October 1st, 2009
Six new plates from the Ellen McCarn Company have arrived. Ellen always pleases with her creativity in picture and geometric smocking and the price, just $3.50 each.
She has come up with some cuties for baby’s first picture smocked outfits, a topic that always needs new inspirations. These two new additions to Ellen’s plate collection are quick and easy to make and oh so charming.
Here are Martha’s Minis and Holiday Designs for Carol.

For geometric smocking fans here are three new plates designed for the smallest members of the family in straight yoke or round yoke style. Can also be smocked on bags as gifts to young mothers.
Here are Allison Leigh,

Robbie’s Bubbles & Bonnets, & Christening Day for Carlos


Trains are always a fun choice to smock and once again Ellen (the queen of smocked tractor trailers and trucks) has designed the cutest Birthday Express yet. Also included is a separate birthday cake design.

Kathy Awender’s Smocker’s Tote

Kathy Awender’s Smocker’s Tote, easily adapted to carry baby’s necessary things all in one spot.
Two great new books for silk ribbon embroidery lovers and enthusiasts, both by masters in their art.

A to Z Ribbon Flowers - Ann Cox
What a book! A comprehensive reference book on the methods of embellishing silk ribbon embroidery. You will learn to understand how to put a background together by painting or hot-iron transfer method using your scanner and printer and special iron-on transfer paper. Other methods of transferring images to your fabric are discussed. You will also learn how to sew ribbon to make flowers and hand paint them for more detail on simply gorgeous silk ribbon floral pictures (ah the Wisteria!). Each flower that represents a letter looks almost real as Ann pays close attention to detail. You will once again pick up your ribbons and be inspired to embroider again. Holiday gifts can be made ANY time of the year. Hardback edition
Price $39.95 - ON SALE $30.00

Embroidered Alphabets by Di van Niekirk
Another lovely book. Pretty pictures, a delight to the visual senses. Each letter of the alphabet has been embroidered in monogram style but embellished in the beautiful South African silk ribbon style with various threads and embroidery stitches all complimenting each other into perfection. Softback edition.
Price $25.95
You can purchase both these items at our Silk Ribbon Books page
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Tags: Ann Cox, Diane van Niekirk, Ellen Mccarn Smocking Plates, silk ribbon embroidery
June 28th, 2009
Three new silk ribbon embroidery books arrived this week, we’ve been waiting patiently for them and it was worth the wait.
First is the long anticipated book by Ann Cox adding to her series of great beginner’s books of silk ribbon embroidery. This new volume is spiral bound and fits neatly in your sewing basket for quick reference. Every stitch is detailed in step by step photos with Ann’s original designs meant to inspire your own creativity. ($21.95)

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Next we have the Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies in Ribbon Embroidery & Stumpwork ($29.95) by the master stumpwork artist Di Van Niekerk of South Africa. Five fairies are shown in detail on how to embellish the prints with organza and ribbon and stumpwork touches. The prints for the book are available, just ask.

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Finally a new beginner’s or reference book on silk Ribbon Embroidery with simple stitches for easy embellishments by Natalie Belanger-Clement. It’s an excellent reference guide for the stitches and different ribbon techniques such as couching and weaving. ($13.95)

To read my reviews of these books and/or to purchase
please go to my webstore at http://www.smockingstore.com/silkbook.html
or give the fairies a call at 707-995-9337
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Tags: Ann Cox, Di van Nieukirk, silk ribbon embroidery, stumpwork
June 21st, 2009
There is a website (I won’t give the address for security concerns) that is posing to be my silk ribbon book site or makes you assume I’m advertising there. In fact they have using my reviews for the Silk Ribbon Books we sell without out my permission, hot-linking to my images until I moved them and shut the door they sat back and hot-linked to images of silk ribbon embroidery examples from individual silk ribbon designers who post on Flicker. There is a false link to my website which makes you believe I sanctioned their use while they have a coding that goes along with the link that is suspicious to me. I just wanted you to know that I have NOTHING to do with that site and suggest you stay out of there as I believe them to be up to no good … i.e. PHISHERS or worse the fake Paypal people. The owners of that site (who also owns 271 other garbage sites) in a previous attack stole my primary website address by adding the word THE before my address with the intent to confuse. That site is a bunch of links which when you click on it a cookie is placed on your computer and they know everything about you. They also are posing to be a bulletin board and chatroom while trashing my site. STAY AWAY as I believe they are PHISHERS, otherwise why would they steal other people’s images and text. If you do land on their site get out of there fast and clear your private data from your browser, close down your browser window and open a new window as they are probably tracking your every move.
Sincerely,
Beth the Main Fairy in the Garden.
P.S. 10/20/09 note
If you search under silk ribbon embroidery with google the above website shows up with a warning not to enter as they may have dangerous malware. Thank you Google.
Posted in Web Tips and Warnings | No Comments »
Tags: silk ribbon embroidery