Chalk Pencils / Markers

Wow, I’ve really been ignoring my blog and I’m going to make an attempt to correct my ways.  I’m back! 
Did everyone have a wonderful Christmas?  I sure did!
So, I just received an email with a question about chalk markers and which ones are the best to use. 

I use chalk markers quite a lot.  It helps to keep my embroidery stitches straight.  For some reason, and I’ve tried and tried, but I just can’t stitch straight lines without a drawn line to stitch on.  Even if it’s a short 1-2 inch straight line, I can’t stitch straight!
So my chalk marker is my like a best friend and I always keep it handy.

A Good Tip!  Removing white chalk from your wool…..
First of all, when marking your wool with chalk, mark LIGHTLY.
This way the chalk stays on the surface and is not embedded in the wool.
After stitching along the white chalk line, I lightly brush the white chalk off with my fingers and then give the wool a good shake.  Most times, this removes all residue of chalk.  If there is still visible signs of chalk lines, simply take a scrap of wool which is the same color and lightly rub along the line of chalk.  Then give the wool a good shake.  This should take it out completely.

Now, I do have to say that the two markers that I’m going to show are my own personal preferences.  I’m happy with both of these so I’ve never tried any others. If you have a marker that you love to use, share it with us in the comments.
Both of these were purchased long ago from my local quilt shop.  Your local quilt shop probably carries nifty little notions and gadgets. The helpful staff  loves to give suggestions and help to find you exactly what you need.
The first one is the one that I use the most. 
This pencil comes as a set which includes a sharpener and lots of chalk sticks.  The chalk holder holds one long chalk stick.  When the yellow button at the top is depressed, it releases the chalk to lower it as the chalk wears down. I’ve used this for years and I’ve only used two white chalk sticks so far.  I never use the colored chalk, just the white. 

And just a word of warning:  I never use colored chalk because it tends to stain the wool and can be very difficult to remove from the fabric.
The white chalk, if used lightly will always either brush off or can be rubbed off, leaving no signs of marking.   More on that later …

The other marker that I use is this one:
This one hold powdered chalk and has a little metal wheel for drawing the line.  It makes a cute clicking sound as it’s rolled across the fabric and my grandson used to love to draw on fabric ..and his arm and face and legs with it. 
Extra powder can be found at quilt shops or at Joann’s and it’s easy to fill.  This marker makes a real fine line and sometimes it’s too fine of a line to use on thick wool which is why I mostly use the other marker instead.  I used this one all the time when I quilted with cotton fabric.  This can be purchased with yellow chalk, but again, I always use white chalk in it so that it won’t stain my wool.

I just now did a search on Joann fabrics website and see that both of these are available on their website.  I believe I’ve seen them in the stores too so next time you’re there, look in the quilting section for the rack of quilting notions.

Click on the link to go to the website: --->>Chalk Pencil at Joann’s

Click on the link to go to the website:--->>Chalk Marker at Joann’s

Another word of warning about colored chalk:  If you’re tempted to use colored chalk for marking your cotton fabric or for wool, do a test sample first.  In all of my experience, the colored chalk never comes out completely, no matter what I do to try to remove it.
I don’t even take a chance anymore.  If I have white wool, I’d rather draw lightly with pencil to mark it rather than use colored chalk.  The pencil line is easily covered over with the thread whereas the chalk colors tends to spread/bleed outside of the thread line. 

Ok!  That’s it for today.  I know some of you ladies have favorite chalk markers that you use.  Share your favorites in the comment section so that we can help those who are chalkless!

Also, my website has lots of other helpful tips for working with wool …just click HERE to find the list on my website.

Happy Day!

Thanksgiving & Black Friday Weekend Celebrations!

I’ll tell you something … We here at the Cath’s Pennies Designs house really have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Oh yes indeed, we are thankful here. 

To celebrate our thankfulness, I’m having an Open House at my brand new website.
Details for the Open House and the special sale are on the website.
I just sent out a newsletter which also gives details of the open house.
If you have not received the newsletter but are sure that you signed up for it, go check your spam folder to see if it’s in there.
Or, if you signed up for it but never confirmed the subscription, then check your spam folder for the email confirmation notice.
Or, just try signing up again and then watch for the confirmation notice.
Anyway, my new website is http://www.cathspenniesdesigns.com/
I’ll tell you, it wasn’t fun getting it up and running, but I do have to pat myself on the back for being determined to figuring it all out.  I admit there was that one Sunday night that I was so frustrated, I wanted to just pay someone to do it all for me.  I didn’t give up though.

So, special celebrations for Thanksgiving day are …. on my new website … all patterns are only $6.00 each. Shipping is free for US and my lovely Canadian friends.  From 8am to midnight on Thanksgiving.  (eastern standard time) So get yourself outta that kitchen, sit back with your computer for 10 –15 minutes and order yourself some patterns!
If you can’t get to it on Thanksgiving day, then  Friday, all day, I’ll sell you any and all of my patterns for only $6.75 each.   If you take a look around on the website at different times during the day on Friday, you might even be able to snag something up for free!  I’m doing some quiet little giveaways but you have to pay attention!
If you can’t shop on Thursday or Friday, I’ll still give you a chance for special sale priced patterns!  On Saturday & Sunday, all patterns are $7.85 each.
Just go to the website for more info and the exact times  but basically, the earlier you shop, the better the deal.  You need to take a break on Thanksgiving.   The guys all sit and watch football while you work… take a break and make them go in to peel potatoes while you do some shopping!

I do have a favor to ask of you ladies.  I have a special place on my website that will be devoted to pictures of the projects or “art” you have made.  I’d love it if they are pictures of a candle mat from my pattern but it can be anything else that you wouldn’t mind sharing with the viewing public.  I will credit your name and website and give any info you wish about it.  If you’re selling it, I’ll give links to where it can be purchased.  But the page is devoted to my oh so wonderful online friends who just happen to be customers also. 
I’d especially would love to show one of my pattern designs made up differently than the pattern picture.  If you’ve done that, we would all love to see it!

With all of that I want to wish all of you very special readers a very happy and thankfully thankful Thanksgiving.  I treasure my customers who have become friends and I’m ever so thankful for all of your kind words of support and encouragement! 
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

“Two Olde Crowz” New Pattern For Valentine’s Day!

Did you know that real crows mate for life?
Granny and Gramps Crow are still in love after all these years!
Granny is decked out in her Sunday hat and Gramps has his reading glasses on

The finished candle mat measures 14” across.    The picture shows it made with 100% wool but woolfelt can be substituted for any or all of the wool requirements to save on expense.
The crows eyeglasses are made with jewelry jump rings and for a limited time, the pattern will include one set of the rings.
To purchase more, they can be easily found at Joann’s or Michaels in the jewelry/bead aisle.
Basic hand-stitching … blanket stitch, french knots, straight stitch & whip stitch.
Wool kits are available too

To purchase the mailed pattern  CLICK HERE

To purchase the instant download E-Pattern, Click   Pattern Mart  OR Pattern Cupboard

To purchase the Wool Kit with Pattern  CLICK HERE

Wish to pay with check instead of credit card/Paypal?  Just email me
cathy@cathspenniesdesigns.com   and I’ll send you my mailing info.

Thanks so much ladies! 
Happy Day!

New Design … With The Help Of A Friend!

I always have ideas for designs in my head.  Only a few of them make it onto paper though.  The rest of the ideas are either stored away, deep in the file cabinet of my brain or just forgotten. 
When I do draw out the design in my head onto paper, sometimes it flows  easily and quickly onto paper.  Other times though, it’s a battle between my brain and my fingers.

My fingers sometimes just can’t draw what my brain wants them to draw and it turns into frustrations.  
This is what was going on with me one day a few weeks ago.  My brain and fingers were having a battle. 
I had a Valentine design in my head with cute bumble bees and hearts.  I just couldn’t draw the bee’s legs to dangle over the edge of the heart the way my brain wanted it to look.  My eraser was smoking hot from all the work it was doing and I was in complete frustration. 

In between my battle and eraser smoking, I was exchanging emails with a customer.  This customer was making me chuckle because she seemed to be having a battle of her own …only it was with her computer and trying to figure out how to correct a problem with her order. 

We finally got it worked out and she was a sweetheart during the entire time.  In and out went our emails and I noticed at one point that her email name was “TwoOldeCrowz”.

Now, I have a thing for crows, you should all know.  I’ve said many times in my blog that I really dislike crows.  They’re obnoxious and loud and they wake me up in the morning with their caws.

But yet, I did a crow design a few months ago which sold pretty well and then I did a turkey design which is …at least in my design head … a relative of my crow …

So anyway, to make a loooong story short, Dawn of the twooldecrowz, gave me the inspiration to scrap that bumble bee idea and to stick with crows.
So here is the birth of my bumble bee Valentine 2 Olde Crowz.
I don’t know about you but two olde crowz makes me think of a sweet elderly couple that have been happily married for 50 years.  The gentleman has his spectacles  and the lady has on her special Sunday hat.
This is what my bumble bee candle mat turned into ….

And this is the entire candle mat finished …..

  “2 Olde Crowz”

This new design pattern should be ready to sell on Wednesday so stop back then if you like it.  I’ll have it at a very special price just for my blog readers.  I know it’s early to think about Valentines Day, but c’mon, Christmas will be here and over before you know it and you’ll need to have something ready to work on when that time comes!

Dawn, thank you for helping me through my bumble bee turmoil.

Bless her heart for her sweet emails and her touching story that gives even more meaning to that two olde crowz name!

Happy Day everyone!

Thinking Outside of the Pattern!

About 15 years ago, I remember walking into my local quilt shop, with quilt pattern in hand, and asking the owner for the exact fabric colors that were called for in the pattern.

Maxine, the owner told me that sure, she could show me the exact colors to use, but she suggested that I think outside the box pattern.

She explained that so many ladies want to make something exactly like the pattern picture shows but they could so easily make it look completely different if only they would choose the fabrics they really loved instead.

She offered to help me select colors using the fabric colors that I really loved in her shop.  And I learned then to think outside of the pattern.

And this is why I always encourage customers to visit their local quilt shops.  Each time I visited that store, I learned something new.  They are there to help you become a better stitcher/sewer.  You might pay a little less at your local Joann fabrics, but you will never get the service or the lessons like you do at your quilt shop. 

So anyway…. haha  … I was messing around with my pattern pictures, resizing and touching up, when I discovered a feature in my photo program called “metallic gold”. 

Here’s what it did to my “Apple Blossoms” candle mat picture:

What pretty Fall colors!

 

So what used to be a Spring/Summer candle mat:

Can be made into a pretty candle mat for Fall, just by changing the colors! 

So take a look at your patterns again and try to imagine what it might look like if you changed up the colors a bit!

 

And speaking of Fall.  Rachel bought some deeelishous pumpkin cookies from the grocery store bakery.  They were puffy and cake-like with a thin frosting on top.  If anyone has a good pumpkin cookie recipe, please send it my way.  I’ve found it to be so much better to use recipes that other people recommend rather than opening a cookbook.

 

Happy Day everyone!