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September 2010
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Cross Stitch Tips & News ~ October 25th 2008
Patterns Patch Cross Stitch Club:
Cross Stitch Tips & News
Saturday, October 25th 2008 |
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Hi
Once more, welcome to all our readers, we hope the past two weeks have again been kind to you and you enjoy reading this issue of your Cross Stitch Tips & News letter.
We've the usual mixed bag for you including details of another discount coupon website, plus a new department we're adding "Cross Stitch Videos" and a life-saving tip that you simply MUST read.
And of course we'll show you the latest patterns uploaded to the Cross Stitch Library, plus cross stitch articles and your latest cross stitch tip (what floss conditioner is and what you need to know about it).
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Online shopping discount coupons - the aftermath...
If you've been following our two previous articles on discount shopping coupons, you might be interested in another outlet where you can find these coupons online.
Many thanks to member Patricia who directed us to this colorful and useful website:
http://www.shoppersresource.com/
So now you have two sources to track down those valuable discount coupons. Here's a reminder of the original source we told you about:
http://www.retailmenot.com/
You might want to bookmark these links, and refer to them next time you make a purchase on the internet.
They add a new dimension to your shopping experience as you track down that bargain AND could save you a bundle of money too!
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Cross Stitch Videos ... (Help Wanted)...With the growth of video content on the Internet, we've been considering how best to put video content on Patterns Patch for our members to enjoy.
To this end we've created a draft cross stitch videos department. Now this is where you come in.
We're not sure which way you'd like us to go with this, so PLEASE let us know what you'd like to see on this page (you'll need to have visited the department first).
We think the options available to us are:
- What size of video wall do you prefer? (It needs to be square so the choices are: 4, 9, 16, 25, and 36).
- Do you prefer one mass (as it is now) where it's pot luck whether the video you choose has any value to you or not. The downside of this is you might waste your time, while the upside is you'll possibly find something you'd never previously considered.
- The opposite of 2. is small themed video walls, each clearly titled, such as: Tricky Stitches, Beastly Knots, Fabric Fun, Pot Luck, and so on (these are just examples).
Further options will emerge as we develp this idea. Please do let us know your thoughts here, they will make a difference to the eventual outcome.
We'll report back to you in the next two issues with a summary of your replies.
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MAKE SURE YOU READ THIS...... especially if you've subscribed to Cross Stitch Tips & News in the past 7 months.
We've had a lot of new signups to the news letter in the past few months so think it's time to run this life saving tip again.
It will take you about 45 seconds to read and might well save yours or a loved one's life some day (absolutely true!).
This lifesaving tip is in the number 1 position in our Inspirations department, which is available to ALL readers.
Take a little time to do your family and friends a BIG favor by passing this essential information on to them. They'll thank you one day.
*~~*
Pearls of Wisdom...
The next pearl of wisdom to emerge from the "University of Life" is: "What are we going to do?" said Baby Tiger to Mama Tiger in the jungle, "Here comes a hunter and he has five rifles, three special sighting scopes and devices to help him see in the dark!".
"Hush!" answered Mama Tiger and she taught her cub how to sneak up from behind and pounce.
The hunter was never heard of again.
All of which goes to prove that technology may be fine, but it will never be a substitute for a good basic education. - Parker Publishing.
*~~*
Membership For Fr^e
If you'd like to win, three months full membership to Patterns Patch for Fr.ee, why not take a look, it's really easy to enter.
Don't forget to search for the mystery word in this letter ~ Good Luck!
The latest winners of our draw for Three-months membership to Patterns Patch for Free are:
*~* Dean Jankowski *~*
"Well done Dean, you're nearly there! All you have to do is email us to Accept and Activate your prize!"
The number of entries goes up each issue, so an increasing number of you are building up credits and enhancing your chances of being a future winner.
Commiserations to those who entered and didn't win this week. But hey, perseverance is a virtue; try again next time ~ it could be YOU!
And for those of you who didn't enter, why not? Don't you want this valuable gift? (Please remember! Only one entry per person, per issue.).
You've got to be in it TO WIN IT!
Associate Membership
To overcome the problem of "spammers" accessing our new chat room, we've created an Associate Membership, which is fr*e, but limits access to just the chat rooms and our community forums (the Cross Stitch forum and General forum). Associate members will also qualify for a 20+% discount on some of the patterns in our Cross Stitch Store.
(Note that only patterns that have been in our Cross Stitch Library for three months or more, will be offered for general sale in our store).
If you want to join Patterns Patch as an Associate member and enjoy access to the chat rooms and community forums, please join here. The subscription form is easy to use and only asks for: your name, email address, login name and passw*rd (you choose these last two yourself).
*~~*
Services
We have an ever growng list of services our members and subscribers can use and enjoy (mostly for fr*e), including:
Make A Pattern For Me:
Yes, we'll create a cross-stitch pattern for you, for fr^e. But there are a couple of conditions that you need to know about ~ go read the details.
Is there ANY aspect of cross stitch that's puzzling you? That you'd like a simple explanation or an opinion on? We are always interested in hearing your questions or comments.
Our policy is there are no silly questions. So don't be shy. Come forward and feel free to ask anything you like. Our friendly experts Beryl and Lizzie don't bite and will do their best to provide you with a full, easily understood answer.
Cross Stitch Survey:
Your vote counts, so tell us your opinion on cross stitch matters. You'll find our Cross Stitch Poll (survey) on the Home page, down the left-hand column. Please take 30 seconds to give us your opinion by voting in our latest survey. Go to Cross Stitch Poll (opens in a new window), and scroll down a little and make your selection.
Inspirations:OK! Not exactly a service, but if you need a good dose of motivation or simply picking up, this is the place to go for a diverse range of vidoes and presentations that will both inspire and amuse you. Go here to see the latest additions:
We regularly add to this department so make sure you pay a visit each time you read your Cross Stitch Tips & News letter.
For the latest jottings and thoughts from our super stitcher Iona, why not pop over and visit our Patterns Patch Blog (opens in a new window).
You can be sure of an interesting read, and while there feel fr*e to leave a comment or question for Iona. You'll always get a lively and detailed reply.
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Cross-Stitch Tip (by Iona):
What is Floss (Stranded Thread) Conditioner? When you cross stitch, have you noticed that occasionally your thread (floss) gets tangled, split, frayed or weak? This can be very noticeable when you use metallic or other rough threads.
If this is a problem, it's time to try a floss (thread) conditioner. Originally, some ingenious stitchers coated their threads with beeswax to soften threads. However, using this can sometimes result in lumpiness or a sticky feel to the project.
'Thread Heaven' is one such conditioner that can be the answer to your stitching prayers. It provides a coating that allows your thread soft and pliable, allowing it to glide through the fabric easily, making stitching easier.
To use 'Thread Heaven':
- You first separate the strands of thread, coating them individually by drawing the strands across the surface of the conditioner.
- Then you will need to draw the thread between your forefinger and thumb. This will create a minute static charge that reduces tangling.
After many uses, 'Thread Heaven' will become soiled from tiny filaments from your thread. Simply turn the product out of its box with the tip of your scissors. Hey presto -- a clean side will be exposed for further use. Most stitchers claim that they didn't know how they managed before they bought it.
Some people recommend having two boxes of 'Thread Heaven' -- one for light colours, and another for dark. This extends the life of the product.
An additional way to deal with thread that splits or tangles is to use shorter lengths for stitching. The thread therefore creates less friction with the fabric as you stitch.
Tumble dryer sheets…
Some clever stitchers keep tumble dyer sheets in their workboxes.
This is because these sheets prevent static build-up in clothes when you dry them in the tumble dryer. So -- not surprisingly, they work like magic on your threads too. Just draw a length of thread between a folded tumble dryer sheet, and you will notice the difference.
Go on! Why not give it a try?
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Recent Articles:These articles are amongst those we've recently added to the cross stitch articles library:
The Joy of Jobelan Fabric
Jobelan fabric is great to use on cross stitch projects where you want an old-fashioned or elegant appearance. Since it is an evenweave fabric, Jobelan has an even number of threads running both vertically and horizontally. One advantage to evenweave fabrics is that they are softer than Aida. In fact, Jobelan is smoother and softer than Aida and most linens . . . keep reading
Make It Personal: Celebrating Weddings and Anniversaries in Cross-Stitch
A wedding or anniversary is a time to celebrate and be joyful, but it can also be time to get creative and personal with your cross-stitch craft. For the bride and groom, their wedding is clearly an event they will want to remember for the rest of their lives, so why not give them that special reminder that comes straight from your heart. You can give them the gift on the wedding day or even years later on a special anniversary . . . keep reading
Cross Stitch Software Makes Pattern Creation Easy
If you have been cross stitching for any length of time, you know how frustrating it can be to keep searching for a particular cross stitch pattern and then not be able to find it. You know what you want but it's nowhere to be found. So! Look up, cross stitcher because cross stitch software is coming to your rescue. And the beauty of . . . keep reading
This is just a small sample of the 200 or so cross stitch articles enjoyed by our members. If you'd like to read more, you can join here right now.
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New Cross Stitch PatternsWe're giving EVERYONE who reads this letter a FREE Bonus cross stitch pattern.
Follow the download instructions carefully and Contact me if you have any problems.
Some of our more experienced members have asked us to consider providing the occasional design that's a little more "challenging". We've listened and will sometimes list at least one pattern with embellishments, such as: beads, knots, backstitching, and so on.
Here you can view The latest FREE downloads (for members):
You'll find additional information and can also leave comments and rank (from 1 to 5) each download, if you so wish.
Please note that you have until the next issue of your Cross Stitch Tips & News letter to download the BONUS pattern. After then it will be available only to Standard Members in the Cross Stitch Library.
We're trying to introduce as wide a range as possible in the cross stitch library to cater for all tastes. So if there's a theme we've missed that you'd like to see patterns for, then
please drop a quick email to Contact us.
To view this week's gallery, here's the link again to view the latest FREE downloads.
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... And FinallyAs always, you are encouraged to contact me with any questions or entries for future newsletters. You can do that here.
When the membership of Patterns Patch grows to a certain level we'll be able to approach major suppliers and manufacturers and negotiate discounts for our members. So please make sure to encourage your stitching friends to join Patterns Patch.
If you'd like to try and win a fr*e membership, reply to Membership for fr*e with the word 'kaizen' in your email subject line (only one entry per reader please).
Forward this email newsletter to them so that they can subscribe to (www.patternspatch.com) and receive future copies directly to their own mailbox.
Please do not reply to this email. It was sent to you by our computer, which is splendid at sending emails but absolutely useless at reading them! To get in touch with us, please send a short email to Contact us.
Do please take the time to let us know what you like or dislike about "Cross Stitch Tips & News". We value all your emails and rely on them to move us forward as we strive for cross stitch perfection.
... and finally, if you have children, give them a hug and a kiss, and tell them you love them.
Sincerely,
PS If you're not already a member, why not? You're missing out on so much! Why not join now
Joining is easy!
Your next "Cross Stitch Tips & News" letter will appear on SATURDAY November 8th 2008.
Until next time... Missed an issue of our "Cross Stitch Tips & News" letter? Find them all here:
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Cross Stitch Library
