Time for some needlework tools!! Most of us have our favorite tools that we like to embroider with – whether it’s a favorite pair of scissors, a favorite embroidery needle, a favorite laying tool, thread organizer, light, magnifier, embroidery frame, floor stand. We all have our favorites, right?
Well, my quickly-emerging all-time favorite, overall best-ever, wouldn’t-be-without-it tool is just about any embroidery needle made by Bohin. More and more, I find myself preferring Bohin needles over other needles on the market. They are good needles.
I’ve been corresponding with Anita of Anita’s Little Stitches, because she likes Bohin needles, too. She’s currently stocking her shop with all kinds of Bohin tools, and especially all their needles, making available Bohin combo packs and even bulk packages of needles.
Thanks to Anita’s Little Stitches, then, today’s give-away features a collection of random Bohin tools, for two lucky winners!
The photo above is a representation of the types of tools you’ll receive in this give-away – Bohin’s ceramic pencil, an assortment of Bohin needles, a pair of Bohin scissors, and some other little goodies thrown in for good measure!
Each winner will receive one of these. This Bohin ceramic pencil is great for marking dark fabrics, especially, but the darker leads available also work well on light fabrics. It creates a good line that lasts long enough for stitching – it doesn’t brush off immediately like a chalk pencil would. It works great on smooth fabrics. I use this all the time on cottons and very fine linen, when I want a light line that’s easy to cover and that won’t smudge my threads. It’s also great for marking cutting lines on fabrics, and for marking quilting design lines, too.
Each winner will receive a pair of Bohin scissors. One pair is this teeny tiny pair of travel scissors (they are so cute!), and the other, a pretty pair of regular-sized embroidery scissors.
Each winner will receive a nice selection of my choice of Bohin needles, too.
You will love them!
(Or I’ll eat my hat.)
I’ll also throw in a few little other tool-ish doodads for the fun of it.
Give-Away Guidelines
The give-away has ended! Thanks for participating!<\b>
To enter today’s give-away, please follow these guidelines:
1. Leave a comment below. Just follow this link to leave your comment, and you’ll end up in the right place. Comments submitted via e-mail or left on other articles are not eligible.
2. In your comment, answer the following:
What’s your dream tool for needlework and what’s so great about it? (It might be your favorite one that you already have, or one that you want to own.)
3. Please make sure you leave a recognizable name either in the name line on the comment form or in the comment box. For example, if your name is Sue, please differentiate yourself somehow from other Sues out there! (It just saves a lot of confusion!)
4. And, finally, comments must be submitted by Wednesday, October 31st (Happy Halloween!), by 5:00 am Central Daylight Time (Kansas, USA). I’ll announce the two winners on Wednesday morning.
So that’s how it works! It’s not too complicated, so do leave a comment – it’s a good opportunity, if nothing else, to get a variety of Bohin needles into your hands, so you can see if you love them, too!
And hey, the odds that you’ll win? Much better than the lottery!
Have a swell Friday and a wonderful weekend!
I would love a marking tool that … marked well! Right now, that is the greatest frustration I am experiencing in my embroidery projects. I just haven’t gotten that system down right and if the lines are not clear and clean but covered by the thread / removable, it just doesn’t work!
I hear you. Transferring original designs is still one of my biggest challenges despite all of Mary’s good instruction on the topic. Either I get lines that are too light or I get pencil dust on the embroidery threads.
This led to the adventure of washing finished needlework which went better than I had a right to expect, but still.
I have yet to find anything that works well on dark fabrics, so the pensil in this giveaway looks great.
Anastasia McP
My dreamtool are the perfect pair of scissors that never cut wrong ;-p. Well, I would settle for some really nice sharp to the very tip pair.
Tania
I absolutely love my glass laying tool. It feels great in my hand, doesn’t snag on any thread and looks great too!
G’day Mary, and Anita.
Thank you both for this fab giveaway. Hope you’re having fun with the giving because I sure do.
And Mary, I kinda get your drift I think. These tools are your favourites, right? !!
My little beaded needle book is a favourite. At my first embroidery group attendance they were having a beading class, embellishing the designs that were on tapestry upholstery type fabric. I timidly produced my cross stitch and insisted I sit in a corner and just be left alone to feel…well, whatever it is you feel in that situation, Thankfully, I wasn’t allowed to and I took home the loveliest little beaded needle book. I love it, it’s very practical and beautiful.
Good luck everyone…but especially me!
Cheers, Kath from Oz.
I love my embroidery hoop.
I just love scissors, in all their different shapes and colours. They’re great because they’re hugely useful (well, essential, actually…); but also because, despite being a fairly simple tool, they can be given such diverse characters by the way they’re fashioned: classic, cute, primitive, whimsical, and even sci-fi. Can’t have enough of them!
Thanks for offering this draw.
Me too I love scissors! I would collect them if I wasn’t afraid to sink too much time and money in a collection. I love to cut with good scissors. The sensation and the noise it makes is so pretty! I must be sick lol.
Hi Mary,
My dream tool for needlework – I don’t currently have is a lighted magnifier!!! My eyes just ain’t what they used to be! My next dream tool, again that I don’t have, would be a stand that would hold my work. My current dream tool, that I do have, is a pair of scissors with curved tips -they allow me to snip close to the fabric with out worrying about cutting the fabric.
Thank you once again for another great give away.
Jean B.
Such a great giveaway (as usual) Mary! Thanks !
A while ago I got one of my dream tools: it’s the a magnifier light like yours (it was on top wishing list since your post at 2010, November 20th!) – it’s great!
Now I’m saving for second tool in the list: a Millenium Frame!!!
My dream tools are more of a neccesity due to aging eyes. I need my “readers” and a snake light to illuminate my work area. I wrap the light around my neck and it shines beautifully on my work area. Oh, to be young again! Thanks, Mary, for this chance to win these tools.
Thanks for doing this give-away, Mary! They are so much fun, even if I don’t win.
My favorite needlework tool right now is a good pair of small, sharp scissors. Before I got them I didn’t realize how much difference it would make to get into all those little spaces. However… a *dream* tool would be some kind of laser cutter that could be controlled even more precisely, and that would never cut anything by mistake or leave a trace of its passing. Wait, actually — an even more dreamy tool would *automatically* start and end your threads! This is really the most annoying part of stitching for me. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a way to just thread your needle, and then start stitching without worrying about fastening the thread to the cloth? Probably impossible, but the closest thing might be a gadget that would tie a predictable knot at the end of your thread every time.
To be perfectly honest, I don’t have a dream tool. Although I have been stitching for many many years, I always just seem to use what ever I have handy to do the job. However, I have been most curious about a laying tool. My friend Susan Elliott, who is the cleverest of clever people, often refers to using her ‘laying tool’. So I read your posts about them and would like to try using one to improve my stitching. I would also like to upgrade some of the tools I do use to better quality tools. So that’s it. It is all about wanting more and better stuff to use.
Since I am here, I would like to thank you for all the wonderful information you share with people every day. You are right up there with the ‘clever’ people.
Thank you again.
My dream tool would be a set of magnifying lenses that I would wear on my head (similar to MagEyes) that would also have a directed light that would shine on my stitching. I don’t know if such a tool exists, but I think that it would be sooooo handy!
I would love to win the Bohin giveaway. I, too, love Bohin needles, along with the Piecemaker needles.
Carolyn
My dream needlework tool is a brand new pair of ultra sharp scissors. They make my work clean, easy, and are such a deep pleasure to use!
Oh My gosh this would awesome to win, i have learned so much just from your daily e-mails. You have taken up where my mom left off in teaching me embroidery-thank-you!
My favorite tool of all would be something we all want – more time to stitch! Actually I love the Bohin needles that I have and would love to try more Bohin tools. Thanks!
What a wonderful give-away. Lot’s of things I’d like to experiment with. My dream tools are the things I use in handquilting. I have a special thimble that works best for me; the needles that make the stitches best for me (but I’m always searching for better ones) and my lap frame. So enjoy your postings!
My dream tool – Well, I actually own it. A pair of embroidery scissors with a hook at the tip of one blade. I first got them for cutting Hardanger, they pick up one thread at a time with NO chance of picking up too many or the wrong threads. Now I use them for everything!
I love Bohin products. BUT I had no idea they made scissors, how did I miss that, it’s huge. I really really need a pair of their scissors, PLEASE!
What a wonderful give away! I think Bohin has taken all stitchers by storm — that is the only needle I use now — my very favorite! I didn’t know about the scissors and think the small travel pair are the cutest ever. Please enter me in your generous give away…Barbara (vasampler@hotmail.com)
I love needle minders. There are many quite lovely ones available and they are useful. I’d love new needles to put on them.
I am soooooo glad that there is shop carrying these needles! I have been wanting to try them (I break a LOT of needles!) Thanks for bringing these into the daylight and thanks to Anita as well!
My favorite needlework tool. . . hard to choose. I really like my scissors, from the little premiee scissors to the black gingher scissors. I’d be hard put to give up any of them.
my dream tool is a stich needle witch not heart my thump when i am use it in my embroidery (sorry for my terrible english). thanks
I love a surgical spatula. It is about 7″ long with a good holding place in the middle and a flat spatula on one end and a pointed spatula on the other. This is absolutely the greatest laying tool I have every used. And the cost is right too – about $5.50
We always need tools. I seldom have all the right tools. Always have to make decisions on which tools to buy.
Bohin tools are very nice. I am getting ready to do some marking on pillow cases. The Bohin tools would make the job so much easier.
I really love my all-metal Gingher thread “snips” my mother gave me for Christmas when I was a teenager.
My best tool is what I think is called a “knit picker”; it’s a little hook to catch a snag in a sweather but I use it all the time as I’m really bad and never leave enough thread to pass in the back of my stitching so I use that tool! I also loved any small, tiny scisssor as I bring my projects everywhere I go so I would love to have the chance to try these Bohin needles and tools.
Johanne from Montreal
My favorite tool for needlework has to be my pin rests. Pretty little buttons with a super strong magnet attached to it. You simply stick it to your project with a second magnet on the back side of your work. Whenever you want to take a break, you simply drop your needle on the rest and it holds it there. I think that this is one of the best inventions ever and don’t know what I did before I started using them.
My favorite needlework tool is my laying tool. I use it constantly. My dream tool would be a hand blown glass laying tool, the metal one I am currently using has a rough spot that I can’t seem to file out.
I would live to win the Bohin tools as I am doing more embroidery, and I feel that a quality set of tools would really improve my stitching!
(Or maybe that is just wishful thinking!)
Kathy from McKinney, TX
My favorite of all my tools is my little scissors. Cutting thread is so easy with them. An a necessary item when you embrodiery.
My favorite “tool” is my desktop/tabletop frame stand. It is oak, it has a sturdy base that has a tray to hold needles and scissors. It is height adjustable with a 3 1/2″ vise grip that holds small to medium sized frames just perfectly. It has easy to use knobs that are used to adjust the height of the frame and tighten the vise grip. I would be fumbling around losing needles and tangling threads without it.
I love my Gingher embroidery scissors. They came gratis when I bought my dressmaking shears, but I find I use the, a lot more often than the shears!
My dream tool right now is a Millennium Frame. I don’t have one yet, but it is at the top of my wish list. I also love a good, sharp, well weighted, small pair of scissors
My favorite tool for needlework is my Dazor Lamp, without out it I could not stitch on my projects. I also love petite size needles.
I would love to have a good marking pencil. I have a very talented son who can draw and I like to make my own designs. A good marking pencil would sure help me make these designs.
My favorite tool is a handmade wooden laying tool made by a man in Australia. I love the pretty turnings he put into the wood.
Thanks for all your amazing tutorials,
Chris Handy
Mary,
You don’t need to eat your hat! The first time I tried Bohin needles was in your needlebook class I took last winter. They have now become my absolute favorite tool. They are so smooth traveling through the fabric and so easy to work with. The difference between them and the ones I used to use are amazing. I would love to stock up. I’d like to try the ceramic marking pencil too.
Thanks for this giveaway – Vivian M.
Hi Mary, I have used Bohin needles for a number of applications and found them very, very nice. Not a lot of stores sell them around my area. I meant to try the marking tool, but never got to it. I could sure use it now even more, i.e., embroidery, crazy quilting. crewel.
Jeannnette S. in PA
I just love my Gingher scissors. It’s sharp and has stayed that way for years. I do alot of redwork embroidery and Crazy Quilting and my scissors gets alot of use. Thanks so much. Krind
It seems that as time goes by I cannot stitch without my magnifying glasses.
I would love to own a ceramic pencil. I loved hearing how it works for dark fabrics and stays on longer than a chalk line. Thank you, Mary.
Cheryl in San Diego
A good embroidery hoop is important to me. I hate having to keep adjusting the grip of the fabric.
I’ve got to admit, I’ve become a stitching tool junkie. I stitched in England over the summer, and I was so surprised to learn that they aren’t at all interested in tools. But, the Aussies sure were! My favorite tools come from Micheal Helmke from Texas, who handmakes tools with beautiful wooden handles. The tool that I’m salivating for is that ceramic pencil. Oooo, now that’s HOT!
To be honest… I want working space!! But that’s not e tool. As Susie in Minnesota mentioned, marking tools that work for the type of material I usually work with would be a plus-plus.
Mary (and Anita)–
Thank you for a FABULOUS giveaway! I would really like to win one of these…
My current needlework dream tool is a custom-made needlework frame. I attended the Koala Convention needlework seminar in Australia over the summer, and one of the instructors had a needlework frame for holding her project. It was adjustable in three different ways, so it could hold any size project, on stretcher bars, scroll bars, a slate frame or a Japanese fram, at almost any angle. Best of all, it all came apart and fit in an 18″ long mailing tube.
I got her permission to take a bunch of pictures and write down the measurements of all the pieces. My intention is to build one for myself at some point. It would be dream to stitch with one of them.
Pretty please, pull my name out of the hat! Keeping my fingers crossed…
Carol S.
My dream tool would be a lamp that gives “me” enough light. Old age has its benefits but eyesight is not one of them. I long for the days of old where my vision was 20/20 (or better perhaps!). My favorite OTT lamp base does not do well on my new carpet. Here in Michigan, sunlight happens infrequently. Sigh. But, the Bohin tools, especially the needles are fantastic. You won’t have to eat your hat on this one. Thanks for the drawing. I look forward to your daily postings. Have a fabulous weekend. Chris in rainy, cold, Michigan.
Hi Mary, thanks for the great giveaway! I also love Bohin needles and purchase them from a little shop that is located in my hometown where I travel a couple of times a year … worth the trip for those alone!! My favourite tool is something else I purchased at the same shop and that you reviewed a while ago (I hope you know how influential you are!) … it’s a mighty bright light magnifier. It has changed the way I stitch (better
and has increased my enjoyment immensely. It is easy to adjust and the light is great … not as nice as a sunny day on the patio but almost as good light. Have a fabulous weekend!
Looks like great giveaways. I can always do with new needles.
I love the laying tool that attaches to one’s thumb. It is so handy and makes the threads lay on the fabric so neatly
Hi Mary,
Thanks again for a generous giveaway. I would love to try the Bohin needles since you love them so much. They must be great. My favorite tool has to be my needle threader. Couldn’t do anything without it.
Thanks,
Mary Ann in Cincy
My dream tool will be magical scissors that don’t disappear the moment I need them. (Usually I can find them under the nearest cat.)
Seriously though, I’d like to find a nicer portable wooden embroidery frame than the one I have. It’s round and warped so it doesn’t hold the fabric taut for too long but the only time I think of trying to track down a new one is when I’m already using it. Figures.
After a little scrimping, I finally purchased myself a pair of Dovo scissors. I loved the wonderfully sharp blades and the very fine tip that so cleverly snipped away stitches. But alas, at a stitcher’s retreat I let someone borrow them and while being handed back to me, they accidentally fell to the ground. No, nothing broke, but yes, the tip bent. I still keep these scissors in my stitching bag but it breaks my heart a little each time I use them and see the bent tip. My next favorite tool is my trolley needle, which I pretty much use exclusively while working with silk. I probably should use it all the time, but find myself using it only with silk.
Thank you for another wonderful opportunity and good luck to all!
The ideal tool for needlework? A fail- (and fool-) proof way of transferring patterns so they don’t smudge or disappear before I’m done, but still come off the fabric when I’m done. ^_^
Bohin! I love their products! Especially the ceramic pencil and the needles. As for my dream tool, I want a really good light and magnifier combination. Now that I’ve started working with silk, gold, and beads in more intricate designs, I have found that I simply must have a better view of what I’m doing. And the light must be color-corrected so that I can see the shadings of the threads correctly. So the search continues. Thank you for your wonderful articles. Happy haunting!.
I would dearly love to try at least some of the Bohin needles. I have heard so much about them and haven’t been able to find them.
My favourite stitching tool is my Seattle floor frame that I bought from Nordic Needle. It is so sturdy and I can flip my work over so easily to deal with threads on the back.
A pencil that would leave a visible line until I was ready to remove it and not having to wet the piece. That is my biggest frustration with embroidery.
I am just starting embroidery and I have been trying to figure out the best way to transfer patterns to fabric and I am excited to see the ceramic pencil as an option – now to see if it is sold locally.
A really good marking tool would be on my “dream” list. Maybe that ceramic pencil is it!
I sincerely have to say that I love all the tools that are used when I am doing needlework! But as I’ve advanced in age, I’m finding that before I can even make great use of the tools, the most needed item is a fantastic light “spotlighting” my work!
My most useful ‘tool’ would be my magnifying glasses so I can see the threads but all in all my favorite tool has to be the scissors. I love a quality pair of tiny scissors. I feel so ‘professional’
I don’t have one favorite tool, type of tool, or toy. I have several bags with various tools & toys I cannot live without and I have two display areas filled with collections (You know that if you have three(3) of an item, you have a collection) of tools & toys I love. And to pick one type would be far too impossible, because in order to stitch I need at least three things: a pair of scissors ( I have several because my mother told me “never use your teeth”); a needle of the appropriate size and type (and I have these too); and a laying tool ( again, I have several to chose from). So you see one tool would never work for me, BUT I still would like to enter the contest…after all “she / he who has the most wins” and I may not have the most but I am trying. Thanks
My very favorite tool is my “clover” needle threader. Since my eyes aren’t what they used to be, the needle threader helps load up my needles. I’ll usually thread about 7-8 needles and line them up on my ironing surface in the order of work. That way I can continue stitching without the interuption of threading. I’m sure I’m not saving time, but it feels like it. Tanya from Greenville SC
Hi there,
Thanks for the giveaway!
My favourite tool are these pair of sizzors that my friend gave me that are actually for doing manicures. They are really sharp and the point curves up. I do a lot of gold and silk embroidery so when it comes time to cut the thread and move on to embroider another section these sizzors come in handy. You can practically cut right down to the surface of the embroidery without cutting what you´ve embroidered and the silk thread endings hide well that way.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Candice Jan Leung from Barcelona
I love my seat frame – i can embroider anywhere and have both hands free.
My dream tool would be a good marking tool that would work on both dark and light fabric. I think the Bohin ceramic pencil would be ideal for this, depending on what color lead you had in the pencil.I do a lot of marking on my crazy quilt blocks and have a lot of trouble finding something that works well.
Louise
Thanks for the giveaway. I agree with you on only using Bodin needles and I do have a needle fetish. The two things that I will not do without are Evertites and my small Dovo scissors. I am going to EGA National seminar on Sunday and I am debating if I bring the Dovo’s or keep them safely away from TSA,even in my checked bag. I always get searched when I start packing frame weights and my System 4. Not exactly everyone’s run of the mill packing job.
Bohin needles are at the top of my list since you’ve been talking about them every now and then. Living in a very rural area, I haven’t found any such needles, and I haven’t taken the time to look for them online.
Thank you for your wonderful give aways! They’re always exciting!
Thanks for the opportunity! I would love a ceramic marking pencil with different coloured leads.
Thought long and hard about this – my supersharp scissors? No. The fantastic folding magnetic stand I use to hold my charts? No. My new Millennium flat frame? No. Each are great, highly convenient but they’ve not had the impact of my all time dream tool.
That one has to be my best hand hoop – a good one from Hardwicke Manor, bound with twill tape. http://string-or-nothing.com/2011/08/28/boughs-hoops-and-strips/ I worked for years with a narrow dime store wooden hoop. I was amazed at how much easier and more convenient hand-held stitching became once I had The Right Tool.
So Hardwike Manor – you get my vote for all time dream tool for hand embroidery.
-Kim
Well, I would hate to see you eat your hat! My favorite tool is the needle I use. I have been using my daughters sissors, she is 5, but they have been working so far. I had no idea there were truly fancy sissors to be had! The dream tool is something to mark dark cloth. I’ve been doing Viking embroidery patterns and have a very hard time figuring out how to get pattern on the darker cloth.
My dream tool is a magic system to hold all my threads while I’m working on a multi-thread project
My favourite tool is my little gold scissors…so sharp and so useful. Thanks for your inspiring posts!!
Hi, Mary. I am so happy I found your blog. I’m from Kansas too, I live down by Pittsburg.
I, too, love every Bohin product I’ve ever tried.
I have a few favorites when it comes to doing needlework. As my eyes have gotten older, I like using pencils to mark where my threads need to go. I also like having a good magnifier nearby. I am beginning to mentor some students at our school in needle arts and will be telling them how important it is to have a good needle and some sharp scissors. I would love to win this set of supplies so I could show them the possibilities available in other places than WalMart.
Michelle On the Eastern Shore
My dream/fantasy tool would be to have the eyes/vision of a 20 year old. At my age I have enough “floaters” to float a ship. Seriously, I think I’d love a magnifier-light as a doable tool but this selection of handy small things sounds wonderful.
Thanks for all the help and encouragement you give us all.
Hello, thank you for the give away. I’d like an opportunity to be counted in the drawing. My favourite stitching tool is one that my sister made me. It’s basically two needles, size 22, held together beautifully by about 10 inches of perle cotton and some beads for decoration. These are used to count spaces when I cross stitch, so I know how far to stitch. This stitch place holder (as I call it) comes in handy when working on borders. Thank you again for sharing your treasures!
I love the teeny tiny little bity Bohin Travel Scissors!!!
First, what a FABULOUS give-away. Thank you both for such a treat for 2 lucky winners.
My most wished for sewing “tool” would be more time and better eyes! LOL. But since those can’t be fixed, the next would be a nice, sharp pair of curved scissors or a fun thing would be one of those little wooden tools like you had on the blog recently that hold up the needlework when you are making bell flowers, etc. I would love to get one of those. That fellow certainly does beautiful work.
My favorite tool is the magnets that hold your needles, scissors, etc. to your project! My ideal tool would be eversharp scissors that cut right to the tip!
I dream of an embroidery frame with a magnetic band that would hold a couple of needles and a pair of scissors so I wouldn’t waste time looking for them after the phone rings.
Nancy,
Try some earth magnets. They are amazing. Place one on the front and one on the back of your work to hold the front one in place. The small ones (¼”) hold needles and the bigger ones (½”) hold a small pair of scissors nicely. I use them on both my work (they have never marked the surface even when using silk) and on the extension arm of my light.
Cheryl in PEI
Ah…my dream tool! Would have to be a stand of some kind to hold my frame. I haven’t even researched them, knowing that I can’t afford it, and having other things to save for that have higher priority. But that would be it. Right now, I prop my frame between my desk and my lap and while it is the best I’ve found so far, it is a tad awkward! But I’m kind of used to it now. And on the subject of needles, I’ve used several different kinds (not Bohin) of needles, never finding one that really does it for me. So, if I win, that would be awesome
but if I don’t, at least I know the next needle I’ll be trying! 
Karen Gass
Hi Mary! another great give away…ty for a chance. While I have many tools here for various types of needle work..I have yet to own a laying tool. After following you all this time I am certain I have to have one! or two..lol…One can never have enough scissors or needles if u ask me so this would be a great win for me. I always appreciate your links too…ty so much and good luck all.
My dream tool is fairly simple, really. I’d love to have the perfect cloth pencil/chalk. Every one I’ve tried, just does not work as well as I’d like! Also, some super sharp scissors would be amazing
My all time favourite tool, is my little pair of Kai scissors. It was a gift from a friend in 2006. Margaret went to the Quilt Show, I could not get time off to go. It has travelled many miles and across the world with me. I make sure to pack it in my suitcase, as I do not want to have to give it up “as it may be a weapon of mass destruction” if it was in my carry-on or handbag when flying. My best marking tool is a piece of french white milled soap. Marks my quilts with out the sneezes which happen when marking with chalk.
My favorite tool for needlework is a laying tool. I like to work with silk but love how all threads look using the tool to stitch.
My Fave–my magnifier!
ahhh, my favorite needlework tool? No contest! It’s my sterling silver laying tool with it’s own silver case on a chain that’s as pretty as any other jewellery.
This tool is perfect length to snug in my palm, perfect weight, perfect thickness and pointy-ness. Of course, it was made by a stitching silversmith and sold by her at an ANG seminar in 1982.
I think my favourite tool is the needlebook I just made this year. Up until now I’d been using the one I made in first year of Home Ec in school – yellow felt cover with my initials embroidered on it, buttonhole stitch around the edges, and 2 flannel pages inside for the needles. I thought that since I’m now over 60, I deserved a new one. I had some lovely ecru embroidered linen scraps from a jacket I made so I made myself a great new needlebook – lots of pages made of real felt, with computer printered labels for each page and a lovely cover of the line enhanced with a silkie and lace around the edges.
Thank for offering this give-away. The dream tool I currently own is my sharp pair of Ginger snips that a friend gifted me. They are delightfully pointy and allow me to cut treads close to the fabric. The dream tool I’d like to own is a ceramic pencil that makes clear sharp lines on dark fabric.
My answer remains always the hoop I inherited from my great-grandmother. I love the versatility of the hoop and how it functions. If I found more like it I would buy a whole stack and then preserve my grandma’s. As it is now, I use it, but I fear for the day that it breaks, or gets lost, etc.
I have been doing alot of needlework lately that requires my fabric to be “drum tight”. I hate lacing and the solution is Evertite Frames. My dream of owning every size I will ever need is slowly coming true. They are pricey, but well worth the money. Here is a tip I learned that I will past on…to cover the tacks that hold your fabric to the frames, find a four inch wide ace bandage, measure your frame diameter and divide that in half, cut your bandage this length, sew the two ends together and you have a great frame wrap that will keep your threads from getting caught. One ace bandage will make two wraps.
At the moment, as my eyesight continues to
diminish, my dream tool would be a standing
lighted magnifier that is designed for stitchers. But there is always the daily need
for quantities of good needles to keep in all
the “in progress” project bags that keep accumulating. So winning this give-away would
be grand!
My drean tool is a holder for my slate frames,easily pushed aside to get out of chair,holds light, organized to hold threaded needles, for gold work and silk theads, on silk or linen fabric.
Hi my name is Peggy N. I live in the Pacific Northwest and want to thank you so much for this opportunity to enter.
I rarely actually win anything for free. so Have not much hope of gaining any of these lovely tools.
However, nothing ventured is nothing gained. So here goes>>>
I am in love with my millener needles. I use them on a daily basis.
Ohhhhh I do use other needles, darners, 5″ and 7″ doll needles, etc. but the milliners are my all time favs.
As you know Mary they have a small eye and this makes the “passing through” fabric smooth and when stitching with them it is almost as if I am dancing with the threads I am using.
When I use them I feel as though I am creating a symphony of threads and fabrics to soothe my soul….
LOL it doesn’t always look that that way, but fills my soul with relaxation and musical flow of the thread and needle.
thank you again.
It is hard to choose just one from a group of 8.
The Dazor and my Dovo scissor set ….so if it is strictly needlework tools it would be my Dovo scissors, tekobari, thimbles, tweezers etc.
Good morning!
My ultimate, most coveted stitching tool is my EGA SOME (Southern Maine chapter). I’m new to this venue of the stitching world, quilting is what I’ve been up to in the past. This group has taken me under their wing to teach, inspire and hold my hand when ‘unstitching’ is required. So, of all my tools they are the most dear to me. I wouldn’t be on this lovely journey without them.
Sincerely,
Trudi Woolston
These look interesting. Love to try them
Although it is hard for me to pass up fabulous scissors as a favorite tool, I must pick “the right needle” that is easy to thread, fits my hand, and of course, provides a smooth pass with the thread. I find that I can almost always find substitutes for the scissors for cutting threads and using a needle for a laying tool is necessary, etc.
As a side note, I rsearched this brand when I was doing research at a mail order company. Great everything. Congrats to whoever wins.
I love scissors but I could not work on any project without my magnifying glass that hangs around my neck. The length adjusts and rests on my chest. My old eyes are not as good as they once were and this great tool allows me to keep working.
Carol Mc.
Thank you Mary and Anita for hosting this little giveaway!
My dream tool that I don’t own would be a lighted magnifier. I have a clip on one the mighty bright vusion, which I love but would prefer one that doesn’t clip on to the needlework.
My favorite tool that I do own is my scissors. Just a cheap little Walmart pair but I love how sharp they are and the ability to cut through things!
Good morning Mary – Well, today MUST be my lucky day if for no other reason than IT’S MY BIRTHDAY —YEAH ME
I switched my quilting supplies to Bohin a few years ago – and never looked back…they are superb, especially the marking pencil.
My *dream* tool would be a gooseneck floor standing lamp – with a magnifier. I’ve seen them but they seem too expensive ..until… I’m squirming in my chair trying for better light!
My dream tool–hoard to narrow down. Great needles, sharp scissors, but most of all, the time to put them to use.
My favorite tools are awls and scissors. I use them both for eyelet work and for help plunging threads when working with metal threads. I have a Victorian awl that is so pretty it makes me happy every time I use it. But, more interestingly I have a wooden awl that is so sharp and long that if I am attacked by vampires while embroidering I am all set!
Good scissors are a must and I have scissors both sharp and decorative that are a joy to use. I have to say I also like the look of those curved needles in the giveaway. A curved needle is very handy for both bead embroidery and edge work.
Anastasia McP in the Wilds of Rural Utah
I’m afraid that these days it’s a magnifier. The eyes aren’t quite what they used to be, i would love to try those Bohin needles.
I’m a “embroiderer in training”, lol. I’ve embroidered several works and I just love it. I’ve been gathering tools little by little and i would love to have those curved needles to help with my quilting and also need marking tools. My husband made me a light box for pattern transfers and so u can see my need for the chalks and the pens.It will also help with my budding quilting skills. Thank you
Mary:
I love-love your blog! I think it’s my favorite needlework tool (resource). Bohin products are wonderful and so is Anita! I shop frequently on her website. She is awesome!
Thank-you for the opportunity,
-Holly
There is nothing better to make needlework more enjoyable that good tools. I have several favorite tools such as scissors, laying tool and needles but I would be very uncomfortable is doing a lot of my work if I did not have my frame holder. This gives me the freedom of using both hands for stitching which makes things go much faster.
My must-have dream tool is the “Perfect Stitch” laying tool, an open-topped thimble with a bent tapestry needle soldered to it. I have to use it, every stitch. I wear it on a finger and sometimes forget not to scratch my face with that attached! It is effortless to lay every throw, since it’s part of my hand at all times.
My all time favorite needle is the Bohin needle. I buy them in bulk. They are always smooth, the eye is never sharp or uneven so it doesn’t fray the thread. It feels good in my hand and I’m spoiled to want to use only those. How exciting to find more products by Bohin.
My favourite needlework tools are my Bohin needles, since I started stitching with them a year ago I won’t stitch with anything else. They are the best needles on the market – so smooth and sharp they go through fabric like a knife cutting butter and my flat metal needle threader; which I wouldn’t be without.
Thank you for having another give away. If I win, I would look forward to trying out all the other excellent products from Bohin.
My favorite needlework tool is a silver thimble from my husband’s grandmother. Fits so well. I’ve benefitted from using a Bohin ceramic pencil I was given last spring, and now am enjoying the Bohin needles that came with the first kit of the Cabinet of Curiosities. I’ll be purchasing needles for embroidery with the students at Maryland’s first provincial capital site, Historic St Mary’s City. Bohin needles would make learning a joy for the students.
Thank you Mary–you always have the best stuff to give away! And thanks to Anita’s Little Stitches for sharing the Bohin goodies!! It’s hard to pick just one. So many tools have very specific uses & needlework tools are the Lay’s potato chips of embroidery. The tools I use the most are: my blue Needle Index book & my bent tip Kai scissors. By far, they get most of the workload on any stitching day. I’m glad to see that your giveaway includes a marking pencil & small scissors. Your winners will be over the moon with those.
My dream tool? Well, it would have to be my pair of Dovo scissors. My husband bought them for me for my birthday the first year we were married. They were horribly expensive and we couldn’t afford them really. I was so surprised and they are still the very best pair of scissors I own. What do I love about them besides the fact that my dearest gave them to me? I love their sharpness, there teensy sharp point and their overall beauty. I treat them like royalty and never ever take them outside of my home unless we move! Soon I am moving to Singapore and I have to ship them which terrifies me! Here is hoping that they make it!
Thank you for all your hard work and brilliant advice and help, Mary. I look forward every day to reading your blog!
Carolyn
Thank you for your most welcome e-mails. I look forward to see whats new everyday. Would love to win all those wonderful tools as I think most of mine should be retired soon. They have served me well over the years. They all have had their ‘favorite time’.
I still have to say that Kai scissors are my dream tool. I’ve never found scissors with a sharper point, and they’re not terribly expensive either. That said, Bohin needles are the BEST, and I’d love to add a few more of them to my stash along with the other great Bohin tools.
My dream tool would be a lighted magnifier and my current favourite tool is a good pair of scissors.
Thanks for the chance to win!!!
Mary — I love this blog!!! I have learned so much….my favorite dream tool are petit gold plated needles. they never discolor, and I so very much prefer the small size. i also cannot live without my telescoping magnet – when not in use, it hangs perpendicular to my stitching floor lamp, so I drape my threads from it. And when my needles get wings…..there’s nothing like it! Also helped my husband find the teensy screw from his eyeglasses, but that’s a whole ‘nother story. Thanks!
My very favorite pair of scissors are those tiny Bohin ones. I didn’t even realize when I bought them that they were so small. But they have proved to be the handiest pair I have.
Hi Mary,
Ooh…you can never have too many cool tools! My favorite has to be scissors, though. I love tiny scissors – maybe because I got a little pair from my grandma years (ok, decades!) ago. And you always need scissors. They can be used in a pinch for all kinds of things in addition to cutting the thread. My current favorite pair is a small pair on Gingher’s. I bought a small tin of candy at the airport because the tin was just right to hold the scissors -didn’t care about the candy, just wanted the cute little scissors-sized tin!
Happy Stitching!
I was in Paris last week and searched in vain for Bohin needles. I am thrilled that I can buy them here at home from your sources. But I would dearly love to win the whole kit with those adorable scissors!
Jane in Colorado
A dream tool I love is a special lamp that gives me great light for all sewing, no matter how dreary the day is outside! I presently have a really great Ott lamp now and it does a slick job on that! Enjoy your newsletter so much – thanks for the opportunity! Shan in Tacoma
I am excited to enter the Bohin embroidery too give-away featured. My favorite embroidery tool is by far a pair of vintage Gold Seal Ball Bearing thread snips I found for the mere cost of $.25 at a garage sale in Tulsa, OK. They are a nice fit in my hands and even tho vintage snip like new. I am sure they will be with me for many years. Sincerely, Nelwyn Mills
I just love your giveaways! Thank you for being so generous, not only with the giveaways, but sharing your stitching journey as well. My most very favourite stitching tool is my LED-lighted magnifier on a floor stand. There is no way I could do some of the stitching I do (particularly cross stitch) without it. It was a gift from my husband several years ago. My various Ott lights run a close second. If you can’t see what you’re doing, then all the other stitching accessories aren’t much good . . . Grovenore
My favorite is the white marking pencil. I make a lot of items for youth and they like the primary colors on a black background. I never seem to have enough pencil lead. LOL
I love gadgets! I usually look at them first in a shop before I look at anything else to make sure that something hasn’t been invented that I don’t know about. I love my “ripper outer” and my beaded counting needles, but I would say that my favorite (other than scissors and needles) is the Star DeTailer. It is great for those short ends that you can’t get in — I have two and they are always close at hand.
My dream tool is a gorgeous pair of sharp little scissors- I have a great pair, but they are not beautiful. I’d love to have a sturdy, vintage pair of snips. I am a total supply addict- floss and supplies (like all of these goodies) are my weakness. I would love to win this giveaway- I’ve been eyeing those ceramic pencils! Thank you!
My favorite tool for some time has been my Hardwicke Manor 8″ x 5/8″ hoop. I love how sturdy and substantial it is. It holds my fabric taught with minimal effort and is easy to re-position when needed. I find that great needlework tools are a special treat to me, as all of my purchases come from online sources. The closest store with any needlework supplies for me is 225 miles away, and that is just a big box hobby and craft store. I never get to see the merchandise before I purchase it, so Mary your recommendations are priceless to me. I would dearly love to be one of the lucky winners of this giveaway. I have been considering the purchase of a nice pair of scissors, and without seeing them in person, I’m a little cautious about the investment.
My dream tool would be an embroidery stand that really works. I never seem to have the right height, or size, and would like one that adjust easily.
I love my little scissors my sister gave me, they are always tucked in to my needlework bag. I would love to try the ceramic pencil you shared.
I love my Thread Heaven and my chart holder made out of a Swiss roll (jelly roll) bake pan . I would love a floor stand and one day I will buy one. I love your blog and have learnt some amazing things from it.
Thank you
Please enter me for your give away.
I really have 2 favorite stitching helpers. One is my old faithful Dazor floor magnifier. My lovely, understanding husband gifted me with it one Christmas too many years ago and it’s still going strong. And as I age, it’s become downright indispensable. Can’t imagine my life without it.
The second are really, really good needles. I came to realize this recently when I purchased a brand (hereafter nameless) that I find to be the worst I have ever owned. They actually hinder the process of stitching and harm the fibers I use them with.
It caused me to decide to go with your suggestion of Bohin needles when I next need to buy some.
My dream tool would be a mini-robot to do all the little bits and pieces which are boring, or take up too much valuable time. Among the chores I would like it to do are sewing in the ends of threads, and unpicking without a trace left behind when I am unhappy with what I have stitched. It might be stretching it a bit if he/she could also do the lacing in finished pieces!
On your earlie recommendation I tried the Bohin needles, love them! My favorite needleworking tool would have to be my wooden lap stand for my embroidery hoop. The stand really saves my hands.
Deb
Dear Mary,
My dream tool would be a frame that always keeps my stitching fabric taut. i have experimented with hoops and snap frames and have now requested Evertites for my birthday (which is on Halloween).
Thanks so much to you and Anita for this great giveaway of Bohin tools. What a treat!
Have a great one! Tania
My favorite quilting tool is the Bohin ceramic pencils. I love how they show as long as I need them too and disappear when I am done. No matter what equipment I use, I always use the ceramic pencils.
Thanks for this give away. I have never found anything Bohin I didn’t love.
I enjoy the huge variety of things you write about, all embroidery related. My favorite stitching tool, amazingly, is a little ‘ort’ bag that I made with a pattern from someone’s blog site. I find that I use it faithfully, thus doing away with little ‘orts’ all over the floor, the rug, the chair, my clothes. I always seemed to miss when aiming at the waste basket. I never miss the ort bag.
My embroidery scissors that belonged to my husband’s grandmother!! They are more delicate than most that I see now days and they still work perfectly. It is such a simple item and yet it means the world to me because I know she used them ALOT.
Wow what a great giveaway!!! Love needle work and would love to win:)
my very most favorite tool is a laying tool made by a friend’s husband who is a very gifted lathe worker. not only does it do the job, it looks beautiful and feels so great in the hand. so pleasant to work with that i frequently lay threads that do not need laying!!
she is a great stitcher too so i would share with her
A pair of very sharp scissors and a large needle. Those are my favorite tools!
Hi Mary,
I love my Fanmore thread snips. they are the best pair of little scissors I’ve ever had. Especially good for removing stitching without pulling.
I’ve been using mostly John James needles, haven’t tried Bohin.
I want to do some Hardanger and am not sure if my Fanmore snips will work to cut the threads that are removed close and cleanly.
My favorite tool has got to be my fancy floor stand. It was expensive and I complained about the cost until it showed up and made every stitch a joy to work. I love it!
I recently was in an embroidery class and borrowed a pair of serrated edge embroidery scissors. I think they were made by Gingher. Anyway, I was amazed at how they grabbed the thread and snipped it cleanly. That would be my dream pair!
I would like to have several pairs of really good scissors. Mine all have dull points and nicked blades, Good scissors are a joy to use. Sandi in rainy Oregon
I am fairly new to hand embroidery and have not tried this product. Would love to give it a chance and perhaps (lol) improve my work.
my favourite tool is my magnify glass. Over the years those tiny little stitches have finally gotten to the stage where I just can not see any more without help. I have had to resort to using a larger stitch count and do more knitting, but I will always love the sound of a thread as it goes through a cloth in a hoop.
Well I could really do with a good marking tool, as thus far I have not found a product that works well for me.
My dream is to find the perfect light. As I am approaching 50, it’s harder and harder to see my stitching. I know it’s out there!
As a children’s sewing teacher, who occasionally teaches them to embroider as well, I love the Loran needle threader. I also would like a really good marking pencil, especially for dark fabrics.
Hi Mary, thanks first of all for your ongoing great info and inspiration! Here is a chance to praise the Lap stand I bought from Siesta frames. I love it because I can adjust it and TIGHTEN it so it stays in adjustment. It came with this great gadget – a wooden wrench for tightening wing nuts. And it works. My hoop stays steady and stable. I also love my rare earth magnets – they come in handy for all sorts of things. I can rest my laying tool on top of my hoop – on the metal screw plate, and my scissors, and needle if I choose…and on and on.
Love to try those Bohin needles and definitely am on the hunt for a new pair of scissors!
Thanks again, Mary.
I too love the Bohin needles. I used them as a gift to are EGA members who attended the Banquet last year. I just ordered a pair of magnifier eye glasses with lights on the sides of the frames. I was able to try these at a recent EGA meeting. You can find them at speerd.com. Love reading your emails and the fantastic work you produce.
Rosanna
Dear Mary,
There are so many tools that I would like to have and there are tools that I have that I love to use,but the tool that I just can’t do with out and it’s the first one I look for as soon as I have my needle threaded is my THIMBLE. If I didn’t have my thimble I just couldn’t sew. I have at least 4 now, so that as soon as I start looking for it I find it!!!!
One day I’ll buy myself a silver thimble.
Thank you for allowing me to speak up for this humble tool.
Joan.
What a great giveaway,thanks Mary! I have found and love the Bohin needles. They are also my favorite for embroidery.
The tool which has to be the I can’t live without must be scissors. For I seem to have quite a collection of them. My favorite pair is weighted which just feels great in your hand and are very sharp and cut smoothly.
I love your site and all the teaching info you provide. Thank you!
oh my – I have so many favourite tools… but I absolutely must have a good pair of scissors – dedicated solely to needlework!
Elizabeth L Mac in Saskatoon
I’ve heard lots of good things about the Bohin needles, but have yet to try them and would love to!
My dream needlework “tool” would be the Millenium frame for my cross stitch projects, especially the BAP’s. Some day I will have one!
Thank you for such a nice giveaway.
My dream needlework tool would be a really good frame. I’m looking at the Millenium frames and dreaming. I think if your fabric is held right, everything goes a little easier. Thanks for the chance to win these great tools.
My bestest tool right now (as my grandson Hunter says) are the curved needles – they work great and especially for those of us with issues with our hands. Really when I started thinking about this – I thought that there is a favorite tool that I use for each project and it may vary. One time it would be my magnifier and the next would be one of my marking pens (I have several that I keep loaded with varous colors for light and dark fabrics). AND of course there is my pair of little scissors that were from my Grams from Germany that seem to be sharp forever and can get so close to the fabric.
BUT really – guys aren’t the only ones to have toys – oops I mean tools to use on their work/hobbies. We need them all – right ladies?!!
For me the key tool are needles and I love the Bohin ones. I’m in the process of making a 4′ x 6′ needlepoint rug designed by Kaffe Fasset and if it wasn’t for these fine needles, the work would be soooo much harder. I read (and save) all of your emails. I’ve learned so much from you and broadened my knowledge of many aspects of needlework. Now if I just live long enough to DO all the projects I have planned!
)
Thanks you!
I love my Cosmo embroidery hoop ~ no screw or bolt to catch threads on, smooth finish and as they say: “one touch” embroidery hoop!
Linda from Minnesota
Lieve Mary,
Wat mooi cadeau! Droom om iets te winnen! Heel gelukkig met markeringspotlood, alles is welkom.Ik ben altijd heel zuinig op goede gereedschap.WACHT IN SPANNING OP GOED BERICHT!
Riet.
Absolutely, it would have to be a “good” pair of scissors and the very best of “needles”. I would love to try the Bohin Needles. And my embroidery scissors have had it so I would love to win this little assortment of “things”.
Thanks from Trish in So. Colorado
Scissors… Before they were taken from me
In Israel
Gingher round tip scissors ( they were airline approved)
I miss them and cannot find any others. I will now
Only travel in Europe with kindergarten scissors
Ellen from Texad
Hi, Mary,
My dream tool is a very sharp small pair of Gingher embroidery scissors. What makes them so very special is the very fine micro serrated edge along the blades. It neves snags or pulls, but does a great job gripping slippery silk threads and silk ribbons for quick and accurate snipping.
Thanks for your generosity,
Cathy in PA
I am very new to embroidery so I realy dont have any favorites yet, I do how ever love your site. It has been very helpful to me
Hi Mary,
What a wonderful tool box and so generous! I have been wanting to try the Bohin ceramic pencil and now, perhaps, I can!
My absolute favourite tool is my Lowry embroidery stand. It is so flexible, rugged and practical and easily travels to all my embroidery dates. I’ve been using it for 20 years or more, ever since they went on the market.
Thank you, Mary, for all you do for the embroidery world!
Victoria Gemmell
Vancouver. BC
I am like several other women responding to this contest ..my eyes are not what they used to be. My favorite tool are small needles with large eyes. I like the large eyes to be able to thread them without a lot of hassle but I like the small length because they feel more comfortable to work with.
I get excited at each give away but this one is one is exceptional..and you are such a tease with the comment about throwing in a couple of surprises.
a really sharp pair of scissors that gets in CLOSE are a MUST for these old eyes!!!
My dream tool would be Bohin needles ! I’ve searched one hundred miles around without finding any of these. Since I can’t afford flying to France to get them, your give away is great. Have a good day.
My dream tool is a pair of really good embroidery scissors, the kind with the downward bent tips. Cutting threads out of the middle of an embroidered piece is on the edge of nightmare for me, even worse than seeing the mistake that needs to be removed.
My favorite tool is a tiny pin cushion I received from a stitching friend. It is just the right size for keeping my counting pins and a few spare needles.
Mary – I think my most favorite tool is….(gosh this hard)….my Dazor magnifying light on a floor stand. It is absolutely essential for my stitching. I’ve had it for about 15 years and not a day goes by without my using it. Especially as I age it is needed for both the magnificent light and the absolutly best magnification.
As a side note Mary, I just love getting your email in my in box every day. I have never seen clearer instructions and information. Thank you.
–Mary Hoell
My absolute favorite tool for needlework are super-pointy, sharp, burr and catch free, smooth acting pair of embroidery scissors. The best I have (and I have purchased and tried a few pairs) are made by a company called KAI in Japan and their name is Omnigrid S-4. I would have to say that they even rival Dovos for hardanger work. They are excellent!
My dream tools are large eyed, thin needles. I love fine needles, but they tend to get chunky with larger eyes. And the older I get, the harder it is to thread those little things!
My dream needlework tool would either be:
1. A pair of really good (also pretty!) scissors, because the ones I have now are just so-so, or
2. A marking tool that marks dark fabrics well. I usually use water-soluble transfer pens, but on dark fabrics I usually have to resort to chalk – hence I tend to avoid dark fabrics. The ceramic pencil would expand my repertoire greatly!
Thanks so much for the give-away!
I adore my Gingher embroidery scissors. I think those are my favorite needlework tool to date.
My most-desired needlework tool is the perfect needlework chair. It has to be a comfy recliner with room on the foot rest for a dog or cat. It must recline fully in case I get tired while stitching and need a snooze. There has to be a light that has adjustable intensity and good areas for storing books, magnifiers and tools. It would probably need a timer to remind me to get up once in awhile and perhaps an automatic ejection seat to get me back on my feet. A neck massage function would be good. Now if we could just add a butler to warm up my tea occasionally, my life would be great.
My dream tool are magnifying glasses that fit over my regular glasses so that I could see what I am doing. Guess this is part of growing older. Also a decent light so that in the darkest of Alaska days every thing would be bright and clear. Alaskamarge
Hi Mary,
I think I wouldn’t be able to stitch much anymore without my lighted magnifier. I haven’t tried the Bohen needles but sure would love a chance to use them.
I love your instruction, everythings so easy to follow.
My dream tool is a stand-up frame. I really should invest in one of those babies. My Ott light is a close second though!
I am rapidly becoming a huge fan of embroidery and learning about all the tools out in the market. I am also collecting oodles & oodles of embroidery patterns to keep me busy in the winter months. I can not wait to curl up by the fire and stitch.
I stitch fairly quickly and have been accused of having an electric needle! That is the tool I would really like to have
I am a total sucker for any new tool that comes along, as a good tool makes a job easier (and therfore more enjoyable) and usually produces better results. One of mine is a needle cleaner. First I pass the needle back and forth throuble my strawberry and then I pass it through this tool. It is comprised of two solid brass disks about the size of a quarter connected by flannel and stuffed with who knows what, but when the needle comes out, it is like new! I also love my thread holder which holds about forty threaded needles and has a place to write the symbol/color.
I would like to say my dream tool would be a great pair of embroidery scissors, but to be honest, you can’t beat clear and precise tutorials on all the wonderful stitches out there. I’m so glad I stumbled upon your website! I learn something every day. Thank you for taking the time to inspire us!
My dream tool would be a magic wand. When I want to sew, I would wave my magic wand and all the mess in my sewing room would jump back into its proper place!
My favorite tool is a 6″ ruler and a seam ripper–both I have had for a long time. I use the ruler more than the seam ripper!!! Enjoy your e newletter. Thank you
My dream tool? A self perpetuating supply of Bohin needles, everything from the tapestries to the crewels to the beading needles. I have yet to find one that isn’t superior to anything else I’ve tried. With my (ahem) acidic nature, I tend to rust needles very quickly. I don’t rust Bohins.
I would love some new tool. I give 2 hours a week to a senior home. We do needlework. The problem is we don’t have good scissors and needles. Would be a great gift for them.
I have a kit that was given to me that I would love to figure out. It’s a counted cross stitch kit that has LOTS of threads to it. The problem is it has many symbols using a blend of several colored threads. For any example, X might be one used and it’s composed of three strands of three different colored DMC flosses. The list of blended colors is very long. How do I keep all the colors organized? I understand using a strand holder with all the choices marked on the card. The trouble I see is keeping the colors organized as I stitch with them. Any ideas? I thought about having each selection threaded with a needle and on the strand holder, then I could remember the one in use with the one missing a needle. However this seems very messy. Would love some ideas. Help!
I like a good frame that keeps the needlework project stretched tight. It makes the final result nice and smooth with no wrinkles or puckers. I also must have a magnifyer to relieve the eye-strain that comes from working long periods of time on a project. I would love to win the needles. I have never treated myself to a really high-end needle and I would like to see what difference it makes working with wonderful needles. Thanks, Mary.
A very, very sharp pointed pair of scissors is my favorite tool – it can cut, “unsew”, pierce and many other things. They need to be small but with big handles for my fat old fingers.
My dream tool would be a complete set of Evertite bars in all available sizes. Ok, that’s more than one tool, it’s more like a category. But nevertheless, ever since I discovered them, they make my life so much easier.
I would like to have a better needlework frame — so that is probably my dream tool. Otherwise, I am very protective of my handy dandy needle threaders. I cannot go far without them!
Shelia in Oklahoma
Mary,
Wow…this is a great giveaway! I’ve used the pencil & really love it, so much so I don’t use any others now. I haven’t tried the needles but would like to after hearing your glowing reports. To date my embroidery/hardanger needles haven’t been the best so I guess that would be my dream tool. Thanks for doing this! Sheila from CA
I love a great pencil that marks with a fine distinct line and if necessary, is easy to remove. Thanks for a wonderful website that is both informative and lovely to peruse.
My Hardwicke Manor hoops are the one tool without which I could not stitch. I love my Ott light, my little gold embroidery scissors, and my needle threaders but no hoop, no stitch.
Alice
What else! Needles of course.Need many in all variations. Right now I am using two different leather needles by Piecemakers that are great for Crazy Patch and silk ribbon work.They help to make a bigger hole for the riibbon and cords I use.
Avis in VA
My Dazor light! I have a floor model (which is really heavy and it has a magnifier surrounded by a light that doesn’t get hot. A dream come true.
My favorite real tool is a large pair of scissors hand-made in India, they rust if not frequently used, but they feel perfect in the hand and make me smile. My favorite imaginary tool is any pair of scissors that wouldn’t get lost.
I love my daylight lamp. I do most of my stitching in the evenings so if I’m working something intricate, it’s necessary!
I would LOVE a floor stand
My dream tool is a new pair of embroidery scissors.
Wow, wow, wow!! I have been trying to find Bohin needles for quite a while now. I’ve checked in each needlework shop I’ve visited with no luck so far. My needle is my favorite tool …. I seem to collect them like others collect scissors. I try all brands and do have a few I ‘like best’, but am still searching for better ones. I would love, love to win this give-away. If I don’t get that lucky at least now I know where I can order some. Thanks for the opportunity ….. SusieW
Mary what a lovely give away! I have been embrodering for what I think of as nearly all my life. My grandmother really was my first teacher. She would draw simple pictures on the cardboards that kept hosiery flat in their packages and then let us go to the fabric store to pick out our floss clolors. What great memories and gave me a love of the needl arts. My dream piece of equipment would be a floor stand with a light and magnifier attached…my eyes aren’t what they were when I would thread my grandma’s needles for her!
My favorite tool isn’t a tool. But it is something I thing all needleworkers would like and that is more time… More time in the day to do needlework and more time to look at needlework and more time to learn new needlework.