New Felted Wools

These small 9cm. squares of hand dyed felted wool from MFWoolens are great for projects where you need only a tiny piece and lots of colours. There's 25 per pk. for $15.95

I've add some new colours to the large pks. too.  There's now 14 in the range and the new ones are - Bright Colal, Jax Black, Toy Boat and Pumpkin.  All of the MFwoolens packs work beautifully with the Weeks Dye Works felted wools and the Colour Streams felts and velvets.

They're are so easy to use and great fun. No pressure to be perfect!

Sneak Peek

Just a quick peek at the latest design - a journal cover called Fanciful Flowers. What do you think? Hope to have a kit ready in about two weeks as I'm still writing the instructions.  I've used a mix of Shimmer tape, silk velvet, wool felt, crinkle chiffon and sequins.

Special Offer with Purchase

Between now and the end of May, make a purchase of $50.00 or more before Postage and you will receive a special set of antique gold coloured buttons for embellishing your work - valued at $15.00.

Some buttons are plastic and some are metallic, all with a lovely vintage look.  Each selection will be as close as possible to those pictured.           

Blog has moved!

I have a new Blog that is now part of my website.  All new posts will be found on my Website.

 Redirection - Please  Click Here

A Little Indulgence

A beautiful Mother of Pearl Hare thread winder to wind your threads around. Tuck him into your needlecase as a pretty collectable.
64mm. long x 28mm. wide      Click here to find -  Mother of Pearl Hare
There is also a lovely range of shell buttons to embellish your stitching.
Click here to find -  Buttons

Mother's Day Beauties

I don't want to wish the year away but Mothers Day is just around the corner.  Do you have a Mum who likes to stitch?  The beautiful kits below would be the nicest gift to receive or if you would prefer to make them yourself each one is achievable in a few weeks . 
Fragrant, fresh lavender has just arrived in from the lavender farm - ready for filling sachets to perfume your cupboards and drawers. Lavender pillows in any shape and size make lovely, thoughtful gifts.  Why not add some of our hand dyed lace, buttons and ribbons to embellish your sachets for extra pizazz.

Click here - Pins and Posies Pincushion

Click here - Treasure Purse

Click here - Lavender Puffs

Shimmer Tape Tutorial

Colour Streams hand dyed Shimmer Tape is a hollow metallic rayon tube/tape. Fabulous metallic specialty yarn for inserting cord to stiffen the tape then ruche tape along the cord for great effects. 5mt. length.
I have made my demonstration piece into a Needlecase.  If You would like to do the same you will need -
1 Shimmer Tape in your colour choice. (I used Russet)
1 C/S Wool Felt to co-ordinate.
2mtr of fine cord or waste threads any colour.
A large eye needle or bodkin.

Beads and sequins to decorate.
Stranded cotton to match Tape and felt.
Colour Streams hand dyed organza for puffs.
Doctor flannel for pages (13cm. width)

Cut the felt in half and save one piece for the lining.
Cut cord or bundles of threads into 1 metre lengths.
Use the corded tape for the front and the flat tape for the back.
Save a scrap of Tape to tie the Doctor Flannel pages to the lining.
I haven't used any pattern to do this piece so you can meander the tape on the front to please your self.  Have fun and express your creativity - see what happens!

Thread a large needle or bodkin with a fine cord or several strands of waste thread.  You will need 1 or 2 mts. depending on how many cords you want to make and how long they need to be.  Insert the eye of the needle into the end of the Tape and slide the Tape down the needle and over the threads.

Continue moving the Tape over the threads until you have enough ruched Tape for your project.  Cut the Tape at the eye of the needle.  Pull out the needle and threads attached.  Make some sections thick and thin by easing out the ruching.  Tie a knot in the thin section to add more texture.

If you are making a needlecase or a journal cover you will need at least 2 ruched cords.  Be creative and meander the cords over the cover, nestling them into each other.  When you are happy with your shapes, couch down with tiny stitches (on the surface) in a matching coloured thread.  
 

Load the large needle with the threads or cord and take them through to the back of fabric.  Couch the tails of the thread down at the back of embroidery and trim off ends. 
 

  

Next I have used the Tape flat without a cord inside for a contrast in texture.  I have meandered this tape from the bottom of the padded tape to the back of my cover.  I have shadow stitch chain stitch in a thicker thread in some parts of the embroidery and added some curling tentacles.  Take the ends of the flat tape to the back of embroidery and couch down.

  Decorate the ends of the tape and tentacles with Suffolk Puffs and beaded leaves.  Add sequins and beads to the centre of puffs and the tops of leaves.  You may want to add more beads and sequins depending on your design. 

  I have used half a piece of Colour Streams Felt in Russet for the front of my needlecase and the other half for the lining.  I Buttonholed the two pieces together with 3 strands of stranded cotton to match felt and then Whip stitched each Buttonhole stitch and added a bead to every 3^rd stitch. 
 

I have worked a running stitch around the edges of the Doctor Flannel pages with a bead on every 3rd stitch.  Sew the pages to the lining with the scrap of Tape and tie a bow.  Make knots in tails of bow and bead the knots.

You may add as many beads and sequins to the embroidery as you like and you can also add beaded and embroidered pockets inside the needlecase. 

New Pincushion "Meadow Blue"

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 " Meadow Blue Pincushion"

It's made from all my favourite textiles - felted wool, hand dyed felt, velvet, silk threads, beads and filled with the new walnut shell and lavender mix.
 The pincushion is about 47cm. round or a diameter of 18cm..  Kit now available.

Open Day March 9th

Open Day and Sale

Laraine's On Capri

Open Day  -  Saturday - March 9th.

10.00am. to 2.00pm.
Anglican Church
Salerno St., Isle Of Capri
Surfers Paradise
Enjoy cake, coffee and a catch up chat.
Cash Only

Once again we are having an Open Day at the Anglican Church hall so please come and explore the bounty of beautiful wares from my store.  

There will be new kits, scissors, buttons, mason jars, walnut mix for pincushions, felted wool, shimmer tape, Needle Minders plus our usual range of beautiful ribbons, threads, hand dyed fabrics and embroidery linens.

Stock up many sale items not offered before.  I will endeavour to list many of them on the website so that you can all participate.

Tell your friends - everyone is welcome!

Soothing Greens

Green is such a soothing colour against which all other colours are enhanced.
I now have felted wool in a small pk of 6 different greens for leaves in your applique. They mix beautifully with Colour Streams hand dyed silk velvet and organza.  Leaf Greens

 

On Sale

Search the On Sale page for lots of fabric bargains. All French General, Japanese and English furnishing fabrics must go to make way for new products. There's also braids, ribbons and buttons - lots to check out!

Shimmer Tape

 Shimmer Tape - just arrived in - can't wait to give it a try!

A fabulous  shimmering hollow metallic & rayon tube/tape in some of my favourite Colour Streams colours.  Inserting a cord to stiffen the tape then ruche the tape along the cord for great effects. It makes wonderful cords for fibre and beaded necklaces and couched surface effects.  Imagine it meandered across a journal cover encrusted with stitching, sequins and beads! 
Shimmer Tape - $7.50 
I've just updated  the website and it's so much easier to use.  I think you will find lots of things you didn't know we had!  Come and explore.     www.larainesoncapri.com.au