New on my website this week is a matching set of an ‘Elephant’ teacosy kit, with a tray cloth kit echoing the pattern of the rug on the elephant’s back. If you love novelty teacosies, then you’ll love this set! They are both quick to stitch, and easy to assemble.
The teacosy measures an inch and a half wide, and is stitched on 32 count silk gauze
Both kits are to be stitched on 32 count silk gauze, in needlepoint embroidery. The teacosy kit contains stranded cotton, a generous piece of silk gauze, clear instructions and stitch diagrams, a suitable needle and a colour block chart to count the design from. The tray cloth kit contains all of the above, plus mahogany components to make the tea tray, which simply need gluing together.
Various designs of teapots and tea sets are also available to complement all the teacosies that I have in my range.
The kits are available from my website – the teacosy kit page is here, and the traycloth kit page is here. They can be bought separately, if you prefer.
If you haven’t stitched in this scale before, or you would like to know what is involved in making one of these kits, visit the FREE ONLINE TUTORIALS page and see how easy they are.
If you own a Victorian style twelfth scale doll’s house, then you will love the new needlepoint kits that I have just launched on my website – a large collection of classic Berlin woolwork style carpets and matching accessories, all in a stunningly dramatic black and gold pattern, with a central panel of flowers in deep jewel tones.
I decided to expand the range of Berlin Woolwork kits, as the first three in this range that I brought out earlier in the year (a needlework stand, a handbag, and a firescreen kit) proved to be extremely popular. I love the strong contrast of the shades in the Victorian Berlin woolwork style, so it was great fun to make each type of kit in this range, using lovely bright colours!
There are two sizes of rectangular carpet, plus a staircarpet, to choose from, as well as smaller kits such as a cushion, footstool, chair, teacosy, tray cloth, bellpull, bolster cushion…. lots of goodies to make, all in the high Victorian Berlin woolwork style.
They are all to be stitched using tent stitch (like half cross stitch) – the fabric counts range from 18 canvas (for the carpets), to 32 silk gauze. The carpet kits contain Appletons crewel wool, and all the other kits contain Anchor stranded cotton. The kits have clear instructions, and colour block charts to count the design from. All necessary components are included in the kits, such as the metal bellpull end, or the wooden chair pieces.
This doll’s house carpet measures 6 x 8 inches, and is to be stitched on 18 count canvas with Appleton’s crewel wool
Have a look at the What’s New page of my website to see exactly what the range covers. The kits start from £4.75. P&P is £1.75 per order if placed by post (cheques to Janet Granger); p&p online depends on the order total (but it’s free worldwide on orders over £40).
Berlin Woolwork doll’s house dining chair – the kit comes with 32 count silk gauze, and the chair can be made up with or without the arms
If you are a beginner to mini-stitching and would like to know what making any of these kits actually involves, why not check out the FREE ONLINE TUTORIALS page first? The tutorials guide you through every stage of stitching and finishing each type of kit, with detailed photos to show you exactly what you need to do. You’ll see just how easy they are to make!
A tray cloth for a doll’s house, to be stitched on 32 count silk gauze. The wooden parts for the tray are included in the kit
Keep an eye out for more new carpet designs (including some Art Deco ones) being launched next month……
A new design, ‘Flower ring (pink)’, matching tray cloth and teacosy for a doll’s house, featuring one of the new mahogany trays
I have been selling tray cloth kits for adult collectors of doll’s houses as part of the range on my website since last summer, and in each kit, I’ve been putting a whitewood tray, for the finished traycloth to fit into. The tray cloths are to be worked on 32 count silk gauze, with one strand of Anchor thread.
At first, I was pleased with these kits. But now, I’ve found a much better tray to use in the kits, so I’ve overhauled the packaging, the kit contents, and designed two new traycloths as well, and re-launched them. Here are a selection of the traycloths in their new trays:
The ‘old’ trays were much chunkier, and made from a pale wood. These new ones are a fine grain mahogany. They come in kit form, though, so they need waxing to be properly finished. So….anyone who has been following my blog for a while may have seen a few weeks ago that I was investigating the idea of offering Wood Finishing Packs to go alongside the doll’s house stitching kits – the problem I have had for years is that I couldn’t source really small bottles and jars (as, to finish a doll’s house sized item, you only need a very small amount of wood stain, or wax, or whatever). But recently, I managed to find a great supplier, so now I have launched these two Wood Finishing Packs – a Mahogany Wax one, at £5.95, and an Oak Varnish one, at £4.50.
Mahogany wax wood finishing pack, with tiny pots of waxThe Oak varnish wood finishing pack
As well as being good for completing the tea trays, these Packs can be used to finish the miniature dining chairs, rectangular stools, and soon (give me another week or so!) round footstools.
A sneak preview of one of the doll’s house footstools, available in kit form in a week or so. It measures just 1 1/4 inches diameter.
I’ve been working all day on getting some editorial sent off to the stitching and doll’s house magazines, to advertise my new miniature needlepoint tray cloth kits. All my kits are for one twelfth scale doll’s houses (adult collector’s scale; not children’s!).
My newest doll’s house embroidery tray cloth kit with matching teacosy
Each tray cloth is designed to be worked on 32 count silk gauze, and is really simple to do. Everything that you’d need is included in the kit, from the silk gauze and Anchor stranded cotton, to detailed making up instructions with diagrams. A whitewood, ready-assembled tea tray is also included, into which the finished tray cloth fits neatly. As usual with our kits, a clear colour block chart is included, to count the design from. There are five designs altogether – you can choose from a cottage-shaped cosy, several floral designs, a 1930’s style crinoline lady and a willow pattern motif.
The tray cloth kits cost £9.95 each, and the teacosy kits are £12.95 each. Even the tiny teapots are available, at £2.95. P&P is free, worldwide, on all items from my website, www.janetgranger.co.uk
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