WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL LEUTENEGGER BLOG!

If you sew, quilt, knit or stitch, if you live for fabric, hoard buttons, can't decide what to do with the yarn you have but can't stop adding to your stash or think EVERYTHING looks better with a bit of embroidery (and it does) then read on...

Thursday, March 8, 2012

GADGET OF THE MONTH

Now we all know that craft is one of those things in life that comes with a plethora of accessories, tools and whatnots all guaranteed to make your creative life easier, neater and organised to faintly disturbing Martha Stewart style perfection. Most of mine end up on a shelf gathering dust in distinctly un-Marthaesque fashion, but once in a while something comes along that actually makes a difference... meet the Prym Needle Twister.


Oh, I hear you say, it's just another needlecase. No dear reader, it is not. Looks basic enough, but it's genius lies in it's simplicity. First up, it's a generous size. So along with embroidery, quilting and sewing needles, it will also comfortably store tapestry needles, wool needles, beading needles and bodkins. Excellent. Secondly, it's magnetised. Once your needles are in, they stay there, even if the lid comes off in your bag, you're not going to end up with a hand like a pincushion when you go rummaging. Although the lid won't come off because it extends all the way down the case. Like a lipstick.

So when you want a needle, are you going to have to tip them all out to find the one you want and then fiddle about putting the rest away? No no no. Back to lipstick, the base twists and raises your needles, still conveniently magnetised so no spilling, then when you've made your choice, twist the other way and they're all neatly stowed again. It won the Red Dot Design Award, and it's easy to see why. Like I said, genius.



Monday, February 20, 2012

THE TECHNICAL TERM IS "SQUEEE!"

OK, this is one of those products that, not having any small children available, makes me seriously contemplate dressing the cats. We've ramped the cute factor up to 11 with the latest range of Make It iron-on motifs... AND THEY'RE BIG 'UNS (Pirate is around 15cm tall)! WITH ACCESSORIES! Sparkly clouds for your hot air balloons to float by, waves for Jonah the Whale to ride (and wee fishies for company), a fuzzy, feltie hedgehog friend for Red Riding Hood. Just imagine the iron-on adventures...





Lydia and Pearl have been clever bunnies, a t-shirt, some stranded cotton and a set of motifs and they've come up with these.





Quick, easy, cute as homemade shoes. My only question, why are they not in my size?

Monday, January 16, 2012

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

2012 is upon us, and in the spirit of fresh starts, turning leaves, best feet forward and clean slates I've decided that my mantra for this year will be one word. SIMPLICITY. How long will it last? Well, that depends on how cynical you are (and how well you know me). I'm being optimistic and aiming for at least February. And what could be simpler than just three colours? When I first saw the samples of the new Bridgeport range from Andover Fabrics I confess my first thought was "Meh". Red, black and brown? I don't think so. For shame! After playing around with it for a while it's now one of my favourite things. The perfect thing for a gentleman's quilt (and lets be honest, when it comes to quilts, the gents are often sadly neglected). So, grab some Bridgeport, keep your life simple and make a discerning chappie happy.


Monday, December 19, 2011

SOMETHING FOR THE HARDCORE STITCHER

Like cross stitch? I mean REALLY like cross stitch? Then the new Chinese Immortals publication series from DMC is for you. There are eight designs in the range, each measuring 35cm x 60cm when finished. That's a lot of stitching,but the results are spectacular.


Han Xiang Zi for health and healing.


He Xian Gu brings luck for marriages and family.


Zhang Guo Lao brings luck for descendants.


Tie Guai Li for wisdom and healing.

With Chinese New Year just a couple of months away, now's the time to start stitching. The back of the publications has the influence, element and direction for each Immortal in the series, so you can make sure your feng shui is just right.

Monday, December 5, 2011

DECK YOUR HALLS...

...with a bit of bunting, courtesy of Pearl and Lydia.



And here is the rather gorgeous finished product, perfect for the adornment of mantelpieces far and wide.


Wish your mantel looked this festive? Of course you do. Download the free pattern here.

Monday, November 7, 2011

CHRISTMAS IS COMING, THE GOOSE IS GETTING...

...ready to stitch! All kinds of festive bits and pieces have found their way into the warehouse, and I intend to make use of at least some of them before the big day hits (my house was sadly non-celebratory last year). If you pop over to Lisa's blog at The Red Thread you can check out the gorgeous Christmas designs we're well chuffed to be distributing for her. Meanwhile, we have two new designers to fill the sparkly shoes of Gertie, who's busy being mum to a beautiful little pudding of a boy. Lydia and Pearl have been working wonders, and I've decided that to use Lydia's fab folk iron-on embroidery transfers for this years bedecking of the halls.


How good are they? Perfect for Christmas, versatile enough for the rest of the year and you can reuse them up to seven times so you get a lot of embroidered bang for your buck. Perfect. I'm thinking that I'll be going with the Babushkas, before the marvellous Dot left us for shiny new pastures, she started on a project using the Festive Folk Words transfers.


Pearl has taken up the needle, stay tuned to see what she comes up with.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

BLOOMIN' LOVELY

Windham Fabrics have just released two gorgeous, romantic, old-fashioned floral collections that are guaranteed to make even the most stalwartly sensible come over all girly. My personal favourite is Home Sweet Home, those Beidermeier style bouquets on the panel are just divine and the all-over overblown rose print has got to be the blousiest fabric I think I've ever seen come into the warehouse. Meanwhile I think you'd have to beat The Maven off with a stick to get near Wellesley. She's genuinely fearsome when it comes to shabby chic...

WELLESLEY




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