidery. For dressmaking. For quilting. It is the first thing I put on, even before I pick up a needle, and I can’t imagine sewing without one. I have lots of thimbles in several sizes, because I never know what size my finger is going to be at any given time (it varies from summer to winter, from morning to night). I have a *large* number of collectible thimbles and am still looking for something adequate in which to store/display them properly.
Thank you, and the people at Wooly Thread, for making this content possible!
I only have utilitarian needlework accessories (for my cross stitch and sewing), but seeing all those lovely things in the Home Sweet Home project does make my heart yearn a bit and consider the “need” for lovely needlework accessories….hmmmm….
Gasp! I love little houses! I’m adding this to my wish list.
My favorite needlework accessory or tool is my tack push. I’m not sure but I’m pretty confident it’s saved me thousands of dollars in medical bills.
What a fabulous book/project and great opportunity to win – thanks, Mary! I’m going to choose the tool that makes my embroidery life easiest: needle threaders. Not sentimental or beautiful, but they prevent a lot of frustration!
My favorite needlework accessory is a small white, zippered bag. Nothing special so far, right? Mine is made of felted material which has been cut out into traditional Transylvanian designs. Not only does it hold all of my tools, but it reminds me of my daughter who bought it for me as a student.
My favorite needlework tools are my embroidery hoop and my small little scissors I use for sewing.
My favorite tool is the needle threader. Embarrassing to say, to this day I cannot thread a needle to save my life; and worst of all, I break them all the time! Is there any hope?
You’re not alone!
What an incredible opportunity–fabulous project. I would be lost without my thin, bladed, fine pointed embroidery scissors. I design and teach hardanger. Clean cut edges are very important. After that it would be my wooden laying tool.
Oh, I LOVE this! I remember the earlier review and thinking about how fun and satisfying it would be to make it. My favorite needlework accessory is my felted wool pin cushion, and a close second is an origami tea wallet that I use to store my different needles (a separate one for every type from chenille, to tapestry, to wool applique, to various sizes of embroidery needles. Good luck, everyone, and thanks for the opportunity Mary and Wooly Thread (also one of my favorite online sites).
My ultimate favourite tool/accessory would be my husband! He has the ultimate patience to undo all of my mistakes, unknot my constant knotting, and thread the needles when I’m exasperated with my flimsy threaders! He’s indispensable, & will even pull the truck over to the side of the road to undo one of my epic fails! THAT is my best tool ever! Next is my doll needle (6″) which I use as a laying tool. TaDa!
For hand sewing (not embroidery) – wax! Waxed threads are so much easier to work with. For embroidery, little brass rings for keeping threads tidy and contained.
My little scissors that are very sharp. I have been waiting for this book to be reprinted.
This might not be the kind of tool that you were expecting as a favorite tool, but I believe that needles are super cool. We cannot live without the various types that are available each serving their own special function. Thanks for offering this giveaway.
Oops! Forgot to proofread my comment before posting (there’s a missing parenthesis somewhere in there!!).
What a beautiful project that i can work on for my future daughter-in-law. We have a wonderful relationship and the wedding is in July! I hope I’m the lucky one.
My favorite needlework tool is a pair of palm pliers I purchased from the late Paula Heckman whose supply source was in Japan. Perfect for pulling needles through tight situations without damaging the needle or causing stiff fingers to hurt.
My favorite stitching tool/accessory is the emery filled pincushion. I have quite a few of these – modern, vintage, antique. Some are handmade (by me as well), some are manufactured, some fall in between (Shakers knew the meaning of production!).
There are pumpkin shaped, a tomato with a silver top and tassel, strawberry shaped, silk fabric, cotton, all shapes and sizes. The emery holds my needle so it doesn’t stray on to the floor or roll into the chart.
Love my emery pincushions and your daily blog. I have learned so much from your newsletter and I refer to the posts as needed.
Thank you
I love a pair of embroidery scissors I recently received. There is an antique store not far from my son’s home in Texas, a store I have wanted to go to because they sell vintage sewing machines, another one of my passions. My husband actually found a machine he wanted so I walked around the store while he was waiting to pay. I found a display of scissors and a pair of the stork-style embroidery scissors caught my eye. I asked the store owner if they cut well. She wasn’t sure but offered to let me try them. They cut beautifully and have been my favorite scissors ever since.
Wow I love that cottage – it’s like a surprise box.
I like to have plenty of needs from various makes to be able to choose from.
Thanks
Cristina armstrong
My favorite needlework accessory is a good pair of small, sharp scissors. Can’t do anything without those! What a beautiful book.
Thread heaven conditioner! Found this AFTER I finished 4 cross-stitch Christmas ornaments that have metallic thread. The 5th one was the EASTIEST….!!
I would love to win this fabulous book.
My favourite accessory is of course my embroidery needle ; )
My neighbor once gave me a magnetic bingo wand that she thought would make a useful tool while doing needlework. That was about 10 years ago, and that little wand has been by my side nearly everyday since! Useful tool, is an understatement.
Merci pour votre blog.C’est un plaisir de vous lire.J’apprécie beaucoup vos vidéos pour m’expliquer les différents points.Cette maison de couture est une merveille, je suis allée sur le blog d’achat….une somme peut-être justifiée mais élevée.Bon week-end
What a beautiful and detailed book. Not only the embroidery but the construction of the house. My favorite tool is my needle threader. Constantly using it. Also my wonderful little gingher sissors. I will be putting this book on my wish list.
I did not read all the instructions when I posted the first time. My favorite tool is a trolly needle, which I use when I am needlepointing. Because of carple tunnel and arthritis, it is hard for me to hold on to a laying tool. The trolly needle is just second nature on ny hand.
Great projects and a lot of eye candy. I would love to have the book. Thanks for the give away.
I love my pair of fancy embroidery scissors shaped as a bird! Not only are they useful but they are so pretty and make me smile!
I’d have to say that my embroidery scissors are my favorite tool. Thank you for a chance to win this book. It looks amazing.
I’m a beginner, so I don’t use many tools beyond needle, thread, and hoop! However, I have been using a thread conditioner that reduces tangles and knots.
My favorite tool is my lighted magnifying glass!
O my, how to choose? Today, my favorite accessory is my needle threader!
I am VERY happy to see this reprinted in English. My French is not that good, but I was willing to try because I love this project.
My favorite stitching accessories are my Bohin needles and my best friend ! I can not stitch without the first and the second makes it so much more fun ! Thanks for the chance to win this beautiful book.
Aaaaa, they finally reprinted it! I couldn’t understand why they hadn’t. Want want want!
My favorite tool? My little scissors. Not the old scissors (treasured because it came from my grandmother, but not really very sharp), or the travel scissors, but my nice little pair with gold handles, that is lovely and sharp.
My favorite needlework accessory would have to be my Dazor light, a tough choice between to that and my “cheater” magnifying glasses. I could not do some of my stitching without either, but some I can do still with just the light so I guess that wins out!!!!! I don’t know what my life would be like without stitching nor do I want to try! What a beautiful project so aptly named “Home, Sweet, Home”. Thanks!
Mary Kay from Butte
I love scissors. There are so many these days you could use a different one every day!
Ah, Mary, this is a dream! I have long wanted this book and salivate every time I see reference to it. My favorite accessory is a tiny pincushion I made that’s small enough to always have nearby.
Oh wow! What a beautiful book! I would love to win it 🙂
As to the question, I’m not sure what I would say. They’re all so useful and necessary. I love my embroidery books, they’re very helpful 😀
My favorite needle working tool is my Needlework System 4 stand. I love those little houses. I would sure like to have the book.
My favourite accessory is my great-grandmother’s pair of iron spring scissors!
My favorite tool for needle work is my imagination. Oh, the places we go…!
My favorite needlework tool is my “garbage bowl”. I have 3 cats that love any threads left behind and this keeps wherever I stitch neat and tidy!
Wow! Great giveaway! My favorite tool is the laying tool. I have at least five (!) and don’t attempt any piece without one of my handy-dandy laying tools.
Thanks, Mary, and Wooly Thread!
I enter keep entering your giveaways because they are fabulous things, as you are, but they are things I want to do but usually don’t have the money to purchase. Thanks.
I am crazy about my embroidery floss needle threader.
My wooden thread layer (made by my husband) and my porcupine quill. I always used a Best Laying Tool for years until these gems came my way. No matter what the thread, one of these two can handle the challenge without snagging.
My favorite accessory/tool is a toss-up between my needle books (I have 2 that I’ve made – one is a cross-stitch cover with strawberries and vines and one is covered in silk-ribbon embroidery) or pin cushions. I believe you can never have enough pincushions! I just keep making them and buying cute ones that others have made.
Still trying to figure out my favorite accessory; I’m still new enough I’m not sure I have one. Am just now trying out the Sublime Stitching Iron-On Transfer Pen after reading your review and beginning to set up the Coloris kaleidoscope pattern.
My newest favorite tool is the lighted needle threader. Since my cataract surgery, “close up” is harder to see and this tool has saved much frustration. I love the fact that the little wires retract so they don’t get bent when not in use. It’s a bit bigger than a plain threader and has a colorful plastic bubble top so I don’t lose it.
I love this book and projects and would love to win it! Barb in California where it’s finally Fall and cool, and even rainy!
I love this project! My favorite tool is a telescoping rod with a magnet on the end. I can pick up dropped needles, threaders, scissors and pins without getting up or moving my stitching stand. If you drop a pin or needle on the carpet you can hover the magnet over the carpet to capture the wayward item. You can find this tool in the automotive tool section on line or in automotive stores.
My friend who is guiding my stitching training made this project. We all need something to aspire to. Thanks, Sharon in Diamond Bar,Ca
My favorite needlework accessory is a thimble because I collect them. I don’t actually use one when I stitch, however, they have never been comfortable for me. This started when I went to Elsa Williams School of Needlearts in 1978; they gave you a silver thimble at the end of your course. Two other people gave me a thimble that year, and I now have several hundred.
My favorite needlework accessory or tool has to be my LoRan 12″ x 18″ magnet board. This is the BIG board and it holds everything I need for my project. My board is on my lap as I write this: in the center is my chart, over on the left (held by a super strong magnet) are my beloved Dovo scissors, and down the left side are small zip-lock bags of floss (each held by a magnet) — visualize an artist’s palette. There is also a collection of needle minders. Can’t stitch without my big board!
Nancy in Saint Albans
My favorite tool is nice embroidery scissors.
I can imagine this beautiful workbox in a variety of different colors. This may be the closest I get to an embroidery casket. The accessories are amazing and look like fun to make. I will keep my fingers crossed!
Very definitely, without a doubt, my favorite tool is the needle threader. I find it way too irritating and almost impossible to get 2 strands of floss through a needle without a needle threader.
In order to work on that fabulous Home Sweet Home or any other project, I MUST have my floor lamp and magnifier!!Without this accessory/tool I would be lost and not be able to complete any project at all. It is the first item that is brought out besides my project..then needles and scissors. The Home Sweet Home book/ project is the stuff embroiderers’ dream about…oh,please pull my name out of that special hat!!!
Carolyn,Freehold,NJ
My favorite needlework tool is the “telescoping magnet”. Will pick up your dropped needle easily.
thanks for the give away. would love to add this book to my collection. my favorite tool is my embroidery scissors. this book has been on my wish list for a long time.
mary sue c
Ode to the needle
Like a miniature fencing sword, fine, polished so that it gleams and reflects the light. Silvery, polished steel. A column of liquid silver. Mercurial, responding to the changing light. A fine point on one end to pierce the threads, or blunted so that it won’t. At the opposite end, the eye. A slit , a refined and polished crevice, small enough or large enough to hold the correct thread for its purpose. Burnished sliver shaft, so fine and smooth that it could easily slip through the fingers that are meant to hold it firm.
Then it plunges into the cloth, sure and steady, in and out, under and over, through and through it goes. A sure hand to steady it and control it, and it almost slips through silk. Through a sturdier cloth I can hear the “pop” it makes as it pierces the fabric, makes a hole through which to pull the thread, or string, or filament. Like a small boat skimming through the whitecap waves, the needle plies its path, and in its wake, stitches appear, formed of the threads it pulls behind it.
Sailmakers, net meanders, darners; through leather, canvas silk; clothing of cotton, wool, linen, silk. Tatting, embroidery, sewing a fine seam; upholstery, blankets, buttons and bows. So many things nod activities require the use of a needle. Artifacts from ancient and pre-historic times show us the power and history of the needle. Wood, bone, thorns, and steel. Oh, needle! You are a god!
My needle threader!! And my magnifying glass/light
I made a travel embroidery kit using a tin 6″ x 3″ cigar box and a magnet. It carries small scissors, embroider floss, needles and a small project. Great for subway travel.
Needles! They keep multiplying too. Seriously, my embroidery needs are simple, hoop and needle with sharp embroidery scissors. Oh wait, I think the scissors are my favourite item. I have been wanting this book for a long time, thanks for offering it.
I couldn’t be without my really sharp and fine pointed scissors. They can reach into the smallest places and snip without leaving frayed ends.
My favorite tool is a Dololly. Perfect for pulling the shortest tail through the back. It has saved me numerous times!!
There is nothing like a sharp scissors and new needles to work with.
Thank you,
Linda S Pewaukee WI
My magnetic needle minder is my most favorite accessory. You see, I have a very rambunctious but also very sweet sheepdog named Wizard and he really lives up to his name. He loves to be loved and sometimes will come up to you very suddenly and wanted to be snuggled with. When those times come and I don’t have tim to find a place for my needle, my needle minder is always there at a moment’s notice to hold my needle until we’re done snuggling.
I would dearly love to win the book Home Sweet Home and I thank you for the opportunity to do so.
Thank you very, very much.
I think this is one of the cutest projects I’ve seen. Looks like lots of fun!
This post is bringing back so many memories! I was fortunate enough to work on the first edition of this book – it was quite an experience!
I couldn’t live without my wee curved scissors made by Havel’s (model 30040) They are curved in all the right places to get in good and close to where I am stitching, I love them!
Had’t thought aout my favorte tool before . . . I usually keep it pretty simple: neede, thread, scissors, scissors! I have a pair of folding scissors tha my grandmother used. Very compact and easy to carry. Imthink that’s my favorite tool.
The book looks great. If you think of it as a series of small projects, it’s not as daunting.
Hi Mary
I don’t have a favourite accessory it tool but I do have a virtual favourite tool which I can’t afford, but aspire to, and that is a pair of hare or cat scissors in a wooden box made by Jean Marie Roulot. Ah the Dream. I also ,and more practically, quite fancy a Scissoroo scissors from Australia. And Christmas is coming…….
Would love to win the book : you open my eyes to so many possibilities.
With best wishes
Laura (from North Wales)
My favorite needlework tool/accessory is my scissors! One can never have enough scissors! Don’t ask why, I am just drawn toward beautiful embroidery scissors. I love this little embroidered workbox and all it’s accessories. I would love to win this giveaway and own the book!
My favorite toll is Laying Tool. it make my satin stitch look so much smoother
Hello Mary! My favorite needlework accessory or tool is a very common one – a needle threader! But oh how lovely a needle threader can be! They come in all shapes and sizes, and some are beautifully embellished or decorated. They become essential not only for their function, but also for their beauty and uniqueness!
Thanks for all that you do Mary!
My favorite tool or accessory is my Kai scissors. The have a very sharp, fine point that can get into tiny areas without damaging the fabric
I think that is the prettiest sewing kit I’ve ever seen! I must have its book 🙂
My Mother in law would just love to have this. Maybe I could win some points and actually give her a gift she would keep!
My favorite tool is a pair of scissors that were my grandma’s.
A good pair of Gingher embroidery scissors.
My favorite tools are scissors, I have a zillion of them, and needle threaders that work well. The Home Sweet Home projects are delightful.
My favorite needlework tool is a laying tool. I use a couple of different types depending on my work; one is a long metal tapestry needle and the other is Shay Pendray’s version. I use it to help adjust my tension, even on single-strand work, in addition to laying multiple strands. This is one tool I make sure I keep close at hand at all times.
The re-release of Home Sweet Home is wonderful news! Thanks, Mary and Wooly Thread, for making this available.
By the way; if you just want the charms for the workbox , Inspirations’ site (Stitchology.com.au) has this available as a kit. They also have a charms kit for their bodkin project.
My favorite needlework tool is Tiger Tape. When changing from one stitch to another, I use the tape to get me started with the spacing. After a bit if stitching with the tape as guidance, I can then stitch on without it.
My favorite needlework tool is any needle that I can sew something with.
I have 2 favourite accessories – the cutest little retro Eiffel Tower embroidery scissors (they’re about 2 1/2 long) and my antique awl/laying tool. Both of them are a dream to work with and make me smile whenever I use them.
new floss
Cherilyn Fixter
Oh! I would love a chance to win this book. I fell in love with the project on Janet’s blog. Then I fell out of my chair when I saw the used book prices.
My favorite tool is my snips. My late mother gave them to me one Christmas. I think of her every time I use them.
My favorite needlework tool has got to be a beautiful pair of embroidery scissors. I prefer gold tones and ornate detailing and of course sharp points.
Thanks for offering the hive away, I hope I win! I will definitely be checking out this book regardless.
My favorite tool is a good sharp needle. This work box set is adorable!
Can I have two favorites? Because I can’t decide which is more important … my needle or my scissors!!
My favorite tool is probably my Dovos Hardanger scissors. I do a number of different types of drawn thread work, including Hardanger, and they are the best I’ve found!
Mary in MN
Hi Mary
Your excitement over the reprinting of Home Sweet Home is infectious. The more I read, and the more I looked at the photos of this project the more interested I got. I have already planned a place in my workroom to display the finished work! Thanks for the review. I hope I’m lucky,
Di in NSW, Australia
What a gorgeous box set! I’d love to have this book! I have to say that, day in, and day out, my favorite needlework tool is my LoRan needle threader – which is something really made for the long eyes of tapestry needles, and allows me to pull in a very short thread to the eye of my needle for threading through the back. Here is what it looks like: http://www.nordicneedle.com/mm/graphics/products/6817.jpg
My favorite tool/accessory for my stitching is my Kai scissors. They are great for all forms of stitchers.
This is so cute – Love all the little critters – Kim
My must have/favourite tool are my embroidery scissors. A lovely fine sharp point. No one else is allowed to touch/use them! My favourite accessory is my needle-case where I hide all my favourite needles. I have to hide these items from my husband as he goes straight to my needle-case if he needs anything and does not realise the importance of these tools and accessories to me.
Chris
As weird as it may seem my favorite accessory are scissors. Having needle and thread I can do without anything else but scissors. I stared embroidery when I was a 4 year old kid. My Grandma got me into it 🙂 Poland used to be run by Communists then. Lack of even the most basic items was permanent and standard. So I learned to embroider with just needle, thread and… scissors 😀
I still got my first embroidery work. Just a small sampler on evenweave with most basic stitches. The stitches are huge but surprisingly even. Thank you Grandma 🙂
And thank you Mary for bringing this memory back 🙂
Scissors are the best!
My favorite accessory is the OTT lite with the magnifying glass. This is very important as I am frequently trying to embroider in the evening after a long day at the computer at work. Without this additional light and magnifier, my eyes are simply too tired to see for this fine work that I love to do!
My favorite tool is a good pair of scissors. 🙂
I have so many favorites!! It’s hard to pick just one. Magnets are a must to hold the chart in view, and so are magnetic line minders to keep me on the correct stitching line! Probably, a very, very favorite (and must-have) is the Star Detailer that helps to bury those very short thread tails that I somehow always end up having. (Because I don’t want to stop and re-thread just a short piece of thread!)
Thank you!
Pat Turner
I love the embroidery dictionary of stitches! thank you!
My favorite tools would be my seam ripper and/or the laying tool I use for silk ribbon embroidery. I also love my embroidery scissors. Thanks for a great give-away chance. Phyllis
My favorite tool has to be the gold needles from Jane Grenhoff , in
England. She has them made with extra heavy gold plate and they glide
Through material and last forever. Worth every penny! I would love
o win this book. I would adapt it to look like a Bermuda Cottage!
Stitch happy, Sue 8n Bermuda
Wow! What a gorgeous project! I have a pair of elaborately designed embroidery scissors that I just love using (and looking at).
I’d have to say embroidery scissors are my favorite needlework tool – I have a bit of a scissor problem… 🙂
Bohol needles… they slide like butter!
Bohol needles..they slide like butter.
I’ve tried theee times now to write Bohin needles….spell check????
My laying tool, for certain! —Pat B. from Portage, MI
LOVE LOVE LOVE this project – but unemployed… would love to win. Fav sewing accessory? My pretty little silver colored embroidery scissors. There is something so enchanting about vintage replicas – makes me feel connected to those other women stitching away through history.
My favorite needlework tool is a wooden laying tool about 3 inches long with a tip that narrows slightly about 3/8th of an inch from the end, then widens a bit then narrows to a point. That first narrowing it great for getting the threads to lie nicely before I slide them over the slight ridge and off the tip – I have not found another laying tool with this handy feature but I keep looking!
I would love to win this, what a lovely project! My favorite accessory is my reproduction brass clamp on pincushion. It is clamped on the table by my sewing chair and cannot move or disappear.
My favorite accessory is a my grandmother’s thimble.
Being a crocheter, who came to cross stitch & hardanger late in life, I think my laying tool is my most favorite. My grandmother taught me how to crochet & embroider as a child, but I carried forward mostly the crochet. She gave me her real ivory laying tool, which lay unused for years. Then I decided to teach myself hardanger & cross stitch, after trying my mother’s needlepoint & my aunt’s tatting, neither of which piqued my undying interest. After having a thread problem, I relocated Grammy’s ivory tool. The rest is history! I am not proficient yet, but I know Grammy is looking over my shoulder telling me “I told you so” !!
What a gorgeous book! My favourite accessory is a needle book that I made using a butterfly design of Trish Burr’s on the cover.
I would say that my favorite needlework tool is my standing scroll frame so that I can easily work my stitchery.
I am delighted to have been introduced to this book. What a gem. My daughter and I just couldn’t stop talking about it. We hope to get a copy and begin to work on it together. My favorite needlework accessory tool is my Q snap frame that holds my work perfectly.
My favorite needlework tool or accessory, besides a size 24 gold needle, is my pair of golden embroidery scissors. Very pointed so I can trim threads very accurately! Thanks for having a give away, Nancy Ann Woods at senwoods@bellsouth.net
My favorite needlework tool is scissors. I love the tiny little scissors shaped like birds. They are so useful and so beautiful at the same time. It so adds to the enjoyment of the craft when your tools are beautiful as well as what you produce!
Well, and my hands-free lap frame! Life saver!
Favorite tool is a pin cushion that has separate sections for different sized needles and pins. It is stuffed with wool roving. It has a ribbon attached that I keep my needle threader attached to.
What a delightful book with a finished project that has so many possibilities.
Thank you for letting us know about it being republished and to Wooly Thread.
I think the most important tool is a good pair of embroidery scissors. I have two pair that are always with me. My daughter bought me a beautiful pair at our local needlework shop. They still cut right to the tiny point, and they are pretty to boot.
The other pair that I carry in my needlework bag are old, pretty and no longer sharp. My Great Aunt Wealthy gave them to me 60 plus years ago when she taught me redwork and they have such sentimental value.
A good, sharp, small pair of scissors that cut right to the point are invaluable for any kind of needlework project.
My favourite accessory is my pair of scissors. They are small, sharp and were cheap, but they work a treat on all types of embroidery. Thanks for the opportunity to win and thank you Wooly Thread too.
I cannot possibly stitch anything, be it cross-stitch, embroidery, hand piecing or hand quilting without my precious…….thimble. I can’t even sew on a button without it; my hand feels naked without it. It is my best friend whenever I stitch.
I have a thing for embroidery sissors especially the stork ones. I even have a pair of steel ones hand made in Sheffield. They are worth every penny.
Some years ago I attended a class with Carolyn in Sydney. We made/embroidered a work basket along with a pin cushion, scissor tassel and covered tape measure.
It is one of my prize possessions though through use and our bright light it is starting to look a little faded. I know the book will be very detailed and anyone making this treasure will be thrilled. I love my little Gingher embroidery scissors, the sharp points have come to my aid several times. Though my favourite would be the hand turned and painted needle keeper that sits in my embroidery box. I think pretty things inspire me
I need my cheater glasses as I age….hate to admit it but it is true. They help bring my stitching into focus! 😉
“Home sweet home” is irresistibly charming!
My Millennium Frame from Needle Needs has easily became my favorite tool partially because I was so happy to receive it after 9-month wait. I also love Needle Needs’ Aristo Stand which I use it not only as a embroidery stand but also as a book and painting stand. Very versatile!
I love my embroidery sissors
I have three favorite needlework tools – needle, hoop and scissors. With these three items plus floss, it’s amazing what wonderful projects can be created.
I would love Ve to rekindle my love of hand embroidery with these inspirations.
My favorite needlework accessory or tool is my frame. I’ve just begun learning needlework in the crazy quilt genre. My frame is, besides my needle and thread, the best tool I have. Thanks Wooly Thread, for a great giveaway. And thanks to you too, Mary Corbet for showing me how to stitch all these lovely stitches.
Joy F.
I was on the verge of ordering this when you offered this wonderful give-away, Mary, and I’ll hold off on the remote chance of winning. Many thanks to you and the folks at Wooly Thread for the opportunity!
My favorite tool: this is a tough question. It comes down to my newly acquired Star Thread Detailer; my needle threader, which I found truly invaluable on a piece I recently completed that used three plies of rather fuzzy wool thread; and my telescoping magnetic picker-upper (I’m forever losing a needle here or there and used to live in fear of someone – human or canine – being impaled on one).
My favourite embroidery accessories are small embroidery scissors, I don’t think you can ever have too many of them!
My favourite needlework tool is my pair of stork scissors.
My favourite accessory is a 1910 silver stiletto picked up from ebay last week. It is beautiful and does the job I bought it for superbly (making a hole in the silk fabric to plunge goldwork threads). I love to think of who might have owned it before, and what they used it for. I’ll never know, but I love the continuity of using these old pieces.
Oh my goodness, I’ve been waiting for this book for ages. I love Carolyn Pearce’s designs. My favorite sewing accessory is my armchair caddy. I made it decades ago and should really make another. It hangs over the arm of my chair with several pockets on both sides, pin cushion on the top. I keep scissors, thimble, laying tool, needles, etc right next to me.
big eye needles and rug hook
My favorite accessories are the pincushion and needle book that I made from your Lavendar Honey ebook and the stitch combinations in your Thread Stitch Sampler Alphabet ebook. I do a lot of free form embroidery on wool. You have taught me so much. I am eternally grateful.
I pray for your good health.
This project is adorable! What a fun treasure hunt it would be to search for supplies. My favorite needleworking tool has got to be the little stand light I got from Ikea. It has a heavy base so it stays in place, a gooseneck so I can point it anywhere and a super bright small bulb. It helps that they are only around $10 because my family keeps stealing mine when they need super bright like for their projects. I use it for stitching, quilting, painting and pretty much all the artsy fartsy stuff I love.
This reminds me of an English cottage which I love. Trying to find all the little embellishments are fun-the caterpillar, ladybug, etc. My favorite tool for embroidery is my Hardwicke Manor embroidery hoops.
My absolute go-to for everything, always have it near my right hand, is my mellor. Not just for gold work, I find it to be an indispensable aid whenever I sit down to sew. I am a devotee of laying down my threads not only for canvas work, but for all surface embroidery: blackwork, crewel, etc. There is nothing so pleasing to my eye as perfectly aligned threads. In stump work – which is my passion – I love the way I can nudge things around a bit to get that just so curve to a cheek or a fat little bee body.
I would love to make the Home Sweet Home box for my 91 year old mother-in-law, who has been a true inspiration for me for 40+ years. I read an article about the box in Inspirations, and when I saw the photos, I immediately thought how much Jo would love such a “sewing treasure chest.”
My favorite needlework tool is my pinwheel. This is one that i have made and embroidered. The pins are pushed in around the edge so they sre always handy and it has a slightly padded velvet back that i can stick my needle in so that i dont loose it. The front is embroidered and this is the most useful tool
Squeal, I love this project and have been hunting for it since 2012. My favourite needlework tool is my mother’s silver thimble I inheritated several years ago. Thankyou for bringing to our attention the new release and kit creators.
Naming my favorites couldn’t be easier. The ones I love the most are ones made by my Grandma (pin cushion) or by fellow sewing friends (needle case, scissors minder). Each time I reach for a favorite, I think of the giver and feel special all over again.
My favourite tool is my mellor, because it’s so versatile. I use it in Goldwork to lay threads or manipulate them into position, I’ve used it to push stuffing into tight corners of padded elements, and lately I’ve been using it to keep a metal thread from looping around on itself while stitching with it.
Hard question to answer, but I think I would have to say my folding ort box. I made it myself and was the first needlepoint project I made while a member of ANG (Rochester, NY Chapter). I was please that I finished the piece and chose my palette well. I’m kind of partial to needle keepers, too!
My favorite tool is a clamp light my son got me that attach to my seat. Radiation and chemotherapy made it hard for me to see, the light is a life saver. I recently moved from florida to finland and most my tools will take time to reach with shipping container. I would love to get the kit and build/make it for more then few reason that stand right away:
1. Give me whole lease with having a break from arranging a new home here, winters are six months most with snow,
2. Have a place to get going untill my stash get here,
3. Keep with my therapy to relearn to use my arm and fingers.
4, making the kit will make the new place feel like home…
My favorite accessory is a small wax holder that I purchased at a recreation event. It keeps my beeswax from getting all lumpy at the bottom of the box and makes it easy to find!
My favorite embroidery tool is my bakelite laying tool.
I simply love this project book! It’s hard to say which individual piece is a favorite. The sewing box itself is wonderful. I’m partial to pretty needless, and the one in this book is very nice. I’d love to win a copy of the book. If not, then I’ll have to hope I can order before it’s sold out again.
Thank you for sharing!
I’d love to win this! My favorite tool are my cute little cutting scissors! Thanks for the giveaway!
Karen Longo
Wow! What a fun project this will be! My favorite tool at the moment is my hoop on a stick. Thanks for offering the giveaway!
By far, a floor lamp with magnification would be my choice of “tool”, along with a comfortable chair. That Home Sweet Home project is so charming, I hope whoever wins it will complete it. Thanks for the opportunity.
Without a doubt my favorite tool is a beautiful pair of embroidery scissors!
The Home Sweet Home project is glorious!
My favorite needlework accessory is: magnifying glasses! They make everything go smoother and better.
My favorite needlework accessory tool is my leather thimble with the metal insert.
OH this looks so fun! What a great project and I’m almost ready for a new one!
My favorite needlework accessory is my DMC Arm Chair Needlework Organizer. I love that it has a pin cushion built in. I keep all of my essentials (scissors, needle case, etc.) in the organizer. When I’m finished for the day, I can just roll it up and put it in my needlework bag.
My favourite accessory (at least currently) is a chatelaine I made recently small enough to pop into a little workbag but with needlebook, pincushion, thimble pop and scissor pocket.
This book! I saw it in a sewing shop while I was traveling and have been kicking myself that I didn’t buy it when I saw it. I didn’t note the title, so I’ve tried googling, and searching on Amazon – all to no avail. Thanks for bringing this to light (I’m so excited!).
I have lusted after this kit for quite a while now, so it would be wonderful to win it. My favourite accessory or tool is a fantastically huge variety of fabulous threads! I love threads and can’t seem to satiate my appetite for them (budget restraints! boohoo) Thanks for the chance to win Home Sweet Home.
My favourie embroidery tool is my spring hoop love the book
Carole Kennedy Ottawa
My favorite needlework accessory is, sad to say, a seam ripper, but a special one. Mine has a knobby end that is used to “brush” away all the little threads that occur when ripping out stitches. They have been around for a while in quilt shops, but now smaller ones for embroiderers are available. They are just so handy!
Thank you Mary and Wooly Threads for another giveaway. I don’t have many accessories or tools, but I know I cannot live without my very sharp Gingher scissors.
My favorite tools are my hands and the love of all things stitched. Both of my grandmothers had home sewing businesses and my mother taught me to sew and to love it as soon as my legs were long enough to reach the foot pedal of her Singer machine. I fell in love with this beautiful little/huge project the minute I saw it and am thrilled that the book is back in print! Can’t wait to get started!
My favorite needle work tool is this Needle N Thread web site. This site offers a plethora of resources, tutorials, and inspiration. Wouldn’t be without it.
My favourite extra tool after needle and scissors would be a good frame or hoop.
My favorite tool is my laying tool – a BLT. I love it and use it always when I am stitching with two or more threads and want to keep them smooth. Next favorite is a very good pair of scissors.
Lovely little needle cases that keep my needles safe and at hand.
Carol b
My favourite things are pincushions. Since 2009, I have collected nearly 30 0f them. they are great to work on when you need a break from big projects! Vicki Miller
My favorite tool is a pin cushion. An absolute necessity, especially when my husband sits in my stitching chair. It means he doesn’t get stabbed by a stray needle!
My favourite needlework accessory (difficult to choose) must be my beautiful stork scissors – they seem to have a character of their own!
I could not embroider if it wasn’t for my “many” needle threaders. It would take too long to thread my needle without it, thus losing the will to do my favorite thing – embroider.
Well. The first thing that jumped to mind was the thimble I bought many years ago. It is silver and the end is open so my fingernail can breathe. So to speak. Anyway I think of it as a treasure. I love the book you are giving away. Thanks again for what you do. Elayne.
I would love to own a copy of this book..I try to make gift to post to my sister on the other side of the world and this book has so many Wishlist items. Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy…but, whoever wins will most likely enjoy it as much as I would. I had to try, even though I couldn’t win an argument, let alone a prize!!
Oops..forgot to mention…my favourite tool would have to be fine applique needles….love them!
Hmm! Most used accessory, definitely my traditional stork scissors. Favourite? I have to say that my new daylight lamp & magnifier has made things SO MUCH easier over the last 6 months — I’m doing more embroidery in the evenings since I’ve had it, so I think it’s my new favourite tool 🙂
My favorite needwork tool is an antique thimble I inherited from my mother. She used it and now I use it for all my hand work and sewing.
My favorite accessory or tool would have to be my glasses these days! Without them, I cannot even begin to think about doing any type of needlework. After that, I would have to say I do love a good storage system to keep my projects all together, whether it’s a tote bag for a knitting project, or a lidded box for a crafty project, or a sewing box for an embroidery project, good storage is essential for managing a project efficiently.
This book is just too fabulous to pass up a chance to win! Thanks so much!
ss
My favorite tool is my small awl. I use it as a laying tool, to open fabric for eyelet stitches and pulling out small stitches. Not glamorous but very functional and I have had mine for many years. I would love to use it to stitch and construct this beautiful project!
My essential tool has to be my fine embroidery scissors, but my favourite accessory is my scissor fob so that I can find my scissors in the first place 🙂
I am so glad that this book has been reprinted. Thank you Mary, Wooly Thread and Inapirations for this give away opportunity.
My favourite tools are my embroidery hoops. Aside from holding the material tight so I don’t get in a huff with my threads and needles, it frames my work like a piece of art right from the beginning. Often I end up using the hoop as the finished frame and have to buy another for my next project.
My favourite accessory is my late grandmothers etui. Made by hand by my grandmother. It contains everything I need when embroidering with the perfect embroidery scissors, bodkin and needles having been my grandmothers. Not that the needles can be used, they are a little bent from many hours of use. I have included my own needles but can not bear to throw out the old ones. Lots of happy memories of a wonderful women who taught me to embroiderer and was an inspiration to me.
I am thrilled that this project is being republished. I was really sad that I missed it the first time around, so I am doing the happy dance! I do love texture in hand embroidery!
My very favorite sewing tool is an awl that is made by John Adin, father of the remarkable Jenny Adin-Christie. When Jenny was an apprentice at the RSN, her father supported her work by fabricating and building a number of tools and frames to meet her special needs. John is a very talented engineer. The awl is made of stainless steel and is very smooth. The point is lethally sharp. But the best part is the top of the awl is ergonomically designed to fit your fingertips to give maximum grip and control. In whitework, it is invaluable for stitching any sort of eyelet. It will also doubles as a laying tool for ornery textural threads, as the finish is satiny smooth. I also sometimes use it VERY CAREFULLY with my goldwork for sharp turns and edges, as the point can nick delicate metal threads. I also use the edge of the tiny ring on top to nudge threads of all types, as it is very delicate and is much smaller than the “knife” end of my mellor. Yep, if I were stranded on a desert island and could only have one tool, this would be it. To the best of my knowledge, you can only buy this awl from Jenny. I am sure she would be glad to give you purchasing information via her website: http://www.jennyadin-christie.co.uk
I love it It is beautiful and I wold love to win the book. Thank you for the opportunity .
My favorite needlework tool is my laying tool.
My favorite tool is a pincushion and needle case.With it and thread I have everything for my hand projects
This project is amazing! Something for me to aspire to! I would have to say that my favorite tool is a needle threader. I’m lost without one! Thanks for the opportunity to win this amazing book!
My ‘Lap Stitch Frame’ is my favourite accessory. I treated myself to it a while ago as my RA was impacting my ability to stitch. I love the comfort and ease of use it gives me, best of all I can stitch for a little longer on good days =)
OMG I LOVE this!!! Favorite needlepoint tools: My 1890 thimble given to me by my old Nanny, and the books( and creativity of all the designers) that make my work so enjoyable, fun, exciting and beautiful…
Lina Karman
my favorite needlework accessory is my trusty needle book!
Sherry S.
Missouri
“Home Sweet Home” sounds like a book meant to be read, read, and enjoyed. My favorite needlework accessory is my magnetic needle keeper. It keeps the needle I’m using very safe and easily available. I am LJ in Iowa.
My favorite needlework tool is scissors. I just love them–such a simple, yet perfect design! Try as I might to be good and not purchase something I don’t need, I can’t resist a lovely, unique pair of scissors. Especially if I’m making a scissor case that needs something to live in it.
my favorite tool is my needlework scissor,they are years light better than the average scissor
Thank you Mary and Woolly Thread for this great offer.
As always I will enter and most likely not win, but as someone said, you have to be in it to win it. So here goes: my favourite needlework tool/accessory is actually a pair – unrelated but I need them both: my curved scissors with really sharp points and my oh-so-pointy tweezers. Without those two I wouldn’t even start embroidering.
My embroidery scissors and magnifying lamp
Dear Mary,
My favourite tool is a good needle. The feel of a good needle makes stitching a joy. And when my favourite needle comes to the end of its days it can take a while to find another to take its place.
Home Sweet Home is a wonderful project. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the Give-Away.
My favorite needlework tool is my lighted magnifying lamp.
hello fellow needleworkers- i am in lovelovelove with this kit. i hope and pray i win, but if not i might have to order kit or look into past inspirations to see if i have it. sew cute and has all you need in it. over the past years it seems my favorite tools or accessory has changed as my interests and likes have changed. but i still love my sets of hoops that connect sew i have 2 hooked up with a smaller one and bigger one. it can sit on lap or table and your hands can go easily between them. you have use of both hands instead of holding with one and embroidering with the other.plus this way you have 2 sizes to choose from. i have 3 sets with 6 different sized hoops. hoping and praying to finally win- plus this is my all time favorite of all the free give aways. by the way mary- while on a quilting retreat last week, i turned about 8 woman onto your site. they were all excited and agreed with me that your tuturials are the easiest to watch and learn. thank you for all your hard work to keep us with a needle in our hands. marcella hazelwood
Can’t live without my lighted magnifying lamp!
Would love to have this. Beautiful stitches. Favourite tool is my awl of laying tool. Great for controlling silk ribbon and threads.
I actually have two simple, but favourite accessories. First is my Korean thimble set. I always wanted my own like my mother’s and finally tracked them down. My other favourite are my embroidery scissors that my husband purchased for me to replace ones that were seized by Hong Kong customs, scoundrels. Though he doesn’t typically appreciate the money I spend on supplies, he was very empathetic to my frustration.
The lighted magnifier is a necessity and a favorite accessory. (People laugh at me because I wear contact lenses and reading glasses and still need a magnifier!) The other favorite accessory is my trolley needle for laying threads.
So many choices! I guess I love my Gingher embroidery scissors – they’re pretty, very sharp, and make me happy.
I love the idea of making my own needlework box especially in the shape of a house. How fun! I am curious where in USA one can buy the copy of Inspirations magazine that has the bodkin directions in it.
I forgot to mention that my favorite needlework tool is a very sharply pointed small pair of scissors that I can cut the threads in hardanger embroidery.
My favorite needlework accessory is a needlebook. I like to keep one with every project I am working on.
My favourite stitching accessory would be my tweezers. I find that there are times when I’ve made an error that needs to be removed, or I want to change the thread. The points of the tweezers are fine enough to remove the tiniest of stitches and any fluff left from pulling threads.
I love a beautiful hand stitched etui in which to store all of my very important needlework tools in style.
I have many bits and pieces but couldn’t do a thing without my flip up magnifiers!
Thread Magic -working on ornaments that use metallic threads and it really helps – stitches look better and stitching isn’t as frustrating!
This project is certainly a beauty.
My favorite accessory is my high intensity, pure white lamp. As my eyes deteriorate I am still able to see whether I am doing hardanger, reversible blackwork, cutwork, crewel, needlepoint or hand quilting (I stitch 14 stitches to the inch). Without my light I definitely would be in the dark.
I have my phone with me so that I can go watch your videos about making stitches.
My very favorite accessory is…, hmm that is hard one to call, but if I must pick one, it’s the first pair of good embroidery scissors that a friend bought me. They are all fancy and really sharp I’m so happy they decided to reprint this book, it’s just so enchanting.
Thanks for the opportunity of participating in your book giveaway. That’s a beautiful sewinh box. My favorite tool for any project is good scissors. I happen to prefer the gingher brand. I have several different sizes of these scissors a d love every one. Thanks. E. Kay H.
I would be lost if I didn’t have my grandmothers thimble. I have tried new ones but they don’t fit on my finger like hers.
This is absolutely beautiful. I’d love to make one for my sister’s birthday in July. I know she would treasure it. Favorite tool, well I guess that will be my needles. Hiroshima needles are my favorite these days.
What’s my favorite needlework accessory/tool? Boy, that’s a tough one! But overall, I guess I would have to say that the one I use the most, that I could not possibly do without, would be a hoop/frame. I have many different sizes of hoops and could not possibly do any needlepoint project without one!
Would just love to own this book so I can then start collecting all the materials, threads and charms. Great project to make, especially with your recommendation of the excellence of the instructions
I have seen so many beautiful flowers and designs to make that are so wonderful. I saw a new one today, called Kutch Work design. I love it. I don’t know which item I like best to use in my embroidery right now. Probably all the colors of thread, we have to use. or the designs, too many I like……THANK YOU FOR THE GIVE AWAY….SURE HOPE I CAN WIN……A JUNE
My favorite tool is my sharp little scissor.
My favorite stitching tool is a needle minder. I like the Needle Park Avenue, which is carried by Nordic Needle (my favorite mail order store). If it is not available, I use just a simple magnet pair to hold my needle and thread out of the way, and hope I can remember which color is which. I use it when stitching with similar colors in a small area. I do mostly counted thread stitching, often cross stitch, and the shading in some flowers use very close colors.
Does your website count as a tool? 😉
I’m a beginner, and have so far stuck to the basics in terms of tools: hoops, needles, scissors, fabric, floss. In an effort to not just parrot someone else’s answer, I put a whole lot of thought into what I use, and what I have gotten the most benefit from.
The tool I have found most useful in my embroidery has to be my personal library of reference books. Specifically, the stitch encyclopediae from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s I’ve picked up at tag sales and used bookstores, as well as booklets about various styles (blackwork, Hardanger, etc.). But the most useful books I ever found are actually about how to make crazy quilts: they have tons of great stitches, as well as suggestions on ways to combine them to acheive different effects. I actually started embroidering because I wanted to explore crazy quilting, but got completely sidetracked when I fell in love with embroidery for its own sake. To date, I haven’t made a crazy quilt, but have completed a bunch of embroidery projects.
Sorry for the ridiculous length of this comment! I hope whoever wins the book enjoys it as much as I would, and thank you for the chance to add it to my library.
My favourite needlework tool is a needle book that I purchased a kit for from the National Trust at Housteads Roman Fort in Northumberland England. I like having a variety of needles & pins in a compact little book when traveling or out for a day with a sewing project.
The work box looks like a real challenge to construct!
Lately my favorite tool and been a needle puller. I am experimenting with fibers and new fabric. Sometimes the sitching is very difficult to work with and the needle puller helps me to pull the thread through..
Mary In Oregon
My favorite accessory is a small needle book I made at one of my first classes at The Embroiderers’Guild, in Melbourne, Australia. Only a cross-stitch kit enthusiast until joining the Guild, a wonderful talented and patient fellow member, Rosemary Tonkin, helped me COMPLETE my first item ever, involving construction techniques I had had no idea of. Called ” Crosstitch and Beyond”, I still wonder that I made this useful item which was as pretty as hers! Since then, she has designed many beautiful items and taught many fun classes, contributing greatly to my love of embroidery. Thank you, Rosemary!
my favorite needlework accessory is my small curved blade scissors because of their short sharp blades I can clip close without fear of damage to the stitching. this looks like a fab book that I would love to own.
What’s your favorite needlework accessory or tool?
I love little vintage scissors with unique designs.
Michelle V
From:
Lucerne “Switzerland of America” Ca, USA
The most favourite embroidery tool are my scissors… if I can find them!! As many times as I hide them from my family, they find them . I do have a special pair which I leave in my knickers draw… funny they don’t look in there!!
Ohhhh, what an absolutely, beautiful idea!
I do love making my tools for stitching (and sewing) by myself, like pincushions and needlebooks. But a book which shows how to do a whole equipmentbox with fitting acsessories. *sighn* Oh, I wish I would win this give away.
My favorite needleworktool is a needlebook, witch was stiched by my father, when he was at school. I inherited it from my grandpa, the father of my father, with all his sewing tools. In fact it is not really beautiful, but it warms always my heart in memory of my grandpa and my father. Imagine, my grandpa used it all the years, since my father made it in the 1960s. Its older than me, an if it could talk… oh my what stories could it tell!
Thank you so much for this Blog, dear Mary Corbet.
A good needle threader…thin enough to use with a dbl strand of floss…strong enough to last!
not counting my Lowery stand…which is like a workstation.
I’m sorry to say that my most used and loved needlework accessory is my seam ripper. What an adorable project. I have my fingers crossed. Thank you.
Hi Mary! This is a design I’ve been whimpering over since it was released. I think I’d go for your first option and work from my stash, making substitutions and adaptations along the way.
To be honest, I don’t have a favourite needlework tool beyond a needle and some kind of hoop or snap frame. I don’t use any specialist equipment or gadgets at all. One thing I do find indispensable though is patience, if you can call that a tool. 🙂
Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
My favorite needlework tool is my embroidery scissors.
My favorite needlework tool is my stork embroidery scissors with a gold plated finish i got as a gift:-)
Hello Mary
Today is my birthday 05/11/62 and it was graet morning to wake up to reed your mail.
I’m from Israek far away from you but feel good freind with you since your start around 2010 i’m reading your mail and blog a lot of the Israeli’s who follow after you is becouse of me…
I like very much the trhed holder and the needle pillow.
If needed i will pay delivery fee to Israel .
Thank you
Elian
My favorite tool is my stork scissors.
I would have to say it is my needle threader! As I have gotten older it is harder to thread my needles. I am retiring at the end of the year and this looks like a fun project to start it off. Kate and her cats
I would say it is my needle threader. As I get older, it has become very useful. I am retiring the end of the year and this would be a good project to keep me busy. Kate and her cats
Oooo, that’s adorable! And it appeals to my inner engineer as well as my crafty side! 🙂
What’s your favorite needlework accessory or tool?
Hmmm. After some thought, I would have to say it’s the portable hand-sewing case I made for myself. It’s got three pockets to tuck things in, one with a see-through window, plus sheets of felt for pins and needles and a little pincushion for quick use and loops of elastic to hold tools. It was my own design and I’m very fond and proud of it. 🙂
Hi Mary, Hope you are doing well.
I have always loved this book and the accessories it describes. I have drooled over it for a long time! My favourite accessory is a needle book of hedebo. It was fun to make, looks lovely and is useful… a trifecta! I also love making scissor fobs … one cannot have too many scissors and they all need fobs!
Thanks for all you do for us,
Dale
I need a good thimble or I poke my thumb no matter how much practice I get! These cottages look absolutely amazing and fun to attempt. Thanks for the chance to win. Kristine C.
Needle threader
My favourite needlework accessory or tool is a good quality pair of embroidery scissors with a scissor fob.
Well bless my soul ! Home Sweet Home by Carolyn Pearce . How come I have never seen this book ? I,ve been a little poorly for the last couple of years and it seems things have past me by . Such a pretty looking book , I ,d love to have a copy ! My favourite needlework tool ..has to be quite simply , my needle .
Good luck everyone ,from me Daisy Debs Cornwall UK
Gosh, that’s a hard choice. I guess I’d have to say my favorite tool is my Millennium frame and stand. Since I’m a short person, it’s nice to have a large range of adjustable room. Thanks to Wooly Thread and you, Mary, for the giveaway!
Hi Mary – I’m going to say my favorite needleworking tool is willingness to sit and do it. I think it is the FIRST tool. Since I was a little girl I have loved needlework – no one in my family was interested so on my own I pursued it. Now, at 64, I must set aside all my other obligations and allow myself to be joyful. Like Pigpen, I have little piles of thread and fabric that follow me wherever I go. I make beautiful things, but first I must be willing to be still.
I think the book is awesome and would be a great addition to a lucky winner. Good luck to all but I hope it is me. I love my rotary cutter and mat.
Crane scissors. I even have them tattooed on my arm so I always have a pair with me 🙂
Besides the necessary tools, needle and scissors, I always have my laying tool handy. I love being able to place the threads exactly in line and oh so smooth.
My favorite accessory is a scissor fob I made in needlepoint, pale green background with a pansy, perfectly weighted and finished by my local stitchery store in Vermont.
Definitely my tiny vintage embroidery scissors that I inherited from my Grandmother….a wonderful embroiderer
My favorite embroidery tool is my pair of small sharp embroidery scissors that once belonged to my grandmother.
That work box is stunning! My favourite accessory is my tiny little super sharp scissors.
I’m very new to needlework and I don’t have a stash of accessories, but I have a very pretty pair of embroidery scissors that I love to look at and use. I found them in a needlework shop very close to my house and bought them on a whim. Before that I was using full sized scissors. Hoops, needles and scissors make up my entire tool box! I don’t actually have a tool box either, just a zip lock bag. Frontier Needlepoint, I tell myself, but it works.
En fait, puisque j’envoie mon commentaire depuis la Provence où j’habite… mon commentaire sera en français !
Mon outil préféré… et que je ne prête jamais de crainte qu’il arrive malheur à la pointe des lames, est une fabuleuse paire de petits ciseaux à broder, réalisés entièrement à la main par un des derniers artisans français et qui m’ont été offerts pour mes 40 ans ! une vraie folie.
And because most of you, dear readers, are english or american speakers, I’ll try to translate in a “not so good english” :
My favourite needlework accessory is definitely a small french hand-made pair of embrodery scissors given for my 40′ Birthday (!).
In fact, I absolutely can’t share it with others without beeing totaly afraid of a dramatic fall on the “nose” of the blades.
Infortunately, I can’t find the way to share a picture of my “Treasure” with you in this post.
Brune… from Aix en Provence – South of France
my favourite accessory is a bohn needle for it all starts with a good french needle!
dq
My embroidery scissors. A good pair of scissors is so essential!
I love embroidered houses and this books sounds delightful. Can’t wait to see it.
Right now my favorite embroidery tool is my mellor, I’ve been using it to lay down gold threads in my latest project! ~M.A.P.
My scissors and scissor fob.
What a BEAUTIFUL project!!!! My favorite tool is a pair of embroidery scissors that were passed down from my grandmother to my mom to me. Both of these wonderful women have passed now but I like to think they are still connected to me when I am stitching.
My favorite needlework tool is an African porcupine quill laying tool. A dear friend returned from a trip with this little gem & I’ve kept it handy ever since! Because of its size, it is useful for more than laying threads, stroking silk ribbon, opening needlepoint canvas etc. It’s also nifty to use for “eye” stitches instead of an awl. While I have not seen them in any needlework shops, they are available online. Multiple quills are packaged together so a whole guild could share the bounty. They are very cool looking too!
My Marine Corp Lanyard. When I sit down to do my needlework, I wear my Lanyard around my neck. I have my needle threader and embroidery scissors attached to it. This way they are always close when I need it.
This project is so beautiful, I would love to win it.
I love my needle holders! I made them with wool pages so I can have a variety of sizes and styles!
The Home Sweet Home collection would be a wonderful challenge to make and use ! Thank you for the chance to win this lovely pattern!
Nora G
My favorite accessory is my snap hoop…..it makes embroidery so much easier.
Oh, what a wonderful book! I am keeping my fingers crossed to win! My favorite needlework accessory or tool is the Clover quilt needle threader! It is my favorite because it is the only needle threader that I have found that I can use to thread those tiny bead needles. I enjoy doing cross stitch kits with beads, but find it frustrating to thread the bead needles. The Clover quilt needle threader works like a charm — and is cute, too!
My favorite Embroidery accessory is the one querem I can put all others together
My favourite needlework tools are my scissors. There is nothing like good scissors and having a pair for each purpose.
Current favorite tool: Tissue paper! I’m transferring a fairly large embroidery design by drawing it on tissue paper and basting thru the drawn lines onto the fabric – takes a while, but it’ll stay put as long as I need it, which will be a few months, as I’m a slow stitcher!
Perennial favorite: Well, I don’t love it, but I couldn’t work with out it: Seam ripper. For probably self-evident reasons! 🙂
I have a laying tool made from an old silver plated spoon. It fits so easily in my hand with the slight curve silverware has. And it is balanced so well. I love it so much I am going to have a piece of sterling silverware I inherited from my mom’s set made into one since it had gone down the garbage disposal. She and my grandmother taught me to sew and needlecraft. It would be like she was there stitching with me and helping me just like she did when I was young.
you asked favorite tool…i really like my floss organizers, note plural. i enjoy seeing the shades, the varigated, metalice…all that the colors have to offer. im 67 n use to stitch when i was raising my daughters. i could put it down n then pick it up when time permitted…all traveled well, too. now i have added quilting but arthritis n my back gets n the way, so when i cant sew at machine anymore i can stitch in my recliner n take away the pain n my back n the quilt that i cant do it all. so, yes, my floss organizers bring joy n help to my stitching.
My favorite tool is my cheater glasses because they allow me to see the threads more clearly so I can continue to stitch. My lens replacement surgery restored my sight, but the cheaters fine tune it. My ott light is my next favorite, followed by my embroidery scissors.
I LOVE houses so thank you and the sponsor for offering such a lovely prize. My favourite and most essential needlework accessory is my glasses – and a portable light!
Catherine from New Zealand
I would love to have this most delightful workbox in my collection of etuis. I love the design and would enjoy putting everything else aside to work on it. My favorite needlework tool is a toss up between my gold plated needles and my silver thimble.
Scissors – my favorite Stitchery Tool! I possess too many to use at one time! And I respect them enough to take good care of them. The scissors case is on my list wish list. How delightful is this ambitious chest project!
Thank you for this give away- Mary and Wooly Thread!
Accessory or tool…that is tough since I am so new to this. Websites and youtubes seem to be my best accessory at this time — for learning how to use anything. I am poking between your website and Craftsy and Youtube to figure things out and get my “lessons” for making things. I pulled off the monogram with the seed stitches around it — from your photos and close-ups. I am pleased and people think that I bought it. What good is a needle and thread without guidance? God Bless!
My favourite accessory is a pair of small scissors that have a little clasp so I can clip them onto my shirt. This handy aspect is a lifesaver as, when I get engrossed in an embroidery project in my favourite cushy chair I tend to put my scissors down without paying attention to where I’ve laid them, then have to hunt under the cushion to retrieve them.
My favorite accessory is my floss organizer – really helps when I’m using colors that are similar in hue!
Oh, I am just smitten with this! It is just beyond anything I’ve made in several years, and I treasure the chance to win!! Thanks
Tease me to be organized by making this house rest in my SF home, along with my favorite embroidery tool, the mini latch-hook which I used to scoot the tinest ending thread underneath accomplished stitches. There’s never been a divided organizer box that I didn’t relish. I’ve kept my grandmother’s wooden cabinet of drawers in which one was labeled, “string too small to save.”
My embroidery hoop. It was given to me when I was eight years old (and proved surprisingly durable), do there is sentimental value to it.
Thank you Mary and thank Wooley Thread for this terrific give-away, I fell in love with Carolyn Pearce’s Home Sweet Home Embroidery Workbox several years ago. I put off ordering her book because I had several other projects in progress and figured I would order it later. Unfortunately, when I finally went to order it was out of print. Murphy’s Law hit again! I’m thrilled to see it back in print. My favorite tool is my Dovo folding scissors.
My favorite embroidery tool is, bar none, my needle threader!
My favourite needlework tool is my magnetic chart holder, I do a lot of graphed charts, so it it just so helpful to keep me in the right place
thanks Mary
Julie N
My favorite needlework tool is my stiletto. It helps to make sure the threads are straight when stitching.
My favorite accessory is my scissor fob — it helps me keep track of my scissors! And my favorite tool is my lighted magnifying glass.
My most essential tool has to be my embroidery scissors, but my favourite accessory is my scissor fob so I can find them in the first place.
My favorite embroidery tool is a stiletto. It is essential in SRE and I use it with the sewing machineto help feed fabric bits.
My current favorite tool is a pincushion that I made from a counted cross stitch kit from Just Nan. It is a cube shape with roses and bees and three special charm pins that came with the kit. I love that I could make this for myself, something truly useful and very pretty!
My favorite item would be:
I do all hand sewing so I would say the type of needles I use❣️ Love that beautiful book❣️
My favourite needlework tool is a small implement that I use for turning out corners when finishing small pieces. It is like a small spoon but with a flat rounded trowel-shaped end that tapers to a slightly rounded point. It is good for producing an even edge and neat corners without straining the stitching.
What a beautiful “must have” book. I am new to your site and am really enjoying it and I have learned there is no shame in unpicking!!!. I have just inherited a large “stash” of exciting threads, so this etui would be a perfect project to begin to deplete that. The choice of favourite tool is a bit like Sophie’s – but I don’t think I would get anywhere without my sharp sharp scissors or my light!
My favorite tool is my scissors. They have a serrated edge that masked cutting so easy and accurate.
My favourite tool is a pair of sharp embroidery scissors.
Katherine pepperell
Love my scissors❣️all kinds.
My favorite needlework tool is my needle threader. It has a large red disk that holds the wire loop for the thread to pass through. Very easy to find in my work kit. Can’t work without it! Penny D.
Mary I find my embroidery scissors to be the most special. Always on the lookout for another beautiful design.
I know have been drooling over some of the scissors handcrafted in France but unless I win the lottery are cost-prohibitive.
I love my stork embroidery scissors.
I follow JG ‘s blog and have seen her wonderful work box…I’d love to make that in my lifetime.
One of the most beautiful embroidery books I have ever seen…really sparks the imagination. My favorite accessory is a pair of bird shaped scissors that was given to me!
My current favorite embroidery tool is a wooden needle holder made by Gail Stafford’s husband. Gail teaches needlepoint and will teach a class at the 2017 Embroiderer’s Guild Seminar. The small needle holder fits in the palm of my hand and feels just right. My favorite tool changes with each project so it may another handy dandy gadget or something like a particulat pair of scissors by the next project’s completion. I love all the tools and threads used in embroidery. Jo Z.
I love the idea behind this project… to create a sewing treasure box for each of my daughters… wow! My favorite needlework accessory is actually my mother’s old gingher sissors because of all the memorys.. I remember never being allowed to touch them… and then finally being old enough to use them and in trusted with not “mis-using them” memories of my mom sewing are with me every day in my sewing room and I guard them with love just like she did. My mom passed away in 1998…… I got my love for needlework and sewing from her as I have passed that on to my 3 daughters.
I have been away from stitching for too long and I’ve recently stepped back in.
A friend of mine suggested using the No Basting System for Scroll Rods. They are simple to use and keep my project relatively clean. Hoops are great for small projects but the scroll rods with the NoBasting System for a large project works great for me:)
Hi Mary et al, Wonderful giveaway! My fave needlework tool is a scissors. They are essential, functional, personal, and beautiful all in one tool. Thank you for the great coverage of the return of Home Sweet Home!
My favorite and must have items are embroidery scissors with their rather large fob attached. Why the large fob…well, I keep losing them. I think I get so enthralled in a project and I so pumped about the progress when I change thread colors that I lose track of my scissors. Before attaching the large fob I would have to hunt for them every time. I have found them under my chair, down the side of my chair, buried in my lap blanket and one time I was partially sitting on them!
As for me it’s all about a great hoop!
Stay well Mary and Happy holidays!
Thanks,
Catrina Byrge
Home Sweet Home looks like a wonderful instruction book. And the design is amazing!
My favorite stitching accessory…it’s a toss up between my magnifying glasses that I wear on top of my regular glasses and the embroidery technique books on my bookshelf. It seems there is always some stitch instruction that I want to revisit.
Helen (Tucson)
My favourite embroidery tool is an old silver awl which I inherited from an aunt. I am still learning how to use it as a laying tool and doing quite well.
Sue
I remember when this came out & thought this was so pretty. Id love to be able to make this. My favorite tool is actually 2 one is a good needle. I use multiple colors & keep a few different threaded with the project I’m working on. Also a good sturdy wrapped hoop. Thank you for such a wonderful place to come for information
When I was young I could embroider in the least amount of light. Now I need three things:
Magnifying glasses 3.0
Good lighting
A needle threader if I can’t find my glasses!
Love this site and all the great community discussions! Thank you!
How sweet. Love the book.
Hi Mary 🙂
Scissors, scissors and scissors are my favourite needlework tool or accessory. I don’t have the largest collection, but what ones I do have, I use. I have ones for cutting floss and thread. I have a pair specifically for Hardanger. I have one for cutting metallics and metal threads. I have shears for cutting fabric. I also have ones that are just pretty and make me smile when I use them. I even have a patriotic pair with Maple leaves on them that an overseas friend gave me that reminds me of her every time I use them. I couldn’t stitch without my scissors.
Thank you for the chance to win this book. I wanted it when it first came out, and then when it went out of print, I was very disappointed. So glad to hear it’s back in print, and even if I don’t win it, I’ll put it on my Christmas list 😉
My favorite needlework tool is my pair of scissors. The list continues, but a good pair of scissors are key and works regardless of type of stitching or specialty tools needed.
What a fabulous project! It looks like a long-term one, but I’d love the challenge.
My favorite needlework accessory is a laying tool – you can’t beat it for getting lovely smooth stitches.
How adorable that set is! I especially love the side of the Cottage with the Bee skep!
The book sounds divine. I am fairly new to Embroidery and Crewel. Just started my first Crewel project. I do alot of hand stitching though,especially English Paper Piecing. My favorite hand tool for Needlework is my Ring Pincushion or Needle Park as my Granny called it.
Thank you and Wooly Thread for the chance to win this fabulous giveaway.
Now I am off to watch one of your You tube videos on Shading.
Have a great day.
Jan
I love the projects in this book a lot. It would be great to have it.
My favorite thing to use is a good pair of embroidery scissors. Also my readers so I can see what I am doing. Love the cottage in this. Have always wanted to make an etui!
Although my favorite stitching accessory is my Ott lite with magnifier, my main reason for entering this giveaway is that I purchased this book when it first came out as a gift for my friend Annie. In 2013, her home burned to the ground, she lost everything including the book. I would love to be able to replace it for her!
My favourite tool is a needle minder. I frequently have 2 or 3 of them on a piece when I’m working with many threaded needles.
I would be thrilled to win this book.
My favorite accessory is a carrier with all of my tools in it that is rolled up, but when unrolled it stays on the arm of my chair so that everything is handy.
Thanks so much for all of your beautiful insprirations!
One of my favorite sewing/needlework tools is my teapot pincushion. I keep it handy and am constantly using it to handle all my needlework projects. My friends constantly comment on it! I love to do little projects and years ago when I took some surface embroidery classes, the teacher had done this very project with the house! Well I fell in love with it, but never came across a pattern for it. Needless to say, work and home has kept me to busy to investigate further on a pattern and then I got side tracked in making dolls. Love doing little things, so I would love a chance to win!
I would cherish this book! I love to make embroidered gifts for friends and family. I like to “rescue” antique linens and give them new life. Having this gorgeous book in my library and the opportunity to make my own cottage sewing box is beyond exciting.
My favorite needlework tool is the magnetic board I use to keep track of the patterns when working on a counted cross stitch chart or needlepoint design. It allows me to work on my projects virtually wherever I want because I don’t have to worry about losing track of my pattern saving costly stitch removal.
A good hoop, one that holds the fabric taught and is easy for me to hold.
My favorite tool/s are scissors! All sizes and varieties as long as they are beautiful, balanced, sharp!!, and match the project I am working on. Small with big finger holes for embroidery work or large for cutting linen yardage. I can never have too many!
Thanks Mary, Karen
My favourite needlework tool is the brass thimble my mother gave me when I started embroidering /sewing, I never stitch without it
On a recent project I found it necessary to have the use of a laying tool. I can’t believe I’ve been doing needlework for the past two years without it!! Now I can’t seem to pick up a project without a laying tool in one hand and a needle in the other. Of course, I had to rely on your reviews before purchasing the Best Laying Tool!
Hi,
Not sure if it exactly qualifies as a ‘needlework tool’ could be accessory I suppose, but my favourite item would be my ‘daylight’ lamp/magnifier.
My eyes are not what they used to be and particularly for counted work it is too easy to count 3 threads instead of 4 for the hardanger I am currently working on. It would be lovely to win this book. I probably wouldn’t make the complete project as is, but would mine the book for its ideas. Thanks, Rose Stew NZ
I’m excited to read this entry, and of course I would like to participate jejeje
the house is so beautiful and detailed that I have it, obviously!!
What’s your favorite needlework accessory or tool?… The
embroidery accessory that can not fail to have is the fob for scissors, I use it to place there some needles and pins, and when I’m working on a cloth, put in it the threaded needle with the thread in use. I have at least one in each scissors and I will rotate according to taste and need 😉
A hug and thank you very much for all the explanations of the page, I love and have helped me a lot in my embroideries. Kisses from Colombia
Karyne Pérez
One of my favorite needlework “tools” is a greaseless hand crime. I drag my floss through it and the threads do not separate and thread easily through the eye.
My favourite needlework accessory or tool is – the needle, without which there would be no needlework. Thank you Mary – from Maria M of NZ.
I have found that a sharp pair of scissors is my best friend with my ribbon embroidery.
I couldn’t manage without my overhead led magnify light as my eyesight isn’t what it used to be. Thank you Mary for all the fabulous give-always.
I love my overhead led magnifying led light as my eyesight isn’t what it used to be. Thank you Mary for all. The wonderful give-aways.
Lately my favorite, meaning most useful, accessory is a pair of tweezers. I can’t stand all the slubs in linen and prefer to tease them out. Plus very handy for any stray cat hairs that always become part of my stitching project.
Mary,
So once again you have posed a difficult question to answer! My favourite needlework tool is my entomology tweezers, although I would be lost without needles and scissors, and other supplies such as hoops, frames, lighting and magnification! The Home-Sweet-Home would be a delight to stitch and fill with precious tools!
Thank you for this chance
What a beautiful project! My favorite accessory is my needle case.
Favorite tool is small gingher scissors….
I am sooooo in love with this little cottage & all that it contains! Reminds me of my childhood & some of the sweet little accessories my mum used to make 🙂 What a beautiful & functional project to tackle.
My favorite needlework tool…if it can be considered a tool, is the needlework frame or hoop! Ones fabric must be taut or it can be a great exercise in frustration at having to constantly adjust and readjust.
At the moment, I am using a Needle Needs Necessaire frame with, but I also have a good slate frame which I use from time to time. Susan Bates hoops also work very well when anchored to a table with a vice.
Such a great give-away. I would love to be the lucky winner. My favourite accessory would have to be a magnet, as I keep looking my needles without it…
I couldn’t be without my stork scissors
My favorite accessory is a wonderful little needle case made from felt and vintage ribbon. I can keep all my threaded and empty needles in it without scrounging around looking for a needle! I added interlocking handles so now it’s portable for travel. And because it’s felt, I don’t lose any needles or end up with tangled threads.
Hello, I just started Brazilian Embroidery. I love it. I saw it on the Internet and was lucky enough to find a group in my area. I am not sure what an accessory tool is. I love the thread. I am using Ed Mar thread. It is soooo beautiful. Also, I love needle threaders. Many companies make them and my eye site is not as good as it used to be. My other favorite is the high magnification glasses. I believe Clover makes them. They are the best help for me to see stitches clearly. The ladies in the group are so helpful and friendly. I just joined the national site. Very happy to be learning this new embroidery and the beautiful stitches. I am 73. The Home Sweet Home projects look wonderful.
My favorite tool are my sharp scissors that I use to cut the fabric in open thread embroidery.
By the way, the LINK to the KIT isn’t working.
Thanks for your helpful blog.
Hi, Louise – the link to the kit in the article above (here on the website) works. For some reason, when the newsletter went out, the link code broke, so it doesn’t work in the email newsletter, but it does work in the article above, here on the website. 🙂
My favourite tool is not really a sewing accessory- it’s my magnifying reading glasses. Without them I couldn’t embroider at all. I can find substitutes for almost all gadgets but I really need to see well for close up work.!
My favorite tool,is a lovely folding book to hold needles and pins.
Well, I have such a passion for thimbles that I actually belonged to a couple of collectors’ clubs for a while, so I imagine that would win the favorite vote. But I love my laying tool, my needle cleaner, my rubber needle puller, OF COURSE my scissors…clearly, I could go on and on. I would love to have such a cute little abode to house them all in.
Fingers crossed!
Anya
This project would probably take me the rest of my life to complete (what a way to go?) … But it probably contains just the info I need to finish up a similar project I started eons ago to cover my sewing machine … That project is appliqués with a smattering of embroidery … How much you wanna bet that if I were to pick it up again it would acquire lots more embroidery in its finishing!
Oh, I forgot to disclose my favorite tool–it’s my needle keeper shaped like a cat even though I never got around to making her dress. She’s velveteen with a felted wool tummy; that’s where the needles go.
My embroidery scissors with a charm my daughter gave me and unfortunately now my magnifying glasses that has improved my stitching considerably. Thank you for offering this embroidery project to hold all of my favorite things.
Autumn greetings Mary,
Oh, my this work box is so lovely and so practical as well. I love it.
My favorite ‘tool’ is an LED, clip-on, spotlight, (a Jansjo from Ikea). I keep my current project in a low sided, lap sized basket that I clip the spotlight on and can bend the neck of it to go right where I need it. Another benefit is that it is small enough I can take it traveling and has a long enough cord to reach a plug well.
These reasons are all very true but the reason it ranks up there as my favorite is because I had really stopped doing much embroidery but didn’t know why until I read one of your posts and you mentioned how important good lighting is. At 52 my eyes need just the help of a spot light. So thanks to you I am back at it!
Seek peace,
Wendy
What’s my favorite needlework accessory or tool?
Hands down is a pair of sharp scissors. If scissors are not sharp, threading a needle and cutting thread can be a nightmare.
Thank You for this opportunity for winning Home Sweet Home. I’m looking forward to making my own Home. 🙂
What a beautiful project! Would love to own the book!
My favorite needlework tool is a trolley needle to lay threads
My favorite needlework tool was my tiny curved tip scissors that was confiscated by TSA in an airport in the very early days of airport security. It was only a 2″ scissors 🙁 . I have found another that is quite functional, but I will always treasure the memory of that tiny scissors fitting into my apron pocket and always making quick work of ripping out stitches. My new favorite tool are milliner’s needles! What a joy to discover how magical they are for bouillons!
I do love all my tools: tiny tape measure, thread organizers, hoops, lights, magnifiers… and would love a little cottage to keep them all cozy in!
Hi Mary,
I can’t seem to find my comment left on this post to participate in the giveaway. So I clicked your link through to Wooly Thread to purchase the book, but it doesn’t appear to be available on their website anymore. Do you have another suggested source for acquiring the book?
Thank you,
Sunny
My favorite tool is the smooth gliding needle. Without it I would not have the most important tool in my work box. Of course, to be able to stitch almost anything, you have to have a good assortment. I would love to use my smooth gliding needle to work the beautiful cottage work box
Tanis
My favorite tools are needles. I am also love floss and the beautiful colors they come in.
I really like needles and a good needle is well worth the cost. I love floss and the many colors that are created from floss. I would like to have this book, It looks like a beautiful fun book to have. Thanks
Although natural light is definitely best for monitoring good stitch quality, I’d really be lost without my Mighty Bright floor-model goose-neck magnifying lamp. This lamp is heavy enough to be stable but light enough to move about single-handedly and can be adjusted to any degree I need. It’s really indispensable!
Apart from my scissors, my most useful accessory has been my needle book. I made one recently from a kit and instructions and it has been a boon, not only for keeping my needles up together, but for knowing what needle is what instead of a bunch stuck in my pin cushion! Thanks for this giveaway Mary I have been lusting after Home Sweet Home for some time!
This book sounds like it would be an incredible project. My eight year old granddaughter would love to play with it. I would snip all my threads with my favorite pair of scissors. My mother gave them to me when I was a child stitcher about fifty years ago. She is stilk alive but no longer stitches.
Best of luck to the other contestants but I still want to win.
Hello Mary, what an amazing book! thank you for the give away chance! 🙂
My favorite needlework tool is the antique scissors. Although I have many favorites tools! 😉
Love the pictures of the book. I love my laying tool. Even though I bought it during a gold work class, I use it often to control threads. The tool makes it easier if I’m stitching with two or more strands of thread. Behave and lie flat not twisted and laying on top of each other. Something like that.
Love it.
I fell in love with the home sweet home embroidery project 5 years ago. I ‘m excited to see it back in stock. My favorite tool is my pin cushion. I would lose many pins or needles without it.
I think my most used needlework tool is either my scissors or the magnetic case they live in. I can’t quite decide which of those things I like more! The case is great because it looks after my scissors, but is also a good place for needles and other bits and pieces when I’m taking my stitching anywhere.
I feel all Beatrix Potter-y just looking at it! So charming. My favorite needle work tool is my K’s Creations hands free tabletop stand. (no affiliation!)
That’s an easy question – my needle threader! Although I’ve yet to find a robust one that lasts more than a week or two. But without it I’m stuck. Thanks for yet another lovely give away Mary, I’ve had my eye on this book for a while now, so even if I don’t get lucky and win I may just have to buy it anyway.
My favorite sewing accessory would be my good sharp embroidery scissor on a satin cord.
It’s silly, bit my favorite embroidery tool is a series of plastic boxes, some with dividers. I use them to organize different types of threads and to organize the wide variety of threads I use for my different crazy quilt projects. I can just grab the box(es) I need and get straight to stitching without digging for what I need.
My favorite tool right now is my magnifier!
My favorite tool is my magnifier. Second favorite is a pretty (and sharp of course) pair of scissors. This book looks great, thanks for the review.
Although it is a bit out of favor, I learned to lay threads with a trolly needle. I have other laying tools, but it is still my go-to.
My favourite tool is a combination “Quick unpick” and Laying tool given to me by my granddaughter. She purchased 3 of these tools. One for herself, one for her Mother-in -Law and one for me. I am sorry to say that it is one of the most used sewing tools I have. But that doesn’t stop me from trying to improve so I would absolutely love to win this Book and give it a go!!!
My favorite tool is my thimble. I finally found one that stays on and covers the right part of my finger.
I LOVE my Davos scissors. They are wonderful. Having a great pair of scissors is sew important! I would love to try my hand at this little house project.
I am loving all the little accessories for my embroidery. My favorite is my new embroidery scissors. But my next favorite is going to be my needle case I plan to make myself after the holidays. Love this book too.
My favourite embroidery tool is a pin remover, primarily used in lace making but excellent for keeping my gold thread in place.
EmilyP from Elland W.Yorks
I love the threads.
OK, my very favorite accessory would have to be my floor stand, a cheap stand ($22 with coupon from JoAnn Fabrics) that I reworked/added onto to fit my needs. I could not work without it as not only does it make it easier to work the piece, but also I have issues with pain in my hands that would keep me from being able to hold the hoops for very long. My gosh, I am green with envy for anyone who wins this (unless ofcourse it’s me.) 🙂 Thanks Mary and Wooly Thread for a chance to have it.
Thank you to you and Woolly Thread for offering this giveaway! My favorite needlework tool is my forceps, used to pull a recalcitrant needle through the occasional thick spot.
Wow, that is amazing. My favorite tool is a needle minder. I read a story once about a woman who accidently swallowed a needle because she had stuck it in her mouth for a moment and inhaled, and now I never, ever do that, so I like to keep them in one place.
My favorite needlework tool are my Dovo Scissors. I splurged on a pair of these scissors several years ago as I was stitching more hardanger pieces at that time. They are so sharp that they are great for the cut work portions, however, they are great for any type of stitching. I would not, however, use this expensive pair on gold work threads and risk dulling them.
Thanks to Wooly Thread (and you, Mary) for this book giveaway! What a wonderful opportunity.
Scissors,scissors and more scissors! I have embroidery scissors in my project bags or boxes for all my needlework with the appropiate needles and threads so when I move from project to project it is all there. Scissors I find are all important nice fine sharp scissors!
My favorite stitching tool has got to be my headband magnifier. As I get older, I am using it more and more. I love it, because I can wear it with my contacts or my glasses, and it leaves both hands free!
What a great book – I very much enjoy making things! My favorite needlework accessory would have to be the little scissors! 🙂 Thanks!
My favorite tool is my embroidery scissors, couldn’t work without it. Also I have to use my hoops.
This workbox is adorable! Thank you and Wooly Thread for the give-away! My favorite accessory is a frame, mostly because I don’t have a good one. I am saving up to buy one, at which time I will totally consider the information in your reviews.
My favorite accessory is a pincushion. In addition to several conventional ones, I have handmade ones that look like a peapod, a wedding cake and a woodland stump, several hand embroidered needlerolls – and patterns for making even more!
I think this book is amazing – I’ve been waiting for it to come back into print. I think my most important tool is having the right needle for the right job.
Hello Mary, what a wonderful book. My favourite needlework accessory is a hoop, can´t embroider without one,
What a beautiful project! I don’t know if I’d ever have the courage to tackle it, but I’d love to try, and I’d love to have the book even if all I ever do is admire it.
My favourite accessory lately has been a scissors fob. For years I admired other peoples’, but I always thought of them as purely decorative. In fact, I thought the cord would be a pain, getting tangled with everything else in a notions bag. I was so wrong. All those years I was constantly hunting for my scissors, hidden under threads and patterns or at the bottom of my bag. Finally someone gave me a fob. What a difference. Wherever the scissors are hiding, the fob is always in view, and I never have to hunt anymore. In fact, it makes me wonder why I haven’t finished the fob I have all stitched and waiting to be assembled, tasseled and attached, so I would have two pair of scissors I could locate instead of just one.
My favorite tool??? I have so many it’s very hard to pick just one. After careful consideration I’m going with the pattern. When I purchase a new pattern I get very excited about how my journey will go while working on the design. I’m especially happy when I can learn new stitches or use a thread I’ve never used before.
Deb Pereira
My favorite accessory is definitely my embroidery scissors. I have an embarrassing number of them!
I am so happy to see that this book is obtainable now. I have been searching for it for a long time, but wasn’t able to pay the extreme prices on the secondary market.
I had to think about this for a while and I still can’t narrow it down because I’m a needlework tool and accessory lover. However, I can narrow it down to a category of sorts: hoops, frames, and needlework stands. Because of arthritis in my thumbs it is difficult to work in hand so I almost always use a hoop, stretcher bars (regular or Evertight) on a hoop stand or my Needlework System 4. These hold my projects so I have both hands free. I find this less stressful, less painful and more enjoyable.
My snips! I use them all the time. I’d like to take this opportunity to again say that I really like the new website. Every time I see the uncluttered space, I think calmness.
I like a good, solid, stand alone frame or hoop. I like to embroider with both hands. I find there is a better rhythm and it is easier to keep stitches at an even tension.
My favorite accessory or tool would be embroidery scissors, especially the ones with a stork design.
Thank you, Wooly Thread and Mary for this give-away!
My favorite tool would be a very sharp embroidery scissors. I have a Karen Kay Buckly 4″ scissors. I REALLY LIKE IT.
My favorite tool is my optivisor which makes me look really silly but lets me see what I’m stitching without stressing my (blind-as-a-bat) eyes.
My favorite accessory are embroidery scissors 🙂
This is so wonderful! To have a chance to win this absolutely beautiful Home Sweet Home Wooly cottage priceless piece of art! My favorite tool is scissors. I seem to have a passion for collecting them in fact. I have some from my aunt, she is 88 and she got them when she was 18. Mother gifted me her first pair also. She passed away at 92, hers are about 80 years old now. The ones I have are all embroidery scissors and absolutely beautiful. I do have a favorite pair I use which mother bought me when I started as a teen. Still very sharp, even though I buy many other ones as I see them. Beautiful ones that are out there.
Michelle B
Arkansas
What a way to test my stitching skills! Did you see all the flowers? The strawberries look ready to eat! The caterpillar looks real! Can’t wait to see how to do it.
My favorite tool is a laying tool. The more I use it, the better my stitches look, making me happier with my art. All the years I stitched & use the needle to smooth the floss or silk, not knowing that ‘there’s a tool for that!’.
Thank you for this wonderful give away! My favorite tool is my Star De-Tailor. I don’t know what I ever did without it. Actually, I think there might have been a lot of unladylike language used before I got one to get me out of those short thread tail dilemmas…
Kirin
This book has been on my wish list for a number of years. Since it is out of print, the copies on eBay are very pricey. I would be very appreciative of receiving this special gift.
Thank you for the opportunity to take a chance to receive it.
Jo-Ann Carroll
I love my pointy nose scissors, not only because of their practical value, but also as a gift from my mother and a memory of being taught embroidery by a dear mentor. Also soap and water- it’s incredible how big a difference periodic hand washing makes! Lovely book!!
My sit-on hoop so that I can work with two hands. I hope I win. I love this box.
My favorite needlework accessory is my floorstand. It allows me to use both hands while stitching (which helps to make my stitches better and more uniform) and allows me to work on large projects more easily.
JudyV in SC
My favorite needlework accessory is my tambour needle. Thanks to your instructions and videos, that stitch has become one of my very favorite embroidery “painting” tools. I love it. I just retired this September, and my hobby has become embroidery work of all kinds. I’m just now making a pillow for my daughter’s birthday with Muir’s quote, “The Mountains are Calling, and I Must Go” with Aunt Martha’s Woodland iron-on pattern to the side. I can hardly wait to finish. I would love to win this prize since I’m still trying to figure out how to organize myself with all these threads and needles! Thank you so much for taking the time to create this website, sharing your beautiful needlework, and teaching us novices all the “how tos” to create new family heirlooms. Vicki
Sounds like a lovely book that I definitely want on my bookshelf! And I want a workbox like this, it’s amazing! So… my favourite needleworks accessory is my pin cushion. I’m kind of messy and it happened more than once that I dropped my needle and couldn’t find it again. After some time I would step onto it… not so very nice!
besides a needle ….my favorite accessory is “uninterrupted quiet time” to do handwork…that is heaven on earth to me…..I am a caregiver to for my mom,so my 24/7 life-change only allows small windows of quiet time….
Thank you for all you share with us..I love your newsletter
Blessings
mary
What a wonderful give-away. My favourite tool is my beautiful Gingher scissors. I keep them in my workbox next to where I stitch and just love to pull them out to use them. I also have a vintage needle case with a wooden thimble insert and thread holder. I never use it but can’t help myself pulling it out and playing with it almost every time I stitch. Thanks again Mary.
My favourite needlework accessory is a pair of tiny scissors 2 1/2″ long with a fine point. They are bright pink and easy to find. Dorothy from Perth in Australia
The book is absolutely gorgeous and I would love to be the lucky winner. As I do mostly counted thread embroidery, I work with very few tools, just a hoop, needle and scissors but I do have a lovely pair of stork tweezers if I am struggling to pull the needle through the back of my work when fastening off.
I have been looking for this book for quite a while now as I would so dearly love to do this set. My favorite tool is my small curved embroidery scissors. The size and shape is just perfect. Thank you so very much for the opportunity of winning this!
I have wanted to do this project ever since I saw your review of the book a few years ago! It is really hard to pick a favorite needlework tool or accessory, but I think it’s the little tin in which I keep my needles, scissors, and other little things. Without this item, it’s likely that I’d be finding tiny embroidery tools all over the house.
My favorite tool is my sit-on hoop, so that I can use both hands for stitching.
my fav tool is my magnifying glass and thread wax. Karen Powell. Thx for having another contest. This art is so pretty and I am so amazed at what you and all teh ppl you review make. The tips you all give are great too!
So glad that they finally reprinted this! What Joy!! I love the little thimble holder – such detail in such a small space! and seems like I’m always misplacing my thimble.
Carrie Plane Nut
Hi, my favorite tool is my beautiful stitch ripper, it is a beautiful wood and feels so nice to hold so that when you have to take out stitches it makes it feel better!
I do not have any favorite accessory. And if speaking about some tools: I need good scissors, needles, frame and that’s all. Of course, sometimes I start saying myself that I need something very special, but I can easily survive without these things. Good kits or books about embroidery… that’s another story. I need more and more of them 😀
Just signed up for your newsletter after reading the Nordic Needle newsletter. Looking forward to exploring your sight even more.
Dear Mary, Everyday my inbox or FB account shows me a new blog post from you is a great day. Well I am submitting my chance to win the “Home Sweet Home” contest. My favorite accessory when I do needlework is my lighted magnifying glass. I have to make all my projects look large when I work on them because my eyes spasm whenever I try to focus on a small spot. When I use the lighted magnifier, (I have all shapes and sizes) my eyes calm down to allow me to proceed. I’m not a great embroiderer but I love a challenge. I tried buying this item first thinking someone better than me is more deserving to win this gift. But alas, my order was canceled stating they are “out of order”. I was so sad. So I am putting in my chance to win this with everyone else. Thank you for all your posts and for a chance to win this beautiful item. If I win I hope to make and have this as a lasting heirloom item to pass down in my family for generations.