My business is 20 years old! Read all about it!

I started my business selling miniature needlepoint kits for doll’s houses 20 years ago this year – and the time has really flown! This week, Artisans in Miniature free online e-magazine has an article about my business over the years, and features some ‘blasts from the past’ about the milestones along the way.

Read the article in this month’s issue on page 8 to see how the doll’s house hobby has changed in the past few years…and also how I’ve changed! For instance, this image below accompanied my first ever article in Doll’s House World magazine, in 1996.

The magazine (which is FREE!) also has many interesting how-to articles, eye candy and adverts from the very best professional miniaturists in the hobby at the moment. The magazine is published every couple of months – the whole back catalogue of issues can be found on their website, too, and is well worth looking through.

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Here are more new doll’s house pole screens and firescreens!

After launching the first batch of four little pole screen and four firescreen miniature needlepoint kits for doll’s houses a couple of weeks ago, here’s the next collection, just added to my website. With this new collection, all the designs are to be stitched on 32 count silk gauze. The pole screens in the previous collection (the Four Seasons ones) were all on 40 count silk gauze. I’m aware that not everyone who does mini-stitching likes to stitch on such fine fabric as 40 count, so this collection, on 32 count, is much easier to stitch, even if you’ve never done mini-stitching before.

They are great fun to make, giving you hours of stitching pleasure during the winter evenings. They make great presents, too, either stitched up and given finished, or given as a kit to someone who loves to stitch.

All of these kits are suitable for twelfth scale doll’s houses (one inch to one foot scale). To give you an idea of the scale, if you’re new to miniatures, the pole screen, when finished, is five inches high, and the firescreen is 2 3/4 inches high.

Here is the ‘Four Seasons’ series of pole screens (Spring Flowers, Summer Roses, Autumn Harvest and Winter Wreath), stitched on 40 count silk gauze:

The firescreen kit contains a white metal kit in three pieces to make the frame, and the pole screen kit contains finely-turned mahogany pieces to make the pole screen. Also, each type of kit contains a colour block chart to count the design from (the design isn’t printed on the fabric), a suitable fine needle, generous amounts of Anchor stranded cotton (floss), a piece of silk gauze and detailed instructions.

The firescreen frames are simply glued together with a contact adhesive such as Araldite, and then finished with enamel hobby paint, such as Humbrol (not included in the kit, but the colour I used is suggested on the instruction sheet). The pole screens are glued together with wood glue, and then finished with mahogany wax polish – you can purchase a Wood Finishing Kit from my website for this, or you can simply leave the wood in its natural state.

Both types of kit are very easy to make. There are tutorials on my website about how to put each one together, if you’d like to see that first!

Here are the new pole screens and firescreens, displayed in miniature room settings, to give you an idea of how they could look in your own doll’s house:

The firescreen kits are £20.95 each, and the pole screen kits are £19.95 each. These would make great Christmas presents, either for yourself or a friend!

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New dollhouse needlepoint pole screen and firescreen kits launched today!

Look at these lovely little pole screen and firescreen needlepoint kits for doll’s houses, that I have just launched today on my website:

They are great fun to make, and will give you hours of stitching pleasure during the winter evenings.

The pole screens are to be stitched on 40 count silk gauze, and the firescreens on 32 count silk gauze. These  co-ordinating kits are all designed around the theme of ‘the four seasons’. I already had the second firescreen from the left in this line-up in my range of over 260 kits – it’s called ‘Summer Roses’. But that inspired me to design all of the rest, as I thought that the other seasons could all be represented in needlepoint, too. So, from the left, these are called Spring Flowers, Summer Roses, Autumn Harvest, and Winter Wreath.

They are all suitable for twelfth scale doll’s houses (one inch to one foot scale). The pole screen, when finished, is five inches high, and the firescreen is 2 3/4 inches high.

The firescreen kit contains a white metal kit in three pieces to make the frame, and the pole screen kit contains finely-turned mahogany pieces to make the pole screen. Also, each type of  kit contains a colour block chart to count the design from (the design isn’t printed on the fabric), a suitable fine needle, generous amounts of Anchor stranded cotton (floss), a piece of silk gauze and detailed instructions.

The firescreen frames are simply glued together with a contact adhesive such as Araldite, and then finished with enamel hobby paint, such as Humbrol (not included in the kit, but the colour I used is suggested on the instruction sheet). The pole screens are glued together with wood glue, and then finished with mahogany wax polish – you can purchase a Wood Finishing Kit from my website for this, or you can simply leave the wood in its natural state.

Both types of kit are very easy to make. There are tutorials on my website about how to put each one together, if you’d like to see that first! Here’s an example of one of the tutorial pictures:

Here are the new pole screens and firescreens, displayed in miniature room settings, to give you an idea of how they could look in your own doll’s house:

The firescreen kits are £20.95 each, and the pole screen kits are £19.95 each. These would make great Christmas presents, either for yourself or a friend!

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My mini needlepoint January Sale starts today!

Would you like the chance to get some mini stitching kits for your doll’s house at special bargain prices? Every miniature needlepoint kit, chart pack and fabric pack on my website is in my January Sale, which starts today. Take advantage now to stock up on mini needlework kits to keep you busy during the coldest days of winter.

Here are some of the things you could be making for your doll’s house right now – this ‘Summer Roses’ table runner is to be stitched on 32 count silk gauze, and measures just over 3 1/2 inches long. The kit costs £11.65 in the sale.

These cute handbag kits are £8.95 each in the sale. Some are to be stitched on 32 count silk gauze, and some on 40 count, depending on the design.

This dining chair kit is available on 32 count silk gauze with a choice of 8 different designs for the stitching on the seat. They are £16.15 each in the sale (which includes the components to make the chair), with larger discounts available when you buy multiple kit packs.

Here’s a picture of a selection of the kits that I sell for one twelfth scale doll’s houses. Altogether, I have over 240 kits in the range, plus around 80 chart packs, so go to the website now to see them all, and maybe treat yourself!

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