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I've gleaned a collection of all kinds of pets helping out with cross stitch, including my all-time favorite disapproving cat with YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG. What would we do without them??

This is a guest post by the awesome and clever Meredith Mendola. You can find a link to her framing service at the end of this article. While I wish I could take credit for the great idea of mounting finished needlework on canvas, I cannot. It is a pretty simple way to put the finishing touches on any piece, and it's less expensive than most frames. Depending upon what types of crafting you like to do, you probably already have most of the needed materials handy. WHAT YOU'LL NEED: Your finished piece Pre-stretched paint canvases Hot glue gun (the...

Metallic thread is a notorious headache, but I have finally found a combination of things that makes it behave like regular thread. Here are my secrets. $$$ Try putting your metallic thread in the fridge before you stitch. I’m not entirely sure this helped, but it’s worth a try because I feel like it kind of did. $$$ Use a lot of Thread Heaven (or as I call it, Thread Lube). It’s a type of wax which will help your metallic thread glide smoother. $$$ I always pair a strand of metallic thread (I prefer this kind) with one strand...

WOW. How did they pull this off? Award-winning digital and direct marketing agency, LIDA created this direct mail campaign called IKEA Handcrafted. I am completely wowed! Surely it's machine stitching. More of the story here.

We have so many options for fall and Halloween. The most popular, taking the internet by storm, is this one - based on the hilarious McSweeney's article. But there's more! Available as kits and PDFs. Check the NEW page for all the latest. And in PDFs: Quite a collection! Get to it, time's a wastin'!