Market Countdown

Next week I'm off to St Charles for the Fall market and I've been incredibly busy preparing all the new stock as well as putting together information on a new project to show everyone. Janie and I have been working on this concept for months and I'm going to introduce it to stores and designers in st Charles. It's all very exciting and I'll let you in on the secret when I get back.

I've put all the new releases up on my website so you can poke around to find them if you have the time. I'll add the links in the 'Latest News' section of my website before I head off to market to make them easier to find.

As well as doing all the above, we have our Summer LE pack all ready to go. There is a couple spare so if anyone would like one, just e-mail.



I've had quite a few questions about the new ornament, so here it is. It's called Floral Diamond Ornament and not only is it a pretty 4 sided ornament that is fully lined, the top opens up so a small gift can be placed inside. This design as well as everything that will be introduced at market can be ordered from your LNS.

Working Away

The first St Charles needlework market will be held next month so I am working away trying to get as much done as possible. I'd like to be ready by the end of August but I know it won't happen. As much as I try to be ready early for a show, I am always working right to the last day before I leave.

Here is another sneak peek of an ornament design. It's a little blury, sorry, but for all that you'll see it won't really matter.



I've started working on the Summer Limited Edition Pack and this will be available by the end of the month and possibly sooner. I am just waiting on the fabric to arrive so that can be dyed. Also included will be the last of the seasonal biscornu charts as well as the regular LE silks, cottons and fabric that is in each pack. If you would like more information about this pack, e-mail me at jo@dinkydyes.com

The Spring LE pack is featured in a previous post so if you want to see what a pack looks like, just scroll down.

I received some new photos of my youngest grand daughter, Taylor, this week. She is 7 months now and just loves her veggies. Here is a photo of her with zucchini all over her face.

OK, I'm back

I know it's been a while but I either haven't had anything to blog about or have been too busy blog.

My husband and I spent a week in Floria last month and had a great time. It was hot but nowhere as humid as Houston and we loved getting out and about. Too bad about the storms each afternoon though!

I'm sure you all recognise this famous Disney building.



The last month or so I've been busy working on some new designs, two of which will be released next month and I've been trying to work out the finishing on one of the designs. I think I have it sorted but won't know for sure until I try to put all the actual stitched bits together.

This is a sneak peek of a new Halloween design.



The new Nashville 2009 colours are progressing and I've dyed up a couple of Limited Edition colours for a few designers. I'm also working on a new thread line for release at Nasville but I'll give you more details as it all comes together.

Later this month I expect 2 new pairs of scissors and there will be a cute little fob to go with them.

There is also the Summer Limited Edition packs to get ready so that is on the calender to tackle in the next few weeks.

Columbus here we come!

We are all packed and Fran and I and Kat from Cross Eyed Cat are catching a flight to Columbus tomorrow for the TNNA Summer Market.

Yes, we have new releases! There are 10 new silks bringing the number to 157 gorgeous hand dyed silk threads and we are also releasing 20 colours of 100% silk ribbons in 4mm and 7mm widths. Over the next few months, we'll add more colours.

I have also designed two new pieces, Mt Coot-tha - a new quilt block and Kwitchyerbellyakin which is a fun design with a Celtic border.

Janie from The Cat's Whiskers Design Studio has 3 cute Krazy Kitties charts for release. There is 4th of July Kitty, Halloween Kitty and Ned Kelly Kitty. These cute little guys are sure to be popular. Here is the 4th of July Kitty.



Fabulous Fall is the last of the Collaboration tuffets from Janie and myself. These very popular packs have the charts, full instructions and the specially dyed silk.

Speaking of kitties, Judith from Twisted Oaks Designs has come up with another fantastic design for a pin cushion and scissor fob. Trixie and Treat are sure to keep your pins and scissors under control. Silk packs are available for all the new release charts.

You can find the links to photos and information about our new releases on the Latest News page on our website. Hope you like them!

Things are crazy!

I'm exhibiting at Columbus market next week, so as you can imagine things are crazy around here. I always think I'm right on schedule, until the last week or so when reality hits and I still have way too many things to do.
Alicia bought me the LE Spring packs threads today and I stitched and made the biscornu yesterday and it looks lovely, if I may say so. I used the two LE silks and #51 Kakadu which is the green. There are still a few of the Spring LE packs available if anyone should want one.

You also get a sneak peek of a new silk in the above photo. That silk at the bottom is Mardi Gras which will be released next week. Each pack will contain one of our 10 new releases.
I've also been busy carding samples of our new ribbon line which I'll be giving away to stores at Columbus. So, if your LNS owner will be at Columbus, tell her to call around and see the new silk colours and pick up a sample of our new ribbon. Here are a few of the colours below.

I was finally copying the photos from our trip home to my computer. I thought you might like to see a photo of Shute Harbour in the Whitsundays. This is the region I call home. No beaches in this photo but can see some of the islands in the background as well as the beautiful blue of the ocean. Makes me homesick just looking at this!

Bright sunny days and gorgeous scenery like this is the inspiration for the colours I create.

Week 20....

My husband gave me a new calender for my office which has the weeks shown. We are already up to week 20! Nearly half the year has already gone. I can't believe how quickly the days go by.

I've had another busy week organising for Columbus market and working on my Spring Limited Edition pack. For those that don't know, I create a Limited Edition pack for each season and each pack contains 2 full skeins of silk thread, 2 full skeins of cotton floss, a piece of 13" x 18" piece of hand dyed fabric, a small chart and I always add a little extra something.

The Spring pack will contain opalesence lugana and the Spring tuffet design. This will make the full set of seasonals tuffets.

There are a few of the Winter LE packs left so if anyone out there reading this wants one, just e-mail me.



I've started dyeing the new range of silk ribbons and have about half dyed. I still need to work on the variegated ribbons. I love these colours!

New silk colours

I've finally finished working on the 10 new colours that will be released at Columbus. 3 of them were developed because of designer requests, one developed for my new grand daughter Taylor and the others are to fill in gaps in the current line.

Since I already dye some of my colours in silk ribbon, I am considering adding some silk ribbon to my regular line. This probably won't happen in time for Columbus market but they will be ready for the new St Charles market in September.

Here is a sneak peak of the 10 new silk colours. Hope you like them!

I'm Back!

It's been so long since I've posted to my blog. I have intended to do so but I've been so incredibly busy, I just haven't managed to get it done.

So, where have I been in the past 4 months? Working mostly.

The lead up to Nashville market in February is always so busy and then after there are orders that need shipping, threads that need dyeing and there are just not enough hours in the day.

I also have a new grand daughter, Taylor Leigh Fisher who was born on February 6th and my daughter, Jaime, was married on March 19th. We were back home in Australia for just over 3 weeks and I had plenty to do to catch up after I returned.



Over the past few months I have also re-structured my business and Toni, who has been working for me for about 2 years, now comes in more often,which has freed up more of my time. I still do all the dyeing and administrative work and Toni packs orders and handles the inventory control and organises the work for the other 4 ladies who work for me.

All in all, it is working out well and I've even had time to read the odd book on weekends instead of working 7 days a week.

At the moment we are preparing for the TNNA trade show in Columbus OH, which is the first week in June. I'll be releasing new silks and designs at this show and so we are busy with our normal day to day work as well as preparing all the new stock for release.

I'll post updates as we progress with our preparations but I can tell you I have a new Celtic design and new quilt block to release, Janie will have new designs as will Judith and Janie and I will collaborate to release the 4th seasonal biscornu... Autumn.