ACCESSORIES

This page last modified July 5, 2010.

NEEDLEWORK FRAMES AND STANDS

K'S CREATIONS LAP FRAMES are very useful needlework frame holders. They are designed with an adjustable sliding base to hold stretcher bars or scroll frames of various sizes. When you don't have space or inclination for a floor stand, the K's Creations lap frame is excellent. It supports your frame on both sides - another similar type of lap frame on the market only supports the work on one side, so that it has a tendency to droop. These are really lap/table frames, as they can be used either on top of a table (it helps to clamp them to the table or to rest a heavy weight on them) or on your lap. They fold down for traveling. In 2010, K's Creations modified the manufacture of their lap stands, and also had a price increase. Lap stands will now be all wood (previously they were wood but with a plastic channel for sliding) and all new style frames will come with black tri-knobs instead of wing nuts. We will have a mix of old style and new style stands for a while.

K's Creations Lap Frame with scroll frame

There are three sizes of K's Creations Lap Frames: the Baby Base, adjustable from 9" to 13"; the Standard Base, adjustable from 13" to 22"; and the Large Base, adjustable from 22" to 34".

The K's Creations Lap Frame can hold either scroll frames or stretcher bars, depending on which attachments you buy. You can buy it with the scroll frame included or universal clamp included. Please note that if your existing scroll frame has no spare holes drilled on the side bars, or if the holes are drilled for a smaller-than-standard bolt, you will have to drill a new hole or increase the size of the existing hole in order to use it with the K's Creations lap frame.

If you order the universal clamp version of the lap frame, your frame will come with 10" "pivot arms" (these are the side arms that come up from the base to hold the clamps). If you order the scroll frame version of the lap frame, your frame will come with 7" pivot arms. You can also buy most of these parts separately if you already have some of the parts but wish to add others. (This all gets very confusing because there are so many permutations possible. If you have questions, please ask!). All K's Creations products come with an unconditional lifetime warranty.

K's Creations Lap Frames come with wing nuts and a wooden wing nut tightener. The wing nuts may be replaced with plastic triangular knobs which are much easier to tighten and loosen; nearly all of our customers choose to equip their frame with these knobs (a minimum of four are needed for just the stand, at $1.75 each; four additional knobs are required if you wish to replace the scroll frame wing nuts).

K's Creations Lap Frame WITH SCROLL FRAME (comes with 7" pivot arms):

K's Creations Lap Frame WITH Universal Clamp (holds stretcher bars and Q-snap frames, comes with 10" pivot arms):

K's Creations Universal Clamps, per pair (to use with an existing K's lap frame to hold stretcher bars or Q-snaps)

.....

$40.00

Black Plastic Triangular Knobs to replace wing nuts, each knob

.....

$1.85

K'S CREATIONS has another type of lap/table frame called the Z-frame. This stained oak frame is open on one side for easier access to your stitching. Unlike some similar frames on the market, it comes complete with easy-to-turn knobs that will not break, and it does not need to be disassembled for travel (it folds down to a relatively compact size in a jiffy). It may be ordered with a 16" scroll frame (but can hold smaller sizes if you desire) or with a clamping bar that will hold either stretcher bars or a Q-snap frame. The price for a Z-frame with 16" scroll frame version is $70.00; the price for a Z-frame with Universal Clamp is $78.00.

K'S CREATIONS LA PETITE frames are for smaller projects. With a smaller, nonadjustable base than the regular K's Creations frames, this may be ordered with a universal clamp to hold stretcher bars (stretcher bars not included) or with a 9" scroll frame. Also unlike the regular K's Creations frames, the La Petite uses only one arm to hold your work (this keeps the weight down and allows more clearance for your hand). The La Petite comes equipped with the nice black plastic triangular knobs on the stand itself so they do not need to be ordered extra; however, the La Petite with 9" scroll frame does come equipped with wingnuts on the scroll frame itself. If you wish to replace the scroll frame wingnuts (there are 4) with knobs, they will cost extra.

La Petite with 9" Scroll Frame	La Petite with Universal Clamp
$44.00	$48.00

K's Creations Scroll Frames consist of two side bars with two dowels. Your fabric is attached to the dowels with a running stitch, and the fabric is rolled up onto the dowels except the section you are working on. Various dowel lengths are available. PLEASE NOTE THAT 9" and 13" scroll frames will come with 7" side bars; while 16" through 34" scroll frames will come with 10" side bars. Also, when you buy scroll frames by themselves, not as part of a lap frame set, the scroll frames will come with four black plastic knobs rather than wing nuts, so it is not necessary to order extra knobs. Also see information below on the new "Perfect Tension II" side pieces that can be used in place of the standard scroll frame side pieces.

K's CREATIONS DOWELS (scroll rods) are available separately so that you can use your existing scroll frame side bars with different sizes of dowels. All prices are for a PAIR of dowels. Sizes of dowels not listed are available by special order.

K's Creations Scroll Frame Side Bars are also available separately (see also below the Perfect Tension II Side Bars).

K's Creations "Perfect Tension II" side bars are to be used with scroll frames (they claim they are compatible with most all scroll frames). They replace your existing side pieces. To use them, fabric is mounted to the wood dowels using the normal method of basting. The dowels are then inserted in the Perfect Tension II side bars with the "perfect tension" mechanism in the down position. The dowels are then rolled tight like normal and the wing nuts or plastic knobs on the end tightened. Finally, the black knobs at the top of the Perfect Tension II side pieces are turned to tighten the fabric beyond what was possible by manual tightening of the dowels. Perfect Tension side bars come in 5 sizes:

8"	$30.00
10"	$32.00
12"	$34.00
14"	$36.00
16"	$38.00

10" HIGH PIVOT ARMS replace the standard 7" arms which are standard with the K's Creation scroll frames bases to hold the scroll frame. We find the extra height to be very useful as it gives you more free space for your hands, but if you travel with your lap frame a great deal, the extra height will result in a slightly larger lap frame to carry or pack (frames with universal clamps automatically come with 10" pivot arms).

MAGNET BOARD HOLDERS for K's Creations lap frames attach to a sidearm for you to use with a product such as the Loran magnet board (not included) for working from a graph.

Needlework System 4 is a brand of needlework stand that is made of metal. Although a model that clamps to a table and a model that sits on your lap are available, they may not always be in stock so please inquire if you are interested in either of these. We normally stock the more popular floor stands.

Needlework System 4 Floor Stand with Frame Clamp	Needlework System 4 Floor Stand with Scroll Frame

Two main advantages of this floor stand are its small "footprint" - it does not take a large amount of floor space - and the ease with which it disassembles/folds down for storage. It takes two "components" to make a complete working stand. The first component would be the floor stand itself; for the second component you have the option of getting a "frame clamp" to hold stretcher bars, or a scroll frame. You cannot use other brands of scroll frames in this stand, but you CAN use the dowels made by either K's Creations or Gripit in the Needlework System 4 scroll frame, for additional size options. Also available is a Q-snap holder (Q-Snaps are white PVC plastic square or rectangular frames). NEW: A new optional accessory that can be added to the Needlework System 4 floor stand (either variety) is an extension piece. The extension piece will bring the working area of your frame about 9" closer to you. If you already own the Needlework System 4 lap stand, you also have the option of removing the upright curved piece from the lap stand (which is the same part as the extension piece) and using it as an extension piece on your floor stand.

Extension piece	Extension piece added between floor stand and frame clamp	Another view of extension piece with floor stand and frame clamp

The Needlework System 4 floor stand weighs only 3.5 pounds. It is totally adjustable in angle and height (up to a maximum height of 36").

For the ultimate in portability, or for those who wish to travel with their Needlework System 4 floor stand, it is also offered in a travel version. This is almost identical to the regular floor stand (which weighs 3.5 pounds) except that collapses down to about 27" (will fit in some but not all carry-on luggage), and it is about 2" taller than the regular floor stand. It is newly redesigned for 2009. In the past, the travel floor stand was hinged to allow it to collapse. It is now designed in a telescoping fashion. It is raised by pushing a button and pulling up until the button clicks into place in an upper hole.

Newly designed Needlework System 4 lap stand will hold a frame clamp, scroll frame or Q-snap holder (you must purchase these separately). A bonus feature of this lap stand is the upright piece that holds the frame clamp, scroll frame or Q-snap holder is the same piece that is also used as an extension piece of the floor stand. If you have both a lap stand and a floor stand, when you are not using the lap stand you can remove this piece from it and attach it to the floor stand to get an additional 10" of reach (of course you can also buy this extension piece separately).

		Needlework System 4 new lap stand with frame clamp
Lap stand with frame clamp	Lap stand with stretcher bars in frame clamp

		Needlework System 4 new lap stand with scroll frame
Lap stand with scroll frame	Side view of lap stand with scroll frame

Needlework System 4 lap stand (requires Needlework System 4 brand frame clamp, scroll frame or Q-snap holder, sold separately)

$97.00

Needlework System 4 Table Clamp clamps onto a table, and will hold either a frame clamp, scroll frame, or q-snap holder (purchased separately)

The Needlework System 4 Frame Clamp weighs one pound. Once attached to the floor stand, it rotates 360 degrees left or right so that you can easily flip to the back of your work - without loosening or tightening any knobs or wingnuts! In fact, it is SO easy to turn that many people are confused about how to turn the frame clamp. First of all, you do NOT turn it at the point where the frame clamp attaches to the floor stand. Once the frame clamp and floor stand are "mated" and the knob tightened to hold them together, you should not try to move them where they join. Instead, insert your stretcher bars in the frame clamp, and turn to the back by holding the stretcher bars on the left and right sides. Then push down on either the left OR the right side of the stretcher bar; the rotation works in either direction. The frame clamp jaw opens 1 1/4" wide and is made of safe plastic.

The Needlework System 4 Scroll Frame weighs four pounds. It comes with 18" dowels, but you may use other dowels (see our K's Creations dowels above) up to 30" in width. If you need a wider frame, a special large scroll is available (see below). This scroll frame rotates freely 360 degrees (from top to bottom) without the need to loosen or tighten knobs or wingnuts. To rotate it, do NOT try to force the scroll frame where it attaches to the floor stand. Rotate by pushing down on either the top or bottom scroll frame dowel.

If you buy the Needlework System 4 with a frame clamp and later decide you wish to have a scroll frame, the scroll frame is available separately (and vice versa).

We attempt to keep the most popular and basic versions of the Needlework System 4 in stock, but for those products noted as special order, or when we are sold out of a basic product, we need to inform you that it can sometimes take us a few weeks to receive more of this product from the manufacturer.

Due to extra charges from UPS when shipping the Needlework System 4 regular floor stand with either the regular or large scroll frame, there is an additional $10 shipping charge on top of the regular $10.00 shipping charge for this combination (in August 2006 our cost to send this combination across country can be more than $28.00 so even with a $20.00 shipping charge we are subsidizing the shipping cost to you).

NEEDLEWORK SYSTEM 4, REGULAR FLOOR STAND
Needlework System 4 Regular Floor Stand with Frame Clamp	$247.00
Needlework System 4 Regular Floor Stand with Standard (18"-30") Scroll Frame, comes with 18" Dowels (shipping charge of $20 applies to this combination)	$247.00
Needlework System 4 Regular Floor Stand with Large (24"-40") Scroll Frame, comes with 30" Dowels (shipping charge of $20 applies to this combination)	$275.00

NEEDLEWORK SYSTEM 4, TRAVEL FLOOR STAND
Needlework System 4 Travel Floor Stand with Frame Clamp	$272.00
Needlework System 4 Travel Floor Stand with Standard (18"-30")Scroll Frame, comes with 18" Dowels	$272.00
Needlework System 4 Travel Floor Stand with Large (24"-40") Scroll Frame, comes with 30" Dowels	$300.00

NEEDLEWORK SYSTEM 4, SEPARATE COMPONENTS
Regular Floor Stand only (requires a frame clamp or Needlework System 4 brand scroll frame to make a working stand)	$125.00
Travel Floor Stand only (requires a frame clamp or Needlework System 4 brand scroll frame to make a working stand)	$150.00
Lap Stand only (requires a frame clamp or Needlework System 4 brand scroll frame or Q snap holder to make a working stand)	$97.00
Table Clamp only (clamps to a table, requires a frame clamp or Needlework System 4 brand scroll frame to make a working stand)	$122.00
Frame Clamp to hold stretcher bars	$122.00
Small Scroll Frame (12"-20"), comes with 12" dowels, this item usually available by special order only	$114.00
Standard Scroll Frame (18"-30"), comes with 18" dowels	$122.00
Large Scroll Frame (24"-40"), comes with 30" dowels	$150.00
Small Q-snap Holder (6"-14"), special order only	$114.00
Regular Q-snap Holder (8"-17")	$122.00
Extension Piece	$29.00
Light/Magnifier Holder	$58.00
Scissors Tray (must be used with Light/Magnifier Holder)	$35.00
Chart Holder (must be used with Light/Magnifier Holder)	$58.00
Belt Frame (sideways scroll frame with 10" dowels)	$54.00

NEW NEEDLEWORK SYSTEM 4 RUG FRAME SYSTEM

Needlework System 4 is introducing a brand new metal rug frame system. Rather than being a brand new floor stand, this is really just a new large scroll frame that attaches to TWO existing Needlework System 4 floor stands. Those who already own a single floor stand will need to buy an additional floor stand plus the special large scroll frame to make up the large rug frame. Those starting from scratch would need to buy two floor stands plus the special roller frame. This roller-type frame comes with 56" dowels but we are told any length of dowels would work in the system, provided they are compatible dowels (such as those made by K's Creations or Gripit; please note that some other brands of dowels will not work due to how the dowel ends are made). The working area in height (size between top and bottom dowel) for the rug scroll frame is 15".

The new large rug scroll frame is $124.00; if you need the large rug scroll frame plus one floor stand (to use with a second floor stand you already own), the price will be $249.00. If you need to start from scratch and buy two floor stands plus the large rug scroll frame, the price will be $374.00. Additional shipping charges may apply depending on the configuration of products you order, due to the size and number of packages that must be sent and UPS surcharges for oversize packages.

When spending this much money on a product, it is perhaps a natural instinct for people to ask if there is a discount. In a sense, we have already discounted it by calculating a very low markup on this and all Needlework System 4 products that we sell, to make it as affordable for you as we can, so we have to be firm on the price. Remember, you are making an investment in a product that will you will be using for many, many years to come.

STRETCHER BARS (standard width, 3/4") are an inexpensive product used to mount needlework, primarily needlepoint canvas, for stitching. Fabric/canvas is held taut without using damaging hoops, fabric is handled less, and work will distort less if these are used. Attach fabric or canvas with staple guns or brass tacks (sold below). Prices are per pair, and two pairs are needed to make one frame. Order stretcher bars of the same dimensions as the fabric or canvas (to mount a 12 by 16 inch piece of canvas, order one pair of 12" and one pair of 16" stretchers). PLEASE NOTE that we have switched to selling F.A. Edmunds brand stretcher bars (our former brand, Marie, is no longer being made). Rest assured that the F.A. Edmunds bars are interchangeable with any Marie stretcher bars you may already have. Before switching to F.A. Edmunds brand stretcher bars, we attempted to stock a different brand but delivery was too slow; however, we still have an existing supply to use up. Depending on which stretcher bars you order, you may receive any of three brands until our stock becomes uniform, but all will be interchangeable. Please inquire about availability of specific sizes prior to ordering if your need is urgent or you need a large quantity of a single size.

MINI STRETCHER BARS are wonderful for smaller projects. They are only 1/2" wide. Not only are they lighter weight than regular stretcher bars, they also take up less space on the surface of your fabric or canvas, which is helpful if your project has a small margin. The mini stretcher bars are interchangeable with old Marie brand mini stretcher bars (no longer available). They are NOT interchangeable with standard size stretcher bars, and can only be used with other mini stretcher bars.

BRASS TACKS by Clover are sturdy, flat-topped tacks which are used to mount fabric on stretcher bars. There are 60 tacks to a package, with a plastic tack remover included at no extra charge (we recommend putting at least one tack every inch around the perimeter of the stretcher bars for best results).

HARDWICKE MANOR HOOPS are a high quality brand of wooden embroidery hoops made of birch wood with a nice finish. They are very sturdy with heavy-duty hardware. They come in three hoop thicknesses, 5/16" (very thin), 5/8" (standard) and 1" (very thick).

NEEDLEWORK LIGHTS

Lights and light/magnifier combinations are available from us made by a variety of manufacturers. Having said this, our current favorite brand of lights and magnifiers is the Daylight Lighting Company. This is due to a number of reasons but includes the range of products, affordability, quality of light and the excellent service this company provides.

Other lights available by special order include Ott-Lights and Dazor magnifying lights. With so many products it can get a little complicated choosing the best product for you, so please contact us with any questions you may have. We do have sample products of most of these lights set up in our store for those who are able to come here in person and try them out.

Table-top Craft Lamp from the Daylight Company offers daylight-quality fluorescent light, a 3-diopter 1.75x magnifier, and a very affordable price for a light-magnifier combination.

This lamp comes with an 18 watt daylight-quality fluorescent tube. The light is at the end of a flexible gooseneck approximately 24" long and the magnifier is on a flexible gooseneck approximately 19" long. The magnifier may be easily removed, if you wish to use this only as a lamp.

Table-Top Craft Lamp, $100.00

Flexilens with Clamp from the Daylight Company provides a magnifier only, when additional light is not needed. It is the same 5" diameter 3 diopter/1.75x magnifier used in the Ultimate Daylight Lamp. The magnifier is attached to an 18" flexible gooseneck, with a clamp that attaches to a table. A similar magnifier is available to sit on top of a table rather than attaching with a clamp, please inquire.

Flexilens with Clamp, $42.50

Short Flexilens on Miniclip by the Daylight Company is a very lightweight magnifier intended to be used directly on a frame such as an embroidery hoop or stretcher bar. Please note that the miniclip magnifier is NOT the standard magnifier used on other Daylight Company products. It differs by having a smaller (3.5") lens and a stronger magnifier (5 diopter/2.25X).

Short (7") Flexilens on Miniclip, $30.00

Long Flexilens on Miniclip by the Daylight Company is exactly the same magnifier as pictured and described above, except it has a flexible gooseneck that is 3" longer for a length of 10".

Long (10") Flexilens on Miniclip, $35.00

DAZOR CIRCLINE fluorescent magnifiers come with a circular fluorescent tube which nearly eliminates shadows. The 3 diopter optical glass lens, which is standard, magnifies items by 75%, and provides a 5" viewing area. You may buy the Desk Model Dazor Circline, which sits on top of a table (cannot be mounted on a floor stand); or the Dazor Circline with a Table Clamp to clamp onto a table (can be mounted on a floor stand as well); or the Dazor Circline with either a flat pedestal base or on a caster base (can be mounted on a table clamp as well). For more information on Dazor products, including pricing, please contact us.

MISCELLANEOUS ACCESSORIES

SCISSORS

After trying various brands of scissors from various countries, I continue to believe that among the best embroidery scissors on the market are those from Gingher. All Gingher embroidery scissors come with a leather sheath and a manufacturer's guarantee. The Collector's Series Embroidery Scissors come in a gift box, while the G4 Embroidery Scissors come in a plastic package.

Gingher Model G-4 Embroidery Scissors are basic embroidery scissors (no fancy shape or finish) which measure 4" long and are chrome plated. This is slightly larger than most embroidery scissors. $29.00

Gingher Model G-4014 Embroidery Scissors are basic embroidery scissors identical to the G4 scissors listed above, EXCEPT that they have a larger finger hole, for use by those with larger hands or with enlarged joints such as may be caused by arthritis. $29.00

Gingher Model G-4GS Embroidery Scissors are a new gold-plated version with a gold gift box. Like all Gingher scissors, this 4" pair of scissors comes with a protective leather sheath. $31.50

Gingher Collector's Series Embroidery Scissors are beautiful 3½" embroidery scissors modeled after a pair originally made in 1692. This style of scissors comes in your choice of four finishes:

	Black oxide finish, handle and blades	(Model GCS-1)	.....	No longer available
	Gold-plated handles with nickel-plated blades	(Model GCS-2)	.....	$50.00
	Pewter finish stainless steel handles and blades	(Model GCS-3)	.....	$57.00
	Matte finish gold-plated handles with pewter finish blades	(Model GCS-4)	.....	$73.00

Gingher Stork Scissors are 3½" gold-plated embroidery scissors in the shape of a stork (the blades represent the beak; when you open and close the scissors blades the beak opens and closes). This is a very, very old design and very charming. These scissors are a great buy! $21.00

Gingher Epaulette Scissors are another style of 3½" gold-plated embroidery scissors. Like all Gingher scissors, these are excellent quality and a great buy! $21.00

THREAD STORAGE BAGS

Floss-a-Way Zip Lock Bags measure 3" x 5"" with a hole punched in one corner for placing on a hardware ring. They also have a place for writing down the thread name/color. The advantage of storing threads this way is that more than one skein/card/spool can be stored in a bag, and you don't have to spend time wrapping thread on a bobbin.

MAGNETIC BOARDS AND ACCESSORIES

Loran Magnet Boards are extremely useful for all forms of charted needlework (people who knit, crochet, tat, etc. find them useful for holding directions as well). The metal board comes with several magnetic strips which hold the pattern in place on the board, and which can be positioned immediately around the area of the pattern on which you are currently working. No one should be without one.

NEEDLES, NEEDLE THREADERS AND NEEDLE CASES

TAPESTRY NEEDLES have blunt tips and large eyes, for counted thread embroidery and canvas embroidery. The higher the number, the smaller the size.

PLATINUM-PLATED TAPESTRY NEEDLES are available in sizes 22, 24, 26 and 28 only, at a price per needle of $1.00

CHENILLE NEEDLES are similar to tapestry needles, but have sharp rather than blunt tips.

CREWEL NEEDLES are sharp, have shorter eyes than tapestry or chenille needles, and are most commonly used for non-counted embroidery. These are Hemming brand English needles.

MILLINER'S NEEDLES are longer than other needles and have fairly small eyes. They are excellent for making bullion stitches as they are the same diameter almost the entire length of the needle. They are known in some countries as "Straw Needles." These are Hemming brand English needles.

SHARPS are basic sewing needles, with sharp tips and small eyes, and are primarily used for sewing by hand.

BEADING NEEDLES FOR EMBROIDERY are shorter than other types of beading needles (and thus less fragile). They come with two different types of points, blunt (for counted thread or canvas work) and sharp (for other fabrics) but have eyes like tapestry needles, for easier threading. These are very small needles and will go through almost all beads, including size 14 or Mill Hill Petite beads. We primarily stock these with the blunt point; if you need these with sharp points please check with us for availability.

OLD-FASHIONED WIRE NEEDLE THREADERS are for threading sharps, crewels and other needles with small eyes. They are rather fragile.

LORAN TAPESTRY NEEDLE THREADERS are for threading larger eye needles, such as tapestry and chenille needles. Their unique design make threading simple - insert the threader in the needle eye, lay the thread over the hooked end of the threader, remove the threader - and your needle is threaded! The threader has a small hook on one end and large hook on the other, to accommodate both large and small needles.

Needle Threaders from Klaer International comes in three varieties.

The Ultra Fine Threader is designed to be used with very fine needles (between size 12, sharp size 11 and 12, milliner size 11 and beading size 10 and 12). Stronger than other similar products, the wire threader is embedded into plastic so less likely to pull free. The wire can still break, especially if you try to pull through a thread that is too large or pull too forcefully; use with care.

Ultra Fine Threader, package of two, $3.00

All-Purpose Threader is designed to be used with size 1-10 sharps, embroidery/crewel, milliners and between needles (for sizes 11 and 12 use the Ultra Fine Threader shown above). Like the Ultra Fine Threader, it is longer lasting than similar threaders because the wire is firmly embedded in the plastic. This threader comes with two bonuses: a built-in safe thread cutter, and a tiny hole to allow you to tie it to an object so that it does not get lost.

All-Purpose Threader, package of two, $3.40

Needlework Threader is designed to be used with both tapestry and chenille needles, which have long eyes. Surprisingly, it is even designed to be used with needles as small as size 28 tapestry and chenille (but we are told by the manufacturer that it will not fit in the smallest of the Piecemaker brand tapestry needles). Like the All-Purpose Threader, it comes with a built-in thread cutter and hole for attaching to other objects such as a pair of scissors.

Needlework Threader, package of two, $3.80

ALSO AVAILABLE is a gift pack containing one each of the above three threaders, for $6.00

NEEDLE SAFES are small flat plastic cases with magnetic liners. They will hold not only needles but also small scissors, tekobaris, etc. They now come in two sizes:

Regular Needle Safe, 1¾" x 4½" x ¼"	.....	$8.00
Extra Deep Needle Safe, 2" x 43/8" x ½"	.....	$9.00

LAYING TOOLS, AWLS AND KOMAS

TROLLEY NEEDLES are made of large tapestry needles which have been welded to adjustable metal rings. Wear one on the finger of your choice, and lay your thread over it as you stitch to control thread twist and tension. This is not as precise a laying tool as the tekobari but does have the advantage of leaving both of your hands free for grasping.

TEKOBARI is a laying tool which has been developed by the Japanese for use in their exquisite embroidery techniques. They are hand-made and imported from Japan. They are very sharp tools, measuring about 4" long, and are used to lay threads (particularly flat silks), twist silk, etc. The handles are squared off so that they do not roll when laid down. For more information on the tekobari and how to use it, click here. We are currently experiencing difficulty getting this product and do not have them in stock.

CLOVER BRAND AWLS are very well made with sharp points (much better than the awls you typically find in a fabric store). They are used for piercing holes in fabric (such as small broderie anglaise eyelets), and are also useful for enlarging a hole in needlepoint canvas, as is sometimes required to allow a heavy thread to pass through, or to make an eyelet.

There are two types of awls available. One is used to make very small holes of a uniformly small size (about 3/32"). The other type can be used to make various sizes holes up to about 5/32" (the awl itself gets larger than that but there is a limit to the size of a hole that can be enlarged in fabric - larger eyelets are best made by cutting).

Small, uniform diameter awl	.....	$5.00
Larger, graduated diameter awl	.....	$7.75

KOMA are Japanese wood spools used in metal thread embroidery. They have a squared off top and bottom to prevent them from rolling when laid down. Real metal threads are wound on them prior to stitching. Sold in pairs, as metal threads are typically couched in pairs.

OTHER USEFUL GADGETS

UNCLE BILL'S TWEEZERS are not extremely sharp, but grip well at the tip. They are approximately 2" long. They are useful for removing cut threads, pet hairs, etc. from fabric.

BODKINS are a little like big, flattened needles. Use them to thread ribbons, etc. through a channel - they are a MUST for inserting other threads in Rachel.

NAP BRUSH (also known as a "Bunka Brush") is a device that is used to raise a nap on your stitching (makes it fuzzy) to achieve realistic furry effects, etc.

BEAD NABBERS by Loran make it much easier to sew beads onto needlework. Worn on your finger, they have a tip that will pick up and grip several beads at once, ready to be put on the tip of your needle.

If you are looking for an accessory not listed here,
please contact us as we do have others in stock.

www.threadneedlestreet.com e-mail: custservice@threadneedlestreet.com

Copyright 1998-2010. All prices are in U.S. dollars and are subject to change without notice.