Wednesday 20 May 2020

Stitchscape Kit Update


I was adding my new Bluebell Garden kits to my website and suddenly realised how many kits I've designed now!! Amazing to think that in the last three years I've designed thirteen different Stitchscape kits!! I thought it would be a good time to go over a quick potted history of my kits (mainly so that I can look back and remember as this blog is often used as a diary to find out what I was doing in previous years, and a way of remembering how far my little kitchen table business has grown).

No longer available/sold out kits:

 Summer Sweet Stitchscape Kit :: my first ever kit! Now completely sold out having been running since August 2017. Sadly I wasn't able to find any more of the lovely floral fabric I'd used at the bottom, and the supplier wasn't able to help me as they'd only bought it in as a fat quarter. Since then I've learnt not to use fat quarters in my kits as it turns out people really like them and I have to make lots of them!

 Summer Sweet II Stitchscape Kit :: the second version of the above which was released as a special edition in March of this year. I'm currently looking into sourcing some new fabrics so that I can create a longer running Summer Sweet III but that's on a back burner for the moment as I have several other kit projects which are higher up in the queue.

Orange Glow Sunset Stitchscape Kit ::one of two designs that were created in partnership with the-stitchery in Lewes, and my lovely friend Saira who owns the business. This has now been re-worked and re-launched as one of my best sellers, Fire Flower. (You can still buy my Stitchscape kits through her shop as she is one of my fabulous stockists! Plus her lovely premises is stuffed to the gills with gorgeous things - although currently it's not open due to the COVID-19 shut downs, she's still online and designs her own kits for all sorts of different creative things so well worth a look!)

Spring Ladybugs Stitchscape Kit :: the second design for the-stitchery which took longer to sell through than the sunset piece but uses a really sweet ladybird polycotton fabric. At this very moment I am awaiting a delivery of fabrics so that I can re-work this kit in time for the summer holidays. (That's the plan anyway.)

My currently available kits are:

 #inthehoop Spring Stitchscape Kit :: which suddenly came into its own at the beginning of this year and flew out of the shop! Pretty, dainty and ladylike with a fun jute trimming.

Christmas Hoop Stitchscape Kit :: which is now discontinued with the fabric selection currently available. A new version is ready and waiting to be released later on in the year, but for now the first edition is down to its last 5 kits. 

The Naked Stitchscape Kit :: a kit that is always evolving and changing with new fabric collections and 'bits 'n bobs' included. I've just updated the booklet for this one and swapped a couple of bits around. There is also a PDF downloadable version of this in my shop if you have a stash to hand already. The download includes extra stitches and images to the physical booklet. 

Stitchscape Pebbles Kit :: also a kit that keeps changing, usually in line with the Naked kits as they tend to be done together. Choose your favourite fabric selection and either follow the diagrams in the booklet or design the pebbles yourself! There is also a PDF downloadable version of this kit as it again uses up small scraps that you are likely to have at home. 

Button Mountain Felt Stitchscape Kit :: one for the small stitchers in your life this kit uses three stitches and is made with felt and buttons. It's an easy one to start them off on a creative journey and has lots of diagrams and pictures to follow. 

Woollydale Stitchscape Kit :: is my all time, best selling kit! Slightly more challenging with lots of french knots to create woolly sheep, this is definitely worth it and it doesn't matter if you aren't neat with your knots - your sheep aren't entering any competitions for being well groomed!

Fire Flower Stitchscape Kit :: this is the re-worked version of Orange Glow sunset and uses the same template pieces and a couple of the same fabrics but different stitches. It's a hot little number that's really quick to stitch up!

Bluebell Garden Stitchscape Kit :: is my newest kit and the most complex (although I still wouldn't say it was hard, just slightly more challenging). There are two options with a different trimming for you to choose from and focuses much more on you adding your own input, whilst still being a fully templated kit. 

Felt Flower Garden Hoop Stitchscape Kit :: is a downloadable version only and slightly different to a full Stitchscape kit. This is again aimed at small stitchers and uses small scraps of felt and buttons to create a lovely little flower scene. Great for a weekend project and has templates to use if you have a printer at home. 

Future kit ideas:

So, future kits then! Currently in the pipeline is the new ladybird kit once I've sourced all of the fabrics and trimmings for this. I've got the polycotton ladybird fabric, the blue sky, a lovely Makower linea green print and a green polka dot and I'm just waiting on two floral fabric options to arrive in the post for me to choose from. Then I need to find some trimmings to accompany it all and stitch it all up!! The plan is to re-use the templates from the original Spring Ladybug kit so hopefully this won't take too long to put together, I will just need to re-write the kit booklet to reflect the new techniques. 
I've also designed and sourced everything for the next little Christmas decoration hoop, this just needs writing up properly into a kit booklet and everything cut up and put together - that might be something I can get The Mother working on actually whilst we are still in lockdown......
Summer Sweet III is causing me a bit of a headache as I can't find the fabrics that I want so I shall mull that one over until I find ones that I fall in love with - I do have one bolt of an unused green batik fabric that could be a potential but I'm not sure on the colour with the summery floral I already have remaining from Summer Sweet II. 

Then there are all of the other suggestions that come flying in from various places - The Mother has now suggested a beach hut kit which would also include using bondaweb (to add another skill to your tool belt) to attach the huts themselves. It's a good idea, I shall ponder on it. 

Have you been working on any Stitchscape kits? I'd love to see what you've been up to!! Please do share on my social medias, you can find me on Instagram @power.beth, or on Facebook at Dotty Textiles. If you are on Facebook, why not also join the Dotty Textiles Stitchscape Group and share your work with the other 'scapers? It's a great environment full of inspiration and encouragement. 


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