12 Days – Hands On Style – FAQ’s

12 Days FAQ’s:

Oh my…lots of questions about the newest series, 12 Days!

Thank you for the terrific response – many shops are setting up fun SAL clubs, auto-ship programs & finishing classes!

I try to think of every possible response when I put something like this out…but inevitably, I miss something.

–  Shipping – 12 Days…2 designs/chart, so that makes 6 charts! They start shipping to shops mid-January. Chart #2 will be available at Nashville Market (March). After that, I will release them each month. These stitch quickly & I wanted you to have time to ‘finish’ them for next year’s holiday!

–  On 28ct WDW Aztec Red gingham linen, these will take a fat 1/2 yard to complete. I cut mine into approx. 9×9″ (Take your fat 1/2: cut it into 4 pcs on the 36″ side & then into thirds). I worked mine in an 8×8 q-snap. 14ct alternative: PTP has Tango. Not as deep a color, but a good shade & will work with existing floss shades. (Yes, the gingham is a subtle color. It doesn’t photograph well. It does however, provide a nice touch of texture to this sweet series…)

– How big: these are all different shapes & sizes. I didn’t want to infuse a size guideline as part of the design…the ‘word’ was the focus here. I tried to think ‘ornament’ size, but there is no way to abbreviate ‘Partridge’ or “Drummers’! The widest are approx. 5 1/2″ but all tend to end up around 4-ish”. I am not doing a version where you stitch them all as one piece. (If you do…send me a picture for sure!)

–  Fibers: 2 each to complete the series. DMC 738. GAST: Carriage Black, Chives, Cornhusk, Mulberry, Old Brick. WDW: Chestnut, Grits, Whiskey (yes, DMC subs will be provided on the charts but this is a very hand-dyed thread friendly series…give them a try)

–  Buttons: entirely handmade…including the custom stamp, Just Another Button Company is packaging these to coordinate with the charts (2 days/pack). These are button, not pins. Once again, Cecile & Rachel did a fantastic job interpreting ‘the look’ of my series.

– Finishing items: those hooks!! The swirly ornament hooks can be purchased wherever ornaments are being sold right now…usually the big box stores. They are inexpensive, sell quickly & may not be around for the after Christmas sales. Greenery: I purchased mine at Michaels in the floral supply section. I will provide more information about that at another time – this is not a ‘seasonal’ item like the hooks. The ornaments are flat finished with a coordinating quilter’s cotton on the back. I will put together a finishing tutorial (after the holidays).

 

Call your shops to order…as I said before, MANY are doing clubs & fun events! I keep a list of shops with email & web link on my website: these are shops that order directly from me & get the newest from Hands On Design. Email me if you have questions.

 

OK – you suffered through the reading part…here’s some fun pictures:

The 1st 2 Days

The ornament hangers! 25 for $1.99…what a deal!

A friend told me once she would like to see inside my brain…here ya go!

I am so happy that you like this series so far. I really feel that there is a 12 Days inside every cross-stitch designer…like a right of passage, each one with it’s own style. I wanted to put my own stamp on this Holiday Classic: traditional, but updated colors, simple & honest lines.

Oh yes, I promised a peek: I started stitching them in order, but I’ve been tweeking a lot as I go…so Swans just came out of the q-snap a few nights ago…my new fav (at any given time, they are all my new fav!)

Merry Christmas to you & yours.

enjoy the stitch,

cathy

Hands On Design