Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.
Ingrid & Anders
Something New for 
Creative Embroidery this April
Hello from a sunshiny Cape Town. A lot has happened in the world since my last newsletter, and I have a heart-warming story to tell you about our global embroidery community. My friend, Tatiana Popova is from Kyiv in Ukraine. In February I wrote on my Facebook page: 
"Let there be Peace My heart goes out to all my friends in Ukraine. Watching from so far away but devastated by what I see. Hazel Blomkamp and I were fortunate to visit and teach in Kyiv and to meet such warm and hospitable people was an honour. My heart breaks for all Ukrainians and I am thinking of you, your family, and your animals. Especially my friend Tatiana Popova, her family and Yuri. My prayers are with everyone that we met and loved in this beautiful country. Please let there be Peace.”
The support from embroiderers across the globe was wonderful to see and I am so happy to tell you that Tatiana and her daughter-in-law are now safe in Australia with the kindest people you can imagine – Maureen and Simon Laughlin from Needlework Tours and Cruises. Maureen and Simon arranged it all, and their local sewing group is also doing so much to make her feel welcome. How special is that? I wish you so much love and healing, Tatiana, I hope you will find peace in Australia and may your husband and twin boys soon join you safely. 
Speaking of Needlework Tours and Cruises, Simon and Maureen in partnership with Inspirations Magazine are also busy with the preparations for the World Needlework Convention in Hawaii for 2023 and soon they will have news about the convention that is planned for some time in April next year. I will keep you updated. I am so excited to be one of the tutors there (there are so many talented tutors to choose from) and it’s going to be fabulous. Hope to meet you there!
Inspirations Studios also has stock of our bestselling book Monograms and Words in Ribbon Embroidery

The book is sold out as we have no stock left but you can purchase it from Inspirations here

Don't delay, it's selling out fast!
In the book, each letter is beautifully reproduced in watercolour with clear instructions for transferring the designs on to fabric.

The step-by-step demonstrations show you the basic techniques, accompanied by easy-to-follow diagrams and close-up photography of the embroideries.

There are numerous gorgeous designs, including embroidered cards, plaques, boxes, journals, baby clothes and more, giving you almost limitless scope for personalizing special gifts for babies, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and more.
What's New?
Introducing A Dreamy New Kit: 
STARGAZERS
Stargazers in Stumpwork and Needle felting - a NEW creative embroidery kit.

Quick and easy, it doesn't take long to create this whimsical picture of two best friends looking at the stars. Perfect for sewing groups too! Stargazing. You will learn how to needle felt and how to make the three-dimensional shapes in stumpwork (the easy way) with detailed photography and step-by-step instructions. A lovely combination of crafts. 

Read more about this whimsical project here
Muslin – New product
The softest cotton muslin for backing your embroidery or for trapunto
This muslin is another fabric that I use for backing my embroidery. The backing fabric is white, lightweight pure cotton muslin – ideal for ribbon embroidery and stumpwork designs. It is also useful for Trapunto as it’s nice and thin, yet strong. 

Note:  The size of the cotton fabric in this pack: 1-metre x 1.48 metres (39.37 inches x 58 inches) and it’s useful to have on hand for when you need it. 

For more info look here.
A delightful collection of small projects are on SPECIAL - 10% off!
We have a sale on some of the little projects — perfect for travelling with. I don’t like being without a small project on the hoop and I am sure many of you don’t either! So, I thought you too would enjoy a small project or two to have on the go. Portable and manageable, these are a perfect choice, and they are all 10% off for a short while only. Plus, with every order, you will also receive a surprise gift inside your parcel!

We are offering 10% off:

-
Summer's Afternoon Needlebook Kit 

What’s lovely about these small projects is their ease of transportation, they are the perfect size to take on holiday with you or when you need to wait and pass the time somewhere. 

I recently took one on a weekend away and it was the most wonderful way to spend time relaxing. The size also makes it easy to bring more than one along for friends and family, a shared activity that is sure to bring lots of joy to all. Ideal for embroidery lovers and those who want to learn a new skill.

I can easily recall various special times when I look at some of my finished pieces as if I stitched the memories into the canvas.

A number of these little projects can also be kept in the hoop like it’s very own frame - we love doing this. This makes for a stunning feature wall to hang a collection of small embroidery hoops that are stitched with all the memories of special weekends, holidays or times in your life.

Learn more about each of these delightful projects below or shop them all on my website here
'Girl Knitting is our recently launched kit. It’s a beautiful design, perfect for any embroiderer who wishes to make something lovely for a special girl in your life. 

The carefully-prepared kit saves you time and effort and it’s good to have everything that you need when starting a new project.

Don't you just love this little girl and her cat? Shop the kit here
'Tea with Two Cats is another great project for those who are into hoop art. Leave it in a hoop or you can frame it in a round mountboard for your mantel piece or shelf. 

This lovely piece was a collaboration with Karen Nell, myself (Di van Niekerk) and Carol Carl and we are thrilled with the results! Don’t you just love the kitties?

Their names are Peekaboo and HazelNUT♥ 

Shop the kit here
'The little 'Summer's Afternoon' needlebook is just too precious for words! It has been a bestseller for good reason and now you can get it for yourself at a special discount of less 10%.

This gorgeous Needlebook also makes a wonderful gift - both the kit and the completed needlebook (although it's going to be hard to give away!)

It is a most enjoyable project.
Shop the needlebook kit
here
Tea in the Garden is one of our most popular kits. It is part of our Hoop Art Series and you can't go wrong gifting this to a friend or loved one.

This gorgeous kit is the perfect size for anyone who would like to start with a small project. It’s quick and beautiful, it has a lot of texture and the colours are picture-perfect. It is such an exquisite kit and is the perfect friend for 'Tea with two Cats'. Shop the kit
here
Miniature embroidery is very trendy right now and 'Heart Love' is the ideal project for you. This little embroidered heart  is a perfect gift for a wedding couple or for a loved one, and it’s quick to make! The kit itself makes a lovely gift for an embroidery friend. Have a look here for more info.
Books, Books, Glorious Books! 
A sale you've been waiting for - 35% Off!
We have a special offer EXCLUSIVELY for Dicraft subscribers

ALL of our books are on SALE at less 35%. This special is limited to 2 books per customer and is valid while stocks last. There are several to choose from and they will all be signed editions!

Many of these editions are going out of print and so this is the perfect opportunity to get your hands on a copy while you still can. This wonderful selection of books has something for everyone and they also make the most treasured gifts. Click on the titles below to learn more.

-
Ribbon Embroidery & Stumpwork (Classic Edition)
For the complete beginner – this book has sold more than 100,000 copies and started many an embroiderer on their journey into ribbon embroidery and stumpwork. This is the old, classic volume (fast becoming a collector’s item).

-
Ribbon Embroidery & Stumpwork (Revised Edition)
This is the revamped version of RES.

-Ribbon Embroidery & Stumpwork (Afrikaans Version)
This is RES translated into Afrikaans.

Many of you have asked for the Perfect World book (which teaches you so much about dimensional embroidery and interesting flowers) and it is out of print, but I have good news! My publisher has turned it into a downloadable eBook! This is the electronic version for you to download onto all your devices and your phone. And it’s on special for a short while only.  

We must discontinue this book and if you don't have a copy or would like to buy the book for a special friend, then now is the time to do so at 35% off! Cicely Mary Barker’s beloved Flower Fairies™ are perfect for needlecrafters who enjoy creative, three-dimensional embroidery. 

For the lover of Roses, this book will teach you all about embroidering roses! Learn how to make rose petals and rose hips, sepals, stems, and leaves, spent roses and stamens, birds, a bird’s nest, butterflies, and so much more! 

 Alluring and delicate, the flowers in this book will inspire and delight. If you love flowers, then this is just the book for you. 

Learn and create beautifully embroidered silk and felt pieces by Di van Niekerk and Toody Cassidy. A unique book that combines the two mediums, with fabulous results. 

From simple, monochromatic line designs to colourful and flamboyant bead-and-thread combinations, the embroidered mandalas will inspire and delight everyone from rank beginners to the most experienced. More than 60 stitches and techniques in inspiring combinations. 
Showcasing the work of silk ribbon artists from all over the world, it is an international collaboration of exquisite talent and skill. 

My Dreamscapes book is sold out, but the good news is that three projects in the book are available in eBook format:
-Bottom’s Up E-Book (From Dreamscapes)

-Floral Vista E-Book (From Dreamscapes) 

-Swan Cottage E-Book (From Dreamscapes)

A few words from you: 

"I love your books - I have learned SO much!" - Lisa

"Your books are so inspiring" - Shirley

"I'm looking at my library of Di van Niekerk books, and I have this one in paperback!!! I LOVE IT! It has such great flowers and beautiful photos. Your books are truly inspiring and so clear in instructions. I love taking your books when I am having to wait somewhere, like in a ferry line, or waiting for the oil to be changed in the car, etc. Your books are so wonderful!!!" - Janet 

"My book arrived this morning and I am delighted with it thank you. Apart from having such beautiful illustrations the text is so easy to understand and the stitch diagrams, even for a newbie like me, are really clear. I have several other stumpwork and silk ribbon books but I think that Di’s book is far better than any of them. I love it that she explains everything and when she says that the instructions have been written for ‘the total beginner in mind’ that is really true. -
Noelene 

Share and Learn

I received this lovely story from one of my customers, Mari Hirako who teaches embroidery in Tokyo, Japan and I thought you would like to read it. Mari wrote: 

Hello Di,
I’ve received the parcel safely,  needlebook print is just beautiful and the kit is beautifully made.  I can’t wait to start to embroider it.  Thank you for the panels and bundle of ribbons which are pretty too!

I have something to tell you,  one of my student’s mothers recently moved to a nursing home, she is 95 years old and still quite capable of doing many things.  In order to move in, she has to sort out her belongings because she is allowed to bring just a few things with her.  She chose her “Flower Fairy clock” for her most precious thing to take, ( my student, her daughter, embroidered it for her)  Now it is hanging in the best place in her room!  I was so happy when I heard this story and I thought I need to pass it on to you. 

Thank you, Di for producing beautiful things which we need, whatever the situation is.

Take care and stay safe,

Warm regards,
Mari” 

Thank you for sharing this heartwarming story Mari.
May all mothers, wherever they are, know how important they are in all our lives. 
Joyce Solichin from Jakarta in Indonesia made this delightful piece and I love her embroidery style! If you have a child that you would like to make this for, the downloadable lesson is here and the complete kit with everything that you need (and more) is here

On special for a short while only. Thank you, Joyce for sharing your talent with all of us! #inspiredbydicraft — A Place to Share

A Gift for You

Free patterns for our subscribers

Don’t you just love chickens and their cheerful personalities? This treasured painting is a golden oldie and a firm favourite for embroidery. For you to create a cute picture or little bag, pincushion, whatever takes your fancy! Download the free PDF here. Embroider with threads and or ribbons, whatever takes your fancy! Please don’t forget to post your completed piece on social media with the hashtag #inspiredbydicraft and then we can see it and share it too! 
You may be interested in learning  how to embroider chickens with silk ribbon, have a look at the downloadable lesson here. It’s also on exclusive offer at 35% off!  This popular lesson will teach you step-by-step how to make the sweetest little chickens!

A useful tip

Raised stems in Whipped Backstitch: when forming a stem anywhere near the chickens (or children, arms, legs, faces), start or end the background detail about 2 to 3mm (1/8 in.) away from the outline of the body shape. This will prevent the background stems from being too prominent along the edge of the shape. Use thread and tiny stab stitches at the end of the stem (or grass or leaf) to flatten them. For more ideas, hints, and tips, have a look on my blog here.

Did you know about our customised service?

For anyone who needs individual assistance with colour and texture or help with the design of a name to be printed onto cotton fabric, in full colour, ready to be embroidered, we have a customised service available. 

If you have a picture or design and need ribbons or threads, fibres, yarns etc.
contact us and we can select these for you. All we need is the size of the picture to choose the appropriate threads and ribbons to fit. 

Also, if you need colours for your stock, for example, autumn or pastel shades, let us know the size ribbon you want, what kind of thread and the colour scheme and we will select these for you, no problem at all.

A New Team Member

I’d like to welcome a new member to the Dicraft team, Lisa Machill, our operations manager, and we couldn’t do without her! Lisa is a creative and logical person who is enjoys life to the full. After studying clothing technology and fashion design, she opened her own label, Caprice Designs, enjoying fine detailing with embroidery and beadwork. She has worked in many fields in her career, allowing her to gain experience in business, and to learn leadership and people skills. She is also a qualified Gourmet Chef and takes her creativity into the kitchen. She is a nature lover, earth protector, cat mother, and a good friend to many. We are blessed to have her join our team, welcome Lisa!

Stay in Contact

Keep a lookout on my blog for new posts and tutorials. Subscribe for free to stay in touch with the latest news, specials, and updates.

We look forward to meeting up and chatting with you on
Instagram and Facebook, where you can learn and share with embroiderers the world over. Click on the follow button to join, it is fun and it's inspiring!
For those that celebrate Easter, may you have a blessed and joyful time with your family during this special period. 
So, with all the specials and a new kit, I am sure that you will be inspired to stitch. Even if you embroider for twenty minutes a day, it really is such good therapy.  

Enjoy your embroidery and have a happy time stitching these charming little projects. 

Until next time, be happy, mooi bly.
and the team in Newlands, Cape Town.
You have received this newsletter because you have subscribed to 
https://blog.dicraft.com

Di van Niekerk

Upper Rose Street, Cape Town, 7700

Unsubscribe